Guyana times daily

GTA urges Guyanese to tap into local tourism offers P10

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1865 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, August 19, 2013

Government, private sector hold talks with CAL– key concerns addressed See story on page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

More than 300 to benefit from medical outreach in Annandale P9 Trade, P9 bilateral issues to be discussed during Maduro’s visit

31 graduate from IT, cosmetology training P12 programme

Six of the 10 delegates who are slated to compete for the Miss Jamzone International Pageant at the National Cultural Centre Tuesday evening strike a pose during a photo shoot Sunday (Carl Croker photo)

Linden-Lethem Mavado a road crucial to no-show at boosting trade Caribbean Jam – Dookhoo See story on page 7

See story on page 13

Dr Gopaul stresses importance of labour P12 movement PPP/C condemns violence in Egypt

P12

2 NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

International consultants employed to revise teachers’ courses A s part of efforts to improve the delivery of education to teachers at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), the Guyana Improving Teachers Edu-cation Project (GITEP) has employed the services of international consultants to review existing courses and design new ones.

This was revealed by GITEP Coordinator Tota Mangar, during an interview with Guyana Times.

He also pointed out that these courses are a part of the Associate Degree in Education (ADE) programme at CPCE and the Bachelor of Arts degree in education (BEd) programme at the University of Guyana (UG).

He noted that this move is to aid in the emer-

Guyana Improving Teachers Education Project (GITEP) Coordinator Tota Mangar

gence of more efficient and proficient teachers through better teaching courses. “A number of existing courses were reviewed and upgraded by consultants and a number of new courses were

introduced,” Mangar noted.

He highlighted that as a result of this, a number of new courses such as “Mathematical Thinking”, “Behavioural Analysis”, and “Ethics and Civic Life”, have recently been introduced as part of the curriculum for the ADE programme.

“Similarly for the UG Bachelor’s in Education programme, there are some new courses that are being designed and existing courses were reviewed.”

“We also brought in a team from University of New Brunswick recently and they designed and implemented a management course for senior administrators at CPCE, the satellite centres, and School of Education and

Humanities, so it’s a combination of things,” Mangar outlined.

The GITEP coordinator believes the improved courses would allow for capacity building, as well as conducive teaching and learning environments.

Meanwhile, the first batch of CPCE ADE graduates is expected to make their entrance into the University of Guyana when the new academic year begins later this month for the Bachelor’s in Education programme.

The special ADE and BEd programmes were estab-

lished by the Education Ministry in an effort to reduce the amount of time graduates of CPCE take to complete the BEd programme.

“It’s called ‘2+2’.

Two years associate degree, two years at the Bachelor’s in Education level,” the GITEP coordinator said.

Prior to this, it would have taken graduates seven years to complete the programme, with trainee teachers having to go through the Teachers’ Certificate programme, put in two years

of work at a school, then engage in a one-year certificate in education programme before moving on to a four-year BEd programme.

Mangar added, “I mean students have an option, they can stop at the ADE level and go back to the school system or they can continue their studies and hopefully, we expect all of them to take up that opportunity.”

The Education Ministry’s aim is to ensure that every teacher who leaves the training college is able to deliver work of a high standard.

Islamic organisation donates US$100,000 for completion of Queenstown mosque

The partially completed Queenstown mosque

T

he historic Queenstown mosque in Guyana, built by the Afghan community of Georgetown in 1895, has received a US$100,000 donation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to fund the completion of the country’s principal mosque.

The building when completed will be the tallest structure in Georgetown.

The original wooden mosque, built in 1895, has been repaired several times but eventually the entire structure became very unstable and the Queenstown Jama Masjid, as it is locally known, is being rebuilt using steel, concrete and marble by the local Muslim community.

However, the completion of the mosque has been stalled due to lack of funds. The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) brought the issue to the attention of OIC Secretary General Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu during a visit to the mosque while he was on an official visit to Guyana

in May. Following his visit to Guyana, Ihsanoglu took an initiative to help the Queenstown Jama Masjid.

“As a result, during its last meeting, the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), a subsidiary organ of the OIC, endorsed the proposal of the secretary general to provide the Queenstown Mosque with US$100,000 to assist with finalising the construction of the building,” a statement from the OIC Mission to the United Nations said on Friday.

Much of the mosque is completed, but the domes, minarets and courtyard are not, depriving the mosque of its main character. The Jama Masjid also needs rugs, chandeliers and other interior and exterior ascetics according to the CIOG, which is appealing to the Muslim world for assistance since the final cost of the mosque has exceeded the projected US$2 million.

When completed, the mosque will accommodate 1000 worshippers. (Caribbean News Now)

NEWS

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Monday, August 19 from 14:30h to 16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Monday, August 19 from 15:05h to 16:35h.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Government, private sector hold talks with CAL – key concerns addressed

WEATHER TODAY Countrywide: Overcast skies with sunny intervals are expected to prevail over coastal and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 19 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: West north-westerly at zero to 1.66 metes per second.

High Tides: 15:23h reaching a maximum height of 2.58 metres.

Low Tides: 08:54h and 21:15h reaching minimum heights of 0.58 metres and 0.61 metres respectively.

Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali (in centre) flanked by Transport Minister Robeson Benn (right), Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) Chairman Philip Marshall, along with other CAL executives and members of the private sector

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mid allegations of abuse and exploitation as it relates to the exorbitant ticket prices levied on Guyanese passengers, Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) Chairman Philip Marshall said his company will rework its service and review its price structure.

“We have to re-architect our service to the citizens of Guyana. Guyana is a very important market for us... servicing the combined needs of the government and the private sector is extremely important,” Marshall said shortly after a high-profile meeting at the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry.

Marshall, accompanied

by Caribbean Airlines acting Chief Executive Officer Jagmohan Singh, Airport Manager Carl Stuart and Corporate Secretary Nalini Lalla met with acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali, Transport Minister Robeson Benn and Cheddi Jagan International Airport Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Ghir, along with executives of the private sec-

tor on Sunday ahead of the unveiling of a “crystallised agreement”.

The board chairman said CAL will not only strengthen its communication base, but with increased knowledge about Guyana’s economic development and needs, the airline would incorporate needs of the country into it strategic plan.

“We now can take this into our strategic planning and development going forward to make sure our organisation is strengthened to meet and match your expectations of development,” he explained.

Customer service, intransit process, and security checks of Guyanese passengers at Piarco International Airport, Caribbean Airlines’ capacity, airfare and its flag carrier status were the key issues placed on the table during the meeting.

Expectations

“The relationship between the government and Caribbean Airlines, I want to reaffirm is one that is positive, is one that is collaborative, is one that seeks to bring the best service and product to customers of CAL who, to a larger extent, are

Guyanese,” Minister Ali told the press.

He said Caribbean Airlines’ flag carrier status was extensively discussed, with Guyana detailing its expectations. “What it entails, what it means and how we can ensure that the flag carrier status works in the interest of all of us – CAL, the government, the wider region and the issue of customer service and pricing,” Ali noted.

In less than two weeks, the acting tourism minister said a report compiling the agreements made between CAL and the government of Guyana will be unveiled, noting that it was in the process of being finalised. Within the agreement are the review of the price structure, improved customer service and added capac-

ity. In an effort to meet the customers’ demand, the airline will increase its seating capacity by 30 per cent during the upcoming Christmas season, as well as make “a commitment on the review of the price structure to come up with a medium kind of pricing that would benefit all customers.”

The transport minister lobbied for the airline to capitalise on the opportunities that would be presented during the staging of the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

Private Sector Commission Chairman Ronald Webster and Public Relations Consultant Kit Nascimento were among private sector executives present. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Views Editor: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Minority veto

T

he decision of Sithe Global to withdraw from the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP), because the government failed to obtain the approval of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in Parliament on two bills concerning the project, amounts to a minority veto on the development of Guyana.

APNU executive Carl Greenidge identified Sithe’s concern when he pointed out that the company was concerned about the impact of “political risk” on its projected US$150 million investment.

Greenidge proposed, “This government – you can’t guarantee that it will be there for 20 more years. Even less likely, the chances are that they might not even serve out their term. The problem is if a new government comes in, they will look at a project like this, which is controversial, and they may wish to revisit the financing. That’s what Sithe recognises.”

What Greenidge did not spell out precisely is that if Sithe’s concern is about a possible new government reversing the financial arrangements, they would be actually concerned about the intentions of APNU/People’s National Congress (PNC). They are the only political party other than the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in Guyana, which has a possibility of securing office – remote as that possibility might be.

Sithe would not have made such an assessment after spending so much time and effort over AFHEP if it did not have some hard information on the thinking of APNU/PNC of this matter. As the majority equity partner with the government of Guyana on the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) project subsumed under the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Amaila Falls Hydro Inc (AFHI), Sithe would obviously be concerned with the overall political risk that the local situation presented.

While political risk is measured by a large number of variables involving external and internal factors, the government, important local players – it is now clear that the internal factors that includes the opposition and their intentions, loomed much larger than anything else and were deemed unacceptable. It should be noted that Sithe and the entire project had already been protected by insurance that cost over US$55 million. The question that arises is what was it about APNU/PNC’s position that made Sithe take such a drastic step as walking away from a deal such as AFHEP. It could not just be the possibility that the government could change and alter the contracts: this process is, after all, subject to an international environment that should give pause to extreme action. The PNC had made Guyana into an international pariah once when they refused to honour their obligations to the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) in the 1970s. We do not believe they want to go down that road again.

What is more likely is that Sithe would have concluded that APNU/PNC does not stand a chance of regaining power, and they would resort to an internal destabilisation plan that would put the entire AFHEP at risk. They would have seen how far the PNC was willing to go at the turn of the millennium when they supported the attacks on the state and innocent citizens by marauding gangs based in Buxton. They would have see how the PNC was willing to cut off the interior of the country from the coastland, during the Linden protests they organised along with their junior opposition partner.

In addition to the strangulation of traffic into the interior, massive acts of vandalism and arson were committed on infrastructure and businesses. Not coincidentally, that protest was over the rationalisation of electricity tariffs for the community of Linden. How farfetched would it be for Sithe to conclude that, in any future disagreement over government policy, on electricity rates or another area, the APNU/PNC would resort to similar acts of sabotage against the electrical transmission lines from AFHEP or indeed, AFHEP itself.

Based on such an assessment, Sithe conferred a “minority veto” to APNU/PNC.

The delegates competing in the Miss and Mr Guyana Talented Teen Pageant during a photo shoot at the Promenade Gardens on Sunday. The pageant is slated for October 12 at a venue to be announced (Carl Croker photo)

New Amsterdam Lions Club sending a good message Dear Editor, The New Amsterdam Lions Club, working in collaboration with an overseas-based doctor, recognised the top performers at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations. This is encouraging.

The top 11 students in Region Six, along with the top six from Region

Five, were honoured. We give out man of the match and most-valuable-player (MVP) awards in sports, so it is fitting that we honour and recognise our budding academics. What these children did must not go unnoticed.

The recognition of and investing in young academics seems what this particular association is

about, that is, the link with the doctor. According to the club’s past president, the club was impressed with the students’ performances and felt the need to acknowledge the efforts of the students.

In the past, the club has been placing much emphasis on the development of academic achievers, and the doctor himself has been

personally assisting in the development of education in Berbice for decades.

Berbice is quite wellknown for producing a lot of outstanding academics, and it now has the Tain Campus. Something good is definitely happening there.

Respectfully, Emile Trotz

The Forbes Burnham biography Dear Editor, I wish to say something about the Forbes Burnham biography, which is being complied by Professor Linden Lewis. It is very educational for the world to know about Burnham, but I wish to make these points.

One of the first things that Burnham did was to disarm one section of the people of Guyana and leave them defenceless against criminals.

People who did not sup-

port him could not get government jobs unless they became supporters of the Burnham-led People’s National Congress (PNC) party. That is called party paramountcy.

Then he banned the importation of goods and foods like potatoes, onion, garlic, split peas and flour, among other things. He tried his best to elevate his supporters by giving them all the opportunities and jobs, yet the other people prospered by becoming farmers, fish-

ermen, hire car operators, and even smugglers. Some people became millionaires by smuggling flour, onions and potatoes and by producing eshallot and cabbage.

Burnham then introduced Rabbi Edward Washington, an American criminal, to the scene.

Kick-down-the-door bandits became prevalent against certain people who were totally defenceless. They were raped and robbed in their own homes

with little help from the police force, which was and still is PNC-controlled.

Until today, some people cannot get guns to protect themselves even though they are multimillionaire businessmen.

After Burnham’s death, Desmond Hoyte became president and put a stop to kick-down-the-door banditry.

Rafeek Shah Dundee, Mahaicony East Coast Demerara

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Road safety involves many We have to remove trunkers non-driving factors from the streets Dear Editor, We have to be careful about our roadways. In order to enhance safety, we have to make sure that slush and garbage are not piled up.

Right now in Georgetown, I am sometimes put off by some very annoying and unnecessary things.

Take the Avenue of the Republic and Robb Street – the rails of the southern side of the road are broken down.

This makes for a fall-off that should never be, in the event of an accident. That rail serves for protective and preventive reasons.

Annandale has the iron cross bar knocked off from its two posts. This was to prevent heavy vehicles from using the Big Trench road leading to the seawall. How come no one saw when this happened and reported it is way beyond me. Now that road needs a lot of repair work.

Many times too, I just cannot turn into a next street with on-going vehicular traffic very comfortably, as weeds and bushes have grown so large, thick and high, that vision is impaired. This is quite dan-

Dear Editor, The four-year sentence for the man who broke into a Rentokil vehicle and stole a number of items is most deserved. I just hate when I have to park my bus and be worrying all the time.

Many times, people have to pay people to keep an eye on their vehicles. This is why I am so glad that at least one trunker is off the streets.

Many times, these people plead guilty, only because they were caught red-

An accident scene

gerous. We need to be alert.

The road situation is bad already, so why make it worse?

These impediments to good and safe driving should be searched out and dealt with.

How about the man who died when he apparently lost control of his motorcycle and crashed at East Canje? First, we just do not lose control automatically – things like being drunk, fast driving, being on a cell and running into obstacles can all account for this.

So we have to guard against all of these. This man at East Canje not only lost control, he also went into a trench that was tailor-made for suffocation. If

the trench had been well cleaned, who is to say that he might not have survived?

Road safety is everybody’s business. The police traffic department can only do so much. Drivers have to look out and even rebuke one another when there is such a need.

Also, road workers such as contractors and trench cleaners have to think safety first. I am sure that many accidents could have been avoided and fatalities lessened, if we were only more kind and considerate. It is not too late to start now.

Yours sincerely, Rameshwar Lall

Tackling stray animals Dear Editor, It seems as though the Home Affairs Ministry’s Stray Catching Unit is doing a good job. It was able to impound a total of 338 animals across the country in July alone.

What this means is that

we will have to have more catchers and better pens for the animals. We may even have to have a tender at each of the various stations.

Even as the ministry is again appealing to cattle owners to ensure that their animals are well supervised

during their grazing periods, I am also calling on the relevant authorities to take care of the many animals that are left roaming the streets.

Sincerely, Vijay Lutawan

Helping those with suicidal tendencies Dear Editor, I hate the idea that we have poisonous chemicals knocking about our homes.

I know of people who ingested poison and died. They actually committed suicide by virtue of the fact the poison was available.

Outside of the home it is the same too. Just about anyone can go and buy chemicals from pharmacies. Making matters worse is that prescription drugs are now obtained very underhandedly. So, even if the house is safe chemically, still potential suicidal victims can access their lethal doses unimpeded. Something has to be done to curb this carelessness that is existing in the Guyanese society.

Right now, India is abuzz. The tragic incident in Bihar where 23 school-

children died after eating a school meal contaminated with monocrotophos is getting people’s attention.

There are talks about the need to speed up the withdrawal of highly hazardous pesticides from markets in developing countries. Let us say, at the level of government, some steps are taken along this line, I am wondering how much of a help that will be, especially where Guyana is concerned.

I think that education is key to achieving this. Suicide can be effected in a number of ways, and it is suicide that is the issue here, and not the actual substances that are facilitating it. If and when people commit suicide, the causes must be explored. We must never ever neglect root issues.

Suicide and suicidal behaviours usually occur in

people who are not normal, many of them not being able to cope with life and through no fault of theirs.

We may never be able to help many from this lot.

However, when stressful life issues such as serious financial or relationship problems lead to suicides, we can help.

We need to find ways to help people who are likely to commit suicide, all because of a life situation that seems impossible to deal with.

Many who attempt suicide are seeking relief or escape from fixable things – feeling ashamed, guilty, or like a burden to others; feeling like a victim; or feeling a sense of rejection, loss, or loneliness. We can all help here by being supportive

Yours respectfully, Penelope McNeil

handed. They also think that by doing so, the severity of their sentence will be reduced. This man even attempted to play to the emotions of the court by stating that his parents died a few months ago.

I think that the excuses for stealing are all without rationale. This particular person is 38, strong and of sober mind. He chose to steal and he must pay the consequence. It will be good if the prison authorities can

engage him in good labour.

It may teach him and others some vital lessons.

It is high time that the police mount a campaign against these kinds of theft.

When some of these thieves cannot get to the inside of vehicles, they make off with signs, hub-caps and mirrors.

There should be some decoys and a few plainclothes police officers.

Sincerely, Edward Backer

Urgent action needed to stop gender-based violence Dear Editor, In my quest to represent a land that I am very passionate about seeing thrive and reach a place where justice, peace and the rights of all are protected, I writhe with disbelief and anguish at the recent events of gender-based violence that are being perpetuated in our society like an untreated contagious plague.

In my role as an ambassador for Guyana, I cannot sit in a corner and remain silent about an issue I have been advocating for endlessly, both nationwide and internationally, in an effort to bring about change.

It would seem that my efforts and the efforts of all those who stand up against any form of violence in our country are, and have been, in vain. I have read repeatedly about several attacks of grievous bodily harm

and the deaths of women and children over the past weeks, inclusive of young and old that are victims of these unmerciful series of assaults.

I am puzzled as to why the issue has not been made one of national urgency, because, from where I sit, this is the sort of situation that calls for the state’s intervention. Our country is undergoing a current plague of violence as it relates to domestic disputes and child abuses that are not only hurting our old but young ones as well. It is high time that we stop being bystanders!

According to local media, police have since issued wanted bulletins for Richard Lord of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo and Shawn Fordyce of B Field, Sophia.

Fordyce is wanted by the police for the attempted

murder of his wife Dorothy Blackman, 42, and malicious wounding of his daughters, 12-year old Donette Fordyce, 26-year-old Wanda Fortune, and 20-year-old Latoya Wilson on August 2. Lord is wanted for the murder of his two children, Kimberly Houston, five, and her twoyear-old brother Tarif Lord on July 31.

But, clearly, we are yet to see a statement being made on the handling of these issues and/or on conversations regarding solutions in a legislative manner.

In fact, nothing is really being said by the relevant offices that can actually make a difference. I beg to ask how many more lives will be lost before stern action is taken.

Sincerely, Ruqayyah Boyer Miss World Guyana 2013

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

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Foundation

Parenting For Success

Self-harming

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elf-harming as a sign of emotional/psychosocial distress and release within adolescents.

Self-harming is a way of expressing and dealing with deep distress and emotional pain. When adolescents/ children feel sad, distressed, anxious, or confused, the emotions might be so ex-

guyanatimesgy.com

treme that they lead to acts of self-injury (also called cutting or self-harm). Most children/adolescents who inflict injury on themselves do so, because they are experiencing stress and anxiety.

Besides cutting, they may use other ways to cause selfinjury to cope with intensely bad feelings such as severely

scratching, biting, picking at their skin, pulling out their hair, punching things, or throwing their body against walls and hard objects, etc.

Sometimes, adolescents/ children injure themselves regularly, almost as if it were a routine; other times, they may hurt themselves at moments when they need an immediate release for builtup tension.

Myths and facts about cutting and self-harm

Because cutting and other means of self-harm tend to be a secretive and hushhush subject in our society, people may harbour serious misconceptions about the motivations and state of mind of the adolescent/child.

Don’t allow these myths to prevent you from helping someone you care about or that you come into contact

A Broken Mirror, A Bleeding Fist, A silver Blade Against a Wrist, Tears Falling Down to the Lips Unkissed, Ignore Her and She Won’t Exist, She is Not the Kind You’ll Would come to Miss.

– Anonymous

with.

Myth: Children who cut and self-injure are trying to get attention Fact: The painful truth is that adolescents/ children who self-harm generally do so in secret. They aren’t trying to manipulate others or draw attention to themselves. In fact, shame and fear can make it very difficult to come forward and ask for help.

Myth: Children who self-injure are crazy and/ or dangerous Fact: It is true that many adolescents/children who self-harm suffer from anxiety, depression, or a previous trauma – just like millions of others in the general population. Self-injury is how they cope. Branding them with a “crazy” or “dangerous” label isn’t truthful or helpful.

Myth: If the wounds aren’t bad, it’s not that serious Fact: The severity of the wounds has very little to do with how much the child may be suffering. Don’t assume that because the wounds or injuries are minor, there’s nothing to worry about.

– ChildLink’s vision is a Guyanese society where every child enjoys the right to a childhood in a safe and caring family, free from poverty, violence, and exploitation

Warning signs

Because clothing can hide physical injuries, and inner turmoil can be covered up by a seemingly calm nature, self-injury can be hard to detect. However, there are “red flags” you can look for (but remember – you don’t have to be sure that you know what’s going on in order to reach out to someone you’re worried about): * Unexplained wounds or scars from cuts, bruises, or burns, usually on the wrists, arms, thighs, or chest. * Bloodstains on clothing, towels, or bedding; blood-soaked tissues. * Sharp objects or cutting instruments, such as razors, knives, needles, glass shards, or bottle caps, in the person’s belongings. * Frequent “accidents” Someone who self-harms may claim to be clumsy or have many mishaps, in order to explain away injuries. * Covering up. A person who self-injures may insist on wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather.

* Needing to be alone for long periods of time, especially in the bedroom or bathroom. * Isolation and irritability. Perhaps you’ve noticed suspicious injuries on someone close to you, or that person has confided to you that he or she is cutting themselves or self harming.

Regardless of what the case may be, you may be feeling unsure of yourself. What should you say? How can you help? * Learn about the problem. The best way to overcome any discomfort you feel about selfharm is by learning about it. Understanding why your friend or family member is self-injuring can help you see the world from his or her eyes. * Don’t judge. Avoid judgmental comments and criticism – they’ll only make the situation worse.

Remember, the self-harming person already feels ashamed and alone. * Offer support, not ultimatums. It’s only natural to want to help, but threats, punishments, and ultimatums are often harmful and do not help the child to change. Ultimatums are actually more harmful to the change process. Express your concern and let the person know that you’re available whenever he or she wants to talk or needs support. * Encourage communication. Encourage your loved one to express whatever he or she is feeling, even if it’s something you might be uncomfortable with. If the person hasn’t told you about the self-harm, bring up the subject in a caring way, “I’ve noticed injuries, marks on your body, and I want to understand what you’re going through or what is happening.” * Encourage your loved one seek professional help. Do not keep the information to yoursel; seek others to help in the intervention.

Prepare yourself to address difficulties in the family. This is not about blame, but rather about learning ways of dealing with problems and communicating better that can help the whole person to cope with their situation.

Self-injury is an unhealthy and dangerous act and can leave scars, both physically and emotionally.

Please contact us on telephone number 231-7174 or email us at programmes. childlink@networksgy.com for any support you may need on parenting and other challenges you are experiencing with your children.

NEWS

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Linden-Lethem road crucial to boosting trade – Dookhoo

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he Linden-Lethem road is among the major stumbling blocks hindering trade with extra regional partners, former Private Sector Commission Chairman Ramesh Dookhoo said at last week's National Economic Forum.

According to him, the road has the potential to “bring the entire South America to Guyana”. Improving the 454-kilometre stretch of road is among projects listed on the Priority Integration Projects Agenda of the South American Council of Infrastructure and Planning (COSIPLAN) of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

Former Private Sector Commission Chairman Ramesh Dookhoo

In addition to the deplorable state of the LindenLethem thoroughfare, Dookhoo said the Takutu Bridge was not designed to facilitate the transport of containers from Guyana to Brazil. “Do you know that a container truck cannot cross the Takutu going to Brazil, but coming to Guyana it can?” the former PSC chairman asked.

Citing an example, he said NAMILCO exports flour to Brazil; however, containers are forced to offload in Lethem before the goods are exported to Brazil, because the containers cannot cross the Takutu Bridge from Guyana to Brazil.

Turning his attention to the drug trade in the country, he called for the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) to enhance its monitoring capacity at ports of exit, noting that the drug trade is affecting the commercial sector.

“We have been profiled as a high-risk nation when it comes to exports especially to North America. Legitimate exporters are sometimes profiled highly by the authorities in North America and these result in frustration and some have left the business entirely,” he complained.

Just days ago, 15 kilograms of cocaine was discovered hidden in seven boxes of

ochroes awaiting shipment to New York at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

During an inspection, the boxes of ochroes seemed a little heavier than the other boxes of vegetables. One of the boxes was opened by ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch to facilitate further checks, and the discovery was made.

Institutional constraints

While the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has done well in its interdiction efforts, the former PSC chairman underscored the importance of a pro-active Customs and Trade administration that put forward ini-

tiatives that facilitate greater trade between Guyana, the rest of South America and the Caribbean and North America. He explained that the clearance of goods out of Guyana is done in a slothful manner, resulting in a backlog. According to Dookhoo, the lone scanner available is one of the main contributing factors.

“The single-window programme is now five years old but the bureaucracy continues. Too many systems remain manual and automation needs to take over quickly. We do not need a $5 million project to submit customs documentation electronically,” he lamented.

Steady stream of visitors to Guyana's booths at CARIFESTA

A section of the crowd enjoying Guyana’s presentation

Guyanese artistes entertaining the audience at New Amsterdam, Suriname on Sunday

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ARIFESTA XI picked up speed on Saturday with the start of the Grand Cultural Market where the participating countries set up booths in the literary, visual and culinary arts, and fashion displays.

Guyana has the largest collection of booths. Other countries’ booths showcased displays of craft, fashion and literary works. Guyana’s largest booth – arts and craft – has on display mainly handmade products which include leather slippers, mats, bags, key rings, crochet, earrings and bangles, handbags, jewellery sets, ceramics, tie-dye material and information on Guyana’s tourism offerings.

Guyana art and craft representative Denzil Hollingsworth noted that there would be demonstrations of how Amerindian craft items are made. In this regard, she pointed out that most of the people who have since visited the booth are going after the handmade products.

“Not many persons today are into handmade items, and that’s our niche market,” she said.

Kim Gordon, who is attached to the Education Ministry’s Craft Production and Design Division, explained that some of the products in Guyana’s exhibition were made by stu-

dents of the unit. The students were able to produce the items while on attachment with the Education Ministry, which provided them with a stipend.

Good sales

She emphasised that patrons are not only viewing the displays, but are purchasing as well. “I am afraid that we might run out of some of these stocks… we could not bring all that we have at the department,” she said.

Most of the patrons are going after the tie-dye pieces and leather products.

Gordon highlighted that there have been expressions of interest for two students from the Craft Production and Design Division to work on tie-dye pieces and two others were requested by a designer to produce leather products.

With regards to the visual arts, Philbert Gajadhar noted that Guyana is showcasing paintings, sculptures, tie-dye and batik work. Guyana is featuring three artists which include the well known Bernadette Persaud; emerging artist Akima McPherson and a young and promising student Shimuel Jones. The contingent also includes presentations from other artists, including the Main Street Art Group, Winslow Craig, Ivor Thom, Betsy

Karim and artists from the University of Guyana and Guyana Women Artists’ Association.

Art displays

He mentioned that Bernadette Persaud was recently inducted into the Caribbean Hall of Fame for artists. Her collection on display entitled the “Green

series” includes depictions of Guyana’s rainforest, the mysteries it exudes and the concept of Shiva with regards to life and death.

Meanwhile, McPherson’s pieces entitled “Walk with Me” and “Walk with Me 2” focus on the issues faced by women and girls and their decisions to step out of negative situations and move forward. Jones’ presentations are titled “Continental Relations”, with each painting illustrating the cultural similarities among the

Western and Northern regions of Africa and the Guianas of South America.

Gajadhar explained that the visual arts exhibition ties in with several observances in Guyana; these are the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion, the 190th year of the Demerara Slave Revolt, the 175th anniversary of emancipation from slavery and the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the East Indians to Guyana.

Apart from the cultural aspects of the event, pa-

trons were entertained by performing artiste Peter Ram and fashion displays by the participating countries.

Meanwhile, at Independence Square which was packed to capacity, the crowd was treated to a concert where Pastor Donnie McClurkin sang several of his hits.

At the end of the concert, Surinamese President Desi Bouterse belted out one of McClurkin’s songs while greeting him.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

U.S.-based man to face trial for killing wife

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.S.-based citizen Ramdhanie Persaud, called “Prakash” of Canefield, East Canje, who is accused of killing his wife, has been committed to stand trial in the High Court for murder.

Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at a special court sitting on Thursday found that a prima facie case had been made out against Persaud. The ruling came at the end of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the death of

Bibi Shameena Deen.

It is alleged that Persaud murdered his wife of 27 years on March 20, 2012, at their East Canje home.

Deen was found with bullet wounds to the head and chest.

Persaud had denied killing his wife and told investigators that he was away all day at his farm, and when he came home during the night, he heard that his wife died and people saying that he killed her.

He became afraid and ran away and hid in the bushes. He subsequently gave himself up in the company of his attorney, Mursaliene Bacchus.

A post-mortem performed on Deen revealed that she was shot at close range in the head and chest, and the cause of death was given as shock and hemorrhage due to gunshot injuries, laceration to the brain and a fractured skull.

According to reports,

Persaud reportedly fled the home while the victim’s son was attempting to summon help after hearing his mother’s screams.

The couple had two sons, ages 13 and 16. The alleged murder weapon was subsequently found at a residence in New Forest following police investigation.

Eleven witnesses testified in the trial, including five police officers. The state’s case was presented

by Corporal Orin Joseph.

“Smallie” to face trial for attempted murder

A

man who attempted to kill another man in January has been committed to stand trial before a judge and jury for attempted murder.

Andre Lewis also known as “Smallie” was on Thursday committed by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo to stand trial for the offence committed against Chris Barrow, also called “Bully” of Alexander

Street, New Amsterdam.

The magistrate found that a prima facie case had been made out against the accused when the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) ended at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court during a special sitting.

Lewis is accused of committing the offence on January 1 at Republic Road, New Amsterdam.

Attorney Ramesh Rajkummar argued that the

prosecution failed to produce any witness who claimed to have witnessed the incident.

However, Police Prosecutor Corporal Orin Joseph argued that while Barrow is the victim, he was also a witness and has positively identified Lewis, and as such, the prosecution has proven

its case.

It was just over six hours in the New Year when Barrow was injured and reportedly accused “Smallie” of the offence. He subsequently underwent three surgeries to save his life, but to no avail.

Miner stabbed to death over missing gold

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miner was brutally stabbed to death by a co-worker who

accused him of stealing gold from him at a mining camp in the Mazaruni River, Region Seven on Saturday evening.

The dead man was identified as Keith Wallerson and is believed to be in his late 30s. Up to press time, information on the incident remained sketchy. His body was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home on Sunday evening.

Guyana Times was told that Wallerson had an argument on Saturday evening with another man over missing gold and was stabbed several times in the vicinity of the heart.

He reportedly died on the spot. Persons were able to apprehend the suspect who is reportedly in police custody.

The murder weapon was retrieved and is in police possession as evidence. Police are continuing their investigations.

Eyew tness Coming out...

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...into the opposition

here’s a lot of things hidden in closets. But nowadays more and more people are coming out of the closets.

Take the ex-speaker Ralph Ramkarran. Ever since he pouted and flounced out of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) because of some “hard words” one of his comrades tossed his way, he’s been sounding increasingly “opposition”.

In the beginning, he found an outlet for his criticisms in the opposition Stabber News. They played ducks and drakes about their relationship for months. Ramkarran pretended he was writing a blog into which he was pouring out his heart and the Stabber pretended that they were simply republishing it. Problem was the printing in the paper was invariably before the posting on the “Conversation Tree” site!

The Tree has since died, but coverage of Ramkarran’s views has increased. First by Stabber when they carried them also as news articles. Now the virulently opposition MuckrakerKN has followed suit. But this was all circumstantial, isn’t it? Where’s the smoking gun, you ask? Well, it’s all there in black and white in yesterday’s opposition newspapers.

Seeking to cover their behinds after they murdered the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP) and consigned poor Guyanese to another decade of astronomically high electricity bills (excepting Linden), the opposition’s been playing “blame the government” non-stop. So in their MuckrakerKN’s free column, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) rips into President Donald Ramotar, preventing them from sitting down with him to give Amaila the go-ahead!!!

And how did the president achieve this astounding feat? Well at the PPP/C congress, the president used some “hard words” to describe People’s National Congress (PNC)/APNU’s actions in the last year. And, according to these sensitive souls in PNC/APNU, this really hurt their sensitivities and sensibilities. And if the feelings of these poor dears were hurt, how can we expect they would not torpedo the single most critical infrastructural project in our history??

Reminds you of somebody, doesn’t it. Well, in case you didn’t connect the dots, Ramkarran in his latest blog/news/ propaganda piece, explicitly did: he supports the PNC’s position! He also rips into the president and affirmed that if only he had spoken sweet words into the ears of the PNC/ APNU, we would be getting power from AFHEP by now.

This from a man who in the past has explicitly pointed out that the PNC, in whatever incarnation, has always insisted that “the only thing the PPP/C understands is force”!! But it has always been said that politics makes strange bedfellows, hasn’t it? But it’s not so strange when you consider the lust for power is the strongest human drive. Even stronger than sex.

...with self-fulfilling prophecies

We’ve had it up to our kazoos with the AFHEP sabotage.

But we have to take some time out with the latest revelations – which the opposition saboteurs knew about all along. Sithe Global, as the majority equity partner, was paying for the due diligence that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as a potential provider to the project, had undertaken. If they pulled out of the project, then it should’ve been obvious that they wouldn’t be funding a report that was of no use to them.

Now both the Alliance For Change (AFC) and APNU claimed that they were waiting for the IDB’s due diligence findings – due out in October – before they pronounced definitively on the project. But the moment Sithe conditioned its participation on the approval of the bills by which the government would backstop Guyana Power and Light (GPL) payments, they knew if they voted “no” there would be no due diligence. AFC voted yes. APNU ensured that its stance of “no Amaila” was a self-fulfilling prophesy.

…with sugar

It is now very clear that whether or not the Skeldon Sugar Factory is operating, we will be having a disastrous production shortfall this year. We must not wait until the crop ends before we begin to make contingency plans.

news

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monday, august 19, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Trade, bilateral issues to be discussed More than 300 to benefit from medical outreach during Maduro’s visit in Annandale

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uyana is looking to move beyond the new rice agreement in terms of trade relations with neighbouring Venezuela.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in a recent comment, said while the rice agreement is working well, the government would be exploring the possibility of exporting other local products to the Spanish-speaking state.

Speaking about the impending state visit of newlyelected Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro later this month, Minister RodriguesBirkett said: “Venezuela has been a very good friend to Guyana and this visit will strengthen those relations.”

This will be Maduro’s first official visit to Guyana in his capacity as president. It will allow him and President Donald Ramotar to discuss not only bilateral issues, but regional and international issues as well.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

Among some of the bilateral issues that will be discussed is Guyana’s associate membership with MERCOSUR, of which Venezuela is the latest full member. Additionally, discussions are also expected to be held on the PetroCaribe deal.

Rodrigues-Birkett said despite media reports, Venezuela has

given no indication thus far, of any changes with regards to PetroCaribe deal.

However, she stated that this is an appropriate time for Guyana and other members of PetroCaribe to review and take stock of what has been happening.

“Guyana has been adher-

ing to the PetroCaribe arrangement, more than many others I think… we have been supplying rice and we have been receiving oil, so in a way we have been repaying our debts,” Minister RodriguesBirkett said.

Guyana has been benefitting significantly as a PetroCaribe member state.

The PetroCaribe programme, the brainchild of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, is an oil alliance of many Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment. It was launched in June 2005. The PetroCaribe deal countries now consist of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Venezuela.

CSEC top students honoured at IAC Eid Fest

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds hands over a plaque to Zimeena Rasheed, the country’s top CSEC student at this year’s examinations

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rime Minister Samuel Hinds, Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud were among those gathered at the Indian Arrival Committee’s (IAC) sixth National Eid Fest at the Multi-Purpose Complex and Playground located in Belle West, Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara.

The event was intended to bring the wider Muslim and other religious communities together, and allowed for reflections on the holy month of Ramadan, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

At the end of Ramadan, the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds applauded the IAC for organising such an event which allows for persons to be more acquainted with Guyana’s diverse culture.

During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to fast and Prime Minister Hinds commended all those who were able to satisfy the requirements throughout the month. The experience, he contended, will help them to empathise with persons in Guyana and in the world at large, who may find themselves deprived of food.

“By your experience, you will be able to share with them and be more sympathetic to them,” Prime Minister Hinds said. He noted that the

much better place. Minister Ali also congratulated the IAC for the work it has been conducting to ensure that the country’s culture and traditions are safeguarded.

He said that as they reflect on Ramadan, which has just ended, they should take the opportunity to understand the sacrifice made.

“Even in our own country, we have to sacrifice a lot to achieve much,” he said and explained that one sacrifice that government is currently making is to have cheap electricity for citizens, the manufacturing sector and the economy.

He urged that parents

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud hands over a plaque to Yogeeta Persaud, the second placed top performer at the CSEC examinations this year

period is respected in all religions and is good discipline for all mankind.

He encouraged all gathered at the event to work together and develop a sense of citizenship to make Guyana a

help their children to understand the sacrifice they would have made to secure their future. Meanwhile, Zimeena Azealia Rasheed and Yogeeta Persaud, both of the Anna

Regina Secondary School, Region Two, were honoured for their outstanding performance at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Rasheed secured passes in 20 subjects ― 18 grade ones and two grade twos, while Yogeeta Persaud copped the second position with 18 grade ones. The students received a plaque each and will have an all-expenses paid trip to the Kaieteur Falls for two. There were also a cultural presentation, an exhibition of Islamic artefacts and games for the children.

G

overnment, t h r o u g h the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), on Sunday commenced a week-long medical outreach at Annandale, East Coast Demerara.

More than 300 residents are expected to benefit from medical care such as general checkups, and diabetes and blood pressure testing, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, who was present at the outreach, expressed his appreciation to the doctors of the BRHA for volunteering A diabetic resident being looked after their services. He by Dr Vineshri Khirodar of the BRHA also expressed the hope that the outOfficer Dr Vishwa Mahadeo reach can be a continuous one and urged other or- highlighted that the doctors, ganisations to get involved so who are participating in the as to take similar activities to outreach, have chosen to do other locations, along the East so as a way of giving back to the community. In casCoast of Demerara.

“This is an effort by the es where further treatment government to ensure that is required, patients will be the people of the country re- taken to hospitals for addiceive services in their com- tional checkups. Bedridden munity,” Minister Nandlall persons will be visited by said, adding that “this initi- the doctors as part of the ative by the government will outreach effort. The owner ensure that vital services of Low Level Academy in Bel are taken to the people rath- Air, Paghoo Singh, took the er than them having to visit opportunity to donate eight computers to needy children the health centres”.

BRHA Chief Executive of the community.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

News

GTA urges Guyanese to tap into local tourism offers G

uyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh said much emphasis is being placed on domestic tourism, however, locals must get out of a certain state of mind that what is available to them is “too expensive”.

Speaking to Guyana Times in a recent interview, Haralsingh said “there is so much to do, but people need to get out of their house and get out of the mindset that it is too expensive, they need to examine what they want to do and if they really want to go to Kaieteur Falls, they can go.”

The director pointed out that there are many packages available for various destinations within Guyana, adding that “people need to take advantage of these opportunities”.

He said, Guyanese must also learn to save and should consider forming tour groups with their coworkers, their communities, and their schools.

“People can car pool and drive to 63 beach, they could

Guyana Tourism Authority Director Indranauth Haralsingh

drive and go to Skeldon and Port Mourant.”

He stated that tour operators put on specials for Guyanese to encourage them to visit various parts of the country, adding that “we cannot underestimate Guyana’s size and geography and one of the most important factors is the cost of fuel”.

Haralsingh underscored that going into the interior is costly, whether by ve-

hicle, boat or air; hence, this is what makes some of these tours pricey.

However, he explained that persons must realise that saving some of their disposalable income is important and can go a far way.

“If you can save, you can afford to go to many tours,” he stated.

He said that the GTA also endorses many events across Guyana, to support

domestic tourism in the country.

Using the Hits and Jams shows as an example, he noted that the R Kelly show will draw Guyanese from all parts of Guyana to Georgetown, while at the same time attract tourists from the region and further afield.

He also noted that persons should also take advantage of events such as the Moruca Expo, Mainstay Regatta, Bartica Regatta and the Pakaraima Mountain Safari, while adding that the GTA is currently working with Leguan to host the inaugural Leguan Night in November.

Haralsingh also mentioned the upcoming South Rupununi Safari from Georgetown to Aishalton slated for November 23 to November 30, and appealed to persons to take full advantage of it.

He noted that the Takatu and Berbice bridges have also created the opportunity and access for many people to travel to other parts of Guyana.

Hot Hell need mek over D

e guvament stop de sea wall lime and people not goin deh now as before time. So every body can see de Peg Ass Hot Hell real good. But what dem also seein real good is how bad it lookin. Is no wonder de sea wall limers didn’t want to move from Sheriff Street to Kingston in the first place. Dem don’t want to look at tings that gon spoil de whole night.

De Marriott Hotel ain’t start paintin yet, but it lookin better than de Peg Ass. It lookin more clean too. This was one of de big tings from de guvament that de opposition friken so much that dem start behavin like when cow buss rope.

Even de Kocheur man friken this big ting so much that he tryin to divide it, so he could handle every ting piece by piece. And every body used to believe that he always like big tings. At least when tings too big fuh he, he learnin to tek it piece by piece.

One of de workers seh de best ting to do is to mek over de Peg Ass to a big parkin lot fuh de Marriott.

Another one seh it might be better to mek over de whole of de Peg Ass in white and use it as one big tomb fuh FLAPNU, KFC and dem boys who seh dem is boys but is really not boys.

But before any makeover can tek place at de Peg Ass, some body gon have to call de workers at de Marriott to repair de Hot Hell sign fuh dem.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

Talk about signs of de times!

At least 15 injured in Agricola smash-up Youth group launches

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t least 15 persons, including two toddlers, were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Sunday evening following an accident involving two minibuses on the Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara. The accident occurred about 20:00h.

The two toddlers were then taken to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital for CT Scans while hospital officials confirmed that they have received head injuries and other injuries.

According to information received, the children were among others in a Route 45 minibus bearing registration number BRR 1955 when it came into contact with a Route 32 minibus BJJ 6588, after the driver swerved from colliding with a taxi that was driving out of the Agricola access road.

As a result of the impact, the Route 45 minibus toppled several times and came to a halt in front of the Alpha Hotel and the Route 32 minibus, driven by Fenton Mangal, slammed into it. Both buses were heading in the direction of Georgetown.

At the scene, traffic was proceeding at a snail’s pace as police attempted to remove the two wrecked vehicles.

Passengers’ personal belongings were seen scattered on the roadway. The Route 45 minibus was returning from the Splashmin’s Fun Park .

The Route 32 bus was loaded onto a crash truck while the other had to be flipped back on to its wheels and towed away to the

project to tackle gender-based violence

T

The Route 45 minibus after it was flipped back on to its wheels

Ruimveldt Police Station.

One eyewitness told this publication that she thought she was looking at a movie when she saw one of the buses “flying in the air” before landing “hard” on the roadway.

She disclosed that as it landed, she saw passengers being tossed about. One of them, she added, was flung into a nearby drain at the corner of the road. The woman, who was traumatised by what she saw, said persons went to the assistance of the injured and took them to the hospital.

Another woman claimed that she was in the hotel when she heard the impact and ran out to see what was happening. She saw two seriously damaged minibuses and heard the cries of pain from

the occupants of the Route 45 minibus.

“I see children on the road, and the people who went to assist had to remove some people from the wrecked bus… the other bus, just the front seat passengers receive cuts and so but not serious,” she added.

A sister of Mangal, Route 32 minibus driver, said she was at home when she received a call from her brother, stating that he was involved in an accident and she immediately rushed to the scene, but he was nowhere to be found.

She attempted to call him, but his mobile phone rang out.

Mangal was later seen in the police vehicle and was taken to the Ruimveldt Police Station where he was questioned.

he Professional Youth Alliance Guyana (PYAGuy) launched their “Inspire Change for Young Women and Girls” gender-based violence (GBV) project last Tuesday at their Barr Street, Kitty, Georgetown location.

The organisation thought it timely to launch the project because of the prevalence of the unfair treatment of girls and young women in the community, a release stated.

The initiative is a communitybased multicultural programme designed to empower young women and girls. The programme will focus on four main areas, namely personal development, leadership, life skills and employment.

The programme is aimed at inspiring, encouraging, enhancing and developing young women and girls through creative training and practical sessions. The goals are to promote positive messages to young people and build and strengthen women and girls’ support groups through training.

The GBV project seeks to target girls and young women between the ages of 13 to 26. The project will utilise a significant amount of art and craft by providing many opportunities for creative art expressions.

Once a month, the selected young women and girls will be exposed to innovative training workshops, which will give them the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to make a dif-

ference in their school and community, as well as uncover their leadership abilities and move to action.

Each participant will be a part of a dynamic learning group made up of a mentor/counsellor, who will facilitate change.

The programme style will take on that of a workshop and group counselling, which will encourage team work and relationship building among its members.

Each component of the programme will provide a nutritious snack and safe space for the young women and girls to express themselves and learn new skills.

It is the hope that at the end of the project, girls and young women will become more empowered, have better relationships with their family and community; understand issues affecting them and to develop positive relationships with peers and partners.

PYAGuy is an organisation for youths, managed by youths. It was created to facilitate training, consultations, community outreach activities, service to young professionals and youth organisations and networking between youth leaders and organisations.

To date, the group has worked with young people in Regions Two, Three and Four. Professional development is key on the organisation’s agenda, and as such, many of their programmes are executed with this in mind.

11 Feature

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Times Notebook Hydroelectricity is an imperative T

he Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP) is too important a project for Guyana’s present and future development for us to allow it to die.

Times Notebook calls on the president and the government to do all they can to bring back the investors to the project and rejects the position of the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), which refuses to support the project in Parliament.

We see the position of APNU as an example of opposing a project simply, because it’s good for Guyana.

We see APNU’s position as anti-development.

APNU has placed its own interest ahead of the interest of the people of Guyana.

Times Notebook today calls on the Guyanese people to put aside political consideration and rally behind the government. We call on all organisations that have the interest of Guyana at heart to stand resolutely behind our president as he persuades the investors that APNU stands alone in opposition to Amaila.

As our president tries to keep Amaila from dying because of the position of APNU and the small band of men such as Christopher Ram, Anand Goolsarran, Ramon Gaskin, and Professor Clive Thomas, the rest of us must demonstrate to the world that we are solidly behind the president and the project.

This is one of the biggest projects government and private investors have ever embarked on in Guyana. In any such projects, there will be areas of concern. Times Notebook will never be so irresponsible as to demand no one questions any aspect of the project.

Transparent project

But we also ask anyone if they can recall or name any project in our history or in the history of the Caribbean that has been so transparent, where all information requested has been provided time and again, where the investors have made themselves available to all and sundry for questioning, and where all available documents have been provided.

Further, this project has been the subject matter in Parliament on more than one occasion. Thus, the assertion that information is lacking is absurd. APNU and others have argued that one reason they rejected AFHEP was the fact that the project will add enor-

An artist’s impression of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Plant

mously to the debt burden of Guyana.

Isn’t it the People’s National Congress (PNC), now in the form of APNU, that left Guyana with one of the biggest debt burdens in the world? Isn’t it Carl Greenidge who was minister of finance when Guyana was accumulating a debt burden beyond its capacity to repay?

Investment

According to APNU and others who have joined the bandwagon, Guyana’s debt will become large and unsustainable. The truth is that Guyana is not borrowing any money for AFHEP. The investment in Amaila is by the private investors themselves. Amaila adds zero to the debt burden.

That is why the investors want to ensure that all political parties support the project, because it is the largest investment ever in Guyana by the private sector.

Indeed, the almost 15,000 barrels of fossil fuel per day we use right now can increase to more than 20,000 barrels per day in less than a decade if we don’t have hydroelectricity.

This is costing Guyana an enormous amount of foreign exchange – an import bill that is suffocating us.

Amaila allows us to reduce our dependency on fossil fuel and reduce our import bill. Because part of Guyana’s debt burden is caused by a high oil import bill, Amaila, indeed, has the prospect of reducing the debt burden. APNU knows the truth. It’s the same kind of faulty mathematics and recklessness that saw Greenidge leaving Guyana with the highest debt burden in the world.

The private sector will sell energy from AFHEP to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), initially, at about 11

U.S. cents per kilowatt, substantially below the approximately 20 U.S. cents that Guyana is presently paying to generate electricity.

Without hydropower, Guyana is likely to pay about 25 U.S. cents to generate a kilowatt of electricity within five years. In 20 years’ time, with Amaila, GPL will pay 90 per cent less for electricity than it is paying today. The math is clear – it makes absolute sense to complete Amaila.

On the provision of information, there is no deficit of efforts by government and the investors. On the question of potential electricity cost, the estimates have

been provided, as best anyone can project and these estimates show a dramatic reduction of electricity cost.

On the subject of Guyana’s debt, we know there is no addition to the national debt burden.

This project is in the national interest. APNU is on the wrong side of the debate. The Guyanese people must rally around government. This is not politics.

This is in the interest of every citizen and for the rapid development of Guyana.

Readers are invited to comment on this article via email (times.notebook@gmail.com) and on Facebook.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

graduate from IT, cosmetology Dr Gopaul stresses 31 training programme importance of labour movement

A section of the graduates at the closing ceremony last Friday

A Guests and CCWU members at the third Triennial Delegates Conference at Hotel Tower

T

he trade union movement is an important and necessary body as it is a political voice for workers and which looks out for their interests, Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul said on Saturday.

He was at the time speaking at the opening of the third Triennial Delegates Conference of the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) at Hotel Tower, Main Street, Georgetown.

Minister Gopaul emphasised the importance of employers working with the trade union movement, which he said, is not a threat to their existence. Also present at the conference was Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.

“I hope that employers will not be scared of the labour movement, but see them as partners and see them in the development of these business entities,” he said.

He advised that trade unions can provide that peaceful role in developing businesses, and do not want to see entities where they have members fail. “So it is in the interest of the union movement to work steadfastly with management to promote harmonious industrial relations,” he said.

Minister Gopaul also pointed to remuneration that government has recently implemented for workers, including the 40-hour work week and the new minimum wage of $35,000. He emphasised the need for unions to be vigilant and assist the Labour Ministry in monitoring the full implementation of these measures, especially in the garment industry.

Support for projects

The labour minister also called on the unions to recognise and to support the Amaila Falls and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport projects, in light of the tremendous benefits that they will bring to workers.

“As workers, we ought to be concerned about those two projects. I believe that those two projects are pivotal to the development of this country,” he said, adding that “within the space of 10 years, workers’ wages will be eroded because of the cost of fossil fuel”.

He said unions have to make the call to make “our politicians bury whatever hatchet they have and let us do this (Amaila and the CJIA) for the country”. He also called for unity among the

unions, noting that a divided union does not represent the cause of the workers.

This third Triennial Delegates Conference will continue tomorrow with a business session at Clerico House, Quamina Street, Georgetown. The conference is being held under the theme “Repositioning and strengthening our role as workers’ voice in this changing working environment”.

CCWU acting President Kim Halley called for the retooling of the union to adapt to the changing environment and towards making the union stronger, and Guyana better.

Halley emphasised the role of women and youths in energising the union towards this re-organisation. She said that youths have the energy the union needs to meet the demands of the future generation. Awards were presented to Sterling Products Limited, NEW GPC INC, and GTM. The first two were awarded for their outstanding customer industrial relations and the third for its excellent negotiation tactics, in enabling the union to arrive at resolution when disputing workers’ right.

PPP/C condemns violence in Egypt

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he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has condemned the violence that led to the deaths of over 700 persons in Egypt.

In a release, the PPP/C said since the coup in Egypt, the army has been brutalising the people on the streets.

The worst day was last Friday when demonstrators calling for the return of de-

mocracy were attacked and scores killed.

“The People’s Progressive Party calls on the United States of America to recognise that what took place in Egypt was a coup and to stop supporting the military sponsored government. The U.S. and EU have a great responsibility in the region and should use their influence to send a clear signal to the military that this

would not be tolerated.”

According to the PPP/C, failing to describe the coup by its proper name and trying to apportion blame to the victims are only giving encouragement to the military to continue to attack the people of that country.

The PPP/C called for the release of all political prisoners and the resumption of democracy in Egypt.

s the job market becomes more competitive and the need to be qualified increases, 31 youths in New Amsterdam have equipped themselves to confront those challenges.

The ambitious youngsters graduated on Friday after successfully completing courses in information technology and cosmetology.

The 28-week training programme called the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST) is managed by the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry.

Prior to the graduation ceremony which was held at the Smythfield Drop-In Centre, those who participated in the programme held an exhibition to showcase some of what they have learnt. Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who was on hand, said he was impressed with what was displayed.

“I am convinced that the students who were in the IT class can assemble a computer from scratch… I am sure that those students will be able to get jobs.”

Speaking at the graduation exercise, Minister Anthony told the graduates

that the knowledge they obtained should serve as a stepping stone as they try to develop themselves in life.

Forty-four students started the programmes, but 13 dropped out. While expressing disappointment at the high dropout rate, Minister Anthony said sometimes when students start programmes, other opportunities come up and the students move on. He, however, noted that the students were given a stipend to attend school.

Drop-out rate

Council of Friends of New Amsterdam (COFONA) President Dr Lenard Lewis in brief remarks said he is appalled at the high dropout rate at schools in New Amsterdam.

“This drop-in programme could somehow help with that. The programme focuses on important skills because employers are looking for persons who are skilled.

Sadly, in a drop-in programme, there are so many drop outs.”

Region Six Vice Chairman Bhopaul Jhagroo, who also attended the ceremony, told the graduating class that it would be use-

less having the skills if they do not have a proper attitude to work.

He said employers will pay attention to the way they conduct themselves. The vice chairman also praised the ministry, noting that any organisation needs three components to function. These, he noted are money, machinery and man power.

“That is the human resource and it is most important. If you graduates put what you have learnt into use, it will be beneficial to you, the region and the country.”

The objective of the programme is to ensure that young Guyanese are empowered through interactive programmes designed to enhance skills, develop abilities and create a group of entrepreneurs to make meaningful contributions to regional and national development.

After the first 18 weeks, the participants were sent on work attachments.

Regional Youth and Sport Officer Omeshwar Srikishun said some of those who were on work attachments have indicated that their employers have offered them permanent employment.

Man to stand trial for murder of Berbice taxi driver

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man who alleged murdered a taxi driver in 2010 was on Thursday committed to stand trial in the High Court.

Stephen Campbell of Number Seven Village, East Coast Berbice is accused of murdering Trevor Kissoon before dumping his body on the Number 19 Public Road between June 9 and June 10, 2010.

The decision was arrived at following the conclusion of a preliminary inquiry conducted by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court.

The magistrate found that a prima facie case had been made out against the accused. The police said that between June 9 and June

10, 2010, at Number Seven Village, Berbice, he murdered Trevor Kissoon.

Attorney Mursaline Bacchus appeared for the accused. Police Prosecutor Phillip Sheriff said the victim was a taxi driver employed at a taxi service. The deceased responded to a call for a pick up at Canje Turn, but calls to his radio and handsets went unanswered.

“The following day, his battered body was found next to a trench,” Sheriff told the court. The body, he said had multiple injuries.

An autopsy performed on the deceased in June of 2010 revealed that the victim died of shock and hemorrhage.

The results showed that Kissoon sustained a laceration to the brain as a result

of a fractured skull. Sheriff said investigations over a period of time led to the accused. He requested that the accused be remanded to jail and the magistrate remanded Campbell.

The badly battered body of taxi driver Trevor Kissoon, 27, was found next to a trench at Bramfield, Number Seven Village, East Cost Berbice around noon on June 10.

Kissoon of Alexander Street, New Amsterdam was employed with the J&N Taxi Service. He was the driver of a silver grey 212 Toyota car with license plate number HB 7489. The car was never found. The preliminary inquiry was led by police prosecutors Corporal Orin Joseph and Sergeant Phillip Sheriff.

news

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monday, august 19, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Mavado a no-show at Caribbean Jam

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housands of Mavado fans were disappointed on Saturday evening after he did not show up at the Slingerz Family’s Caribbean Jam at the Guyana National Stadium. The question of who is responsible for the cancellation is still to be determined, since a blame game has started.

The dancehall artiste accused the promoters of disrespect, and the promoters lashed out at the artiste, claiming he is out to tarnish the reputation of Slingerz Family. At a specially-convened press conference at the Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara on Sunday afternoon, the singer confirmed that after missing his flight on Friday due to some difficulties, the promoters promised to send a private aircraft to collect him and his entourage.

Trinidad and Tobago. At that point in time, he said he learned that the aircraft had to get clearance to land at the Ogle International Airport, which was eventually given and they left Trinidad.

“We landed in Guyana at about 22:00 Saturday and I did not see any promoters so we went to the hotel,” he said. At the hotel, he stated that his manager was in contact with the promoters, who promised to be at the hotel in 15 minutes.

The promoters never showed up until 03:30h, the singer said, and informed him that he will not be making an appearance. The singer said the promoters did not pay him the remaining money, which he said is a breach of his contract.

Mavado said he respects Guyanese and has a huge

The plane which transported Mavado and his crew

He explained that on Saturday morning, he woke up at 03:00h and left for the airport in the company of his wife and band members only to see a small single-engine aircraft awaiting them. At that point he was hesitant to board the aircraft, but reconsidered after thinking about his Guyanese fans. Guyana Times understands that the plane was a Cessna single-engine aircraft.

They left Jamaica with the intention of coming to Guyana, but unfortunately, they stopped at Curaçao for a while. “Normally a flight from Jamaica to Curacao takes one hour 30 minutes, but this plane took close to five hours,” he said.

The superstar stated that he endured all of that, but when he thought that he landed in Guyana a few hours later, he actually landed at Piarco International Airport,

fan base here. The dancehall artiste said that since he is in Guyana he will put on a show for his fans here.

Arrangements are being made to have him perform at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence tonight under new promoters, Good Vibes Promotion.

He announced that the first 500 patrons will be allowed to enter free, after which persons will pay an entrance fee of $1000 each.

Meanwhile, DJ Garwin, public relations officer (PRO) of the Slingerz Family, refuted all the accusations made by the superstar, claiming that he is out to ruin the reputation of the promoters. He claimed that they have lost close to $2 million.

“Mavado’s team was responsible for their arrangements from his hometown to the airport… he said that he wanted additional money in order to make transportation arrangements to collect him

Mavado after the press conference

from home to go to the airport at 03:00h in the morning, which we provided…

He cannot blame us for his vehicle reaching late to collect him,” the Slingerz Family PRO claimed.

He also stated that when they checked on Friday morning, Mavado had checked in online and they were happy to see this, but were surprised to learn that he missed the flight with his entourage.

“We tried to negotiate with Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL), but there were no flights available out of Jamaica that had space to accommodate 14 persons and Mavado wanted his whole band,” he explained.

Garwin also disclosed that Mavado knew the type of chartered aircraft that was coming for him and agreed. “It was the same aircraft that brought Lady Saw to Guyana,” he

said.

The deejay further stated that, upon Mavado’s arrival at Ogle International Airport on Saturday night, two representatives of Slingerz were there to greet him and took care of their per diem and escorted them to the hotel. Garwin said that on his arrival, Mavado was informed that Tommy Lee would have been headlining the show, thus performing last, and this might have created some problems.

“He did not want to be the first act… he thought that it was disrespectful for Lee to end the show and threatened not to perform, bringing the airplane issue to make it sound worse,” said the PRO. Garwin also noted that he spoke to Lee, who agreed to let Mavado perform last, but still the singer was reluctant, complaining about the horrible plane ride.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Mexico boosts security on northeast border after cartel boss's arrest

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exican authorities have increased security along the country’s north-eastern border with the United States after arresting the suspected leader of the Gulf Cartel, one of the oldest drug trafficking groups in Mexico, a spokesman said on Sunday.

The Mexican army on Saturday captured Mario Ramirez Trevino in Reynosa in Tamaulipas state, across the border from McAllen, Texas, Interior Ministry spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said at a press conference without providing further details.

Ramirez was also wanted by the United States for trafficking cocaine and marijuana through the border crossings at Reynosa and McAllen and Matamoros and Brownsville, Texas.

He is suspected of ordering attacks that killed police and security forces in the area, the spokesman said.

“The government has reinforced the security strategy with the aim of neutralising any eventual actions by other criminal organisations with a presence in this region,” Sanchez said, appearing to refer to the brutal Zetas gang.

The Zetas, which began by providing protection to the Gulf Cartel’s op-

Photographers take pictures of a display with photos of Mario Ramirez Trevino, known as X-20, during a news conference at the Interior Ministry in Mexico City, August 18

erations, broke with the organization in 2010, unleashing a wave of violence in Tamaulipas and neighbouring Nuevo Leon state.

The Zetas also operate in Tamaulipas, but their main base is in Nuevo Laredo, where much of Mexico’s legitimate business crosses into the United States.

Sanchez spoke of organisations “that

could seek to reposition and expand their area of influence, which could possibly increase levels of violence in the region”.

In July, the government arrested Miguel “Z-40” Trevino Morales, leader of the Zetas, in the first big blow to organised crime since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office in December.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Paraguay: “EPP leftist rebels” kill five in San Pedro

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araguay has declared a “maximum alert” following the kidnapping and killing of five security guards at a cattle ranch.

Authorities blamed Saturday’s attacks in San Pedro region north of the capital, Asuncion, on leftist rebels the Paraguayan People’s Army (EPP).

Correspondents say this is the first major challenge faced by conservative President Horacio Cartes, who took office on Thursday.

So far, the government has ruled out the militarisation of the area.

However, Defence Minister Bernardino Soto Etigarribia said President Cartes could deploy the armed forces.

“We will not say when or where the troops will be used. That remains to be seen,” Soto told reporters.

The government says it is ready to act with “maximum rigour”.

The attack involving the kidnapping of security guards took place on a cattle ranch owned by a Brazilian national.

Four bodies were found by policemen who attended the scene. The body of a fifth guard was found later. Police officers were then ambushed, and one was reportedly injured, allegedly by the EPP. The group is a Marxistinspired rebel group which has been active in the impoverished northern region for more than five years.

It is thought to have killed dozens of people, but says it only targets the country’s oligarchy. Multimillionaire businessman Horacio Cartes was sworn in as the president of Paraguay on Thursday, in a ceremony in the capital, Asuncion.

In his inaugural speech, Cartes, of the centre-right Colorado Party, promised to wage war on poverty. (Excerpt from BBC News)

TT: Local govt to get Credit union project to assist more planning power Jamaican small farmers

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ong and frustrating delays in getting building approvals will be a thing of the past as Trinidad's planning and local government ministries have embarked on a joint effort to decentralise planning to municipal authorities.

Through this collaboration, citizens will soon be able to take advantage of improved application processes for land use and development.

Planning Minister Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie and Local Government Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, along with representatives from both ministries, met on August 14 at the Planning Ministry’s head office to dis-

cuss matters relating to the decentralisation of the planning capacity of government to give more autonomy and authority to municipal corporations and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

The Planning and Facilitation of Development Bill, which will soon go to Cabinet for approval, seeks to simplify the decentralisation process. Although some headway has been made in easing the backlog in recent months, long delays and lack of transparency continue to be problems with the current system. This has led to undermining of the planning process as the lack of transparency in getting ap-

provals has led to illegal construction and unplanned development.

Tewarie said in the past, central governments had been unwilling to devolve power to local government, but under the new legislation structures and systems will be put in place to facilitate the smooth transition of the devolution of planning power to the corporations.

Rambachan was in full support of the purpose and objectives of the legislation, and said it was a welcomed opportunity to revitalise the corporations by creating and developing new internal structures. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

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mall-scale farmers in St Thomas, Jamaica are expected to receive a boost under a US$479,000 (J$48 million) pilot project.

Dubbed the Extending Financial Services Directly to Rural Jamaican Farmers (Direct2Client) Project, the initiative is being implemented by the St Thomas Cooperative Credit Union through funding by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).

Under the programme, farmers will gain increased access to financial services as a result of a new financing model, which is to be developed.

Officially launched in April

this year, the project was publicly rolled out during a ceremony held at the Whispering Bamboo Cove in Morant Bay, St Thomas on Friday.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller welcomed the initiative, which she noted is “a significant step in providing financial and other services to rural farmers”.

In her speech delivered by Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, Simpson Miller commended the credit union for providing assistance where it is needed.

“Your project comes at a time when there is a great need to uplift the farming communities of the parish...

Thank you for believing in our

farmers,” she said.

The prime minister said the country appreciated the efforts of the thousands of small farmers who continued to produce in spite of challenges such as disease, drought and flooding, which are difficult to withstand.

“Our small farmers continue to be the backbone of the agricultural sector of this country and today, I salute them for their contribution,” she said.

She contended that there is room for improvement and expansion of farming in Jamaica, noting that revitalising agriculture is high on the list of priorities for the administration. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Bahamas deports Cuban Barbadian PM: Budget projects refugees despite protests will be delivered!

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he government of the Bahamas has deported back to Cuba 24 refugees who had applied for asylum in the United States and other countries.

Campaigners in the U.S. have accused the Bahamas of putting the lives of the refugees in danger by sending them back to the communist-run island.

The Bahamas has become a transit point for economic and political refugees who arrive by boat from Cuba and Haiti.

The authorities say the archipelago cannot afford to house all refugees.

Dozens of refugees have been deported by Nassau to Cuba in past years.

The overwhelmingly anti-communist Cuban community in Miami has campaigned against the refugees’ return to Havana.

Ramon Saul Sanchez, leader of the Democracy Movement pressure group, said some 40 Cubans were being kept in squalid conditions in Bahamian detention centres.

“They treat them badly, they torture them and then they deport them,” Sanchez told El Nuevo Herald in Florida.

The government in Nassau denied that the Cuban detainees had been subject to

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Anti-Castro campaigners in Miami went on ahunger strike to try to stop the deportations

beatings or torture.

Sanchez, 58, and Alexis Gomez, 45, went on hunger strike in central Miami to raise awareness of the deportation problem.

Campaigners were hopeful that the deportation would be halted after reports emerged that 19 of the 24 refugees had been offered “humanitarian asylum” in Panama.

But Bahamian Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said he had not received a formal communication from the Central American nation. (BBC News)

overnment is committed to ensuring that projects which have been outlined in the recent Annual Budgetary Proposals 2013, will be implemented.

That assurance has come from Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, during his address to the party faithful at the Democratic Labour Party’s Annual Conference at its headquarters in George Street Sunday.

The prime minister stressed that he was making it his mission to ensure that the implementation deficit challenges which the island has been criticised for recently would be handled. “The minister of finance has put in place … a set of programmes and policies to be pursued and, as prime minister, I will ensure that the phrase ‘implementation deficit’ will become something of the distant past, because people will do what they are supposed to do.”

The prime minister also stressed that Finance Minister Chris Sinckler has his full support. He also stated that the challenges which the country faces require strong leadership and stated that the government was dealing with a notion within the population that things would always be easy.

“It was not going to be a cakewalk to get them to accept that there were going to have to be some

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart (left) greets Finance Minister Chris Sinckler during the DLP’s Annual Conference Sunday

fundamental changes. The minister of finance and the Cabinet rose to the occasion and we conducted those consultations. I am proud of the men and women in the Cabinet of Barbados and I have seen their willingness to go beyond the call of duty to ensure that Barbados is put right.”

The core conclusions of the consultations which government conducted were debt, borrowing to pay bills, the deficit and a balance of payment problem. This required tough action, Prime Minister Stuart stated. (Excerpt from Barbados Advocate)

15 Around the World Army chief al-Sisi: Room Syrian refugees pour into Iraqi Kurdistan for all in Egypt in thousands T T guyanatimesgy.com

he head of Egypt’s armed forces has said that his message to the supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi is that “there is room for everyone”.

General Abdul Fattah alSisi urged them to help “rebuild the democratic path” and “integrate in the political process”.

But he also warned the military would not be silent in the face of violence.

Later, at least 36 detained members of the Muslim Brotherhood were killed when they tried to escape during their transfer to a prison outside Cairo.

Initially, the Interior Ministry said they died in an exchange of fire after some of them took a military officer hostage and the con-

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Egyptian state television is saying the unrest is “terrorism”

voy of prison vehicles, transporting a total of 612 detainees to Abu Zaabal prison in Qalyubia province, was attacked by unidentified gunmen.

But later the ministry said the prisoners died from

the effects of inhaling tear gas, which was fired when the escaping detainees took a police officer hostage. He was freed, but was badly injured, it added.

A legal source told the Reuters news agency that

the Brotherhood members had suffocated in the back of a crammed police van.

The Interior Ministry separately said so-called “people’s committees”, which have been set up by residents of some areas to provide security, would be banned because some had been used for vigilante activities.

Meanwhile, Mena reported that 79 people were killed and 549 wounded in violence across the country on Saturday.

That raised the nationwide death toll since Wednesday, when security forces forcibly cleared two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo, to more than 830, including 70 police and soldiers. (Excerpt from BBC News)

housands of refugees from Syria are pouring over the border into Iraqi Kurdistan, the United Nations refugee agency says.

Up to 10,000 crossed at Peshkhabour on Saturday, bringing the total influx since Thursday to 20,000.

The UN says the reasons are not fully clear.

The UN agencies, the Kurdish regional government and NGOs are struggling to cope, correspondents say.

It comes as UN chemical weapons inspectors arrived in Damascus on Sunday on a much-delayed mission.

The team will visit three sites over two weeks, including the northern town of Khan al-Assal which is at the centre of allegations of chemical weapons use.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said this is one

of the biggest single waves of refugees it has had to deal with since the uprising against the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

While the reasons remain unclear, there has been a sharp rise in clashes between Syrian Kurds and anti-government Islamist militants.

The charity Save the Children has launched an emergency response to the mass arrival, distributing basic supplies to those waiting to be registered.

“This is an unprecedented influx of refugees, and the main concern is that so many of them are stuck out in the open at the border or in emergency reception areas with limited, if any, access to basic services,” said Alan Paul, Save the Children’s emergency team leader, who is in the area.

North Korea agrees In turnaround, ruling to family reunions Tunisia Islamists will meet rivals with South European forests near T “carbon saturation N point” orth Korea has agreed to a South Korean proposal to resume reunions of families separated since the 19501953 war, official media in Pyongyang say.

The reunions will take place in a North Korean tourist resort on September 19.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye called last week for the resumption of the reunions, last held in 2010.

Her appeal followed an agreement to reopen a joint industrial plant, the latest step in the easing of tension between the two countries.

The latest statement on the reunions came from the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea.

It said: “The reunion of separated families and their relatives shall be made in Mt Kumgang resort on the occasion of the upcoming Harvest Moon Day.” Talks will take place between Red Cross officials

from both sides on August 23 at Mt Kumgang to prepare for the reunions.

Many families were separated at the end of the 195053 Korean War by the dividing of the peninsula. The two sides remain technically at war, because the conflict ended in an armistice and not a peace deal.

The North Korean statement also called for the resumption of tourist trips to Mt Kumgang.

The resort, the first major joint project between the nations, hosted thousands of South Korean visitors between 1998 and 2008, but tours were suspended after a North Korean soldier shot dead a tourist who strayed into a restricted area.

The CPRK said: “The Kaesong Industrial Zone and the tours to Mt Kumgang resort are valuable works common to the nation which should not be delayed as they are symbols of reconciliation, unity, reunification and prosperity.”

(Excerpt from BBC News)

unisia’s governing Islamist party Ennahda switched course on Sunday and agreed to meet with opposition parties to seek a consensus on resolving the country’s worst political crisis since its 2011 Arab Spring revolution.

Fethi Ayadi, chairman of the party’s supreme council, told journalists the talks could start by the end of the week and could consider opposition demands for a caretaker technocrat government to find a way out of the current standoff.

Ennahda chairman Rached Ghannouchi firmly rejected that demand on Thursday, prompting criticism from opposition leaders who accuse his party of incompetent leadership and complacency toward threats from violent hardline Salafis.

“We call for an immediate dialogue that brings together all parties of the opposition and the governing coalition, without any conditions,” Ayadi said.

Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring revolutions that overthrew longstanding autocratic regimes, has been in turmoil for the past three weeks after suspected Salafi gunmen staged the second assassination of a secularist politician this year.

The army ouster of Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi also emboldened Tunisia’s secular opposition to take to the streets trying to force out Ennahda, which won 41 per cent of the seats in the constituent assembly in late 2011.

Ayadi said Ennahda’s decision came after a rare and previously unannounced private meeting in Paris on Friday between Ghannouchi and Beji Caid Essebsi, a former prime minister and the head of the main opposition Nida Touns party.

“After political discussions, we think this dialogue can start at the end of this week,” Ayadi said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Okinawa shows vulnerability of Japanese PM’s popular appeal

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asatoshi Onaga says Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is out of touch with Okinawa, one of Japan’s poorest prefectures and the reluctant host to half the U.S. forces in the country.

To understand the island’s pain, Onaga would like to see Tokyo-based leaders try living in the shadows of the Futenma air base, a facility targeted for closure since 1996 because of its location in a densely popu-

lated area, with warplanes taking off and landing over surrounding houses, hospitals and schools.

“The central government has no idea how serious the situation is here,” said Onaga, 64.

The problem for Abe is that Onaga is not a bannerwaving activist. He is the local head of Abe’s own Liberal Democratic Party, and his opposition to the relocation of Futenma within Okinawa highlights a rift within the

ruling party and a reminder that some of Abe’s hardest work is ahead.

Okinawa, which handed the LDP one of its few defeats in last month’s upper house election, represents a microcosm of the hurdles facing Abe. From sugar farmers who fear the trade treaty will wipe out their crop to small business owners who feel the economic upswing is helping big mainland companies most, Okinawa offers a glimpse of

what serious Abe opposition looks like.

Abe, who took power in December and strengthened his mandate with the LDP’s decisive victory in the upper house poll, remains popular on a national scale with approval ratings above 50 per cent. He has enjoyed early success because of “Abenomics”, a combination of aggressive public spending and monetary easing that has kick-started economic growth. (Excerpt from Reuters)

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Disturbances, such as wildfires, contribute to the reduction of carbon sequestration in Europe’s forests

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uropean forests are showing signs of reaching a saturation point as carbon sinks, a study has suggested.

Since 2005, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbed by the continent’s trees has been slowing, researchers reported.

Writing in Nature Climate Change, they said this was a result of a declining volume of trees, deforestation and the impact of natural disturbances.

Carbon sinks play a key role in the global carbon cycle and are promoted as a way to offset rising emissions.

Writing in their paper, the scientists said the continent’s forests had been recovering in recent times after centuries of stock decline and deforestation.

The growth had also provided a “persistent carbon sink”, which was projected to continue for decades.

However, the team’s study observed three warnings that the carbon sink provided by Europe’s trees stands was nearing at saturation point.

“First, the stem volume increment rate (of individual trees) is increasing and thus the sink is curbing after decades of increase,” they wrote.

“Second, land use is intensifying, thereby leading to deforestation and associated carbon losses.

“Third, natural disturbances (eg wildfires) are increasing and, as a consequence, so are the emissions of CO2.”

Co-author Gert-Jan Nabuurs from Wageningen University and Research Centre, Netherlands, said: “All of this together means that the increase in the size of the sink is stopping; it is even declining a little. We see this as the first signs of a saturating sink.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean

CBN takes delivery of new Inter-Commercial Bank partners with UWI Nigeria: naira notes to September I T nter-Commercial Bank Ltd (IBL Bank) presented a bursary cheque for TT$5000 to the University of the West Indies (UWI) at a ceremony on Wednesday. IBL Bank Managing Director and CEO, Krishna Boodhai presented the cheque to Professor Clement Sankat, Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor of UWI, St Augustine Campus.

At the opening of the Tunapuna branch of IBL Bank in May this year, Boodhai announced that the bank had reached an agreement with UWI to provide a bursary in the amount of TT$5000 for the next five years. This bursary is to be awarded to a student pursuing an undergraduate degree in Banking and Finance.

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will take delivery of new naira notes before the end of September for circulation, the Deputy Director, Operations, Dr Tunde Lemo, has said.

Lemo stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The apex bank had earlier said that new naira notes would be in circulation by June, and that the smaller denomination notes (N5, N10, N20, and N50)

(Trinidad Guardian)

would be reprinted on paper.

“We are going to take delivery of the new notes from this month of August. We will take delivery of the new notes before the end of September. ‘The public will get a large quantity of the new notes to replace the old and mutilated notes, particularly the higher denomination notes in the first instance, then later the lower denominations,” he said.

On the scarcity of the lower denomination notes, Lemo

blamed commercial banks for what he called “poor circulation”. “For the lower denomination; well, I think the banks are really the ones that are really not allowing the lower denomination in circulation, largely, because of the carrying value.

“Most people don’t require small denomination. But for buying things in the market, if you look at the veracity, you find out that the N50 circulate more than the smaller ones,” he said. (allAfrica)

Asia

North America

JP Morgan in U.S. probe over links Dogfight over Tokyo: Japan’s big airlines vie for landing rights to influential Chinese

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.S. authorities are investigating investment bank JP Morgan over claims it hired children of influential Chinese officials to gain business. One claim is that it hired the son of a one-time bank regulator, now head of investment firm China Everbright.

China Everbright and JP Morgan went on to complete a series of deals together. JP Morgan said earlier this month it had had a request for

details of the matter from U.S. watchdog the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The news was brought to light this weekend by The New York Times newspaper.

The paper also said the Hong Kong office of the bank had employed the daughter of a Chinese railway official as The China Railway Group chose JPMorgan to advise it on a public flotation in 2007 when it raised US$5 billion (£3.2 billion).

The official was later arrested in connection with a bribery scandal. The New York Times said the SEC document did not show any direct link between JPMorgan’s hiring policy and any business that followed. There is also no suggestion that the employees were not suitable for the positions they were hired to fill, or that they helped JPMorgan secure business. The bank has not been accused of any wrongdoing. (BBC News)

Europe

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okyo’s busy Haneda airport is the latest battleground for Japan’s two big carriers, Japan Airlines Co Ltd and ANA Holdings in a politically-charged fight over US$400 million worth of landing rights. The two carriers have locked horns for decades at home, but this clash threatens to take on an international dimension by embroiling British Airways and other foreign carriers.

At issue are 20 new landing slots at Haneda, the

world’s fourth busiest airport, which according to industry experts, can generate around US$20 million each in annual operating profit.

With no new runways or airports planned for Japan’s capital, the October ruling will likely be the last major slot distribution in Tokyo for years and could give one of the two carriers a competitive edge.

Aviation regulators will decide who gets the slots by October. Normally the allotment, available after the open-

ing of a new runway, would be split down the middle, but ANA argues it deserves the lot. Getting them all would for the first time make it Japan’s biggest international carrier. ANA, already the nation’s biggest carrier by revenue and fleet size, is miffed a Democrat government in 2010 used 350 billion yen (US$3.54 billion) of taxpayer money to bail out a bankrupt JAL and says now it is payback-time for the helping hand given to its rival. (Reuters)

Middle East

Greece privatisation boss Stelios UAE developer suspends work on Stavridis dismissed Egypt project

T

he chairman of Greece’s privatisation agency has been dismissed. Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras called for Stelios Stavridis to resign following a report that he had travelled on a plane belonging to a businessman who bought gambling firm Opap from the state.

Stavridis had only been in the job for four months but had faced criticism for the slow pace of privatisations.

Last week Athens finalised

the sale of a controlling stake in Opap.

A group of Greek and eastern European investors paid 650 million euros (US$866 million; £554 million) for the state’s 33 per cent stake in the company. Those investors include Greek shipowner Dimitris Melissanidis, whose private jet Stavridis is said to have flown on.

Stavridis had successfully transformed the Athens Water Board before being ap-

Market statistics

pointed boss of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF). The financial target for the sale of state assets this year has been set at 2.6 billion euros, but it is estimated that the final figure will be one billion euros short.

Earlier this year attempts to dispose of Depa, the national gas utility, by selling to proposed buyer Gazprom fell through in a row over Russia’s domination of energy supply in Europe. (BBC News)

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates Bank of Guyana

Fixed as at July 24, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Buying

Selling

U.S.

GBP

$319.70

$323.71

Cambio

CAN

$197.98

$200.26

Gross

$254,331

$206.92

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Cur

$204.49

USD

$1335.00 $202.67

Indicators as on August 16, 2013 Live Spot Gold $1377.20

$1378.20

Low/High

$1359.80

$1381.60

Change

+11.10

0.81

AM

1360.75 870.10 1020.59

USD GBP EUR

Aug 15

AM

Price Silver

US$ per barrel

$111.11 USD per Ounce

23.26 $1523.00

Change %

+0.82 Change %

+0.25 -2.00

PM

1369.25 875.42 1024.96 PM

Last: 15087.47

1329.75 855.64 1005.86 Changes: -30.72

% Change: -0.20

Open: 15112.80

High: 15139.77

Low: 15054.38

% YTD: +15.09

52Wk Hi: 15658.43

52 Wk Lo: 12035.09

USD GBP EUR

1339.56 859.37 1008.05

Crude Oil

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Aug 16

Indicators

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

G

eneral Motors and German chemicals firm BASF reopened facilities in Egypt on Sunday while Electrolux extended plant closures until security stabilises.

Electrolux, the world’s second-biggest home appliances maker with nearly 7000 employees in Egypt, suspended production in the country on Wednesday for five days.

The Swedish company, whose 10 production facilities are on the outskirts of Cairo, said in a statement it would reassess developments con-

tinuously. “Operations will be resumed as soon as the security situation stabilises,” it said.

More than 700 people have died, most of them backers of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, in four days of violence during which the armybacked government launched a fierce crackdown on his supporters.

Electrolux’s turnover in Egypt was more than two billion crowns (US$307 million) last year, out of total sales of about 110 billion. The real estate arm of family-owned con-

glomerate Al Futtaim Group said on Sunday work on Cairo Festival City – a three million square metre residential, commercial and retail development around one hour’s drive from the areas worst affected by violence – was suspended on Wednesday.

“They (employees) have been instructed to stay at home or at a safe place ever since and the situation is being reviewed on a daily basis to ensure the safety of all our people,” a spokesman for the United Arab Emirates-based firm said. (Arabianbusiness)

Investors' guide

Wall Street Week Ahead: Undervalued euro shares a hurdle for U.S. stocks

A

fter Wall Street’s biggest weekly decline since June and the worst week this year for the Dow average, investors will be searching for a rebound.

But the best gains may not be at home as investors take notice of an improved outlook in Europe.

Fund managers have started to shift to euro-zone equities after a series of economic indicators showed the region finally emerging from recession.

The region outperformed U.S. stocks in recent weeks, ending 0.2 per cent higher this week while Wall Street underwent a two per cent loss.

For the month so far, the total return of euro-zone equities is around 1.9 per cent compared to a 1.8 per cent loss on the S&P 500 index.

That’s a very different picture from the first half of the year when the S&P 500 posted 12.6 per cent growth, while the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index had a

Business concept – Insight

mere 1.6 per cent growth.

The difference might also point to which parts of the U.S. market are likely to perform well after a long run by companies that do the lion’s share of their selling within America’s borders.

“The increase in volatility and uncertainty we’ve seen throughout the euro zone is finally coming to an end,” said Diane Garnick, chief executive of Clear Alternatives, an asset management firm in New York. (Reuters)

Feedback – ideas about the true nature of something. In business, product testing sessions are used to gather insight from people with different backgrounds, experiences and feelings, with the intent of finding out how consumers may respond.

Knowledge in the form of perspective, understanding, or deduction. Someone may come up with an insight after a long period of thought, or suddenly out of thin air as in an epiphany or sudden understanding.

news

17

monday, august 19, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Two critical after Mahaicony smash-up T

wo persons are in critical condition while eight others are injured after two vehicles collided on Sunday evening at the Airy Hall Public Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.

The accident occurred sometime around 06:00h.

Guyana Times understands that the vehicles involved in the accident are a green AT 192 Toyota Carina motor car and a blue Toyota Spacio motorcar.

Based on information

received, the Spacio had eight passengers and was heading to Berbice while two persons were in the Toyota Carina heading to Georgetown.

The driver of the Toyota Carina was reportedly negotiating a turn when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with the Spacio. All 10 persons were injured; however, five of them sustained severe injuries, of which two are critical. Up to press time, the identities of the badly injured persons were un-

clear.

Those in the Spacio were Ishwar Bakridi, Maharani Bakridi, Vinod Kumar Bakridi and Sanjay Bakridi, along with Bibi Seegobin, Andrew Seegobin, Kevin Seegobin, and Patsy Seegobin.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Toyota Carina was identified as Clement Blush. He was in company of Royston Silen; both of whom reside in Georgetown.

One of the victims, Bakridi of Adelphi Canje,

Berbice, who was in the Spacio with several family members, related to this newspaper that he and his family were heading back to Berbice when the accident occurred.

At the Georgetown Public Hospital, Bakridi was with his sister and son.

The traumatised man explained that his wife and other family members were at the Mahaicony Hospital, waiting to be transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

R&B singer Chris Brown agrees to complete more community labour

R

&B singer Chris Brown had his probation reinstated by a judge in Los Angeles on Friday after the Grammy winner agreed to complete an additional 1000 hours of community labour stemming from his 2009 sentence for assaulting singer Rihanna.

Brown’s probation had been revoked last month

by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin after he was charged in a May hit-andrun traffic accident, which

could have led to a probation violation and possible jail time.

The charges in the hitand-run case have since been dismissed.

In 2009, Brown was sentenced to five years’ probation, 180 days of community labour and domestic violence counselling for assaulting Rihanna, who was his girlfriend at the time.

Brown, dressed in a dark suit at Friday’s hearing, must complete the 1000 hours of community labour before his probation ends on

August 25, 2014. He has the option of highway cleanup, beach cleanup, graffiti removal, or general maintenance work.

The singer, 24, came under fire by the Los Angeles County Attorney’s office in February, when he was accused of cutting corners of his community labour sentence, which he was allowed to complete in his home state of Virginia.

The community labour involved tasks like cutting grass, picking up trash, and

removing graffiti.

Prosecutors alleged that Brown was not at the recorded location of his community labour and was instead performing or travelling, once on a private jet bound for Cancun, Mexico.

They also accused Virginia authorities of poor and incorrect management of the singer’s community labour and record keeping, arguing that the “Turn Up the Music” singer’s community labour case should be transferred to Los Angeles.

(Reuters)

Oprah’s “Butler” cleans up at North American box office

“L

ee Daniels’ The Butler”, a civil rights drama starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey, surpassed expectations and easily won the weekend box office battle, debuting with US$25 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales through Sunday.

Jennifer Aniston comedy “We’re the Millers” finished in the number two slot, earning US$17.8 million in its second weekend, according to studio estimates. Last weekend’s box office leader, Matt Damon sci-fi thriller “Elysium”, fell to third place with US$13.6 million.

“Kick-Ass 2”, a comedy sequel about a pair of teenage crime-fighting superheroes, languished in fourth place with US$13.6 million in its first three days.

Ahead of the weekend, box office forecasters had predicted a close race between “The Butler” and “Kick-Ass”, with projections for each running as high as US$20 million-plus.

But audiences gravitated to “The Butler”, a critically praised drama directed

by Lee Daniels and featuring talk show host Winfrey in her first acting role in 15

years.

The film is inspired by the life of Eugene Allen, an African-American who served as a White House butler to eight U.S. presidents. Whitaker plays the butler opposite Winfrey as his chain-smoking, harddrinking wife, Gloria.

Entertainment mogul Winfrey promoted the film to her large fan base through media interviews and on her cable network, OWN. Seventy-two per cent of “Butler” ticket buyers said Winfrey’s role increased their interest in the film, according to a poll on the Fandango movie website.

Applause from critics

Both Winfrey and Whitaker won applause from critics, with 73 per cent recommending “The Butler” in reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

“We expected it to do well. We did not expect it to do this well,” said Erik Lomis, distribution president for the Weinstein Co, the privately held company that distributed the movie.

Weinstein decided to release the film in August to capitalise on a lack of adult dramas in theatres, Lomis

said. “That audience is underserved at this time of year,” he noted.

The film had a modest budget of around US$25 million, financed by 28 investors, and Lomis said he expected the audience, which was 60 per cent female and more than three-quarters over age 35, “will broaden out. Word of mouth is really strong”.

Low-risk bet

“Kick-Ass 2” stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as costumed teenage hero Kick-Ass and Chloe Moretz as his sidekick known as Hit Girl. Jim Carrey, who criticised the movie’s violence after filming was completed, plays Colonel Stars and Stripes, an ex-soldier leading a band of amateur masked vigilantes.

The film was produced

by Comcast Corp’s Universal Pictures and independently financed with a budget of US$28 million. The sequel’s opening weekend sales lagged behind the first “Kick-Ass”, which debuted with US$19.8 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters in April 2010.

Nikki Rocco, president of Universal’s distribution unit, said the sequel was a low-risk

bet.

“I hope that whenever there are misses, they are like this one,” Rocco said. “In this case, it’s a very minimum risk.” “Kick-Ass 2” added another US$6.3 million in international ticket sales.

Rounding out the top of the charts, Walt Disney Co animated movie “Planes” earned the number five slot with US$13.1 million in its second weekend.

“Jobs”, a new drama starring Ashton Kutcher as legendary Apple Inc co-founder Steve Jobs, pulled in US$6.7 million for seventh place.

The film, which chronicles 30 years of the late tech and computer entrepreneur’s life, was produced for US$8.5 million, according to the Box Office Mojo website.

Open Road Films, a joint venture between theatre owners Regal Entertainment Group and AMC Entertainment Inc, distributed “Jobs”.

Corporate espionage thriller “Paranoia”, starring Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford and Liam Hemsworth, debuted in the number 13 spot with US$3.5 million. Relativity Media acquired U.S. marketing rights for “Paranoia” and eOne distributed the movie in Canada. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Kafka by Reiner Stach, review

"Everything can be hazarded" - Franz Kafka (Photo: Wesley Merritt)

“D

ear Sir,” the reader wrote, “You have made me unhappy. I bought your Metamorphosis as a present for my cousin, but she doesn’t know what to make of the story. My cousin gave it to her mother, who doesn’t know what to make of it either. Her mother gave the book to my other cousin, and she doesn’t know what to make of it either. Now they’ve written to me…”

History doesn’t record Franz Kafka’s reply to this fan letter from 1917, but his correspondent’s fascinated bemusement echoes down a hundred years of Kafkaology. What, after all, are any of us to make of this body of work, with its elusive blend of the mundane, the comic and the purely uncanny? Generations of readers and scholars have observed it through the telescopes of mysticism, Judaism, modernism, psychoanalysis, theory and biography, but the work continues to float like a strange planet in the skies of literature, enclosed by its unique atmosphere of wideawake nightmare and hilarious, lazy unease.

The German scholar Reiner Stach has spent more than 20 years working on Kafka’s life, and his comprehensive biography is now available in this country for the first time since the publication in German of its two volumes in 2002 and 2008.

It arrives in a Kafkan bureaucratic tangle all its own, since these two stout books are, in fact, the final two in a projected trilogy. To write

the first volume, covering the childhood, Stach needs access to papers from the estate of Kafka’s friend and executor Max Brod, which have been locked up for years in the possession of their elderly custodian (Brod’s secretary’s daughter) while a protracted court case shuttled between judges.

The irony of a Kafka biographer stymied by the depredations of heredity and the slow revolutions of the law will be lost on no one, though a fortunate judgment last year finally ordered the papers back into public hands. As it stands, however, Stach’s biography introduces us to Kafka in 1910 – he is a 27-year-old insurance clerk living with his mother, father and three sisters in their flat in Prague – and follows him through to his death at the age of 40 from complications of tuberculosis.

This coincides, broadly speaking, with the period in which Kafka became a writer. Although he had written several prose pieces since 1904 and subsequently begun the novel that would become Amerika, it was only with The Judgment, dashed off in a single night of sleepless composition in 1912, that he felt he had made his breakthrough. Writing that story, in which a young man is condemned to death by his father, taught Kafka “how everything can be hazarded,” as he wrote in his diary; “how for everything, even for the strangest idea, a great fire is ready in which it expires and rises up again”. (Excerpt from Telegraph)

Japan to the world

T

he Attack Dem group from Japan won the World Reggae Dance Competition held at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston on August 5.

It is the second straight year a Japanese group won the competition which is organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

Attack Dem, from the city of Osaka, got the better of compatriots Yallow Yellow, who are from Tokyo.

Jamaican entrants Endevarous Dancers placed third in the 14-team final.

Orville Hall of the Dance XPressions group was one of the competition’s judges. He is not surprised the Japanese dominated once again.

“Our dancers in the street are not paying enough attention to the theme and what is required,” Hall told Splash.

He observed that the Japanese expressed themselves through Jamaican dance moves. On the other hand, the Jamaicans were into hip-hop mixes and gimmickry.

“Even if they had gimmicks, they should have stuck to a particular concept and brought the element of surprise to the competition,” said Hall. “ The Japanese did that, they have been studying.”

Dancehall culture has been huge in Japan since the 1980s when artistes like Sugar Minott launched the first sound system clashes there.(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ARCHIE

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Eat properly and start a regimented routine that will strengthen you mentally, physically and emotionally. Keeping fit and living a simpler, more moderate life will result in greater happiness.

DILBERT

(June 21July 22) Do something creative or sign up for an unusual activity or community event that will help you find fresh ideas with which to approach life. There are some exciting options out there.

AQUARIUS

LEO

(Jan. 20Feb. 19)

(July 23Aug. 22)

The changes you plan to make will help get your finances in order, so don’t delay. Strive to budget wisely. A contract, commitment or partnership with someone should be signed, sealed and delivered, for safety’s sake.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

CANCER

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Engage in activities that allow you to broaden your horizons. You will find inspiration if you look for it. Added responsibility will come with benefits.

You should try new and adventurous avenues that will motivate you to reach for the stars. Strive to be your best, even under difficulty. Romance will improve your day.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Discuss with a colleague the way you want to see a situation move forward. Do your best to work with someone trying to meet you halfway.

Compromise and discipline will help you find common ground.

PEANUTS ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Put more thought into the way you conduct yourself at work or on the home front. A change of heart can lead to greater happiness with someone special.

SUDOKU TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Not everyone will agree with you, but that’s the way it should be. Be careful when sharing information – someone with ulterior motives may butter you up. Don’t make any moves unless you’re fully prepared.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Put more thought into self-improvement projects and activities that challenge you. Romance is on the rise, but motives may be questionable, be they yours or someone else’s.

Excess is something to be avoided.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Steps you take to improve your surroundings or change your lifestyle will benefit you financially as well as ease your stress. An unusual offer will bring you greater stability.

Saturday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20)

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll discover interesting information regarding someone who can help you in a professional capacity. Love is on the rise, and making plans with someone you care for will have gratifying results.

If you frankly express your thoughts, you will get a favourable response.

Do what you can to improve the way you live and your relationships with your friends and colleagues.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

NEWS 19

YELLOW PAGES

Alfredo Moser: Bottle light inventor proud to be poor

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

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A

lfredo Moser’s invention is lighting up the world. In 2002, the Brazilian mechanic had a light-bulb moment and came up with a way of illuminating his house during the day without electricity – using nothing more than plastic bottles filled with water and a tiny bit of bleach.

In the last two years, his innovation has spread throughout the world. It is expected to be in one million homes by early next year.

So how does it work?

Simple refraction of sunlight, explains Moser, as he fills an empty two-litre plastic bottle.

“Add two capfuls of bleach to protect the water so it doesn’t turn green [with algae]. The cleaner the bottle, the better,” he adds.

Wrapping his face in a cloth he makes a hole in a

How much energy do the lamps save?

• The plastic bottles are up-cycled in the local community, so no energy is needed to gather, shred, manufacture and ship new bottles • The carbon footprint of the manufacture of one incandescent bulb is 0.45kg carbon dioxide • A 50 Watt light bulb running for 14 hours a day for a year has a carbon footprint of nearly 200kg carbon dioxide • Moser lamps emit no carbon dioxide would raise the alarm, in case of an emergency, such as a small plane coming down, imagining a situation in which they had no matches.

His boss at the time suggested getting a discarded plastic bottle, filling it with water and using it as a lens to focus the sun’s rays

made him wealthy. What it has given him is a great sense of pride.“There was one man who installed the lights and within a month he had saved enough to pay for the essential things for his child, who was about to be born. Can you imagine?” he says.

Carmelinda, Moser’s

done that in Brazil. Alfredo Moser is putting them on roofs.’”

Following the Moser method, MyShelter started making the lamps in June 2011. They now train people to create and install the bottles, in order to earn a small income.

In the Philippines, where a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, and electricity is unusually expensive, the idea has really taken off, with Moser lamps now fitted in 140,000 homes.

The idea has also caught on in about 15 other countries, from India and Bangladesh, to Tanzania, Argentina and Fiji.

Diaz says you can find Moser lamps in some remote island communities. “They say, ‘Well, we just saw it from our neighbour and it looked like a good idea.’”

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The lamps are changing lives in the Philippines

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roof tile with a drill. Then, from the bottom upwards, he pushes the bottle into the newly-made hole.

“You fix the bottle in with polyester resin. Even when it rains, the roof never leaks – not one drop.”

“An engineer came and measured the light,” he says. “It depends on how strong the sun is but it’s more or less 40 to 60 watts,” he says.

The inspiration for the “Moser lamp” came to him during one of the country’s frequent electricity blackouts in 2002. “The only places that had energy were the factories – not people’s houses,” he says, talking about the city where he lives, Uberaba, in southern Brazil.

Moser and his friends began to wonder how they

on dry grass. That way one could start a fire, as a signal to rescuers. This idea stuck in Moser’s head – he started playing around, filling up bottles and making circles of refracted light.

Soon he had developed the lamp.

“I didn’t make any design drawings,” he says.

“It’s a divine light. God gave the sun to everyone, and light is for everyone.

Whoever wants it saves money. You can’t get an electric shock from it, and it doesn’t cost a penny.”

Moser has installed the bottle lamps in neighbours’ houses and the local supermarket.

While he does earn a few dollars installing them, it’s obvious from his simple house and his 1974 car that his invention hasn’t

wife of 35 years, says her husband has always been very good at making things around the home, including some fine wooden beds and tables.

But she’s not the only one who admires his lamp invention. Illac Angelo Diaz, executive director of the MyShelter Foundation in the Philippines, is another.

MyShelter specialises in alternative construction, creating houses using sustainable or recycled materials such as bamboo, tyres and paper.

“We had huge amounts of bottle donations,” he says.

“So we filled them with mud and created walls, and filled them with water to make windows.

“When we were trying to add more, somebody said: ‘Hey, somebody has also

People in poor areas are also able to grow food on small hydroponic farms, using the light provided by the bottle lamps, he says.

Overall, Diaz estimates, one million people will have benefited from the lamps by the start of next year.

“Alfredo Moser has changed the lives of a tremendous number of people, I think forever,” he says.

“Whether or not he gets the Nobel Prize, we want him to know that there are a great number of people who admire what he is doing.”

Did Moser himself imagine that his invention would have such an impact?

“I’d have never imagined it, no,” says Moser, shaking with emotion.

“It gives you goosebumps to think about it.”

(BBC)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

monday, august 19, 2013

Sangakkara joins Jamaica Tallawahs for final matches of Limacol CPL S

t John’s, ANTIGUA – Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara is set to link up with the Jamaica Tallawahs for the final stretch of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL), organisers have confirmed.

The elegant 36 year-old left-handed batsman will take over from Pakistan top-order player Ahmed Shezhad, who is leaving to join the Pakistan squad on tour in Zimbabwe.

Sangakkara, who has played for three franchises in the Indian Premier League – Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad – becomes the fourth Sri Lanka player to join the LCPL following on from the signings of Muttiah Muralitharan (Jamaica Tallawahs), Mahela Jayawardene (Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel) and Lasith Malinga (Guyana Amazon Warriors).

Reflecting on his move, Sangakkara said: “I did

not expect to be playing the Limacol CPL this year, but when Murali telephoned and asked whether I might be interested in playing for the Jamaica Tallawahs I jumped at the chance.

“To play alongside Murali again will, of course, be a great privilege and it will also be very exciting to bat with Chris (Gayle) rather than being his opponent.

“The Tallawahs have had a great season thus far and I hope I can make a positive contribution as we seek to win the inaugural tournament.”

Sangakkara brings with him not only that wealth of IPL experience but also a significant amount of international experience too.

He has played a total of 117 Tests, 354 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 45 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) and led his country to the final of the ICC World Twenty20 in England in 2009, where they were defeated by

Pakistan at Lord’s.

Sangakkara was also part of the Sri Lanka side that again reached the final of the ICC World Twenty20 in his home country last October, only to be beaten once more, this time by the West Indies.

In Tests he has scored 10,486 runs at an average of 56.98 with 33 hundreds and 42 fifties while in ODIs his aggregate is 11,798 runs at 39.99 with 16 more hundreds, as well as 79 fifties.

In T20Is he has a tally of 1178 runs with a strikerate of 120.08 runs per hundred balls and including seven fifties, while in all Twenty20 matches, domestic and international combined, he has played 138 times, scoring 3481 runs with 20 fifties and a strikerate of 124.76.

The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League runs until Saturday with the two semi-finals taking place in Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday and Friday.

Kumar Sangakkara

Watson works on lbw Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes in England squad woes with Clarke S hane Watson hopes that a batting masterclass with the captain Michael Clarke, and the absence of his tormentor Tim Bresnan, will help him overcome his lbw issues in the final Test at The Oval.

Australia’s lacklustre batting effort during the tour match against England Lions may influence the selectors ahead of the final Test, but the Australians hope that what happened off field might have just as much impact as they search for ways to prevent another Test capitulation.

On the eve of the Northampton game, Watson spent a long session in the nets facing throwdowns from the official batting coach Michael di Venuto, while Clarke served as an unofficial mentor and yelled advice from the other end of the pitch. The goal was clear - to find a way for Watson to play as close as possible to his natural game while preventing a dismissal that comes equally naturally, the walking-across-his-stumpslbw that has brought his downfall four times in this series.

“I’ve been having a chat to Michael over the last week especially about the way that I’m getting out, lbw at the moment,” Watson said after the Northampton match. “I’m getting a lot of different information about the ways that I can try to get that right. Michael just more so jogged my memory of a few things that I was doing a couple of years ago, more so with Greg Chappell, and making sure I was tak-

Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes

U Shane Watson has been dismissed lbw four times during this Ashes

ing it back to the basics and having someone throw the ball slowly and making sure I was getting myself in the right position.

“Michael’s advice has been excellent. He has been through a similar thing at some stage in his career. It’s good to be able to get his advice. He’s certainly one of the best players in the world and has been for the last couple of years. He has been through all those different challenges throughout his Test career, so it’s nice to be able to get his advice.”

Watson and Clarke have not always seen eye to eye in the Australian camp - former coach Mickey Arthur’s leaked legal documents cer-

tainly confirmed those reports - but both men insist they work together well, and a smoothly-running Watson in the middle order would be of significant benefit to the team’s hopes. Watson showed some good signs in the first innings at Chesterle-Street, when he supported Chris Rogers with 68, but another lbw in the chase added to his trouble.

The good news for Watson is that Bresnan has been ruled out of the final Test due to a back injury, and while both James Anderson and Stuart Broad have also trapped Watson lbw once each in this series, Bresnan has done it twice.

(Cricinfo)

ncapped Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes have been named in the England squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia at The Oval.

Warwickshire all-rounder Woakes, 24, has played 13 one-day international and two Twenty20s, while leftarm spinner Kerrigan, also 24, has taken 48 first-class wickets this season.

Pace bowlers Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions are both absent injured.

England lead the series 3-0 after a 74-run win in the fourth Test in Durham.

Onions, 30, missed out on selection for the match on his home ground of Chesterle-Street then suffered a broken finger while playing for Durham.

Yorkshire’s Bresnan, meanwhile, has a stress fracture of the back that will keep the 28-year-old out for the rest of the season.

“Tim Bresnan has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball during the series and I would like to wish him all the very best in his recovery from his back injury,” said national selector Geoff Miller.

“The focus for Bresnan now will be the tour of Australia later this year while this Test will provide an opportunity for another member of this squad to make equally vital contributions.

The injuries mean a recall for Steven Finn and a call-up for Woakes, who has taken 27 first-class wickets at an average of 22.77 this season.

England selected Monty Panesar in their squad for the third Test at Old Trafford, but the Sussex leftarm spinner has since been fined by police for urinating on nightclub bouncers in Brighton.

Kerrigan, 24, who has taken more first-class wick-

ets than any other spinner this summer, claimed 1-66 for England Lions in their drawn two-day game against Australia.

Miller added: “The inclusion of five pace bowlers as well as an additional spinner in Simon Kerrigan who has impressed with Lancashire and England Lions in recent years gives Andy Flower and Alastair Cook plenty of options once they have assessed the conditions at the Kia Oval.”

Kerrigan has taken 47 wickets at 20.23 in the County Championship this summer, making him one of the top performing spinners in the country.

The 24-year-old said: “I’m delighted to be selected, but it was a bit hard to take in when he [Miller] rang. It all felt a bit surreal to be honest.

“Hopefully I can impress over the next couple of days and be ready if they choose two spinners.” (BBC Sport)

MONday, august 19, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

Chelsea win on Mourinho return O

scar and Frank Lampard scored first-half goals as Chelsea marked the start of Jose Mourinho’s second spell as Blues manager with victory over Hull on Sunday.

Lampard had an early penalty saved by Allan McGregor, before Kevin de Bruyne set up Oscar to slot the hosts ahead.

McGregor again thwarted Lampard, but the England midfielder responded with a superb free-kick to double the lead.

Newly promoted Hull rallied after half-time but could not force their way back as Chelsea comfortably secured the win.

With his comeback match going to plan, Mourinho can now turn his attention to Wednesday’s visit of Aston Villa Mourinho had said of his return to Stamford Bridge, “It’s my dugout, my stadium, my people”, and so it appeared as he emerged from the tunnel before kick-off to ear-splitting noise and a spine-tingling ovation.

The self-proclaimed “Happy One” - when he arrived in 2004 it was the “Special One” - waved to all sides of the ground and blew kisses to the fans before taking a seat as his new team set about dismantling the visitors.

There were three survivors from the line-up that started the opening match of his first spell - Petr Cech, John Terry and Lampard while De Bruyne was handed a debut after spend-

21

Barker beats Daniel Geale to take IBF world middleweight title – Nathan Cleverly loses world title to Russia’s Kovalev

Jose Mourinho celebrates with his players after their win

ing last season on loan at Werder Bremen.

The 22-year-old Belgian slotted seamlessly into Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 formation, joining Eden Hazard and Oscar in supporting lonestriker Fernando Torres, with Lampard and Ramires sitting in midfield.

It was an artillery that pinned Hull back from outset and the Tigers, with six new signings handed starts, struggled to get out of their own half.

De Bruyne fired over and Hazard saw a shot blocked, before McGregor’s attempted clearance ended with him punching Torres in the head to concede a penalty.

The Scotland goalkeeper made amends by diving to his right and beating away Lampard’s spot-kick.

But rather than reversing the momentum, it merely encouraged Chelsea to

attack with even greater intent, their dominance telling when De Bruyne released Oscar to poke Chelsea into the lead.

The Blues were stirring, and, despite denying Lampard for the second time, McGregor could do nothing to stop the midfielder’s swerving set-piece from around 30 yards.

Replays suggested James Chester did not touch Torres for the free-kick, but referee Jonathan Moss felt the Spaniard’s path was blocked.

Hull did not create a chance of note in the first half, which ended with Lampard going close and McGregor expertly clawing a Branislav Ivanovic header off the line. Hawk-Eye graphics showed it did not cross.

Bruce introduced two more new signings at the

break - Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore - and his side carried a greater threat as Chelsea failed to display their previous urgency.

Robert Koren tested Cech, before the hosts struggled to clear a Robbie Brady corner and Yannick Sagbo’s goalbound shot hit Lampard’s chest.

Chelsea felt they deserved a penalty when Brady challenged Ivanovic but Hull were soon back on the front foot and Cech needed to be alert to stop a Curtis Davies header from Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross.

Romelu Lukaku came on for the ineffective Torres and the Belgian almost contributed to a Chelsea third, but fellow substitute Andre Schurrle chipped over the advancing McGregor, narrowly clearing the bar. (BBC Sport)

Nadal beats John Isner to win Cincinnati Open

W

orld number three Rafael Nadal overcame battling American John Isner to win his 26th Masters title on Sunday.

The Spaniard won 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-3) to secure back-to-back titles following his success in Montreal last weekend.

Nadal, 27, saved two set points in a tight opening set and came through another tie-break to seal victory and clinch his 59th career title.

“It’s very special for me to win here,” said Nadal, who starts his bid to win a second US Open title in eight days.

“This one was the first one I felt I was actually playing well.

Congratulations to John and I’m sorry for today, but I’m sure if you continue you will have a lot of chances to win tournaments like this.”

Nadal’s victory came one week after he beat Canada’s Milos Raonic to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion set up the final with Isner after a straight-sets win over Tomas Berdych - who had knocked out Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. earlier in the tournament.

The American made the world number three work for his service games and missed a late chance in the first set when Nadal saved two

Rafael Nadal

set points with two forehand winners to level the match at 6-6.

The duo fought to 8-8 in the tiebreak before Isner volleyed the ball into the net to give Nadal set point and the former world number one clinched it when the American’s return fell short of the net.

“I can certainly hold my head high when I look back at this tournament. I just played against one of the best tennis players in the world,” Isner said.

Nadal started to move Isner around the hot Ohio court with clin-

ical cross-court forehands and volleys but again the match went with serve.

Two thunderous forehands put Nadal two match points away from victory in the 10th game but the hard-working Isner extinguished the Spaniard’s chances with two inchperfect backhands to level the match at 5-5.

The set went into a second tiebreak but it was the two-time Wimbledon champion who held his nerve to take a 5-3 lead before clinching victory in the 10th point. (BBC Sport)

D

Darren Barker

arren Barker took the IBF world middleweight crown by winning a gruelling fight against Daniel Geale by a split decision in Atlantic City.

The Briton, 31, was floored by a body shot in the sixth round and just got up before the end of the referee’s count.

Barker recovered and he went on to win the world title which eluded him in 2011 when he lost to Sergio Martinez.

The Barnet fighter dedicated his win to his late brother Gary, who died in a car accident in 2006.

“Not many people know the journey I’ve been through,” Barker told Sky Sports. “It’s been a real Rocky story.

“I dedicate this to my late brother. Everything I’ve done is for him.”

Barker took the fight to Australian Geale and had the better of the early rounds before being caught with a powerful left hook to the body in the sixth.

Geale appeared to be taking command of the fight but Barker emerged from his rival’s onslaught to finish strongly.

“I take my hat off to Daniel Geale,” Barker said.

“He’s a great champion and a tough, tough man.

“He caught me right in the solar plexus and completely took my breath away from me.”

He added: “I was in absolute bits. I was gone. But as the seconds went on my brother and daughter, they got into my head.

“I showed I’ve got heart and a lot of people didn’t think I did.”

Meanwhile, Nathan Cleverly has lost his WBO light-heavyweight title to unbeaten Russian Sergey Kovalev in Cardiff.

Welshman Cleverly, 26, was knocked down for the first time in his career in the third round and was on the brink of defeat from that moment on.

After further punishment, the bout was ended in the fourth round to leave unbeaten Kovalev with another victory.

Kovalev 30, has now won

19 of 22 bouts inside the distance, this time in front of American pay-per-view television.

Cleverly said he had “nothing to be ashamed of”.

The Welshman added: “Obviously when it happens it’s devastating.

“And fair play to Kovalev, he hits hard; the guy hits hard with those little gloves on.

“It shakes your brain when they catch you on the head and clubbing shots and obviously he kept the pressure on.”

Kovalev said: “I came here and nobody believed I would beat their champion, but everywhere else in the world they knew already how good I was.

“I knew he couldn’t take my power. The fact the fight was televised on HBO in the United States was very important for me.”

Cleverly’s ambitions of unification fights in the America encouraged him to accept Kovalev’s challenge.

But at the Motorpoint Arena Kovalev belied his status as marginal favourite with some bookmakers to leave Cleverly’s fans disappointed.

The mathematics degree holder had seen off five previous challenges to his title but the Cefn Fforest man could not withstand Kovalev’s onslaught.

Kovalev’s power-punch intentions were clear from the first bell while Cleverly looked to outwit his opponent.

The Welshman may have gained confidence after opening a cut over Kovalev’s right eye.

But that did not trouble the Russian any further as his jab and powerful rights made their mark.

In the third round Cleverly was on the receiving end of a telling blow and was soon on the canvas.

Kovalev put him down again and referee Terry O’Connor seemed poised to step in before the third round was over.

The bell rescued Cleverly on that occasion, but Kovalev’s ruthless followup ensured the bout ended in the 29 seconds into the fourth. (BBC Sport)

22

monday, august 19, 2013

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Barbados and Guyana remain unbeaten T

Rain forces another postponement of GSCL Inc 12/12 tournament …pushed back to September 7

S

t George’s, GRENADA – Barbados and Guyana have recorded their second straight wins in round two of the West Indies women T20 tournament in here on Sunday.

Guyana defeated Dominica by eight wickets at the Tanteen playing field while Barbados beat St. Lucia by 54 runs via the Duckworth Lewis method at the same venue.

Tremayne Smartt bagged impressive figures of three wickets for seven runs from her four overs to have the Dominicans reeling at 70 for 9 in heir 20 overs.

Joann Vansertima and Haseena Mohamed aided the demise with two wickets each.

Guyana, who beat Trinidad and Tobago in first round action on Friday, sailed to an easy win losing a couple wickets in the process.

Opener June Ogle scored a 23 ball 27 not out while Shemaine Campbell was bowled for 26 after picking up two boundaries as Guyana got to 71 runs.

Also, at Tanteen Deandra Dottin produced another aggressive innings to ensure Barbados remain unbeaten in the tournament.

Dottin found the bound-

Tremayne Smartt

Joann Vansertima

June Ogle

ary five times in an unbeaten knock of 47 while Pamela Levine scored 30 runs including four fours as they pushed Barbados to 124 for 4 in 20 overs.

St.Lucia’s main strike bowlers were Nicole St.Prix and Teadie Crowford with two wickets each.

St. Lucia were struggling on 43 for 7 after 15 overs when the rain stopped play.

Meantime, Trinidad and Tobago brushed aside host Grenada by 100 runs at Progress Park to register their first win in the tournament.

A 39 ball 38 from top scorer Amanda Samaroo and a 35 ball 32 from Britney Cooper highlighted T and T’s innings of 139 for eight in 20

overs.

Lena Peters, Afy Fletcher, and Carena Noel grabbed two wickets each for the Grenadians who opened the tournament with victory over Dominica on Friday.

Kirbyina Alexander, Anisa Mohammed and Alisa Mohammed stifled the run chase and tore through the Grenada line-up as the host were bowled out for 39 in 12.3 overs.

Afy Fletcher with ten was the only batsman getting into double figures in the face of Alexander four for 18, Anisa Mohammed three for 18, and Alisa Mohammed 2 for 11.

Also at Progress Park, Stefanie Taylor blasted a hostile half century as Jamaica

humbled St.Vincent and the Grenadines by 90 runs by way of the Duckworth Lewis method.

Taylor hit three fours as she raced to an unbeaten 56 ball 61 that carried Jamaica to 139 for four in 20 overs as they rebounded from a first round defeat to Barbados.

Natasha McLean contributed a well played 40 while the leading Vincentian bowler was Stacy Ann Adams with 2 for 20.

The Vincentian batsmen struggled to survive the bowling of Karla Cohen who curbed the run rate and yielded figures of 4 for 10 in her four overs.

They were precariously placed at 39 for 9 in 17 overs when the rains came.

Barcelona and Real Madrid earn wins on La Liga opening weekend

B

arcelona and Real Madrid each began the new Spanish season with home wins on the opening weekend of La Liga.

Defending champions Barca cruised to a 7-0 victory over Levante in new boss Gerardo Martino’s first competitive match since replacing Tito Vilanova.

Lionel Messi and Pedro each scored twice, with Alexis Sanchez, Dani Alves and Xavi adding others as Neymar made his debut as a substitute.

Rivals Madrid had to work hard before edging out Real Betis in a 2-1 win.

Last season’s runners-up also had a new man in the dugout as ex-AC Milan, Chelsea and Paris St-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti made his La Liga bow.

But it was far from a smooth evening for the Italian as Los Blancos needed a late winner from debutant Isco to seal victory against plucky visitors Betis.

Instead it is arch-rivals Barcelona who set the early pace after their demolition of a Levante side which is expected to struggle in the Spanish topflight this term.

The Catalan giants needed only three minutes to break the deadlock as Chile forward Sanchez tapped in, before Argentine superstar Messi added the second nine minutes later.

Alves and Pedro doubled the lead in a two-minute spell midway through the first half and Levante found themselves 6-0 behind at the break through Messi’s penalty and Barca captain

which will have giveaways for the spectators At stake in the tournament, the second of its kind following the formation of the GSCL Inc. since May, is a first place prize of $600,000 and a trophy, with the second placed team collecting $200,000 and a trophy.

Apart from the abovementioned prizes, the Manof-the-Series will receive a three-piece living room suite, the best batsman and bowler will each walk away with $5000 and a trophy and the Man-of-the-Match in the final, $10,000 and a trophy.

Meanwhile, the GSCL Inc. has also listed on the cards, a Super 16 tournament which has an entrance fee of $50,000 and is set to start in mid October and teams interested in competing for the top prize of $600,000 can submit their registration by calling 2254802, 623-2704 or 653-5374 as soon as possible.

Tallawahs prevail...

Carlton Baugh and Dave Bernard went fairly cheaply. In the last over, it had come down to eight runs.

After Bernard’s dismissal off the first ball, Bravo bowled a short ball that Hyatt slapped through the covers for four but the Red Steel captain returned well. Miguel Cummins fumbled at fine-leg to give the Tallawahs two easy runs.

With one run needed from one ball, Akeem Dewar drove powerfully to Kevin O’Brien at mid-off. The Irishman tried to pick up and throw at the same time, and ended up missing the ball altogether.

The Red Steel made a thriller of a game they seemed destined to lose.

It all started when they were put in to bat first by the Tallawahs. The first few overs, things looked pretty comfortable but the Red Steel’s slide started from just the bad luck of Kevin O’Brien. The opening pair was going along well before Adrian Barath drove a ball straight back in the path of Bernard, only for the bowler to get a touch onto the nonstriker’s stumps. From 19/1, it quickly became 25/2, as Barath followed two overs later.

Mahela Jayawardene didn’t last long either. He scored just one run before he

from back page

was run out by Nikita Miller.

It would be one of two crucial run outs from Miller. Darren Bravo and Ross Taylor tried to steady the innings. They put on 28 runs before Taylor was out. Eleven runs later, Miller’s magical hand struck again running out Darren Bravo.

With seven overs still to go, the Red Steel were in danger of collapsing but their skipper, Dwayne Bravo sprung to life. Bravo scored 29 runs from 16 balls, hitting four fours and a six. He struck boundary after boundary, middling almost every ball. He took the score to 109/6. Young Nicholas Pooran and Kevon Cooper couldn’t quite explode at the end. They pushed the score along to 133/8 from their 20 overs.

At the interval, it seemed a score the Red Steel could work with. When Gayle started batting, it was just a matter of how early everyone would be home on Sunday afternoon but it came down to the wire in a nail-biting over.

All in all, the sold-out crowd at Sabina was thoroughly entertained.

Gayle grabbed all the awards; Limacol Super Six, Digicel 4G Fastest Scorer, and the Man of the Match. (CPL)

SCOREBOARD

Barcelona cwlebrates the win

Xavi’s slick finish.

The visitors managed to limit Martino’s rampant side in the second half, but were again the architects of their own downfall as a defensive error allowed Pedro to add the seventh.

Brazilian talent Neymar was introduced after the hour for his first competitive appearance since a £49m move from Santos, but was unable to net a debut goal in a lively cameo.

Things were less comfortable for Madrid, who went behind to Jorge Molina’s 15th-minute opener. Betis, who finished seventh in La Liga last season, created a host of goalscoring chances in an impressive first-half dis-

he competitions committee of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Incorporated (GSCL Inc.) was forced to postpone their second 12/12 championships, following persistent rain.

The Everest Cricket Club ground, the proposed venue for the tournament, was left in a waterlogged state and following a visit that was conducted by some executive members of the GSCL Inc. on Friday, a decision was taken to cancel the event.

Teams were asked to note that the draw, which was conducted at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation ground two weeks ago, remains in effect when the tournament bowls off on the new date, September 7.

Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steve Ninvalle, is expected to give brief remarks and declare the tournament open,

play at the Bernabeu.

Despite hitting the home crossbar through Nosa Igiebor’s header, Betis could not add a second goal and went into half-time level at 1-1 after France striker Karim Benzema equalised for Real.

Madrid upped the tempo after the break and rattled the woodwork shortly after the restart through Cristiano Ronaldo’s rising shot.

Nigerian midfielder Igiebor wasted another aerial opportunity midway through the second half before Spain international Isco, a £23m signing from Malaga, capped a memorable debut with a powerful 86th-minute header. (BBC Sport)

Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel innings K O’Brien run out (Bernard) 11 A Barath c Dewar b Bernard 7 R Taylor c Blackwood b Gayle 20 M Jayawardene run out (Miller) 1 DM Bravo run out (Miller) 27 DJ Bravo* c Richardson b Gayle 29 N Pooran† c Bernard b Russell 10 K Cooper not out 14 Y Cariah b Richardson 0 S Badree not out 2 Extras: (w12) 12 Total: (8 wkts, 20 overs) 133 Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-25, 3-37, 4-65, 5-76, 6-109, 7-120, 8-123 Bowling: D Bernard 4-0-201, A Richardson 3-0-20-1, N Miller 4-0-25-0, C Gayle

4-0-24-2, A Dewar 1-0-110, A Russell 4-0-33-1 Jamaica Tallawahs innings C Gayle* c †Pooran b DJ Bravo 51 C Walton c & b Cariah 28 N Bonner c †Pooran b Cooper 4 A Russell run out (Cummins) 6 D Hyatt not out 25 J Blackwood b O’Brien 1 C Baugh† b Cooper 11 D Bernard c Cooper b DJ Bravo 1 A Dewar not out 3 Extras: (w3, nb1) 4 Total: (7 wkts, 20 overs) 134 Fall of wickets: 1-66, 2-81, 3-88, 4-93, 5-96, 6-125, 7-126 Bowling: S Badree 4-0-16-0, M Cummins 3-0-28-0, DJ Bravo 4-043-2, K Cooper 4-0-14-2, Y Cariah 3-0-23-1, K O’Brien 2-0-10-1

monday, august 19, 2013

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23

Usain Bolt seals place in World Championship history

Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin in the men’s 4x100m relay at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Moscow 2013 (Getty Images)

U

sain Bolt guided Jamaica to victory in the sprint relay in Moscow to become the most successful athlete in the history of the World Championships on Sunday.

The 26-year-old added 4x100m gold to his 100m and 200m triumphs and now has a total of eight golds and two silvers.

Carl Lewis and Allyson Felix also have 10 medals but have eight golds, one silver and a bronze respectively.

Jamaica won in 37.36 seconds with the United States second and Canada third after Great Britain were disqualified.

Britain finished third but lost their bronze after an appeal was lodged against

their second changeover.

However, the women’s relay team were later promoted to the bronze-medal position after France were disqualified for a similar infringement.

Bolt’s latest triumph meant he joined Americans Michael Johnson, Felix and Lewis on a record-equalling eight world titles overall.

The 100m and 200m world record holder also secured a sprint triple in World Championships for the second time, matching the trebles he completed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

“It is just great,” Bolt said of the comparison. “I’ll continue dominating. I’ll continue to work hard. For me, my aim is to continue

into the greatness thing.”

The United States team gave the Jamaicans a scare but Rakieem Salaam’s handover to Justin Gatlin left the individual 100m runner-up off balance.

He clearly strayed into the Jamaicans’ lane outside him but somehow escaped disqualification.

It made no difference to Bolt, who streaked clear to complete victory in the sixth-fastest time ever.

“I wasn’t really worried about Justin. I knew if he got the baton in front of me, I could catch him,” Bolt said.

“So it was just going out there to run as fast as possible.”

Bolt delighted the crowd with a celebratory Cossack dance before parading

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (left) also won her third gold medal, in the women’s 4x100 relay, giving Jamaica a sweep of the six sprint events at the world championships

round the track with teammates Nesta Carter, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade.

The British quartet also celebrated wildly after finishing third but James Ellington and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey failed to exchange the baton in time and the team were disqualified 30 minutes after the race.

Jamaica also won the women’s 4x100m relay to give Shelly-Ann FraserPryce her third gold medal of the competition.

Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert and Fraser-Pryce won in a championship record 41.29 seconds.

Britain were second at the final changeover but

Hayley Jones was overhauled by France and the United States and finished in fourth place.

However, Britain’s protest was upheld two hours later and the team of Dina Asher Smith, Ashleigh Nelson, Annabelle Lewis and Jones could finally celebrate a medal, with the United States promoted to silver.

It meant Britain finished the championships with six medals in total, with golds going to Mo Farah (two) and Christine Ohuruogu and bronzes to hurdler Tiffany Porter and both women’s relay teams.

In other finals, Teddy Tamgho jumped 18.04m - becoming only the third man to clear 18 metres - to

take gold in a high-quality triple jump competition which ended with Olympic champion Christian Taylor in fourth.

Kenya secured two golds with Asbel Kiprop retaining his 1500m crown and Eunice Sum surging through to deny Russia’s Mariya Savinova back-to-back 800m titles, while Germany’s Christina Obergfoll, a two-time silver medallist, finally won javelin gold.

Russia finished top of the medal table with seven golds while the United States won six, although the Americans secured 27 medals in total to the hosts’ 17.

Jamaica also claimed six golds, Kenya five, Germany four and Ethiopia and Britain three. (BBC Sport)

ECCB 13th cricket academy starts today Y

oung male and female cricketers on the East Coast of Demerara will assemble at the Lusignan Community Centre from Monday at 08:30h when the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) launches its 13th annual cricket academy.

According to the president of the ECCB, Bissoondyal Singh, educator and historian Professor Tota Mangar of the University of Guyana will deliver the feature address to declare proceedings open.

Activities will be held under the theme “CricketProfessionalism and Healthy Lifestyle”, and are for children between ages 12 and 16.

Over 50 aspiring cricketers, drawn from Ogle to Abary, are expected to participate in the programme.

The organisers have also intimated that participants will enjoy interaction with senior and former national cricketers who will attend on occasions.

While there, the seniors will introduce the youngsters to the technical aspects of the sport while sharing their experiences on the na-

Flashback! Participants of a previous academy hosted by the ECCB (An Avenash Ramzan file photo)

tional field.

Several resource personnel will entertain thoughtprovoking discussions on cricket related and other topics during the seminar. They include statistician, Edwin Seeraj, who will speak on the history of West Indies cricket, while national umpire Davteerth Anandjit will discuss the laws of cricket.

International book scorer Sidartha Anandjit will deal with the intricacies of the scoring system.

Officers from the Cove and John Police Station will tutor the participants on road safety practices, while former executive of the Guyana Cricket Board, Ronald Williams, will discuss careers in cricket and

discipline.

Participants will also receive lectures on drugs and sports by Darshanand Rampersaud, the importance of education by former school senior master Judister Rampersaud, Leadership and Sportsmanship by Colin Stuart, HIV and Teenage Sex by social worker Ms. Runuka Anandjit, Food

and Nutrition by officials of the Ministry of Health and Social Etiquette/Grooming and Discipline by Dr Richard Persaud of Suriname.

National Sports Commission coaches Daniel Richmond and Latchman Yadram will spearhead the coaching aspect of the academy.

The academy has been a

tremendous success over the years, with more than a dozen of its attendees moving on to represent Guyana with distinction.

According to a release from the ECCB, it is grateful for the support of several individuals and organisations who have come together to make the event possible.

They include: Ansa McAl Trading, B.M. Soat Auto Sales, Rockaway Auto Sales, Trophy Stall, Global Manufacturing Company (Marvex Bleach), NIDECA Investments, Elizabeth Styles, Bissan’s Trading, Mirza Khan, Bibi Samaroo Trading (Lethem), Yadram Distributions, D. Singh and Sons General Stores, Deodat Sooklall Investments, Mr Samaroo Jailall and the executives and members of the many clubs along the East Coast.

Activities will be coordinated by secretary of the ECCB, Judister Rampersaud, with assistance from Latchman Yadram.

The academy will conclude on Friday when the participants will be presented with certificates of participation.

monday, august 19, 2013

TOP SCORES

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

Jamaica Tallawahs 134-7 beat Red Steel 133-8 by three wickets

Tallawahs prevail on last ball over Red Steel

T

he Jamaica Tallawahs edged a last ball thriller against the T&T Red Steel to push the Barbados Tridents to second spot on the Limacol Caribbean Premier League table.

Their victory means they will take on thirdplaced Barbados Tridents in the second semi-final while the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who topped the table will play the T&T Red Steel who finished fourth. Â Chasing 134 runs for victory, the Tallawahs looked like they would romp to their victory target when Chris Gayle took the chase by storm. Gayle, due for a big innings, unleashed his wrath on the Red Steel bowlers. Gayle pommelled the ball to almost every part of the ground, striking four fours and five sixes. He raised his 50 from just 23 balls. Miguel Cummins was the first on his list, as he ripped into the Barbadian pacer. He struck Cummins for two fours and a six in his second over.

Dwayne Bravo also suffered a similar fate. His second over went to 25 runs.

Gayle had struck him for three consecutive sixes to end the over but when Bravo got Gayle in the seventh over, the Tallawahs endured a hiccup. From 66/1, it became 95/4. Crucial wickets such as Chadwick Walton, Jermaine Blackwood and Andre all had been dismissed.

The Red Steel bowlers clawed their way back into the game. Danza Hyatt tried his best to stop the ship from rocking, stroking a run-a-ball 25.

At the other end though, wickets kept falling. The Red Steel had pulled things back tremendously. turn to page 22

m mates perform ris Gayle and his tea

Ch

nam style dance

their version of Gang

Limacol CPL Points Table Chris Gayle was on fire on Sunday

TEAM

M

W

L

T

PTS

NRR

AMAZON WARRIORS

7

5

2

0

10

+0.628

TALLAWAHS

7

5

2

0

10

+0.162

TRIDENTS

7

4

3

0

8

-1.069

RED STEEL

7

3

4

0

6

-0.647

HAWKSBILLS

7

2

5

0

4

-1.151

ZOUKS

7

2

5

0

4

-1.190

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