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Body found in L.I. parking lot may be Brooklynbased Guyanese woman Page 6 – NY police

You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 200

week ending July 13, 2014

Sod turned for US$54M ‘Sun and Sand’ hotel in Guyana Page 3

Ready for battle!

- Guyana Amazon Warriors confident of victory See stories inside Captain Denesh Ramdin is confident of the team winning the competition

Mohammed Hafeez is considered a valuable player as part of the batting lineup

James Neesham replaces Corey Anderson

Krishmar Santokie has emerged as the most exciting bowler in T20 cricket

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NEWS

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Sod turned for US$54M ‘Sun and Sand’ hotel in Guyana

By Vahnu Manikchand

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he sod was turned on Wednesday for the construction of a US$54 million (G$11.1 billion) five-star hotel at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The Sun and Sand Hotel will add to the country’s tourism capacity, providing more accommodation to house the increasing influx of tourists. Indiabased Sun and Sand Group of Companies on Wednesday held a sodturning ceremony at the hotel’s construction site.

The Sun and Sand Hotel will include a casino, along with a commercial block and club house. It will contain 163 rooms and provide jobs for several hundred Guyanese.

The construction of the five-star hotel is expected to commence next month and last for approximately 18 months.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Donald Ramotar noted that with investments such as this hotel, the local tourism and hospitality sector will blossom and change the landscape of the

President Donald Ramotar and acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali being presented with a copy of the hotel plan

country. He added that the fact that more international companies are investing in Guyana’s economy shows the potential the country has.

The Government is further looking to transform tourism in the interior in order to stimulate the sector there. “I envision that this investment will also stimulate more investments in the interior where we have tremendous tourist potential… most of the destinations in the interior goes to Kaieteur, but there are so many other

beautiful places such as Orinduik,” he said.

Ramotar added too that the hotel will change the skyline of the coun-

try, as he highlighted the need for the expansion of the airport, given the fact that the country is attracting more airlines

from around the world.

This sentiment was echoed by acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, who noted that major airlines such as Copa Airlines would not have invested in the Guyana market if they did not see the potential here.

Ali assured the investors that Government is committed to ensuring that their investment is safeguarded. He went on to say that when Government invested in the Marriott Hotel, it stimulated a transformation in the sector.

Meanwhile, Director of the Sun and Sand Group of Companies, Bhushan Chandna, thanked the Government of Guyana for its sup-

port, as he expressed his company’s interest in expanding its services in the country. The Sun and Sand Group of Companies specialises in real estate, housing projects, hotels, and casino construction as well as in metal and mining sectors.

Chandna said the main objective of his company is to provide direct and indirect opportunities that will benefit Guyana’s economy. “In this country, many foreign companies are coming and exploring mining, but our company has diversified activities [that] will allow us to venture into other areas as well,” the Director told the media.

Among those present at the event were former President Bharrat Jagdeo, former Local Government Minister Harripersaud Nokta and former Tourism Minister Maniram Prashad

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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Tel no: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709.

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EDITORIAL

Guyana at BRICS Summit

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s soon as the Football World Cup would have climaxed, Brazil will be hosting the Sixth Summit of the BRICS bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on July 1516. As part of a BRICS outreach strategy to emerging economies, a working session will be held on July 16 between the heads of states of BRICS and their counterparts from the governments of South American nations, including Guyana.

This is a signal opportunity for Guyana to recalibrate its foreign policy to take into account the rising importance of this bloc.

BRICS have 43 per cent of the world’s population and total foreign-currency reserves of US$4.4 trillion, which present them with the opportunity to reshape the present world order that has been practically unchanged since the end of WWII. It appears that the BRICS countries have achieved the confidence level to challenge the global order with the United States as the hegemonic power. The most recent conflict between the BRICS countries and the United States was at the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington in April when an agreed reform of the IMF failed because of a veto by the US Congress.

In 2010, IMF members had agreed to shift voting rights by six per cent in favour of the developing and emerging countries. The reason: over the past 10 years, BRICS countries increased their share of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 18 per cent to 28 per cent. While it may have been expected that the Europeans would have dragged their heels on the proposals to reduce their voting rights, the US had given all assurances they would back the equitable shift.

In Brazil, the veto by the US Congress caused an outcry, further deteriorating the already strained relations between the two countries.

Of interest to Guyana and the other poorer countries invited to the BRICS Summit is that, in this Summit, BRICS will emphasise social inclusion and sustainable development. The debate will be informed by the theme, “Inclusive growth: sustainable solutions”.

There will be concrete initiatives launched – a US$100 billion Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) – and final details of the US$100 billion New Development Bank (NDB) will also be unveiled.

In last year’s BRICS Durban Summit, the leaders had approved the reserve fund to combat currency crises. All the BRICS leaders, excepting Brazil, have raised their hand for the Development Bank to be headquartered in their country. This issue might be settled at the summit.

India, Brazil and South Africa have also all demanded a permanent Security Council seat, and Russia and China endorsed their claim at the BRICS summit in Sanya, China in 2011. This cooperative spirit has been increased as the West has conspired to exclude Russia from the heavyweight of the old world order – G8.

As the Ukraine crisis heightens, the BRICS countries are backing Russia even more – as they did on Crimea, and becoming less willing to accept US wilfulness.

Brazil views the participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Fortaleza as an absolute priority. His official visit is the first of a Chinese Head of State in Brazil and in the Region.

China replaced the US as the primary buyer of Brazilian products in 2009. Since 2012, the Chinese have also been Brazil’s most important import partner. But for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, the political and strategic cooperation with China is even more important than the growing trade between the two countries. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi is also expected to play a very influential role in the BRICS Summit – his first multilateral engagement.

Also of interest to Guyana are plans which the other South American nations are jointly exploring – the creation of a communications system to curtail US spying in the Region. Part of the final communiqué could call for an end to mass surveillance, like that carried out by the US’s NSA.

The Guyana National Stadium at Providence is the venue for three Limacol CPL cricket matches to be hosted on the 17, 19 and 20 July 2014

Reparations and Emancipation go hand-in-hand – Dr Phillips

By Gomatie Gangadin

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ith just weeks to go before Guyana and other former British West Indian colonies observe Emancipation Day, Guyana Reparations Committee Chairman, Dr Eric Phillips says that reparations from former enslaving nations are the last salvation of freed Africans.

Speaking to Guyana Times International in an interview on Monday, Phillips said Emancipation will soon be celebrated but if the true freedom and spirit of the occasion are to be felt by Africans, then reparations is a must. “The theme for this year’s Emancipation celebrations is “Reparations: Broken Chains, Golden Dreams” signifying an acknowledgement of the Caricom Reparations Initiative which President Donald Ramotar has supported with the rest of Caricom Heads of states. In 1838, some 84,035 enslaved Africans were freed in Guyana. The chains of slavery were broken, but the freed Africans were not given a cent. Their Golden Dreams were deferred and still remain deferred to this day,” he said.

Africans in Guyana before and even after Emancipation were the most productive workers in the entire Caribbean. It was the reason why the British owners were paid 4.38 million pounds, roughly a quarter of the 20 million pounds paid to all owners and equivalent today to 200 million pounds. Even though Guyana had 1/7 of the freed Africans in the British West Indies and together with Trinidad produced 26 per cent of all the sugar in the hemisphere at that time, the enslaved did not receive any compensation or benefits.

According to Dr Phillips, reparations will ensure that the dreams of black youths become a reality.

Extreme conditions

“For over 200 years (16231834/8) they worked in Guyana.

They worked free under extreme conditions and hardships to build Guyana. History has recorded that (Guyanese) Africans “had driven back the sea and had cleared, drained and reclaimed thousands of square miles of forest and swamps. In short, many of the fields on which the sugar estates are now based were cleared, drained, and irrigated by African labour forces.

Most of the plantations now turned into villages and cities were built by unpaid African labour,” Dr Phillips related.

He revealed that in the process of building these plantations, research has shown that Africans installed 2,580,000 miles of drainage canals, trenches and interbed drains; 3500 miles of dams, roads and footpaths; and 2176 miles of sea and river defence. The Venn Commission also reported that “to build the coastal plantation alone, a value of 100,000,000 tonnes of earth had to be moved by the hands of African slaves”.

Dr Phillips said Emancipation celebrations thus far have been incomplete without reparations and they will never be complete until reparations are made.

“Reparations and Emancipation go hand in hand.

Reparations are about “repairing a harm done”. The harm of cruelty, the harm of stripping away of another human being’s culture, his human rights.

One is not emancipated if one is not given the ability to enjoy the rights described in the Universal Declaration of Rights. Real Emancipation will be achieved by reparations,” the Chairman of the Guyana Reparations Committee related.

Fundamental change

He articulated that the payment of reparations will fundamentally change the meaning of Emancipation. It would mean that justice was finally served and received by Africans in Guyana and in the West Indies.

“Slavery was a crime against humanity according to the United Nations. Justice demands that the perpetrator pay reparations.

The lack of reparations since Emancipation has been another crime not addressed,” he impassionedly declared.

In the Caribbean, material conditions were no better after slavery than during it. At Emancipation in 1838, enslaved Africans who arrived with nothing were left with nothing.

Plantation owners charged for food and housing, things which were formerly free. Shops were set up on estates that more than recouped any wages the slaves were paid, forcing them into debt. The Government imposed taxes on ex-slaves. Free blacks found themselves increasingly unemployed and marginalised in post-slavery Caribbean society.

“The end of slavery did not bring about equality for freed blacks in British colonies. Emancipated Africans faced competition for jobs from increased mechanisation as

well as the influx of indentured labourers so they became more marginalised in society,” he noted.

Inequality, racism and the introduction of the system of indenture led again to a number of revolts, particularly in those colonies where slave uprisings had previously been strongest: Jamaica, Barbados and Demerara.

With reparations, Africans would be able to have better control of their economic well-being. Their social and psychological well-being would also be improved if their economic well-being is improved.

“All other races were compensated after slavery: Indentured servants received a salary and land. Amerindians received 13 per cent of Guyana at Independence. Africans who toiled and died in the thousands to build Guyana … have received nothing.

Today the lack of a reparations payment translates into what former President [Cheddi] Jagan stated: “Africans are at the bottom of the ladder.”

It has been calculated that if freed Africans were paid the lowest of wages after Emancipation, the 660,000 plus freed Africans in the Caribbean would have earned 7.5 trillion pounds before Independence.

Reparations would make Emancipation true “freedom”.

“Slavery annihilated Africa, African culture, African family structures, African institutions, African commerce, African growth, African history, African pride and African economic development.

Reparations would close the wounds caused by the criminal enterprise named chattel slavery.

Although racism was created to justify slavery, it still impacts Africans today in Guyana and globally,” Dr Phillips stated.

Phillips further noted that Reparations will create an atmosphere where racism would be addressed in a more enlightened manner since this is another form of denying freedom to Africans.

Reparation is the process of repairing the consequences of crimes committed, and the attempt to reasonably remove debilitating effects of such crimes upon victims and their descendants.

International law provides that the economic and social system referred to as chattel slavery – the legal denial of persons’ rights to human identity and the control over their bodies – was and is a crime against humanity subject to reparatory justice.

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5 Ramotar to participate in BRICS summit WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Navin Chanderpal in critical condition at US hospital

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Navin Chandarpal

ead of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon has confirmed reports that Presidential Advisor on Sustainable Development, Science and Technology, Navin Chandarpal’s medical condition is rapidly deteriorating.

According to information emanating from the Government Information Agency (GINA), the long standing PPP/C member who has been suffering from stomach cancer for the longest while, is said to be in a critical condition in the United States surrounded by his family members.

Dr Luncheon said that government was “hoping for the best and hopes that the recent developments in dealing with the cancer do not force us to act otherwise”. Dr Luncheon also confirmed that the government will be paying the medical expenses.

BY JOMO PAUL

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uyana will be looking to broaden relations with the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) trade bloc when it takes part in the Sixth Annual Summit of the growing organisation.

This is according to President Donald Ramotar, who on Thursday related that Guyana will definitely be a part of the summit since the bloc is continuing to play “a bigger role” in world trade.

President Ramotar further pointed out that “it is important for Guyana to be there as part of the UNASUR and to broaden relations”, noting that the New Development Bank being developed will be of pivotal for Guyana, since it will be another developmental avenue.

“The bank will be very important because it will be an alternate resource.”

Ramotar will be accompanied to the Summit by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the BRICS Development Bank will open by 2016 and create an alternative to the International Monetary Fund to support the bloc’s economies.

The BRICS alliance had decided to create the bank in 2013, as they saw investors pull money away from

President Donald Ramotar

emerging economies, hurting their currencies, amid expectations that the US would scale back its economic stimulus programme.

The move comes at a time when Moscow is facing antagonism in the West for the annexation of Ukraine’s region of Crimea and is in exile from the Group of Eight leading industrialised economies. Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov earlier this week said BRICS will make a decision on the creation of the bank at the summit. The entity will be called the “New Development Bank”.

The Bank will focus on

BRICS infrastructure projects, but will be also open to new members from the United Nations, Siluanov said.

Russia’s Finance Minister said each BRICS country will contribute US$2 billion to the bank’s funds from their budgets over the next seven years. The bank’s maximum size, or so-called authorised capital, will be set at US$100 billion.

The bank’s headquarters will be located either in Shanghai or in New Delhi, Siluanov said, according to the Wall Street Journal article. The bank’s Governor will be re-elected every five years. BRICS will also consider creating a fund, which Siluanov dubbed a “mini IMF”.

China would contribute US$41 billion to this fund; another US$5 billion would come from South Africa, while Russia, Brazil and India would each provide US$18 billion from their foreign exchange reserves. The fund is designed to serve as an emergency coffer for BRICS if a member suffers from capital flight or the risk of currency depreciation.

Currency swap operations with the fund could be used as a precautionary measure or as an aid to deal with an economic crisis post-factum, Siluanov said.

Observers say with 43 per cent of the world’s pop-

ulation and total foreigncurrency reserves of US$4.4 trillion would provide BRICS the opportunity to reshape the present status quo of the world.

As part of a BRICS outreach strategy for developing economies, an operational session will be held on July 16 between the Heads of States of BRICS and their counterparts from the governments of South American nations, including UNASAR trade bloc, to which Guyana is a signatory. Under the theme, “Inclusive growth: sustainable solutions”, in this summit, BRICS will be placing emphasis on social inclusion and sustainable development.

There will be tangible initiatives launched, including a US$100 billion Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) and the final details of the US$100 billion New Development Bank will also be unveiled.

Other South American nations will also be exploring the creation of a communications system to limit US espionage in the South American region, which will include a call for an end on US spying.

India, Brazil and South Africa have also made calls for a permanent Security Council seat, while Russia and China endorsed their claim at the BRICS Summit in Sanya, China in 2011.

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Body found in L.I. parking lot may be Brooklynbased Guyanese woman – NY police

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ccording to a report from the New York Daily News, Police Investigators are determining if a partially dismembered body found in a parking lot in Long Island, NY is that of a Guyanese mother of four who lived in the NY area and has been missing since last Saturday.

The woman, Chinelle Latoya Browne, 27, was last seen by her landlord Saturday near

her Sumpter St. apartment in Brownsville in Brooklyn, sources said.

According to the New York Daily News, the Guyanese native had several beefs with her landlord over an extension cord that powered her room, culminating in a fight, her husband, Dale Browne, told the Daily News from his home in Guyana. Browne was smacked in the fight and later disappeared.

The body was discovered Tuesday morning in a Bay Shore, L.I., municipal lot.

On Tuesday, the woman’s sister, Deborah Thompson was quoted by an online news agency as saying that the family recently dealt with the death of their father and so for her younger sister to go missing and believed to be dead would be devastating.

She said her sister

was not the type to stay away from her home and job for long periods or without checking in with family members or friends.

Family members are convinced that the landlord may have had something to do with the woman’s disappearance since the landlord was the only person, claiming to have seen the woman alive, after she was reported missing.

Chinelle Latoya Browne

Teacher goes missing after basketball game

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teacher attached to the St Stanislaus College, located on Brickdam, Georgetown has been reported missing since Sunday evening after leaving the National Sports Hall where she took her school’s team to participate in the Inter-Secondary School’s Basketball Championships.

Nyozi Goodman, 34, of William Street, Kitty was last seen sending off the basketball team on Sunday evening with another teacher. Relatives are holding out that the teacher will not disap-

Nyozi Goodman

pear just like that. All her personal belongings are intact, except for her two mobile phones and her iPad. The last time she used her mobile phone was about 23:00h on Sunday, her sister Nestor Thompson told Guyana Times International.

This information, she said would have been received from Digicel. The telephone company also said that the sim card was either destroyed or removed from the handset.

The worried sister who is also a teacher, told GTI that she was at

school when she received a telephone call from her mother, enquiring about the missing woman.

She immediately went to her sister’s home only to find her house tightly locked, but she requested a spare key from the landlord to enter the house where she found everything intact.

The woman said even if her sister was going out for the week, she would have taken her stuff. Upon inquiring from the landlord, she was told that her sister had a frequent visitor, but based on the description, he is not known to

the family.

The family has since lodged a missing person’s report at the Kitty Police Station, but after they requested a letter be taken to Digicel to get a print out of her sister’s recent calls, they were directed to A Divisional Commander Clifton Hicken.

Relatives want the Police to move with alacrity in investigating the matter. Goodman has been teaching at the St Stanislaus College for the past four years, but has been in the education system for quite a while.

Forensic lab slated for July 14 opening

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The Forensic Laboratory located at Turkeyen

HE National F o r e n s i c Laboratory at Turkeyen, the first of its kind in Guyana, is scheduled to be commissioned on July 14, according to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.

On Wednesday, at the ruling party’s press conference at Freedom House on Robb Street, Minister Rohee fielded questions on the status of the lab’s completion.

He stressed that the lab is “ready to go”, and assured that the facility would not be a “white elephant”, but would ser-

vice the needs of the Guyanese people.

Rohee said that more than 20 persons have already been recruited to work at the lab, following the placement of advertisements in the local dailies, their review by a panel, and their referral to the Public Service Commission.

Rohee added that, while the lab is not ready for full occupancy, staffers will base their operations from the Implementation Unit of the Citizen Security Programme (CSP) at Ogle, East Coast

Demerara.

The Gy$840M lab was launched under the CSP, which was initiated by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This programme has three components: institutional modernisation of the Home Affairs Ministry; Community Action Component (CAC); and modernisation of the Guyana Police Force, which includes strengthening of its forensic capability.

A bill was laid in the National Assembly continued on page 10

7 Envoys must not interfere with the internal political life where they are accredited You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times International, Industrial Site Ruimveldt Georgetown, Guyana or guyanatimesint@gmail.com

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Dear Editor, In respect of what may be described as a spat between the Guyana Administration and the former Ambassador of the United States, Mr Brent Hardt, it is important to recognise that although Article 37 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is not without considerable relevance, this provision is not determinative.

What is determinative is the customary rule of international law which precludes a diplo-

matic envoy from interfering in the domestic affairs of the receiving state, a primordial obligation encapsulated in Article 41.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1963) and also reflected in Article 2 (7) of the United Nations Charter.

It must be borne in mind that even though Article 8 of the Constitution establishes this instrument as the supreme law in Guyana, it is trite international law that the laws of a state may not be invoked

as grounds for non-compliance with an international obligation: Article 27 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969).

As a matter of law, a state may not even invoke its Constitution as grounds for non-compliance with an international obligation: Article 13 of the International Law Commission’s Draft Articles on the Rights and Duties of States.

In this context, reference may be made to Oppenheim’s International Law, 9th

Edition, at page 1068 where it is stated: “(i) It is universally recognised that envoys (or other diplomatic agents) must not interfere with the internal political life of the state to which they are accredited.

“It certainly belongs to their functions to watch political events with a vigilant eye and to report their observations to their home state. But they have no right whatever to take part in that political life, to encourage one political party or to threaten another.

“It matters not whether an envoy acts thus on his own account or on the instructions from his home state. If he does so, he abuses his position, and the receiving state will either protest, or, in a more serious case, request his home state to recall him and appoint another individual in his place, or, if his interference is very flagrant, dismiss him.”

Oppenheim, an authoritative publicist on international law, further stated: “A line must, however, be drawn be-

tween functions which it is proper that a diplomatic mission may exercise, and those which it may not, although it has to be recognised that it is not always easy to draw such a line.” (at page 1067).

Ambassador Brent Hardt was due to leave Guyana on July 6 on determination of his assignment to this country.

Yours faithfully, Professor Justice Duke Pollard Department of Law University of Guyana

Opposition parties running out of ideas Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is amused by statements made by the political Opposition that it is considering moving a no-confidence motion in National Assembly against the ruling PPP/ Civic Government headed by President Donald Ramotar.

It is clear that the Opposition parties are

running out of any ideas of substance and have now taken recourse to ‘man bites dog’ type of politicking based on rabid sensationalism and hot air.

The PPP is convinced that the only reason for such an enhanced level of absurdity by the Opposition is to divert public attention from their anti-national positions taken on the Anti-

Money Laundering and the Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill.

Both parties (AFC and APNU) have come in for blistering attacks from the Guyanese people, including many of their own supporters, for their refusal to support programmes and projects that would create jobs and enhance the quality of life of the

Policymakers must engage in constructive dialogue Dear Editor, The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) urges our political policymakers to engage in constructive dialogue in order to arrive at agreement on the important issues facing our economy and social development. We do not subscribe to the notion that premature general elections are the solution to our current political impasse.

General elections are costly, time-consuming exercises which should preferably be conducted at the time when they are constitutionally due. The

parliamentary parties must, therefore, make every effort to find ways to discuss, negotiate and, reach some level of consensus on the issues critical to the nation’s growth and development.

The citizens of Guyana deserve no less an effort. This process of negotiation and agreement occurs in many comparative jurisdictions and it is, therefore, up to our political leaders to demonstrate resolve and maturity that lead to win-win outcomes.

Moreover, the elections discussions should instead be directed and concentrated at the host-

ing of Local Government Elections (LGE), which were constitutionally due 17 years ago. In this regard, we echo the sentiments of the Private Sector Commission that the absence of LGE has made (and continues to make) it difficult for our businesses to operate.

We also note that all discussions about constitutional reform seem to have fallen off the map.

The Chamber looks forward to a new level of political cooperation that ensures a prosperous and sustainable economic and social infrastructure.

Arnon Adams, GCCI

Fly-by-night airlines are fooling the people about cheap airfares

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he definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over with hopes for another result.

Countless times we’ve seen air carriers come and go; but not before they flood the market with alarmingly cheap fares. Why do the consumers get carried away with the fly-by-night op-

erations whose promises of cheap flights eventually cause us to lose our money?

Those who run to the cheap airfares and false promises have basically done this before. We, the people, are the losers. We, the people, are the one who are getting fooled by the same people with lies and their false

promises. These lies under the pretence of competition and tourism were the same slogans that were pronounced before.

Again, by the definition of Insanity, if we continue to support these flyby-night operations, we’ll get the same results!

Regards, Christopher Persaud

Guyanese people.

The PNC, in particular, has been greatly embarrassed by the damning disclosures coming out of the Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and is now seeking to use the proposed no-confidence motion as a diversionary tactic.

Extending the life of the CoI has become a nightmare for them.

Regarding the AFC and Mr Nagamootoo, it is a known fact that he has always been driven by political vanity and unbridled craving for political office which eventually led to his separation from the PPP after he realised that his political maneuverings had failed to impress and find favour with the PPP leadership.

Granger is also on shaky political ground following his weak lead-

ership which has created a political schism in the party, with his confrontational approach to his Linden constituents and other radical extremist elements in the party.

It is clear that Granger is trying to salvage his sinking image by making outlandish statements which are far removed from reality on the ground insofar as his influence and popularity are concerned.

The fact is that both the AFC and the APNU are basking in the glory of their combined parliamentary one-seat majority which they fully well know would not continue in any future elections. The statements by the Opposition are, therefore, nothing but the work of a politically bankrupt Opposition intended to make up for their pathetic per-

formance in and out of Parliament rather than out of any clear and wellthought-out position.

Statements by the AFC that it is receiving huge amounts of positive feedback from stakeholders lack credibility and are meant to deceive the public who are becoming increasingly tired of its deception and obstructionist behaviour. The PPP calls on the AFC to name the ‘stakeholders’ it claims to have consulted on the no-confidence proposal.

The PPP challenges the Opposition parties to demonstrate their testicular capacity by giving effect to their stated desire for a no-confidence motion in Parliament, failing which they should shut up and forever hold their peace.

PPP/C Freedom House

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week ending July 13, 2014| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Opposition claims no-confidence vote still on cards T

he Opposition parties A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have claimed they will be going ahead with the motion of no-confidence against the Government, but not at this stage.

APNU Leader David Granger told Guyana Times International on Tuesday that the motion of no-confidence

was still on the cards.

He said while this may not be the first option of the Opposition parties, it was definitely still being considered and would be part of a slew of actions against the Government.

When further questioned, Granger declined to state definitively what those actions would be, but insisted that they would be aimed at making Finance Minister, Dr

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

Ashni Singh answerable for the expenditure of Gy$4.5 billion from the Contingencies Fund.

The two parties met on Tuesday to finalise discussions on the motion, and, according to Granger, they will now be following a process.

The Opposition Leader revealed that “what we decided… is on a process… we are concerned with how to deal with il-

legality” of the public funds’ expenditure by the Finance Minister. He went on to say that “a series of actions will be initiated… the motion will be a part of it, but it will not be the first option”.

Meanwhile, when GTI made contact with AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan on Tuesday, he declined to comment on the meeting beyond saying that the meet-

ing did occur. Ramjattan told GTI: “We (APNU and AFC) met today, but I am not at liberty to tell you what we discussed.”

The statements by the Opposition parties’ leaders come on the heels of threats to pursue legal action against Dr Singh over the spending of the Gy$4.5 billion.

Dr Singh has maintained that his spending of the funds was constitutional.

Systems in place to deal with ‘Unpatriotic negativism’ hurting poor Math, English performances tourism sector- Minister Ali – Minister Manickchand

By Gomatie Gangadin

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tudents who would have failed Mathematics and English at the 2014 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) will not be ignored or neglected, as the Education Ministry is presently putting systems in place to help them.

This is according to Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who, in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International, said while the Ministry has celebrated the successes of those who have excelled at the examina-

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

tions and rightly so, other students should not feel sidelined or ignored as her Ministry will be placing more emphasis on them.

“First off, let me say that no child has failed this examination. Every

student who sat this examination has been placed at a school, so no one child has failed and that is the good thing about the examination,” the Minister said.

Manickchand further went on to disclose that the Ministry has developed several plans to cater for those who have failed Mathematics and English Language. The plans were formulated according to the percentage each student would have achieved at the exams. One of the plans involves a six-year programme which will focus intensively only on the two critical subjects.

W

ith a set 18 month completion time for the US$54M Sun & Sands Hotel, Acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Irfaan Ali, has noted that international recognition of Guyana’s tourism potential is overshadowed by “unpatriotic negativism.”

Minister Ali made this comment on Wednesday during the sod turning ceremony for the 290,000 square foot fivestar luxury hotel to be constructed at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Present at the ceremony were President Donald Ramotar, Minister Ali, and Director of the Sun and Sand Group of Companies, Mr. Bhushan Chandra, as well as other notable public officials and members of the diplomatic corps.

Coming on the wings of Guyana’s recognition by renowned broadcast entities: the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Discovery Channel and the History Channel, Minister Ali noted that the country is presented with an opportune time for realising the importance of the tourism sector to the economy.

Responding to a published comment of an undisclosed private sector member,

the minister asserted, “You cannot be patriotic or care about national development when you are not concerned about promoting Guyana in a positive light, [especially] when the only thing that resides on your mind is to have a negative headline every morning.”

Recognition of this fact, minister Ali mentioned, has seen Jamaica securing a vibrant tourism industry with the help of its media that clearly “understands the importance of safeguarding their country.”

In the case of Guyana, the Minister continued, “We sometimes shatter ourselves with the unpatriotic negativism [especially] from some sections of the media.” Ali underscored that there is an important role which the media play in ensuring that positive reflections are made to boost investor and business confidence.

The Tourism Minister stressed that there should be increased efforts of ensuring the defence of “transformational projects that are critical for the tourism sector,” he added, “[because] you would never hear a word … about this type of journalism that injures the sector more than anything else.”

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Private sector calls for urgent action to stem migration of skilled Guyanese

By Gomatie Gangadin

T

he Private Sector Commission of Guyana (PSC) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have registered their concern over recent revelations that more than 80 per cent of the country’s graduates and skilled workers have been migrating out of the country.

The organisations noted that they were not only concerned but alarmed as well, since this would mean that the operations, expansion and growth of the private sector and subsequently the economy will be greatly affected since these workers are

the most crucial ones for the development of the country.

According to the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) Human Development Report of 2009, the migration of graduates and skilled workers had stood at 76.9 per cent but has rapidly increased over the years.

A recently-concluded study conducted

by Simona Vezzoli, a researcher from the International Migration Institute (IMI), Oxford Department of International D e v e l o p m e n t , University of Oxford, England, revealed that about 80 per cent (8 of every 10) or 2 out of 3

While Guyanese immigrants have moved to places such as the United Kingdom and the Caribbean islands, they are most abundant in the United States of America and Canada, with an average of 78.6 per cent of Guyanese emigrants living there.

Emigration rate

PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud

of our university graduates and skilled work-

ers leave for another country.

At present, Guyana has an emigration rate of close to 50 per cent with an approximately 780,000 Guyanese residing abroad, compared to the 747,884 which make up the country’s current population. Among the 780,000 are, of course, the country’s top university graduates and skilled workers.

The PSC has noted that the situation is a

“national emergency” and if it is not addressed as early as possible, social and economic catastrophe can result.

PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud noted that this level of migration taking place in the country has affected the availability and quality of skilled employees in Guyana.

“We are not getting the quality of employees we need,” Persaud said.

The Chairman said, however, that he understood that the salaries and opportunities present in the country for employees were not competitive enough to prevent migration and more incentives would have to be offered to reduce emigration.

PPP reiterates GECOM not ready for local gov’t poll

T

he Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) should get its “act together”, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee said, as he again contended that the Commission was in no state to hold Local Government Elections, which were last held approximately 20 years ago.

Under the chairmanship of Dr Steve Surujbally, GECOM has publicly stated that it was in a state of readiness, but on Wednesday, during a weekly press conference at Freedom House, Rohee argued that there were many loopholes within the system.

The General

sultation were done by GECOM to ensure that eligible voters would be correctly placed on their respective constituency list.

“It is our contention that GECOM should do physical verifications within the communities and invite the political parties’ representatives to ensure that everyone is placed on the respective list, thus allowing for a fair and transparent process whenever elections are called,” he suggested.

Dr Steve Surujbally

Secretary explained that based on information emanating out of GECOM, 585 constituencies have been identified among the 71 Local Authority Areas; how-

ever, the Party believes that eligible voters might have been omitted from the voters’ lists. Rohee said the PPP was not confident that enough groundwork and con-

Disenfranchised?

According to Rohee, in 2010, GECOM had committed to divide the Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara into 14 smaller voters’ lists before placing voters into three

constituencies due to the size of the eligible voting population, which totalled 4504 at the time.

But despite this promise, he said the plan was aborted on the request of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). According to Rohee, the PPP was reliably informed that the lists were compiled.

In the quest to further represent the current standing of the PPP, the General Secretary said it was clear that GECOM was in no position to facilitate Local Government Elections

by August 1. He pointed out that in August, the Commission will commence its claimsand-objection period, weeks after the conclusion of the Sixth Cycle of Continuous Registration.

In February, the Opposition capitalised on its one-seat majority to amend the Local

Authorities (Elections Amendment) Bill 2014 to make it mandatory that Local Government Elections be held by August 1. The Bill was tabled by former Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud.

However, the Bill failed to gain the assent of President Donald Ronald. According to Rohee, with the exception of a “few misguided” persons in the Opposition and members of the Diplomatic Corps, many Guyanese are in support of the President’s decision.

Rohee said GECOM should come clean on its state of readiness. “The PPP calls on GECOM to make a public declaration on this very sensitive issue, and to fulfil its constitutional mandate by ensuring that everyone eligible to vote is placed on the official list of electors and that no one be disenfranchised.”

Forensic lab slated for...

from page 6

in 2013 to amend the Evidence Act to provide a legal person for the laboratory.

The Evidence Bill, which was introduced by the Home Affairs Minister to the National Assembly, was voted down by the Parliamentary Opposition in June.

Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, on December 13, retabled the Evidence (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly, and it was passed by the National Assembly in

January, allowing for the expansion of the category of evidence that can be admitted in court for legal proceedings.

The Bill states that the documents to which Section 43 of the Evidence Act applies will now include a certificate or report signed by an analyst who has examined or analysed, for example, a firearm, a poisonous substance, human blood, bone or tissue, and a certificate would be issued by the National Forensic Lab.

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Whittaker calls for public/private partnerships in solid waste management

R

ecognising the role of the private sector in the current garbage situation in Georgetown, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker, is calling on business people to take action to help improve the situation.

At the fourth consultation for the Gy$500M cleanup Georgetown project last Saturday at the Campbellville Secondary School, Whittaker noted that while the private sector has been very vocal in the call for effective solid waste management, they have contributed considerably to the situation.

While engaging the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is not out of the cards, Minister Whittaker stated that a more beneficial approach would be to invite private sector entities in each community. He said, “I would wish to see business people coming together and taking responsibility for streets.”

USING SOCIAL REJECTS

Concerns were raised at the consultation where citizens recalled that businesses in the community have contributed to garbage by illegal dumping. Whittaker in his re-

Minister of Local Government Norman Whittaker

marks responded, “The private sector makes the biggest noise and they are among the biggest contributors of garbage using social rejects to dump any and everywhere.”

He said, “If we engage the business people within the locale where they are familiar with the circumstances…

[And] where they can be put under pressure by the people [of the community] to be part of the implementation and sustainability and where they have the local knowledge; it might be the better way to go.”

Collaborative efforts with private sector entities, Whittaker said, would be facilitated through the Technical Committee of the Georgetown Solid Waste Management

Programme.

The Committee was established as an interagency effort and includes representatives from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the Georgetown Mayor & City Council (M&CC).

BROTHER’S KEEPER

The Minister called on citizens to be their brother’s keeper in ensuring pride for the upkeep of their immediate surroundings, which will effectively improve environmental conditions in communities. “We are all contributors to the sanitation and environmental problems in Guyana, when we fail to correct [the] wrongs that we see; we have, by extension, contributed to the act.”

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment in June held a National Conversation on Solid Waste Management where subject Minister, Mr. Robert Persaud bemoaned that the Private Sector representatives had not attended the event even though they were invited.

Boy, 9 needs treatment for bone cancer

A

mother is currently seeking financial assistance to help provide medical care for her nine-yearold son.

Javier Jamaine Anderson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a common type of childhood-bone cancer in December 2013.

Lizanna Anderson stated that her son was at first distraught about his condition, but has managed to learn to accept his fate.

However, she is attempting to make life as comfortable as possible for him, as he has undergone several surgeries over the past few months.

The first being a biopsy, which was what determined his condition, followed by the removal of 10cm of bone from his left thigh, then a full amputation from the hip down, also known as a hip disarticulation (the surgical removal of the entire lower limb by transection through the hip joint).

To the happiness of the mother of the Grade Three student of North Georgetown Primary School, the child’s dis-

Javier Jamaine Anderson

ability did not hinder his performance at school or his self-esteem.

The funds that are currently being raised will go towards the fitting and purchasing of a prosthetic leg for the child, and to help pay the bills for his therapy sessions, all to be done in the US, hopefully by the end of August 2014.

The budding pilot is currently undergoing local therapy to train his right leg to support his

body and his new prosthetic leg. Lizanna said that they have already received sponsorship, and will be staying at her sister’s residence to cut down on extra costs, so that all funds provided will go towards supporting little Javier’s medical bills.

All persons interested in helping this young man, are asked to contact Lizanna on 592223-1068 or 592-6027631.

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Farmers charged over Essequibo protest N

ineteen rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast were on Tuesday charged for leading a violent protest last Friday over nonpayment for paddy supplied to millers.

The men were all granted Gy$5000 bail each. The farmers appeared at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sunil Scarce. They were jointly charged for causing a riot and were not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Police alleged that on July 4, the farmers, headed by Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillors Naithram and Tajpersaud Seecharran, along with members of the Essequibo Paddy Farmers Association at

Scores of farmers protesting against poor drainage and non-payments for paddy supplied to millers

Land of Plenty, on the Essequibo Coast assembled and staged an unlawful protest.

Representing the 19 rice farmers was Attorney Haimraj Rajkumar, who in making his applica-

tion for bail for the rice farmers, stated that some of them are before the court for the first

time, adding that not only do they have families but they are the sole breadwinners and they have permanent places of residence. Prosecutor Haimwant Ramsewak did not object to bail.

Ramsewak, however, told the court that further advice is presently being sought on the matter.

The accused farmers are Naithram, 53, of Bush lot; Taj Persaud, 55, of Devonshire Castle; Dhanniram Naipaul, 52; Chait Lall, 57; Bridge Lall, 51; Naheem Mohamed, 35; Ganesh Motilall, 29; Bhim Singh, 57; Nazerdeen Camrudeen, 21; and Rabindra Ramotar, 17,

all of Reliance Village.

The other farmers include Naresh Ramlall, 21, of Three Friends Village; Harilall Persaud, 43, from Annandale Village, Essequibo Coast; Dennis Raymond, 34; Sohanlall Raymond, 37; Vishnu Raymond; Sahif Ally, 18; and Porahamm Gaylall, 36, all of Land of Plenty.

Bail was granted by Magistrate Scarce on the grounds that the farmers report to the Anna Regina Police Station every Saturday pending hearing. They were advised that they were on a bond to keep the peace.

The Magistrate explained that if there is a breach of the peace bond, the farmers can be jailed.

Cops charged for allegedly burning boy in custody

Nineteen-year-old Junior Thorrington gestures with his bandaged hands at the hospital

T

wo ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were placed before the court on Tuesday, facing charges which stemmed from an allegation of torture made by 19-yearold Junior Thorrington while in custody at the Sparendaam Police Station over a month ago.

Police Inspector Dexter Thornton and Constable Earwin Forrester both appeared before Magistrate Sueann Lovell at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, slapped with separate charges arising out of the incident. Inspector Thornton was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice and was placed on Gy$100,000 bail while Forrester faced an inflicting grievous bodily harm charge and was given bail in the sum of Gy$125,000.

The two officers, who were stationed at Sparendaam Police Station, will make their next court appearance on August 18.

Thorrington, of Eastville Housing Scheme, Annandale, East Coast Demerara alleged that his hands were burnt by the Police while he was in custo-

dy at the Sparendaam Police Station between May 25 and May 27.

The teenager sustained second-degree burns to both hands after the Police reportedly doused them with Methylated Spirits before setting them on fire during his interrogation.

According to reports, the teenager was arrested for loitering, but was later accused of carrying out a string of robberies.

Thorrington’s case echoes that of Twyon Thomas who, during an investigation into the killing of retired Region Three Vice Chairman Ramnauth Bisram in 2009, was also burnt with Methylated Spirits, but on his genitals.

The Guyana Police Force has been constantly under fire for torture meted out to citizens, with a recent example being the incident involving 15-year-old Alex Griffith who was shot in his mouth by a Police Officer. Then in November last year, Colwyn Harding claimed that Police Officers at the Timehri Police Station have inserted a condomcovered baton into his rectum. Ranks involved in both incidents have been charged and their matters are currently before the courts.

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DEA office for September rollout … three agents to be assigned

By Vahnu Manikchand

T

he much-anticipated establishment of a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in Guyana is likely to happen by September, a senior US Embassy official has said. The official also confirmed that three agents and an administrative officer will staff the office, which will be located at the US Embassy, in Duke Street Kingston, Georgetown.

Amid spiralling narcotics trafficking in Guyana, stakeholders believe that the United States’ move to set up the office will help break up local drug networks, but they also believe earlier interventions could have prevented the spread of the narcotics trade to the point where Guyana is considered a transshipment point. The increased level of gun violence and other crimes have been tied to the drug trade.

Corruption and fraud

In one of its recent annual State Department International Narcotics Control Strategy Reports, Washington said Guyana was neither an important regional nor an offshore financial centre, nor does it have any free trade zones. However, the scale of money laundering is thought to be large relative to the size of the economy. The US Government had said that money laundering has been linked to trafficking in drugs, firearms, and persons, as well as to corruption and fraud. It noted that drug trafficking and money laundering appear to be benefiting the Guyanese economy, particularly the construction sector.

The US said Guyana was a transshipment point for cocaine destined for North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, noting that the Guyana Government was yet to implement a National Drug Strategy Master

Plan.

In an invited comment to Guyana Times International, Shadow Home Affairs Minister and Former Commissioner of Police, Winston Felix, said the DEA Office is long overdue in Guyana. “The DEA Office will assist us greatly, because they will link with the Guyana Police Force and the other drug enforcement agencies. Sharing of information ought to be a little freer and I know the difficulties which confront the drug enforcement agencies would be easier handled by the presence of a drug enforcement agency,” he stated.

Felix, who is now a Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), went on to say that Guyana would not have been in such a bad state as it relates to drug trafficking had the office been established much earlier.

Ramadan is a time for forgiveness – Minister Nandlall

A

ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said the Month of Ramadan has always given Guyanese moments of great national significance, noting that the occasion is a time for forgiveness.

He was at the time speaking at the breaking of the Ramadan Fast at the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC) on Saturday. Minister Nandlall joined the Muslims of Guyana and the world in welcoming the Month of Ramadan, stating that he has no doubt that the Muslims of Guyana will continue to live up to the divine ideals of this holy month.

Emphasising on Guyana’s renowned and enduring quality of religious tolerance, Nandlall lauded the respect shown to the beliefs and practices of all religions in Guyana by the different religious groups.

He particularly complimented the Christian Community for being part of the event. The event was also attended by visiting prominent members of the Muslim Community and civic society and members of the other religious groups. The programme was organised by ACIC and the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman (SADR) jointly.

Promise of renewal

and Christian communities respectively, and gave brief messages at the programme.

Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khurshid Sattaur lauded the ACIC for its consistent work in promoting the true concept of Islam.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

ACIC President General Hakeem Khan expressed Ramadan greetings to the people of Guyana, especially Muslims and stated that the fast is performed for no other reason than to learn discipline, self-restraint, and generosity, while obeying God’s commandments. He also stated that it is a time when people of other faiths can learn more about Islam, the great benefits that it offers to mankind, and the enormous contributions made by Muslims to human civilisation.

Deputy High Commissioner of the Indian High Commission, Tirath Singh, brought greetings on behalf of the Government of India, to the Muslim Community.

Pandit Tillack and Pastor Ronald McGarrell represented the Hindu

The United States’ move to set up the office will help break up local drug networks

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Dynamic Airways suspends flight until August

D

ue to operational difficulties with securing time slots at the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York for the month of July, Dynamic Airways has announced the suspension of all flights until August 8.

“We are announcing temporary suspension of JFK – GEO service until August 8 2014,” the troubled airline said in a release. Dynamic Airways said it will operate flights on July 8, July 11 and July 15, and transport passengers which already started their travel.

“We are currently protecting all passengers who have started their travels and are impacted by this temporary suspension. All passengers travelling in the period July 17-August 8 will receive full refunds plus compensatory voucher for future purchase on Dynamic Airways network.

All passengers will be contacted by Dynamic Airways directly or by their respective travel agents,” the US air carrier said.

According to the airline, this temporary suspension “will allow us to secure time slots at JFK airport, organise better ground handling and check in process, as well as secure schedule integrity which Dynamic Airways is well known for. All flights starting from August 8 are not impacted by this change and will be operated as displayed on our website, and in our reservation system. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this change might have caused and thank you for your patience while we are processing refund requests and protecting our passengers impacted by this temporary suspension.”

Since its launch, Dynamic Airways has been mired in hiccups.

After several days in operation, it last week told

the media that it will continue to land at other international airports in the United States of America (USA) and not JFK after not being granted full permission to use the facility.

Some “slack”

Managing Director of Roraima Airways – the airline’s local ground operations company, Captain Gerry Gouveia had disclosed that the airline will continue to use the Bradley International Airport and passengers will be shuttled by luxury buses to Terminal Four of the JFK International.

He explained that the distance from the Bradley International Airport is about two hours drive but they are committed to ensuring that their passengers are well taken care of. Gouveia said that all arrangements from Guyana’s end were tied up, but there was some “slack” at the other end.

He explained that all the necessary documents were initially in place, but after the sacking of the handling agent in the US, they had to reapply all over again.

Presently, they are finalising arrangements with respect to the usage of a terminal and more importantly, a handling agent.

He conceded that they have rushed into the operations and it might have led to the challenges that they are faced with presently. He admitted that less haste might have been the appropriate recipe instead.

“A little haste might have overcome the challenges.”

He further added when discussions started about Dynamic Airways’ entry into the Guyanese market, they received positive feedback from the Dynamic Team in New York City that all was well; thus, he was very much comfortable with an early launch and inaugural flight.

Guyanese is new CCJ Registrar

T

he Port of Spainbased Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has a new Registrar and Marshal.

Guyanese national Jacqueline Graham, who took up the post from July 1, is an Attorney with an MBA in Finance (University of Manchester, UK), and an undergraduate degree in Management Studies (University of Guyana) and is a graduate of the Hugh Wooding Law School at St Augustine.

Before her appointment at the CCJ, Graham was the legal assistant to the Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana

Jacqueline Graham

and the Registrar of the Court of Appeal.

As Registrar of the CCJ, Graham is the Chief Administrator of

the operations of the Court and also has responsibility for managing the financial portfolio of the CCJ. The Court has a US$100 million revenue base provided by the member states of Caricom, which is managed by a Trust Fund.

In judicial matters, the Registrar is responsible for the receipt, issuance and management of court documents and processes, the taxation of costs and assisting the President and Judges in their official functions.

In addition to her legal training and work experience, Graham has worked in the bank-

ing and finance sector, as a Prosecutor in the High and Magistrates’ Courts of Guyana, and was employed by the private law firm, Interlaw Consultants.

She was also an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Guyana in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

“With her distinguished academic career and practical work experience, Ms Graham brings significant administrative capacity and a sound legal education to her job responsibilities at the CCJ,” said CCJ President, Sir Dennis Byron. (Trinidad Express)

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Mother-son duo Expansion of Guyana’s main busted with cocaine airport would pave the way at CJIA for more US carriers – Hardt

A

mother and her son were busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Tuesday with a large quantity of cocaine, authorities have confirmed.

They were heading to Canada at the time of the bust. The bust was made around 14:35h by ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch during routine searches on luggage.

According to the Police, in a statement, a total of 10.503 kilograms of cocaine were unearthed in false walls of the duo’s suitcases.

Guyana Times International understands that the woman and her Canadian son were outgoing passengers on a Caribbean Airlines flight. Reports indicate that the illicit drug was found in four suitcases belonging to the pair. The duo has been taken into Police custody to assist with the investigation. Charges are expected to be laid soon.

This drug bust comes two days after Police ranks discovered a quantity of cocaine in ceramic ornaments at the CJIA

during routine searches of a shipment about to board the Amerijet Cargo plane, destined for Ireland.

Belinda Williams, 29, of D’Aguiar Park, Meadow Bank, Georgetown, was taken into Police custody after the discovery was made.

She, along with Gordon Plass, 43, of Princes Street, Georgetown, was remanded to prison after making their first court appearance on Tuesday.

Also facing charges in local courts for trafficking in narcotics is US citizen Jermaine Carter, who was found with 7.057 kilograms of cocaine concealed in three Kerry Gold Milk packets. He was charged last Friday after the discovery was made earlier that day by the Police Narcotics Unit.

A United Kingdom citizen was also intercepted that day for smuggling the illicit substance in milk tins. He was nabbed by ranks of the Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) as he was about to board a TravelSpan flight destined for the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport.

F

ormer US Ambassador D Brent Hardt said the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project would pave the way for more US-based airlines to operate in Guyana.

Hardt, who demitted office last Saturday, told Guyana Times International that a number of American carriers have signalled their interest. He explained during a recent interview with this newspaper that US-based carriers had set their eyes on Guyana during the crafting of their “mediumand long-term” plans.

“Certainly, the expansion of the airport would open up doors to different types of planes,” the US Ambassador added.

The US$138 million CJIA Expansion Project, which has thus far failed to receive the support of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), is set to be completed in August 2015. The project will enhance the country’s ability to accommodate

An artist's impression of CJIA's new terminal

larger categories of aircraft, thereby tapping into the North and South American markets.

The project will see Guyana’s main port boasting a runway of 10,800 feet to accommodate large transatlantic aircraft, a new terminal building, eight boarding bridges, elevators, escalators, three dimensional X-ray scanners, and flight information and security monitoring systems.

Even as the project

progresses, Guyana’s aviation sector continues to grow with TravelSpan and Dynamic Airways commencing operations.

The US carriers, unlike the other airlines, are offering direct flights to the United States.

In a previous interview with GTI, the US Ambassador had indicated that US-based carriers were concerned with the fuel subsidy given to Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines.

In May 2013, Delta

Airlines wrapped up operations in the country to concentrate on other business deals. The inability to fill its planes to capacity and drug trafficking via the CJIA were among other concerns expressed by Delta.

But Ambassador Hardt said although Delta Airlines has left Guyana’s market on the basis of profitability, other American carriers have vested interests, but are demanding a level playing field.

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Commercial buildings increased significantly over the past decade in Guyana

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

T

he number of buildings within the commercial sector has grown tremendously over a 10-year period.

According to the Guyana Population and Housing Census 2012 Preliminary Report, the number of commercial buildings has increased by 26.4 per cent, moving 14,560 in 2002 to 18,537 in 2012.

According to the Bureau of Statistics, the distribution patterns remain the same when compared to 2002, pointing out that the number of business places had outstripped the level of growth of the building stocks when compared regionally.

Using Region Seven as an example, the

Bureau of Statistics pointed out that the number of businesses nearly doubled with a recorded increase of 88.1 per cent.

The increase in commercial buildings within the district was linked to the sharp rise in mining activities.

“The increase is an important indicator of economic growth in those regions, but would obviously require a more detailed survey of a special type to ascertain the actual types of business activities that are being undertaken there,” the Bureau of Statistics stated in the preliminary report.

Significant increase

In Region One, there were 288 commercial buildings in 2002; but by 2012, the number increased to 433 while in

The City Mall is one of the huge commercial buildings erected in Georgetown during the past 10 years

Region Two, the number of businesses had dropped from 1203 in 2002 to 1077 in 2012.

However, Region Three experienced significant growth jumping from 1885 in 2002 to 2672.

Similarly, the number of business places increased

from 6424 to 8745 in 2012 in Region Four, while there was a slight increase in Region Five, moving from 949 in 2002 to 1138 in 2012.

Regions Six, Nine and 10 experienced marginal increases while in Region Eight, there

was a reduction in commercial buildings, moving from 117 in 2002 to 80 in 2012. However, in Region Seven, the commercial sector doubled with 662 businesses being recorded during the 2012 Census.

Overall, the country’s

building stocks have increased by 16.9 per cent, moving from 187,696 in 2002 to 219,509 in 2012.

Regions Three and Four topped the chart, recording the highest increase in building stocks.

According to the report, 13,120 new buildings were erected in Region Four since the 2002 Housing Census, increasing from 73,390 to 86,510 buildings. Region Three came in second with an increase of 8972 buildings. At the time of the 2002 Census, the coastal region building stock stood at 26,516, but jumped to 35,488 buildings by 2012.

The 2012 Census marked the 17th National Census of Guyana and Guyana’s seventh postWar National Census of Population and Housing.

New 40-million barrel oil discovery offshore Trinidad

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panish oil company Repsol has announced the discovery of 40 million barrels of oil in its Trinidad and Tobago offshore acreage.

This oil is already on production and is add-

ing to overall national oil production. The latest discovery is the fifth in the last two years and comes after discoveries

by Petrotrin, Bayfield (now Trinity) and BP in 2012 and by Trinity in late 2013.

These discoveries are premised on a significant increase in exploration and development activity in both land and marine acreages over the last three years.

This is also reflected in the record lev-

els of Foreign Direct Investment that the energy sector has experienced in the period 2011 to 2013.

These trends signal a resurgence of the upstream component of the national energy sector.

The net result is an arresting of the decline in oil production, which declined sharply from 2006 to 2012.

According to Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine, in the past four years, the Government has created an enabling environment for this level of investment through the introduction of a suite of fiscal incentives for companies operating in the oil and

Spanish oil company Repsol has announced the discovery of 40 million barrels of oil in its Trinidad and Tobago offshore acreage

gas industry.

At present, there are eight rigs working in the waters of Trinidad and Tobago. This compares to one rig working

in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters in mid-2010. Two of these eight rigs are currently working for Repsol. (Caribbean News Now)

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More Surinamese Accused baby abductor investors eyeing Guyana gets Gy$300,000 bail

S

urinamese investors have their eyes set on neighbouring Guyana, where they are discovering more and more investment opportunities; however, they are very disappointed in the bureaucracy in that country, according to Paramaribo’s Waterkant News.

“Guyana is our main goal,” said Anil Padarath, board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Suriname.

While there are some setbacks in establishing a business quickly, investors said this is not discouraging them from expanding their businesses in the country.

According to the Chamber of Commerce of Suriname, in the first quarter of this year alone, more than $30 million of products were exported to Guyana. The chamber wants nothing more than to encourage this trend.

“Guyana is very lucrative for Suriname.

There is a good market for quality products from Suriname and there are many opportunities,” said Padarath.

Investing and setting

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy (right) at the opening of Rossignol Butcheries in Georgetown (file photo)

up businesses in Guyana is becoming more widespread, he said.

“Rossignol Butcheries has been successful in Guyana,” said Padarath.

The Surinamese company opened last year in Guyana, a state-of-theart meat market and bakery, the first of its kind in Guyana. They also sell Dutch cheese, which is a favourite.

Big names like Rudisa Beverages and Fernandes from Suriname are also in Guyana. The insurance company Assuria made its first overseas expansion into Guyana.

Surinamese entrepre-

neurs are already investing in oxygen production, mining and tourism in Guyana, the Waterkant News reported.

Padarath is impressed by the agricultural sector of Guyana and said it looks promising for Surinamese investors.

Besides the bureaucracy that investors allege, they are also complaining about outdated and unfair investment laws. Rudisa recently won a case at the Caribbean Court of Justice against Guyana for unfair business practices. (Caribbean News Now)

F

Baitoon Hussain

orty-seven-yearold Baitoon Hussain, who is accused of kidnapping Yuvesh Bistonauth called “Baby Avi” was granted bail in the sum of Gy$300,000 by Justice Brassington Reynolds after her Attorney Rodwell Jagmohan made an application for bail through the Berbice High Court.

Attorney Jagmohan, in his bail application, stated that the offence

is a bailable one and that his client is not a flight risk. However, Prosecutor Renita Singh noted that the offence is a serious one. The infant was nine days old at the time he was kidnapped.

Singh added that Hussain lives at Mahdia and there is a possibility that she may not return to court. In granting bail, Justice Brassington ordered that the woman report to the Whim Police

Station every Monday.

On June 2, Hussain called “Debbie” of Chesney, Corentyne and of Mahdia was charged under Chapter 18:01 Section 19 for child stealing and was remanded to prison when she made her first court appearance at the Whim Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh.

On May 24, Hussain lured the mother of the child, Sandra McLean called “Pinky” to Rose Hall Town under the pretence that she had a special interest in the child.

Hussain then took the young mother to the Port Mourant Market where she disappeared with the infant.

The baby was found nine days later after Police, acting on an anonymous tip, closed in on a Chesney home where the woman and child were found. She was arrested and allegedly confessed to the crime and was remanded to prison.

She made two court appearances and bail was refused on both occasions, prompting her Attorney to move to the High Court.

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Farmer’s daughter tops TT examination - as girls shine again in SEA

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ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: For yet another year, girls have dominated the top places in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exams in Trinidad and Tobago. This year the top three also emerged from the southland, Fyzabad, Palmiste and Barrackpore. All three will take up places at the Naparima Girls’s High School, their first choice, come September. The trio are Shivanna Chatoor, 12, Guyanese-born Cameel Juman, 11, and Arielle Rambharose, 12.

In a whirlwind visit last week, Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar, accompanied

by Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh, visited each of the three schools where celebratory functions were held to personally announce the high achievers and offer congratulations and tokens.

The first stop was at the Avocat Vedic Primary School, where young Shivanna was the centre of attention as the PM declared that she had topped the island in the examination.

This was followed

A joyful Shivanna Chatoor, of Avocat Vedic Primary School, gets a kiss from her parents Shevanand and Gaiyatri Chatoor (TT Guardian photo)

by her visit to Grant Memorial Presbyterian School where Juman, the daughter of a medical doctor from Guyana, placed second, and final stop at the San Fernando Muslim (ASJA) School where third place student Rambharose attended. Persad-Bissessar expressed joy at this year’s results, which she said was the best since 2008/9, and lauded the excellence of the girls.

Her sentiments were echoed by Gopeesingh, who said he was very satisfied with the results, which saw the Continuous

Assessment Component being included in the final results.

“The percentage of students who scored above 50 percent, 60 percent and 90 percent was the highest for the period 2008 to 2014,” the PM said.

Shivanna, the daughter of a Fyzabad farmer and seamstress, who overcame all odds to score the highest national mark, hugged her parents— Gaiyatri and Shevanand Chatoor—and thanked them for giving her support during one of the most difficult periods of her life. (TT Guardian)

NEWS

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Weather a major factor in completion of Hope Canal

BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND

T

he completion of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) Northern Relief Channel has been further delayed as works on the Hope Canal Project are still ongoing.

Last month, Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy had told Guyana Times International that the EDWC Hope Canal Project is expected to be completed by the end of June; however, this deadline could not have been met due to several delays.

Minister Ramsammy on Sunday expressed his disappointment that there has been yet another delay in the completion of the project; however, he noted that all the time-consuming work has been completed, and only a small percentage of the work remains. “If good weather pre-

The canal section of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Project

vails then we should finish the work within a month or so, but if not, it will take longer,� the Minister said. He added too that while he cannot give a specific date as to when the project is expected to be completed, he is scheduled to meet with the engineers to fix

1,227kg of cannabis unearthed at Diamond

The marijuana that was unearthed at Diamond, East Bank Demerara on Sunday

T

he Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) during an operation in Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara unearthed 1,227 kilograms of Jamaican marijuana in a canter truck.

The street value of the find is estimated at Gy$216 million.

Based on reports received, CANU, acting upon information, conducted a search on the house in the vicinity of the third bridge where several bags of dried marijuana were found in a vehicle covered with black plastic.

Initially, the ranks thought it was garden mold used for farming purposes, but upon

checking, the large quantity of cannabis was discovered. One person was arrested and taken to CANU headquarters where he is being interrogated.

Meanwhile, a female was also taken into custody following the discovery of 4.2 kilograms of cocaine in another house in the said area. Again, the search was conducted by CANU members. During the operation, the CANU ranks also seized over Gy$1 million in cash.

Guyana Times International understands that CANU is working on the theory that the two seizures might be connected as they continue their investigations.

a date.

The Minister

Agriculture noted that

while the Gy$3 billion project has experienced several delays, it has not

exceeded its initial budget.

Following the 2005 floods, in 2008, excessive rainfall resulted in Regions Four and Five experiencing massive floods, and as such, then Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) commenced exploration of the Northern Relief Channel to address the situation.

The NDIA was mandated to establish a plan to undertake the necessary hydrological studies and an Environmental Management Plan.

C E M C O / S R K N Engineering, in association with Mott Mc Donald, was given the consultancy project to the value of Gy$64 million for a 14-month pe-

riod.

The contract for the construction of the Hope Canal Project was awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services, DIPCON Engineering and BK International.

The first mentioned contractor was tasked with the construction of the eight-door sluice while BK International was assigned with the construction of the three-gated head regulator.

DIPCON was awarded the contract of the Gy$350 million overhead bridge, which the Agriculture Ministry commissioned on February 15 last. The Ministry also took the responsibility of the excavation of the 10.3 kilometre long earthen channel. (vahnum@guyanatimesgy.com)

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Guyana and US still share good relations despite public rebuke of Ambassador for “meddling” – Manickchand

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he outgoing US Ambassador was inciting an insurrection against the Government when he compared Guyana’s present-day state of affairs to a situation that was faced by his country in 1776 when it was a colony under Britain.

This is according to Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who last Wednesday acted in the capacity of Foreign Affairs Minister and delivered a “feral” blast to Hardt, condemning him for the “alarming” utterances that he made against the Government of Guyana.

H o w e v e r , Manickchand said the Government of Guyana and the US still share a good relationship. During her remarks at that occasion, Manickchand had said that during the former Ambassador’s three-year tour of duty in Guyana, he contrib-

uted to a “tension-filled relationship” between Guyana and the US. In a subsequent televised interview, Manickchand declared that despite the public spat between Guyana and the US envoy, both countries still share a strong relationship and will not allow the spat to come between them.

ent national interest and where sometimes those views collide.”

Norms and conventions

Still friends

She said: “We are friends with the US, Guyana is friendly with the US, we consider them a partner and we believe they consider us a partner. But like any other good relationship, even in homes and families, there are things you disagree on and there are things you might not always have the same view… a disagreement cannot possibly mean that an entire relationship has broken up.”

Manickchand contended that in essence, the Guyana

Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail Teixiera

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

Former US Ambassador to Guyana, D Brent Hardt

Government had no quarrel with the US; but in fact, the quarrel was with the Ambassador.

Manickchand said Hardt had ignored all the conventions of diplomacy when he “repeatedly” dealt public blows to the Government for not holding local government polls.

The Ambassador, she said, has breached repeatedly all the norms and conventions that govern how countries

relate with each other through their diplomatic channels.

The Education Minister insisted that the Government would have engaged the former Ambassador “behind closed doors” to register their disapproval with some of the remarks, but his behaviour persisted despite these warnings.

Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail Teixiera, who was also part of the interview,

pointed out that the relationship between the US and Guyana is strong, noting that the upcoming establishment of a local office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Guyana is proof.

“I believe that there are a number of areas where there have been good relations: there have been progress and there are also some areas where obviously both countries have differ-

Guyana eyes ACP Secretary General post

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uyana is among three Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries that will nominate candidates to head the powerful 79-member African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping.

Regional leaders, who ended their annual summit on Friday in Antigua and Barbuda said Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana have all signalled their intention to submit the names of candidates for the post. It is unclear who is the likely nominee from Guyana for the post and Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett could not be reached for a comment on Sunday.

Back in June, the ACP had indicated that the next Secretary General will be a Caribbean national. The tenure of the current SG Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni of Ghana ends in February 2015. The Council of Ministers will meet in Suriname in November 2014, where they will finalise the selection of the next SG. The new SG, who will come from any of the ACP’s member states in the Caribbean, is expected to begin work in March 2015. His/her term will end in 2020.

“The upcoming term is especially significant as it will see the last leg of ACP-[European

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Union] EU cooperation under the current Cotonou Partnership Agreement, which ends in 2020,” a release from the ACP has said. The Cotonou Agreement is the most comprehensive partnership agreement between developing countries and the EU. Since 2000, it has been the framework for the EU’s relations with the 79 ACP member states.

Technical expertise

The Secretary General holds executive powers and heads the Brussels-based ACP Secretariat, which is the administrative and technical body of the ACP Group. The Secretariat provides policy guidance and technical expertise to the Organs of the Group, and monitors the ACP-EU

Partnership Agreement.

Appointment to the top post is for five years, and generally follows a principle of rotation amongst the six ACP regions, including West Africa (currently holding the post), East Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.

The ACP is an organisation created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. It is composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states, with all of them, save Cuba, signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, also known as the “ACP-EC Partnership Agreement” which binds them to the EU. There are 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.

However, she said that the issue that the Government had taken up with the Ambassador was indeed personal as he had opined on the evening that he was rebuked for his criticisms of the Government.

Teixiera articulated that “the conventions and norms that had developed between Guyana and the United States were suddenly not in operation” during the tenure of the Ambassador, who had publicly expressed his grievances with the current Government.

Teixeira pointed out that the stinging rebuke was a last option for the Government, who had engaged the Ambassador at the highest levels after previous similar statements, but to no developmental effect.

No endorsement yet for PANCAP’s ‘reducing stigma’ report

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a r i b b e a n Community ( C a r i c o m ) Governments have deferred “full consideration” of a report by the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) that critics say is designed to encourage a reorder of Caribbean society in a negative way.

“In the deliberations on the declaration, it was clearly stated that we were not yet in a position to support the going forward of the declaration in the form that it was presented and so this continues to be a work in progress and at some later stage, Heads of Governments will definitely have a second look at this,” St KittsNevis Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas said.

The PANCAP report includes repealing laws criminalising consensual sexual acts between adults and making sexual orientation a protected category for non-discrimination. But Douglas, who has lead responsibility for health matters within the quasi-Caricom Cabinet, said he did not think that PANCAP was making any recommendation on issues such as same-sex marriages. He added that the declaration was taken out of context and issues such as same-sex marriage never came up.

of HIV; strengthening laws to drastically reduce violence; enacting overarching anti-discrimination legislation; amending the equal opportunities acts; and prohibiting discrimination in employment practices, including HIV status, disability and sexual orientation by 2015.

Laws

St Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas

He told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) during the justconcluded 35th Heads of Government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda that the aim of the PANCAP report was to reduce stigma and discrimination against persons who are associated with HIV/AIDS. Dr Douglas said during deliberations on the document, it was said that leaders were not yet in a position to support the declaration in its current form.

Two weeks ago, 140 Caribbean organisations issued a joint statement expressing concern about regional leaders preparing to endorse several actionable recommendations on eliminating HIVrelated stigma and discrimination. Specifically, the key elements of the PANCAP Declaration include eliminating mother-to-child transmission

PANCAP has asked for governments to achieve the repealing of laws criminalising consensual acts between adults and to make sexual orientation a protection category for nondiscrimination between 2015 and 2018.

PANCAP arrived at the recommendations for this Declaration after a two-day dialogue held earlier this year among several stakeholder groups throughout the Region. Though many of the opposing signatures were from Jamaica, the PANCAP agenda emanating from this dialogue has already solicited support from Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, as well as Dr Douglas.

In response to the report released by Caricom, the organisations hailing from throughout the Region – many of them faith-based – took a strong stance against what they referred to as the pushing of “PANCAP politics”.

news WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014

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Families affected by storm “Many positive changes back home” - President tells appealing for assistance

H

eavy winds and intense rainfall on Sunday battered the Corentyne Coast, toppling at least three homes, blowing off the roofs of several others and knocking off power supply in a twohour-long pounding that kept residents for most part indoors, praying for relief.

At approximately 12:30h, the strong winds accompanied by heavy rains affected residents along the Corentyne Coast, with reports of at least two homes per village had zinc sheets ripped off. In some cases, trees were uprooted, roadside stalls upturned, utility poles knocked down, leaving most of the region in

and it’s still standing”.

In that very instance, the entire house started to move and they quickly grabbed their three children, ages one, three and eight and ran out.

In the process, a piece of wood fell on the face of their three-yearold, causing a big gash to his nose that required stitches. The house was blown backwards and upturned, causing damage to all their household items. The family is at a loss as to their next move and are appealing for assistance to rebuild or repair their home

In church singing

Like this family, the storm came as a surprise to many since moments earlier there was bright sunshine. In neighbour-

She is also seeking help to rebuild as she is currently unemployed.

In Williamsburg, Corentyne, the Gopielall family is still in a state of shock as their life-long earnings nearly went up in flames after a utility pole fell on their neighbour’s home, bringing the wires on their roof and starting a fire.

All of their electrical appliances that were connected at the time, including their television set, refrigerator, DVD, computer, among others, were damaged.

According to Indranauth Gopielall, his children were in the living room watching TV when they felt the strong winds, and a few minutes later, they heard a bang and

One of the homes that were flattened by the strong winds in Guyana

blackouts up until press time with little hope of power being restored before morning.

At Block Four Tain Village, a family of five, including a one-yearold, are now homeless after their two-bedroom home was upturned with them inside, causing minor injuries to their three-year-old son.

According to Mulchan Raghubir, 28, he and his family were in the house when they felt the strong winds and heavy rains.

His wife told him the house was shaking “very hard” and will collapse, but he brushed it off, telling her “we have been living for 10 years

ing Clifton Settlement, Sarswattie Balram, 53, and her family of four are contemplating their next move as the roof of their two-storey wooden house was ripped off and thrown onto the roof of a nearby church.

“I was in the church singing with my two grand kids and noticed the heavy winds and rain, so we stayed and a few minutes after me hear wan big noise and a lil boy say thunder buss, when me walk out, me see the whole roof gone.”

Balram said she has been living in the home for the past 40 years and this is the first time she has ever experienced “anything like this”.

almost instantly, the wires in the home started to spark before erupting into flames.

He said the television set instantly exploded and everyone ran out of the home. The explosions continued inside, even as Indranauth went back into the house to unplug the refrigerator. He was shocked and had to retreat. Another attempt was made at shutting off the main switch by his wife and things quiet down inside the home, but the sparking still continued outside. They were forced to stand in the middle of the street in the pouring rain until the wires stopped sparking.

Guyanese Diaspora in Antigua

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President Donald Ramotar addressing Guyanese living in Antigua

resident Donald Ramotar last week updated Guyanese living in Antigua and Barbuda about the many challenges back home, especially the struggle of Government to get the Opposition’s cooperation on a number of national issues.

Ramotar was accompanied by a team comprising Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, and Chief Diplomat Elisabeth Harper.

President Ramotar and his top officials were in Antigua and Barbuda, to attend the 35th Caricom Heads of Government meeting, from July 1 to July 4.

Held at the Sandals Grande Multi-purpose Centre, the Guyanese event began with President Ramotar updating those in attendance, about the current geo-political situation in Guyana.

He spoke of the current impasse with the political Opposition on transformational projects such as the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project and explained that despite Government’s efforts to provide all requested documentation and information, the oneseat majority Opposition Parliament still vetoed funds to make it a real-

ity.

The similar situation with the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill was also explained by the President, who outlined that despite several interventions by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), along with widespread stakeholders’ support, there was no support from Opposition politicians for the Bill.

The need for projects such as the Specialty Hospital, Marriott Hotel, and Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion was also explained to the audience, many of whom asked questions related to the aforementioned and expressed satisfaction with answers given by the President and his highlevel team.

Changes

The President also told the appreciative audience that much has changed in Guyana. He reminded those present that when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took office, Guyana’s economic situation was dire. “We were described as a heavily indebted poor country, we are now described as a lower-middle income country and what we are working for is to carry

our country to that of a developed country status,” he said.

President Ramotar also thanked the islandbased Guyanese for their moral and material support. “Even though you’re not at home, we know that home is always within you… with your support, I’m absolutely certain that we will achieve our goals of making Guyana a far better place where we will have a higher quality of life for all our people.”

Also addressing the audience was Minister Rodrigues-Birkett who shared information on issues raised such as the Amaila Falls Project and the quest for other sustainable energy sources, the Guyana-Brazil road and incentives for remigrants, such as duty-free concessions and one-stop access for house lots.

The Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General fielded questions about the creation of a Guyanese law school, noting that the issue was being addressed as part of Caricom’s agenda, as several other Caribbean territories had similar challenges with regard to the education of their law students. Guyana will only move towards establishing its own institution if all else fails, he added.

Women miners body urges more support from Gov’t to fight TIP

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

G

uyana Women’s M i n e r s Organisation (GWMO) President Simona Broomes is urging more support from the Government of Guyana to help her organisation fight human trafficking.

In rejecting the US State Department 2014 Trafficking In Persons Report on Guyana recently, Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster had said that the Ministerial Task Force

on Trafficking in Persons (MTFTIP) has been collaborating with GWMO in the fight against human trafficking.

According to the Human Services Minister, the partnership between the Government and GWMO dates back to 2012; however, she was unable to cite examples of recent engagements.

Broomes, however, indicated that the Government has not been offering the requisite support in the fight against Trafficking in Persons (TIP).

“I don’t know what the Minister is talking about… I don’t know what collaboration she is speaking about, because the Government does not collaborate with us.”

GWMO has been in the forefront of the fight in Guyana, rescuing both women and girls from sections of the interior. The Organisation has, however, accused the Government of not being very supportive in the fight. Guyana has remained on the “US Tier 2 Watch List”.

According to the US, while the country has

GWMO President Simona Broomes

made progress in the fight against human trafficking, convicted traffickers have not been held accountable, pointing out that many of the cases have been dismissed.

It was pointed out that three convicted traffickers were given a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, but were subsequently placed on bail pending the appeal of their cases. Additionally, the US said Guyana remains a source and destination for men, women and children, who are subjected to sex traffick-

ing and forced labour; alleging that Guyanese and foreign women and girls from Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil are subjected to prostitution.

But according to the Human Services Minister, the US report is far from the truth, arguing that there is a low prevalence of TIP in Guyana. Webster said the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons has been aggressively tackling human trafficking, reaching out to communities that are prone to trafficking.

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confident next IDB approves US$17m Granger General Elections results will to improve water be in APNU’s favour and sanitation O services in Guyana

T

he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a loan of close to US$17 million to improve water and sanitation services in Guyana.

The bank stated on its website that Guyana will strengthen and improve access to drinking water and sanitation services with the US$16,838,250 loan.

According to the IDB, the initiative is known as the Programme to Improve Water and Sanitation Infrastructure and Supply. It calls for infrastructure projects to build, upgrade and expand water treatment plants and enhance access to adequate sanitation through mea-

sures to strengthen the supplier Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the design and implementation of a programme to monitor non-registered water and a public awareness campaign on the use of water and proper hygiene practices.

According to the IDB, despite progress over the past decade in access to safe sources of water and sanitation, water and sewage services in Georgetown and other coastal areas still face constant institutional, financial and operational challenges.

“For instance, the quality of water supply services is hindered by a deterioration in water distribution networks, with 50 per cent to 70

per cent of water used going unaccounted for at the national level (and more than 70 per cent in Georgetown),” the Bank said.

Furthermore, the IDB said the current sewage system covers just 48,000 people living in Georgetown – about 6.5 per cent of the national population.

The rest of the population seeks individual solutions, but in some cases these arrangements are not adequate. The programme is expected to increase the percentage of households with 24-hour access to water and water pressure that is in line with national standards, reduce the percentage of water that goes unaccounted for and raise the number of homes with improved access to drinking water and proper sanitation arrangements.

The IDB loan is for 30 years and comes from its Ordinary Capital and Fund for Special Operations. It has a grace period of five years and a fixed interest rate.

The programme also features a contribution of US$14,838,250 from the European Union Caribbean Investment Fund.

pposition Leader David Granger on Friday dismissed the views expressed by the former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, that Guyana’s next General Election would yield a similar result as in the 2011 election.

Unlike the view shared by the columnist, Granger said the election results are very much likely to be different.

In his Conversation Tree column, Ramkarran posited that given the status quo of the financial system and its effect on the Guyanese populace, the country could very well find itself with a repeat of the 2011 General Election results, where the combined Opposition walked away with a one-seat majority.

But Granger, at the coalition’s press conference on Friday, insisted that there is no possibility of such results as the APNU has been hearing from the ordinary man.

“Look at my own engagement in the diaspora, because just the other day, I was in Dundee in Mahaicony and people are listening to what APNU has to say because they feel quite fed up with the way things are going around the country,” Granger told reporters.

And while Guyanese are expressing their concerns, Granger said they are also listen-

Opposition Leader David Granger

ing to what APNU has to say. “Constitutional change is desirable in the middle and longterm, but right now, People in East and West Berbice are complaining about the bridge toll, all of the neighbourhoods have problems with solid-waste management, with streetlights and drainage and irrigation.

And there are great levels of distress and dissatisfaction in various parts of this country.”

Confident

Granger said that he is confident that should an election be called now, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) would not gain a majority. “I don’t agree with Mr Ramkarran, I believe the ground is shifting from under the PPP. It is clear that they are the ones that are afraid of the election. Because

they realise that popular opinion is changing. The election results are likely to be very different when we call elections,” he said confidently.

He said too that APNU has promised to establish a Government of National Unity.

Granger reported that the coalition already has five parties and is now seeking to extend the area of cooperation by bringing in other interest groups and deepening its commitment to democracy. “Many other persons are coming because it is a partnership that listens. APNU listens to the people in all communities.”

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee had earlier this week defended the administration’s position on the issue, pointing out that the party has been covering all grounds and was optimistic that major success will be had.

The optimism, he had said, is grounded in the work being carried out by the party. The feedback the party has been receiving, especially in areas where it had suffered losses, has been overwhelming, he said.

He noted that “we have been doing some targeting. Our work is more concentrated and more results-oriented,” although the work is not being done at the expense of routine political work.

Unresolved border controversy with Venezuela hindering development – PM Hinds

P

rime Minister Samuel Hinds said the unresolved border controversy with neighbouring Venezuela are robbing the countries from making a bigger contribution to the development of their peoples.

Hinds made the remarks at a reception to mark the 203rd Independence Anniversary of Venezuela over the weekend. Prime Minister Hinds reiterated Guyana’s support towards preserving the Spanish-speaking country’s democracy, even as he saluted the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic.

At a cocktail reception held at the New Thriving Events Centre, Lamaha Street, Georgetown to celebrate the occasion, Prime Minister Hinds said the observance

serves as a historic reminder of the fulfilment of the dreams and aspirations of regional hero Simon Bolivar for an independent nation.

Common interests

“His aspiration has also been fulfilled through the formation of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).” The Prime Minister noted that Guyana and Venezuela have been able to take advantage of these integration mechanisms to promote the common interests of the South American continent and the wider Latin American and Caribbean Region.

Prime Minister Hinds cited that Guyana joining UNASUR and CELAC shows its sup-

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds proposing a toast with Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana Reina Arratia Diaz on the country’s 203rd Independence Anniversary

port for the preservation of the democratic process of Venezuela.

“While we strive to

advance our functional cooperation programme, we cannot sweep aside existing irritants that

threaten the stability of our relations. Guyana will continue to pursue with Venezuela a peace-

ful resolution of the controversy over the claim

by Venezuela that the 1899 Arbitral Award which settled the land boundary between our two countries is null and void.”

The Prime Minister said it is the Government’s hope that the process can be expedited, which will eventually lead to the delimitation of the maritime boundaries between the two countries.

M e a n w h i l e , Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Reina Arratia Diaz, in her message, said the commemoration is as a result of struggles, battles, and victories, which continue in the country today with the aim of achieving the dream of its liberators and the supreme leader of the revolutionary process, Hugo Chávez.

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There are also positive effects of migration, says Oxford researcher

W

ith recent revelations from the just released 2012 National Census that more than 4000 Guyanese are leaving Guyana for the US permanently every year, the country’s population growth rate has remained stagnant at 0.04 per year.

The population dropped by 3329, and according to a recent study, this may not be a negative thing after all.

According to research done by Simona Vezzoli, a researcher from the International Migration Institute (IMI), Oxford Department of International D e v e l o p m e n t , University of Oxford, England, there are many positive effects which can be derived for the country in which migration is taking place.

Vezzoli, the head of the research team, has contributed to the adoption and the adaptation of the scenario methodology for the study of the future of migration at IMI. Currently, her research focuses on the determinants of mi-

gration, through the Determinants of International Migration (DEMIG) Project, specifically conducting research on the history and evolution of migration patterns and policies in the Caribbean region.

Her research interests include migration policy, in particular countries’ perspectives on emigration and the relation between emigration and immigration policies. The research involved interviews with migrants, remigrants and non-migrants, archival data from the country’s records, case studies and media reports.

According to the researcher, while many may see migration as a major area of concern for the country, given the fact that of that number, three quarters or 85 per cent of those migrating are skilled or trained personnel, there is a broader, more positive picture which is not being seen.

Remittances

Vezzoli noted that the origin countries benefit from remittances

IMI researcher Simona Vezzoli

(payments sent home by migrants) which are now often outstripping the foreign aid a country is given.

Remittances to Guyana amounted to approximately US$415 million (Gy$86,506,748,733) for last year (2013) – while the figure had stood at over Gy$97.8 billion in 2012, a new report from the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) Group said.

In 2011, remittances amounted to US$401 million.

The figure repre-

sents close to 17 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Remittances are more stable and predictable as compared to other financial flows and, more importantly, they are counter-cyclical, providing a buffer against economic shocks. In conflict or post–conflict situations, remittances can be crucial to survival, sustenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. In providing primarily for household livelihoods, remittances are spent on general consumption items in local communities that contribute to local economies by supporting small businesses.

A fair share of these expenditures is directed to the construction of homes, health care and education, alongside savings in financial institutions, thereby generating employment in these critical services sectors. Moreover, in contributing to foreign exchange earnings, remittances can spur economic growth by improving sending countries’ creditworthiness and

expanding their access to international capital markets.

Unemployment reduced

Another positive impact of migration is the fact that unemployment is drastically reduced and the younger generation can then enhance their life prospects.

Guyana in recent times has been burdened with unemployment, particularly for the youths leaving secondary school and even the University of Guyana.

Given the reality that more than 780,000 persons have migrated from the country and yet a lack of employment opportunities still exists, one can only imagine what would have been the situation had those persons not migrated.

Migration too, according to the researcher, places reduced pressure on social service such as schooling, health and medical services, housing, and other public-oriented services since there are now less people in the country to access these.

Notably too, as a result of a decline in the population, the politi-

cal Opposition becomes weaker and thus advantageous for the political party in power.

Vezzoli further detailed that when Guyanese migrate from the country, despite the number of years they may spend residing in the host country, they always return bringing with them their education, skills and acquired wealth.

The University of Oxford Migration expert explained that while migration may often time stem from instability, fear and affordability of better opportunities, this may not be the only reason why persons migrate.

“Tradition plays an important role in migration. Sometimes persons do not want to migrate but because of the fact that their grandparents have migrated, their parents and siblings have also done so, they feel obligated to do so as well or are pressured to follow the tradition.

Sometimes, numbers do not necessarily reflect the true situation of migration in a country,” Vezzoli emphasised.

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NEWS

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Nothing unconstitutional in restoring disapproved funds

E

ven as criticisms mount over moves by the Government to spend Gy$4.5 billion in disapproved funds, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh last Thursday maintained that his actions are in keeping with the Constitution of Guyana.

During a recent televised press conference at the National Communications Network (NCN), he sought to clear up a series of misconceptions that have been created by the Opposition’s “mouth pieces”.

“I maintain that this Government has used the Contingency Fund in a prudent and judicious manner; in a manner that has met fully the requirements of the law,” the Minister said.

Alluding to Article 220:1 of the Constitution, Dr Singh said it provides for the Finance Minister to make advances from the Contingency Fund if there is an urgent need for expenditure for which no other provision exists, while Section 41 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act of 2003 also gives the Finance Minister the

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

“sole authority” to release monies from the Contingencies Fund.

However, the Finance Minister made it clear that systems have been instituted to guarantee transparency and accountability in the utilisation of the funds, as he alluded to the Contingencies Fund Advance Request procedure.

Provisions

“There is a standard request procedure. The request originates from the head of the Budget Agency which is the

Permanent Secretary of the requesting Ministry.

The request has to be certified by the Permanent Secretary, head of the Budget Agency and by the subject Minister that the request has been made in the conformity with the conditions specified in the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act. Once this is done, it then has to be examined by the technical staff and the Finance Secretary and once it has withstood the scrutiny there, it then comes to the Minister for approval. That process was followed in respect to the entire contingency request made subsequently to the Parliament for approval in the 10th Parliament.

The Minister is not operating on an island by himself,” Dr Singh explained.

The Minister further explained that though the Opposition parties are now crying foul at what they have termed “unlawful spending”; the records are telling a different story since it was they themselves who had approved it when it was proposed in the National Assembly.

GCCI against snap elections A mid calls by the Opposition on passing a no-confidence motion against the Government, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is appealing to political policymakers to engage in constructive dialogue on issues affecting the economy and social development.

The business representative body in a release said: “We do not subscribe to the notion that premature General Elections is the solution to our current political impasse.

“General elections are costly, time-consuming exercises which should preferably be conducted at the time when they are constitutionally due. The parliamentary parties must therefore make every effort to find ways to discuss, negotiate and, reach some level of consensus on the issues critical to this nation’s growth and development.

“The citizens of Guyana deserve no less an effort. This process of negotiation and agreement occurs in many comparative jurisdictions and it is therefore up to our political leaders to demonstrate re-

solve and maturity that leads to win-win outcomes.”

The GCCI said discussions on elections should instead be directed and concentrated at the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE).

“In this regard, we echo the sentiments of the Private Sector Commission that the absence of LGE has made (and continues) to make it difficult for our businesses to operate. We also note that all discussions about constitutional reform seem to have fallen off the map.

“The chamber looks forward to a new level of political cooperation that ensures a prosperous and sustainable economic and social infrastructure,” the business representative body said.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Monday had warned about the implications

of political instability that would ensue should there be a snap election.

“It will be very unfortunate if such a motion is passed, as it would signal political instability to our foreign investors, financiers, customers and suppliers. This will further increase the political risk premium added to the cost of capital when overseas funding is sought by private entities and can negatively impact our economy,” the PSC said in a statement.

According to the PSC, for progress to be made, the political culture should consist of dialogue and compromise on issues of national interest and development.

However, the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) and Blue Caps are of the opinion that early general elections might just be the solution to the issues that are plaguing Guyana’s 10th Parliament and affecting some major developmental projects.

Meanwhile several representatives from the business community associated with the GCCI and PSC have said they are not on board with the statements issued by the two entities.

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

28 NEWS

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Granger criticised for handling Rohee slams AFC for manipulating of Kissoon/ Clarke spat Essequibo rice farmers

H

P

eople’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader David Granger has been heavily criticised by the party’s membership for the manner in which he is handling the fall-out between Oscar Clarke and Vanessa Kissoon as allegations of favouritism and injustice mount.

Kissoon, who is the party’s Region 10 representative and a parliamentarian for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is being accused of displaying indiscipline and disrespect to Clarke, who is the PNCR General Secretary.

She was suspended from the party following an altercation over the usage of its facilities in Linden and the handing over of keys.

Kissoon has since claimed that she was assaulted by Clarke and was never given any hearing by the party before being sanctioned.

While Granger is pouring cold water on the matter and barely addressing it, tempers are flaring at Linden and division is running deep in the party’s membership there.

PNC General Secretary Oscar Clarke

Former PNC/R MP Aubrey Norton

He reported on Friday that he was still to appoint a Disciplinary Committee to investigate the incident, take statements and make recommendations on the way forward.

tion.

When contacted, Norton did not deny or confirm that he has an interest in running for the leadership of the party, but instead said that he would have to be nominated first. He said that stage of the process has not even commenced.

Granger is also bound to face a challenge from Carl Greenidge, who secured the second highest amount of votes when he ran against him at the primaries back in 2011.

On Saturday, the party’s leaders in Linden slammed Granger’s decision to suspend Kissoon, saying it was unfair, unjust and reeks of favouritism.

Norton

This newspaper understands that Aubrey Norton is contemplating running for the leadership of the party and the word is he is likely to get lots of support from those who feel jolted by Granger’s attempts to militarise the party’s Executive and sideline key stalwarts. There are also concerns about the stalemate in Parliament and the failure of APNU to create any real change under the new dispensa-

ome Affairs M i n i s t e r Clement Rohee has strongly condemned the Alliance For Change (AFC) for manipulating the plight and grievance of rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast, by encouraging them to block the public road there.

The Minister in a statement said the Ministry has advised and warned time and again that peaceful protest cannot mean blocking of public roads, thus preventing the right of others to proceed without let or hindrance.

“Public safety and security must be for all Guyanese and any attempt by a few to inhibit the peaceful and orderly life of law-abiding citizens will not be tolerated.

“The Ministry has noted that over the past weeks, representatives of the AFC have been frequenting the Essequibo Coast encouraging their political activists embedded in the rice-farming community to engage in unlawful acts to disrupt the peace and good order on the Essequibo Coast,” the statement said.

The Minister said he

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

has reasons to believe that the protest was politically motivated and orchestrated by the AFC. Rohee pointed out that the action of the AFC is similar to the politically orchestrated protest by the AFC at Agricola and Linden, which resulted in pain rather than gain for the protestors, while the AFC leaders were comfortably ensconced in the comfort of their homes and never seen at the scene of the unlawful protests.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to

remind that blocking of public roads and bridges is unlawful and persons found engaging in such acts will be prosecuted according to the law.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs supports peaceful protest by Guyanese citizens and their respective organisations; however, it will not condone the degeneration of peaceful protest into unlawful behaviour that affects the lives and well-being of others who do not support any such unlawful activities,” Rohee said.

Feature Alyson Cambridge

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A

lyson Cambridge is an accomplished soprano opera singer born in 1980 to a Guyanese father (Richard Cambridge) and a Danish-American mother. At age 23, while a first year student at the Curtis Institute of Music, she was the grand prize winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Nine months later she debuted at the MET as Frasquita in “Carmen” under renowned music conductor/ director James Levine; a performance that earned her praises from many news outlets including the New York Times for her “powerful, clear voice”.

Alyson earned a B.M. in Voice Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a B.A. in Sociology from Oberlin College.

She later continued her studies at the Curtis Institute of Music where she pursued a Master’s of Music Degree.

The singer’s performances have brought her over a decade of success

Alyson Cambridge With her father, Richard Cambridge on the leading opera and concert stages throughout the United States and internationally. In addition to the MET, she has wowed the audience at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Washington National Opera, as well as recent debuts in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Beijing, and other musical capitals throughout Europe and Asia. One of her

more notable performances was that of Julie in Francesca Zambello’s highly-acclaimed production of “Show Boat”, a performance for which she earned positive reviews.

Alyson’s debut album, “From the Diary of Sally Hemings”, a song-cycle by acclaimed American composer William Bolcom, premiered at

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hal, New York, to rave reviews, and her next album of crossover and jazz standards is due out within the next year.

Among numerous awards and prizes, Alyson was also awarded First Prize in the 2003 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Voice Competition; was a 2004 George London

Foundation Award recipient; and received the Régine Crespin Award at the 2008 Elardo International Opera Competition.

As part of Alyson’s personal mission, and with a strong desire to give back and make an impact beyond the traditional confines of the theatre, she lends her time and talent to charities and causes close to her heart, including Sing for Hope, The Humane Society, K9s for Warriors, Hope For

Hearts Foundation and American Red Cross.

And, as a former athlete and fitness enthusiast, with a penchant for fashion, Alyson’s exotic looks have enabled her to enjoy collaborations with designers for her concert performances and off-stage appearances. She serves as an official brand ambassadress for luxury jewellery and watch designer Chopard and fashion designer Vivienne Tam. (www.guyanesegirlsrock. com)

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

legal corner

Renting basements is risky business

By Richard Kistnen, Esq.

T

ORONTO, CANADA: The JAMBANA One World Festival is set for the Markham Fairgrounds in Toronto, Canada, on Sunday, August 3 and Monday, August 4. This year, the family festival has been expanded to two days with an amazing line up of entertainers.

Day One, Sunday August 3, will honour musical royalty with collectively over 100 years of contributions to the global music Industry. It will feature performances by Trinidad’s Slinger ‘Mighty Sparrow’ Francisco and Jamaica’s Marcia Griffiths.

Sparrow, a calypso singer, songwriter and guitarist of Trinidadian citizenship, who was born in Grenada on July 9, 1935, is known as the ‘Calypso King of the World.’ He is one of the bestknown and most successful calypsonian having won TT’s Carnival Road March competition eight times, Calypso King/Monarch eight times, and has twice won the Calypso King of Kings Title.

Sparrow has been a significant contributor to the calypso music industry and to the love and development of the art in Canada, JAMBANA organisers have noted.

Tribute

"Sparrow has done more

‘Mighty Sparrow’ (TT Guardian file photo)

than any other Caribbean musician to forge a strong relationship between the music of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. We recall his significant collaboration with the late Byron Lee. Jones & Jones is so delighted to join with colleagues and friends around the world to pay tribute to the Calypso King at JAMBANA this year", said Director of Marketing and Sales of Jones & Jones, Allan Jones, who attended the University of the West Indies, in Trinidad at the St. Augustine campus.

Meantime, this year marks the 50th anniversary for Jamaican reggae queen Griffiths, who first stepped on stage in Kingston, Jamaica, backed by Byron Lee and the

Dragonaires in 1964.

“Griffiths has maintained a steady presence in the business, first as a solo artist, then raised her musical trajectory as one of Bob Marley's I Threes and continuing with combination tracks with Bob Andy as the duo 'Bob and Marcia', Sanchez, Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Busy Signal, Freddy McGregor and Canada's three time JUNO award winner Exco Levi,” a JAMBANA release stated.

It added: “Her classic, ‘Electric Boggie’, written by Bunny Wailer, spawned one of the globe's biggest dance craze, the Electric Slide. It reached 51 on the U.S. hot 100 and remains her most successful single and the highest selling single by a female reggae artist of all time.”

Headliner on Day two, Monday, August 4, is the Cocoa Tea. The One World Festival will also feature Chinese reggae band, Long Shen Dao, which is on a North American tour this summer.

The Beijing-based group that has fused reggae vibes with traditional Chinese music was founded in 2007 and is considered to be China's first authentic reggae band.

There will also be Ghanaian Blakk Rasta.

W

ith costs of property owners on the rise, many property owners tend to resort to the practice of renting a space that does not comport with New York City Building Code. These spaces are often “illegal” basements or the unsafe partitions of apartments. The practice is widespread, especially in Queens and Brooklyn, and even spreading to Nassau County. Usually when a landlord presents to my office to remove someone occupying an illegal space, the story is the same: the occupant was recommended by a friend or family member, the landlord was trying to be nice, and then problems started. As a landlord, you must seriously evaluate the risks and dangers of renting illegal occupancies.

The Certificate of Occupancy for your property dictates which spaces may legally be occupied, and which spaces may not. Basements are not, categorically, illegal. The New York City Administrative Code, and rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Buildings, define what makes a space legal to live in. Some of the general elements are entries and exits to the space, window clearance from the ground, where piping runs, etc.

One major risk in renting a space that may not legally be occupied is that if and when the City is notified of the illegal occupancy, the premises is cited with a violation(s), and the property owner will be subject to a hefty fine.

In addition to the fine, the property will have to bring the space back into compliance with building code and then have the city inspect the premises.

The cost of violation removal is often a few thousand dollars.

Another major risk in renting a space that may not legally be occupied is that the whole building is then out of code. When a property is in violation of a code, the property owner may not charge rent. Therefore, if you are cited for an illegal basement in a two or three family home, the tenants in the legal apartments do not have to pay rent or use-and-occupancy.

Even after being cited by the city for an illegal occupancy, it sometimes is a challenge to remove the occupants of the illegal space. Unless the city returns to remove them, the property owner is essentially held hostage by the occupant. An action in landlord-tenant court may be commenced, but a judge does not have any authority to go above and beyond the laws of the city.

Finally, and maybe most scary, the property owner is liable to the city for putting a displaced occupant up in a hotel or other relocation site. That is, if the city relocates an occupant of an illegal space in a hotel or so, for whatever period of time, the city can (and increasingly will) sue the property owner for the costs incurred in putting that occupant in a hotel.

It is tempting to rent an illegal space for extra income, especially to someone based on a recommendation from friends or family. Above are a few of the significant risks that a property owner faces (and have passed through my office). Property owners should think long and hard before renting an illegal space. To speak with a lawyer, contact the Law Office of Richard Kistnen, (718) 738-2324, www.kistnenlaw.com, with offices in Queens and Manhattan.

news

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese woman is Naomi Jamaican gets top Maritime Law prize Campbell lookalike

K

N

EW YORK, U N I T E D STATES: A Naomi Campbell lookalike who was bullied at school for being “too tall and nerdy” says she cannot walk down the road without being pestered for autographs.

Lystra Adams was constantly teased while at school in Montserrat for being taller than everyone else in her school and looking like a geek.

The name calling and snide whispering was so vicious that the young Lystra used to suffer panic attacks before going to class.

Now the 37-year-old stunner has conquered the bullies and has carved out a successful career in modelling and being the supermodel’s lookalike, the Daily Mail reported.

Striking Lystra said: “I was constantly bullied at school–I was always tall and used to tower above most of the older boys, let alone girls my age, and I wore these thick glasses….It was horrible and really knocked my confidence at the time but looking back it has made me a stronger person–all I think now is look at me

Lystra Adams

now!”

Astonishingly when Lystra arrived from Montserrat in 1997–the height of the supermodel’s catwalk fame–she had no idea who Naomi Campbell was.

The then 20-year-old, originally from Guyana, found herself in Halifax, Yorkshire–a far cry from the runways of Paris, Milan and New York– but was still stared at in the street.

Lystra, who now lives in Staffordshire, joked: “When all these people stared at me, I thought there was something wrong with me! I had no clue until one day, about a year after I’d arrived, this woman came up to me and told me I looked

like Naomi Campbell.”

She related: “I signed up with the Model Bank modelling agency in Birmingham, and I have been in work ever since.”

For the last 15 years, she has been turning up at functions and events in stretch limos and being “papped” on the red carpet.

As the supermodel–the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue in 1988–has calmed down and shied away from the press, lookalike work has slowed for Lystra.

However, she is still stopped in the street wherever she goes–even if she is just out shopping with her partner and her daughter Jasmine, 13.

INGSTON, JAMAICA: From a class of 33 lawyers from 25 countries, Jamaican Vannessia Stewart was awarded the prize for best overall performance at the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) located in Malta.

Earlier this month, Stewart, legal officer at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), who was a participant in IMLI's 25th master of laws programme, also graduated with distinction.

IMLI commenced its 25th master of laws programme in October 2013. The programme is a specialised post-graduate course in international maritime law and consists of post-graduate education in all areas of international maritime law.

"Pursuing the course at IMLI was a wonderful, although challenging experience. Challenging on account of being in the presence of such imminent international maritime law experts and arduous due to the diverse curriculum to which we were exposed.

It was exciting, however, because I was part of a unique opportunity and at a special moment.

Chancellor of IMLI Koji Sekimizu presents an award to Vannessia Stewart on her graduation (Jamaica Observer photo)

Fortuitously, IMLI was celebrating its 25th anniversary and I was one of the many applicants to have been given the opportunity to be part of the institute's silver year", said Stewart.

The institution was established in 1988 by the International Maritime Organisation, the specialised agency of the United Nations with responsibility for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and prevention of pollution by ships, to help ensure that sufficient maritime law experts, with appropriate knowledge and skills, would be available particularly for developing countries and small island developing states.

The MAJ as

Jamaica's maritime administration has, among its roles, obligations to provide for maritime safety and protection of the marine environment from potential damage caused by shipping activities in Jamaica's waters.

"The Maritime Authority of Jamaica congratulates Stewart on her achievement.

Her training will be of tremendous benefit to the organisation and to Jamaica, especially in the area of bills of lading and the liabilities surrounding the carriage of goods by sea which are a critical element of the global logistics hub framework," said Bertrand Smith, director of legal affairs. (Jamaica Observer)

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feature

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Memories of indomitable freedom fighters are preserved in what was once their humble abode

M

anaged by the Cheddi Jagan R e s e a r c h Centre, the home of the late Jagans was declared open to the public by their daughter, Nadira, on 30 April 2009, after Mrs Jagan died in March of the same year.

The house was built in 1966, the year of Guyana’s independence, and designed by Dr Jagan. This was the family’s first owned home, as up to late 1966 they had been living in rented houses since returning to British Guiana in 1943.

Their children had both left by 1972 for studies overseas. Dr Jagan and his wife lived here until 1992 when he moved to the State House after being democratically elected President of Guyana.

He lived there until his illness on 14 February 1997.

After her husband’s death, Mrs Jagan returned to the home in 1997 and lived here until her death on 28 March 2009. She also lived there while she was president from 1997 to 1999.

Some changes were made to the house in 1997. Originally, the wooden front of the house, which is now grey, was stained dark.

The kitchen and bathroom were redone.

The tour

The Jagan’s modest

wooden home consists of three bedrooms, one bathroom, a study, living room, dining room and a kitchen.

Entering the home, visitors will go through the entrance room, which was used as a greeting place if the family had

ed by Mrs Jagan over the last 66 years. There are copies of original paintings done by Guyanese artist Stanley Greaves and many other local and international artists.

The photo of Kaieteur Falls was taken by their daughter Nadira and

The study was designed to house all of Dr and Mrs Jagan’s papers and books, and to provide a quiet space for them to work. The desk that Dr Jagan worked on was bought by his father as a gift after Dr Jagan returned to

Former president Bharrat Jagdeo speaking at the opening of the Jagan's residence as a heritage home in Bel Air other visitors. There was a door opening out to the yard but this was later closed off because of water seeping in when it rained heavily. This was the only change made to this room from its original state.

The focal point of the living room is said to be the carpet purchased by Dr Jagan from Kissoon’s Furniture Store in 1966.

Collections of books, found in all the rooms of the house, cover a wide range of topics, and the many paintings and sculptures were collect-

presented to Dr Jagan on his 75th birthday.

There is a blue chair in the room used by Mrs Jagan during the last few years of her life. The large photographic collection covers the period from the 1940s to 2009.

They include historical photos from the couple’s early days in the US, the early political struggle, the history in photos of the 1953, 1957, 1961 and 1992 PPP governments, photos of private moments with family, overseas visits, and their funerals.

British Guiana from the US. This is where he sat down to write his articles, speeches and most importantly, many of his books, including his autobiographical work, “The West on Trial”. The painting of Dr Jagan that now hangs above his desk was placed there after his death.

In the dining room the family had all their meals; meals were never eaten in the living room.

The BBC was always on in the mornings during breakfast. The stove is one of the home’s origi-

Dr Cheddi and Janet Jagan nal pieces, having been purchased in 1966. The kitchen was remodelled in 1997 and a few changes were made to the cupboard doors. When there was not any extra help in the house, Mrs Jagan cooked the meals and cleaned the house but Dr Jagan would clear the table and wash up the dishes. His job was to polish the wooden floors when they needed to be done.

Dr Jagan enjoyed resting in the hammock and even had one at his office at Freedom House during his years as Leader of the Opposition and one at State House when he was President from 1992 to 1997. The typewriters at Mrs Jagan’s desk are the ones she used to type her articles for the periodicals Thunder and the Mirror along with her children stories and her personal correspondences. She never used a computer.

After she returned home in 1997, she would write her weekly articles by hand at the dining room table.

The size of the veranda was enlarged in 1995 and a covered roof added. This is where the Jagan family enjoyed entertaining their guests or just spending quality time together as a family. Almost all of the trees in the yard were planted by Dr Jagan. He took

care of the yard and the planting of fruit trees, flowering trees such as the flamboyant trees, vegetable gardens, and flowers. He loved his orchids. He also at different time had chickens, rabbits, and even sheep.

Working in the yard was a joy for him, and his form of relaxation. He spent hours there whenever he had the chance.

Unfortunately he was not able to spend time doing this during his years as president.

Sunday was the only day off if they did not have meetings and it was spent quietly. The mornings would begin with Dr Jagan in the yard and Mrs Jagan cleaning the house. For lunch, the family enjoyed Mrs Jagan’s Sunday meal of roast chicken, baked potatoes, stuffing and lots of fruits.

After lunch, both husband and wife would nap then they would sit together on the veranda or go to the seawall for a walk. Later in the evening, Mrs Jagan would read; one of her many loves. Dr Jagan would end up at his desk.

This was their life together: a loving couple who, together in a loving home, were able to create much change in the lives of so many Guyanese and transform the country. (www. jagan.org)

The stove that was purchased in 1966

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Times Notebook WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Caribbean unity

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By Anu Dev

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire The Caribbean set aside last Monday (July 4) to celebrate Caribbean Unity! Last year I admitted to having some mixed feelings about what exactly it is that I should be dancing in the streets about, given that at the time Caribbean Airlines had been appointed our National Flag Carrier and yet was milking the Guyanese public for all we had (not exactly a step forward toward improving Caribbean unity). But this year, our skies are positively chock-full of planes – and the law of supply and demand are pushing those fares so low, Guyana might be emptied this “summer”.

And then again, having spent a year on the Joyce Gibson Inniss Hall of Residence among students from most of our Caribbean neighbours, I got a better perspective of how and why a unified Caribbean could be possible. And necessary. The thing is, we have so much in common, us and them.

There’s so much overlap with the food we cook, the music we listen to and the slangs we use. It was incredible to see that all of the kids from the different islands had a version of curry that they cooked- I must’ve seen at least five different ways of cooking curries. Naturally, the Guyanese way is the best way, but hey, I just might be just a tad biased.

It was interesting to find out the different names that different countries have for the same thing. For example, what we call “golden-apple”, Trinidadians call ‘pommecythere’ and “bora” becomes “bodi”. There was definitely some detailed descriptions and gesturing going on as we sought to get across some concept without being able to use the name that we normally referred to it as.

But not too much.

Much of our first week was about getting to know the person as an individual and also getting to know about them culturally – literally “where they’re coming from”. Knowing a little more about their way of doing things and their outlook on things really went a far way in understanding them. For example, for someone who didn’t take the time to understand Bahamian culture, they might be surprised at their bluntness. But in truth, they just believe in telling things as they are- something I’ve very much come to respect. Really, I’d prefer for my friends to tell me directly if I have something stuck in my teeth or if whatever I’m saying isn’t making sense, rather than allowing me to look silly!

We had to get used to each other’s accents and ways of pronouncing words. It took me forever to realise that I need to mentally add in the letter ‘R’ to whatever words Trinidadians are saying since “Barney” becomes “Ba’ney” and “corner” becomes “co’nah”. I’ve become much more adept at doing that…I think. I’ve managed to significantly cut down on the time I spend looking at the other person with a dumbfounded expression on my face, trying to process and interpret exactly what was said to me.

We all learnt so much about each other’s culture and I began to really understand the whole concept of Caribbean unity on not just an intellectual level, but on an emotional level. I mean, I always used to get emotional supporting our West Indian cricket team, alternating between weeping tears of joy and tears of anguish, but this past year I’ve managed to make personal connections with persons from the different Caribbean countries.

So even if our leaders can’t get it together to work with each other to build a better Caribbean, at least us, the common person can put aside everything to work together even in a competitive environment such as Med School.

Last year was such a wonderful experience. I met so many diverse, interesting, kind and genuine persons. If I had the last year to do over, I wouldn’t change a thing (okay, maybe I would try harder to track down the Bravo brothers, but that’s about it).

Standing up for our country

e are proud of the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and we salute her strength in standing her ground at the recently-held 4th of July American Independence celebration. We are particularly proud of Ms Manickchand’s commitment to Guyana and her unequivocal posture in defending Guyana’s independence.

There have been relentless attacks on the Minister for speaking out against the insult and attack on the President and the Government of Guyana by the US Ambassador. D Brent Hardt has been out of line throughout his tenure as the US Ambassador in Guyana. As a diplomat, he should know better.

Reckless abuse

Guyana is not one of the dictatorial countries America has warm relations with; Guyana is a free and democratic country that has outperformed most of the countries in Caricom and America itself in terms of economic growth in the last decade. Guyana has made tremendous strides in addressing poverty and has recorded significant gains in social indicators.

As mighty as the USA is, it and Guyana are both independent and sovereign nations. We must respect each other as independent nations.

America’s bigstick diplomacy does not work anymore. Minister Manickchand’s response to the US Ambassador appropriately reminded Ambassador Hardt that efforts to wield an American big-stick today

Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Priya Manickchand toasts America’s independence with US Ambassador D Brent Hardt after her rebuke at the event held on July 2

will not succeed in intimidating a proud nation.

Mr Hardt has gone out of his way to be critical of the Guyana Government and has openly taken sides with the Opposition since his arrival in Guyana. He has been anything but diplomatic on many occasions and his recent blunt attack on the President of Guyana crossed the line from careless undiplomatic behaviour to reckless abuse of his diplomatic privileges.

None of the people who booed Ms Manickchand at the US Independence ceremony ever once said anything about the US Ambassador being undiplomatic. Why the double standards? If the US Ambassador felt no constraints in taking sides in our political debates, and if he felt no restraint in being critical of the Guyana Government, why is it that an acting Minister of Foreign Affairs must ignore the insults and the criticism of her President and Government?

The truth is the US Ambassador to Guyana provoked and elicited an appropriate answer from the Guyana Government.

It was neither a rude nor

an undiplomatic response; rather it was a response in kind and a deserving response. If Ambassador Hardt expected that in lecturing Guyana, we will run and hide from the big, bad wolf, Minister Manickchand appropriately corrected his misperception.

She demonstrated that she is one of Guyana’s young leaders and she further demonstrated that she cannot be intimidated. She went into the lion’s den and refused to back away. She exemplified the courage and spirit of Guyanese womanhood and follows in the footsteps of Janet Jagan, Philomena Sahoye, Gail Teixeira, Indra Chandarpal, and others.

Indignities

We must not let the behaviour of the US Ambassador taint our strong and mutually beneficial relations with America. We must further concretize the friendships and cooperation between our countries.

Guyanese have a strong link to America and our continued development as a nation depends much on America’s friendship. We

must not permit the tensions that Ambassador Hardt nurtured during his tenure in Guyana to frame the relationships that exist between our countries.

While much attention was paid to the words of Government, we have chosen to ignore the behaviour of some who attended the event. The Ambassador did nothing to mitigate the inappropriate behaviour of those who booed and tried to stop Minister Manickchand from speaking. Some of the guests pulled plugs to ensure Minister Manickchand’s words would not be heard.

Indeed, the Ambassador took the microphone again to reiterate his criticism of the Guyana Government.

Harsh words are not new to diplomatic events such as these. But such events are dignified occasions, even with harsh words. The behaviour of Ambassador Hardt’s friends made the event undignified and the Ambassador added to the indignities by doing nothing to stop the crude behaviour. In addition, taking the microphone once again contributed even more to the indignities of the night.

We applaud the courage of a young Guyanese woman. It was a timely reminder to Ambassador Hardt and to his friends that Guyana’s “massa days” are over. Like America, we cherish our freedom and stand proud as an independent nation.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times.notebook@gmail. com.

Caricom awardee calls for more female representation in parliament

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T JOHN’S, ANTIGUA: The 2014 Caricom Triennial Award winner, Marion Bethel, is calling for greater representation of women in parliaments across the region.

Bethel said while politics has often been seen as a “boys club”, females often comprise the main driving force behind political parties.

“I am a strong supporter that there should be at least 50 percent representation of women in parliament,” she said.

“That is because women are the backbone of most political parties; women do most of the campaigning; women are the major fundraisers; and, at least in my country, we vote in higher numbers than men.”

The awardee added that, regionally, because women often outnumber males, therefore the parliament should reflect this present ratio.

However, Bethel is of the view that, for this to happen, political parties must commit to having more females in leadership positions.

“Each political party ought to take it upon itself to make a commitment to finding, nurturing and

supporting women candidates to run in every election,” she stated.

“I think that women who do decide to run should be given support financially and in their families.”

Meantime, Bethel is calling for greater cooperation amongst women in the region. She said more would be accomplished if women pushed each other.

“The support that we give each other is critical.

We cannot do our work by bringing our sisters down … At the end of the day we have to recognise each other’s strengths and commit to the advancement of women,” she indicated.

Bethel was speaking at a programme organised by the Directorate of Gender Affairs in honour of her gender-related works last Wednesday.

Last Tuesday, the Bahamian was presented with the Triennial Award for her work in the development of females in her home country.

The Caricom Triennial Award was introduced in 1983 to recognise and honour Caribbean women who have made significant contributions to socioeconomic development at the national, regional and international levels. (Antigua Observer)

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History of CARICOM C

ARICOM Day, celebrated in Guyana on 7 July, commemorates the treaty establishing the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and is observed annually by all CARICOM countries, though not necessarily on the same date of the year.

The establishment of the Caribbean Community and Common Market was the result of a 15-year effort to fulfil the hope of regional integration which was born with the establishment of the British West Indies Federation

and Tobago both attained independence in August that year and with it the power to control their own domestic and external affairs.

In announcing its intention to withdraw from the Federation, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago proposed the creation of a Caribbean Community, consisting not only of the ten members of the Federation, but also of the three Guianas and all the islands of the Caribbean Sea - both independent and non-independent.

To discuss this concept, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago

CARICOM Heads of Government, CARICOM SecretaryGeneral and Heads of Delegation of CARICOM Member States

CARICOM Secretariat in Guyana

in 1958. The West Indies Federation came to an end in 1962 but its end, may be regarded as the real beginning of what is now the Caribbean Community.

With the end of the Federation, political leaders in the Caribbean made more serious efforts to strengthen the ties between the islands and mainland by providing for the continuance and strengthening of the areas of cooperation that existed during the Federation. Further, Jamaica and Trinidad

convened the first Heads of Government Conference in July 1963, and attended by the leaders of Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

At this Conference, the participating leaders of the four Caribbean Countries all spoke clearly of the need for close cooperation with Europe, Africa and Latin America.

In July 1965, talks between the Premiers of Barbados and British Guiana and the Chief Minister of Antigua on

the possible establishment of a Free Trade Area in the Caribbean resulted in the announcement of definite plans to establish such a Free Trade Area. In December that year, Heads of Government of Antigua, Barbados and British Guiana signed an Agreement at Dickenson Bay, Antigua, to set up the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA).

The new CARIFTA agreement came into effect on 1 May 1968, with the participation of Antigua, Barbados,

Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. The original idea to permit all territories in the Region to participate in the Association was achieved later that year with the entry of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts/ Nevis/Anguilla, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent in July and of Jamaica and Montserrat on 1 August 1968. British Honduras (Belize) became a member in May 1971.

At the 7th Heads of Government Conference in October 1972, Caribbean leaders decided to transform CARIFTA into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community of which the Common Market would be an integral part.

At the 8th Heads of Government Conference of CARIFTA held in April 1973 in Georgetown, Guyana, the decision to establish the Caribbean Community was brought into fruition with the consideration of Heads of Government of the

draft legal instruments and with the signing by 11 members of CARIFTA (the exception being Antigua and Montserrat).

The Accord provided for the signature of the Caribbean Community Treaty on 4 July and its coming into effect in August 1973, among the then four independent countries: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

The Georgetown Accord also provided that the other eight territories - Antigua, British Honduras, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, St. Kitts/ Nevis/Anguilla and St. Vincent which signed the Accord would become full members of the Community by 1 May 1974.

The Caribbean Community and Common Market was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was signed by Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad &

Tobago and came into effect on 1 August 1973.

Subsequently, the other eight Caribbean territories joined CARICOM. The Bahamas became the 13th Member State of the Community on 4 July 1983, but not a member of the Common Market.

In July 1991, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos became Associated Members of CARICOM, followed by Anguilla in July 1999. The Cayman Islands became the fourth Associate Member of the regional grouping on 16 May 2002, and Bermuda the fifth Associate Member on 2 July 2003.

Suriname became the 14th Member State of the Caribbean Community on 4 July 1995.

Haiti secured provisional membership on 4 July 1998, and on 3 July 2002 was the first French-speaking Caribbean State to become a full Member of CARICOM.

Heavy army presence in Trinidad’s crime hotspots

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ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: National Security Minister Gary Griffith Monday promised a dramatic increase in soldiers for all hotspot crime areas in TT in a bid to reclaim the country from the hands of criminal elements.

“Every street corner and every area which we consider to be hotspot crime areas will be flooded with Defence Force officers who will be accompanied by their colleagues from the Police Service,” Griffith declared in an interview with TT media on Monday.

There have been calls in many quarters for the Defence Force soldiers to be taken off the streets; calls which were intensified fol-

lowing the shooting death of Regiment Lance Corporal Kayode Thomas in John John, Laventille, on June 29.

But Griffith said the patrols in communities in east Port-of-Spain will continue despite opposition from residents, who have made claims of assaults and other human rights infringements at the hands of soldiers.

Accusing the soldiers of using excessive force, members of the Laventille community and other members of the public had been calling for the police’s involvement in the patrols. Comparing the patrols to those done by private security firms and neighbourhood watch groups, however, Griffith said: “There is nothing illegal in a patrol independent

of police officers.” He said from his personal experience, a strong response from the military in instances of attacks on its members is an international norm.

He said there will be involvement from the police in all future patrols, but he warned this involvement did not mean that soldiers would be standing “shoulder to shoulder” with police during patrols.

He also revealed that Deputy Police Commissioner Glenn Hackett met with Chief of Defence Staff Major General Kendrick Maharaj early Monday to devise methods to facilitate joint patrols of east Port-of-Spain.

Initiative lauded

The minister noted too that since the Defence Force

patrols began in Port-ofSpain, he had received commendations from numerous law-abiding citizens who said the high visibility patrols had returned a “concept of calm” to their communities. Griffith said the only people he felt were being negatively affected by the patrols were criminals whose activities were being dampened. “I have no care for their concerns. They are most irrelevant,” he said.

Contacted Monday, vicepresident of the Police Social and Welfare Association Insp Roger Alexander also underscored the need for police input in patrols. “There are some inconsistencies in the law with soldiers searching properties and vehicles.

This is not a state of emer-

TT’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith

gency,” Alexander said.

Alexander added that there were many soldiers and police who live in east Port-of-Spain and Laventille, and suggested that the patrols were aimed at ensuring the safety of their colleagues and

their families. He said the Defence Force also maintained a small base in Laventille and the increased presence in military personnel in the area could be attributed to soldiers travelling to and from it.

(TT Newsday)

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Simply the Truth

This “consultation” thing

Dealing with reality… ...on population uyana Times (daily edition) ran an interesting feature on the census showing our population’s pretty much plateaued for over three decades.

There’s no question that migration’s a big causative factor, but the article highlighted the unremarked effect of plunging fertility rates.

Back in the 1960s, the fertility rate was 6.1 children per female compared to 2.33 nowadays. Now we can’t blame this only on the old joke that our parents didn’t have TV back then!! If we want to talk about the effect of TV on the libido… the shows streaming into our living room aren’t just “hair raising”… there should be a population explosion now!

Fact of the matter is that couples are having fewer children. This is an effect of a Western “education” stressing the lack of “freedom”, especially on mothers, when they get children. This isn’t the case everywhere or with every group. Muslims, for instance, are having more children than most in whichever milieu they’re found.

And this brings us to the question the article posed: what are we gonna do about our population implosion? And it IS an implosion when you consider we’d have at least double the population if everything was “regulah”. A stagnant population leads to a stagnant economy. Following the just-mentioned example, we should encourage larger families. The days of fears of a “population explosion” were a case of “crying wolf”’ as far as we’re concerned. It should now be the duty of every patriotic Guyanese family to produce at least six children – two for replacing themselves and four for the country!

As for migration, that might slow down but we’re not going to stop that anytime soon. So we suggest, if we can’t beat them – let’s join them. Let’s encourage immigration into Guyana. This Eyewitness can just hear the snickers at that suggestion. “Who’s gonna want to immigrate to Guyana??” Well, the answer is – a whole lotta people. If we offer the right incentives.

And what are those incentives?

Well, for one, our land. As the corollary to the Jagdeo Initiative, we’ve announced millions of acres of land for farming available to Caricom citizens. All we have to do is to make the same offer to farmers from China and certain parts of India like the Punjab.

Pretty soon, we’ll have to worry about being too crowded. But wealthy! …in diplomatic law You’d hope that some of these legal types in politics would still have some pride in their training and not prostitute it away for pelf and power. But don’t hold your breath – based on the stand Khemraj Ramjattan from the AFC and Ralph Ramkarran, Senior Counsel, took on the US Ambassador’s interference in Guyana’s internal politics.

Ramjattan, who’d been kicked out from the PPP for “carrying news” to the US Embassy on PPP’s ExCo deliberations, not surprisingly backed the US Ambassador to the hilt. Even called for the President to apologise!! Ramkarran, who’d confirmed Ramjattan’s transgressions in the PPP’s Ex-Co, but who’s also out, now says there was “precedent” for the US Ambassador to pronounce stridently on our internal politics.

But at least there is one lawyer left standing, Professor Duke Pollard from UG. The gentleman pointed to Oppenheim’s International Law, 9th Edition, at page 1068 where it is stated: “(i) It is universally recognised that envoys (or other diplomatic agents) must not interfere with the internal political life of the state to which they are accredited…

“But they have no right whatever to take part in that political life, to encourage one political party or to threaten another…” …on diplomatic overreach And it concludes, “If he (the ambassador) does so, he abuses his position, and the receiving state will either protest, or, in a more serious case, request his home state to recall him… or, if his interference is very flagrant, dismiss him.”

The legal pair of Ramkarran and Ramjattan should hang their heads in shame.

G

S

omeone needs to point out to our University of Guyana big boys, precisely what the word “consultation” means. Call Dr Joyce Jonas, who had symbolised quality at UG for decades, and she will tell you.

Consultation is NOT making a decision in a locked room and then announcing that decision after the fact to people who are directly affected by that decision. This is the mere passing along of information. Consultation occurs prior to final decisions.

The UG big wigs descended on the Berbice Campus to tell, they say “consult”, Berbicians that there will be a tuition increase from Gy$127,000 to Gy$200,000 per year. It was nice of them to come and tell us, but it is all so condescending as usual. To their credit, they sought to justify this increase. To their discredit, it was all very shallow and unconvincing.

These are the justifications for the increase: 1. “If students want to demand a higher quality of service and education from the University, then the only option is to raise the fees.”

In terms of student demands, this has been very muted at UGBC. Every now and then, an individual student would be courageous enough to kick up a stink at the recent precipitous decline in quality at UGBC in all ways.

They pay a steep price for speaking out. At any rate, we all know that “quality” is never associated with UG. 2. “UG has had a “human face” to its students by not asking for an increase for decades.”

First, this is untrue, but the untruth may be a consequence of ignorance. In fact, UG has insisted on this increase several times at the University Council. From 2008, this demand was made several times. To the credit of former Council members, especially those

Professor Daizal Samad

that were pro-government, they refused to permit any increase. I agreed with this NO INCREASE position at the Council.

Secondly, UG has never had a “human face” to students or anyone else in Guyana, especially not to taxpayers. As Director of UGBC, I met more parents in one day than the Senior Administrator at Turkeyen had met in five years!

UGBC had a “human face”. Not UG. 3. Implicitly, UG will increase tuition because they “allowing you, the students, to pay your tuition fee two weeks before exams….and to let you go and write exams and pay for the other exam after you have written it.”

To say this, would suggest this is the rule rather than the exception. It has been my experience that a massive percentage of students pay their tuition on time.

If they don’t, there is a monetary penalty! At any rate, this does not justify a tuition increase. At best, it would justify an increase in the penalty for late payment of tuition.

4. “Government subvention is not sufficient, so there must be an increase in tuition.”

UG has not functioned well for

decades, and one wonders why the taxpayer should throw more money at a failed enterprise. My position has been that we could hold the same subvention and the same tuition at UGBC for the next five years and still continue the developments and improvements that Berbice saw from 2008-2012.

UGBC, like Turkeyen, was in serious deficit from 200?-2008.

I was placed in charge of UGBC in late 2008. From 2009 onward, we actually had a surplus!! A surplus, even though we created new computer centres, put up a new building; gave our lecturers airconditioned offices and high-speed connectivity; a 400 per cent increase in enrolment; better qualified lecturers and a much better library.

If the place is run efficiently, there would be no need for increases in tuition fees or subventions for five years. Oh, can someone tell us why the private sector treats the place like a colony of intellectual lepers and money-grabbers? And why have we not engaged the diaspora the way we at UGBC did from 2008-2012?

The people there who were not convinced are right. The case for an increase in tuition fees has not been made to convince the people who are going to pay that increase, or the people who pay taxes to have the place keep its doors open. They pay for the place to keep the doors open, but the doors are closed to them. It is as if the government gets money by magic!

MY POSITION IS THAT UG -and especially UGBC- DOES NOT NEED TO RAISE TUITION FEES!!!!

But the current ViceChancellor is right about one thing: we should not “focus on what we earn…raise the bar”.

Easy to say – however, preaching is easy when you getting the bucks!

Bright side to the Census

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atiricus was amazed. Amazed at all the handwringing about the just released census.

It had started with the morning briefing of the reporters at his newspaper. The editors kept on and on about how the population wasn’t growing. And that it was even shrinking. Satiricus just didn’t get with all the doom and gloom, though.

Satiricus liked to keep things simple. Well, maybe HE was simple, he realised, but that was neither here nor there, he concluded. “I came from a big family, no?

Ten brothers and sisters,” he blurted out to the fellas at the drinking place. They all nodded. “Well, as soon as the older brothers and sisters started to marry out, man…it was like heaven!! I got me own room…More food…better clothes. I didn’t complain!”

“Well, I never think about it like that!” confessed Hari. “Imagine if people didn’t leave! Man, we woulda been packed like sardines like in Bangladesh.”

“But what me na understaan,” said Cappo, “how come we gat the same number a people fram 30 year ago, but we building six thousand house every year??”

“Cappo right,” said Suresh, nodding. “Is who living in all dem new houses??”

“And some people still na gat house,” concluded Cappo.

“Budday, Sato gave the answer,” interjected

Teacher Samad.

“I did?” Replied Satiricus, with his usual confused look on his face.

“Yep!” said Teacher Samad laconically. “Smaller families have less people, but each family still want their own house.”

“Well that make sense,” said Suresh. “But here is another benefit because people leaving and keeping the population small.”

“All right, we know you’re going to tell us…so go ahead,” sighed Teacher Samad resignedly.

“OK. Is not everybody leaving, right!” begun Suresh, and continued without pause. “How many politicians you know gone foreign.”

“Not many,” admitted Kuldeep, who’d been listening quietly to the gaff. He’d just returned from the gold bush.

“So the politicians are like Sato’s big family – still living in one old house!! It’s been survival of the fittest!!” said Suresh, leaning over the table. “The most vicious, nasty and meanest politicians survived.”

“Suresh, I think you got something there!!” said Hari, smiling. “You just explained the Jhaat and Naga Man!!!

“Lie abee drink to dat!!” Said Cappo. “De census na suh baad!”

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

This week's Crossword

J k es

Some random puns

A lady wrote to an advice column in a newspaper: “I have been engaged to a man for some time, but just before the wedding, I find he has a wooden leg. Do you think I should break it off?�

Doctors tell us there are over seven million people who are overweight. These, of course, are only round figures.

There were two ships. One had red paint, one had blue paint. They collided. At last report, the survivors were marooned.

How does an attorney sleep? First he lies on one side, then he lies on the other.

I used to work in a blanket factory, but it folded.

I used to sell computer parts, but then I lost my drive.

Great writer

There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer.

When asked to define "great" he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!"

He now works for Microsoft, writing error messages.

7-UP

This week's Puzzle

I was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital after my wife had gone into labour and the nurse walked out and said to the man sitting next to me, "Congratulations sir, you're the new father of twins!"

The man replied, "How about that, I work for the Double mint Chewing Gum Company." The man then followed the woman to his wife's room.

About an hour later, the same nurse entered the waiting room and announced that Mr. Smith's wife has just had triplets.

Mr. Smith stood up and said, "Well, how do ya like that, I work for the 3M Company."

The gentleman that was sitting next to me then got up and started to leave. When I asked him why he was leaving, he remarked, "I think I need a breath of fresh air."

The man continued, "I work for 7-UP."

Rejected Hallmark cards

see solution on page 46

"Looking back over the years that we've been together, I can't help but wonder...

-- What was I thinking?" *** "Congratulations on your wedding day!

-- Too bad no one likes your wife." *** "How could two people as beautiful you...?

-- have such an ugly baby?" *** "I've always wanted to have someone to hold, someone to love...

-- After having met you, I've changed my mind." *** "As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am...

-- that you're not here to ruin it for me." *** "As you grow older, Mum, I think of all the gifts you've given me...

-- Like the need for therapy." *** "Someday I hope to get married...

-- but not to you." *** "We have been friends for a very long time...

-- What do you say we call it quits?" *** "Congratulations on your new bundle of joy...

-- Did you ever find out who the father was?" *** "You are such a good friend that if we were on a sinking ship and there was only one life jacket...

-- I'd miss you heaps and think of you often."

news

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Trinidad-born musician makes international splash with ‘Celebrate!’

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ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: The ten-minute-long video starts with a montage of equally depressing situations: a man contemplating suicide, a mugging, vagrants begging, a shot of an ominously headlined newspaper. Shady figures meet in secret to plan on how to plunge an already dark world into further darkness. Enter Richie Luna.

Richie Luna is another way for Trinidad-born performer Richie Sabga, to bring light back into the world. A musician and entrepreneur, Sabga started his road-lights company Luna Road in 2008, and his musical career in 2010 as popstar-cum-superhero Richie Luna.

“The overall idea of the character Richie Luna has been in development for roughly three or four years.

The original idea started off as a movie script, however, given my innate love and passion for music, I decided to tell the story of Richie Luna through writing songs and equivalent music videos. Each song and video representing a unique chapter of his story,” said Sabga via e-mail. The character himself is a superhero with the power to generate moonlight energy, using it to bring light and love to a depressed world.

Sabga’s first song, co-written by Sabga and Kevon and Kory Hart, ‘Lighting the Way’, won the monthly songwriting award for March 2012 from Songwriters Universe Magazine.

It was later picked up by producer DJ Ammo, and re-recorded by Machel Montano and popstar Pitbull in 2013.

On the tails of that success came ‘Celebrate (The Call to Light)’. The ambitious video for the dance-pop tune was finally released on Yahoo Music

B

Trinidad-born performer Richie Sabga (TT Guardian photo)

and Vevo on June 26 after a full year of online hype. The 42-second-long teaser on popular video site, YouTube, has managed to rack up more than five million views since it was released in May 2013.

“Having the music video for ‘Celebrate!’ premiere to the world on the front page headlines of Yahoo Music was definitely an amazing moment in my career,” said Sabga.

The video was produced by Alan Ferreira and Nigel Celestine with cinematography by Ronald Lee. Viewers may recognise parts of Port-of-Spain as well as masman Peter Minshall who plays one of the mid-level villains.

The video also features the Elle NYTT dance group, though most of dancing in the video was not choreographed.

For Sabga, ‘Celebrate!’ is just the beginning. (TT Guardian)

RIDGETOWN, BARBADOS: The Hilary Beckles play ‘No Country for a White Hero’ featuring the politics of Athol Edwin Seymour T.T. Lewis, comes at a time when Barbados is celebrating the 375th anniversary of parliamentary rule, much of which was under the domination of the planter-merchant elite.

The play captures a very critical period of the parliamentary history, the period 1942 to 1956, when power was wrested from the elite and middle class leaders sought to cement themselves within the existing parliamentary framework, ostensibly for the benefit of the masses.

It introduces the nation to a white social reformer, A.S. T.T Lewis, who played a significant role in shaping the direction of the country. It is a much needed introduction because many Barbadians might have heard or seen the biography of Lewis, written by his great nephew, Gary Lewis and

A scene from the play ‘No Country for a White Hero’

published by the UWI Press in 1999.

The play highlights the contribution of T.T Lewis in the campaign for franchise reform in a period when only 3,500 people voted in a population of 200,000 persons. Lewis also takes a stand for government-sponsored education for everyone in the society in an age when poverty prevent-

ed many bright, black children from acquiring a secondary education.

He calls for the subdivision of bankrupt plantations as a means of ending the near chronic landlessness in the country. With this political stance, he is at the heart of the social revolution, along with Grantley Adams and Wynter Crawford.

(Barbados Today)

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Jamaican teen elated after meeting U.S. First Lady

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA: Recently, a young man by the name of Shavonne Campbell got the chance to do what some kids only dream of— meet the First Lady of the United States.

Shavonne, is a Jamaicanborn teen who has been living in the United States for the past 14 months, and he took the time out to share a few details of his memorable experience. It was berth from something as simple as a game.

"The First Lady heard about the game and was really excited to see what it was about.

She requested that I come to Washington DC with others, and the experience was absolutely amazing," he expressed. The event they were invited to was the National Summer Learning Day Fair held on June 20th.

The game, entitled ‘Life as a first in the field’, is about Jackie Robinson, the first AfricanAmerican to play on a major league baseball team. The game is location-based--in order to complete the game, one must be at the location given on the map, and as you go, there will be different trivias and other interactive challenges to keep you engaged.

Campbell, who now lives in Brooklyn, said the game he showed the First Lady was a collaborative effort. "We all made it.

Seven other kids, we made the game together", Campbell said.

"One person came up with the idea of Jackie Robinson because

No confidence in the no-confidence

T

Members of the group Global Kids, share a moment with the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. Left is Jamaicanborn teen Shavonne Campbell (Jamaica Observer photo)

she actually lived in the building near Ebbets Field, where he used to play."

Global Kids is a programme that targets middle- and highschool students in New York and Washington, DC and gives them the opportunity to travel abroad and learn digital skills.

First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, encouraged the student leaders to continue their learning year-round. "Summer can't just be a vacation. It's really a time to try to get ahead", she said.

Instead of a vacation, some students, like Campbell, will have an even better trip to brag about when school's back in session.

Shavonne shared: "If you think you love coding then you should go for it with all that you have and never allow anyone to tell you that you can't. Never be scared to ask for suggestions and collaborate with others, we all have different skills and abilities so friends might have an idea that will help to make yours even better." (Jamaica Observer)

hese days every body confident bout some ting.

De World Cup football ain’t done yet and half de country confident bout who gon win. And dem fellas wearin BLUE CAPS was confident that no body woulda know that de US givin dem money.

Then de US Ambassador was confident that he coulda tell Guyana any ting. Well, he ain’t got no confidence in that kinda tinkin any more, especially after a woman had all de confidence to pull he up in he own front yard.

De KFC on de other hand had a plan, and dem was confident bout de plan. Rum Jhaat, Nagga Man and Nogel Hugly was confident bout de plan, so dem talk bout it in de media even before dem tell dem own party. That is when de party lose confidence in dem.

Rum Jhaat and de rest of dem was very confident to talk bout no-confidence. Dem was so confident that dem tell FLAPNU right away after dem talk to de media.

When Green Jah hear bout no-confidence motion, he and de whole FLAPNU get confidence right away.

In fact, Green Jah more confident in de noconfidence motion than de confidence whah he got in de party own Congress comin up. But by de time Rum Jhaat talk to Green Jah, Rum Jhaat he self had lose confidence in de no-confidence motion, so he had no confidence to show de no-confidence motion to Green Jah. That is when Green Jah start to lose confidence in Rum Jhaat. So both of dem end up wid no motion and no confidence in de no-confidence motion whah dem was all confident bout in de first place. Now Green Jah is confident that it was Rum Jhaat fault, and Rum Jhaat ain’t confident enuff to seh it was Nogel fault.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! Dem finally get confidence to tell a man in Essequibo to tek off he clothes. But when every body see de man wid out clothes, dem under

news

39 Historic cancer surgery performed in Jamaica K

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

INGSTON, JAMAICA: When cancer spreads to the lining of the abdomen, the disease is considered to be in its fourth stage. In fact, if a group of patients with stage-four cancer is left alone, as is, allowing the disease to progress, most will perhaps not be around in another six months.

This is according to general surgeon Dr Cherian Cherian, a member of a team of Jamaican doctors at the Kingston Public Hospital, who, just over two weeks ago, with the assistance of general surgeon and surgical oncologist Dr Wesley Francis

from The Bahamas, performed the first ever Sugarbaker procedure on the island. According to Dr Cherian, outside of The Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, no other Caribbean country has done the procedure.

It was performed on a stage-four cancer patient who is in his 60s.

Dr Cherian, admitting that the patient is not yet out of the woods, but said that he is doing well and that they are taking it one step at a time.

“The prognosis for a patient with stage-four cancer is never good,” Dr Cherian said. “But with the Sugarbaker procedure, his chances have

increased tremendously.”

The general surgeon explained that the Sugarbaker procedure targets malignancy from the abdominal cavity that has spread to the lining of the abdomen.

Risks

“We remove the peritoneal surface, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity; we remove any deposits that may be on organs, including the spleen,” Dr Cherian asserted.

Formally called cytoreductive surgery, which is followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, the Sugarbaker procedure also removes “any obvi-

Dr Cherian Cherian (left), general surgeon; Dr Jason Copeland (centre), resident in general surgery; and general surgeon and surgical oncologist Dr Wesley Francis during the first ever Sugarbaker procedure at the Kingston Public Hospital last month

General surgeons (from left) Dr Cherian Cherian and Dr Turkessa Cherrie, anaesthesiologist Suzanne McDonald, and Dr Wesley Francis, general surgeon and surgical oncologist, pose for a photograph after the surgical procedure at the Kingston Public Hospital on Friday, June 20 (Jamaica Observer photos)

ous disease anywhere else”.

The general surgeon said that the procedure is a technical one that carries a morbidity rate of up to 25 percent and a mortality rate close to 20 percent. Therefore, patient selection and cancer origin are factors that must be carefully considered before such a procedure.

Dr Cherian stressed that the patient must be otherwise well, to be

considered for the procedure.

Dr Cherian also insisted that “a patient who understands the risks as well as is willing to accept them in the hope that the procedure will improve survival”, is also crucial to such a procedure.

He is hoping that after successfully perfoming the surgery locally, it will mean that the floodgates will open, certainly as it relates to medical

staff as they now know that the possibility exists. The doctor was unable to provide a cost for the procedure because, having been performed at a public hospital, it was not billed, but he insisted that “we know now there is an option”.

Previous attempts were made to have the surgical procedure done locally but for a variety of reasons, Dr Cherian said it never happened.

(Jamaica Observer)

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Travel & tourism

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

View of the Mashabo village from the lake

T

he Mashabo Amerindian community, located several miles aback Huist T’Dieren village on the Essequibo Coast, is a small village rich in agriculture.

Villagers clear once forested land to plant the area with bitter cassava. The village has become self-sufficient in the production of cassava bread and cassareep. The village is also involved in chicken-rearing.

Visitors can get a firsthand experience on how the residents survive on what Mother Nature provides and learn about their rich indigenous traditions.

Notably, the watery trails add to the adventure at Mashabo. It is a refreshing adventure for nature lovers.

(Photos by Marco Basir.

Towering trees in the lake

Home in Mashabo

Panoramic view of the Itiburisi Lake

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42

news

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Antiguan minister apologises to PM Kamla

S

T JOHN’S, A N T I G U A : Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and recently appointed minister, Paul “Chet” Greene, has apologised to Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Trinidad Newsday newspaper said Greene, last month, publicly said he was confident that Jack Warner’s Independent Liberal Party (ILP), “will be the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”

He has now written Persad-Bissessar retracting and apologising for that remark.

According to TT’s Government Whip, Dr Roodal Moonilal, Greene wrote the prime minister expressing “deep apologies” on July 3. The Whip read out the contents of the letter in Parliament last Friday.

The letter reportedly said, “I write to apologise to you and your party for remarks I made at a convention of the Independent Labour Party on June 30, 2014. In retrospect I recognise that the remarks were inappropriate and I withdraw them unreservedly.

The remarks were entirely my own reflective of an ear-

Antigua’s Trade Minister Paul “Chet” Greene (Antigua Observer photo)

lier personal relationship and do not reflect the position of the party or my government.”

Greene went on to tell Persad-Bissessar that newly elected Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, and the ABLP administration, “are committed to working in close friendship with you and your government in the mutual interest of our two countries and Caricom.”

On June 29, at an ILP one-year anniversary function, Greene had said, “I’m confident that in a matter of months the ILP will be the government of Trinidad

and Tobago.”

Greene is a former president of the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association through which he had a relationship with former CONCACAF President Austin “Jack” Warner. Greene is also the current president of the Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association.

After the June 12 election in Antigua and Barbuda, Greene was sworn in as Minister of Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Sports, Culture, National Festivals and Youth Empowerment.

(Antigua Observer)

Jamaican artiste joins in Canadian sports countdown

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA: Next year, Toronto, Canada, will be the host city of the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. It will be the third time Canada has had the honour of hosting the games, doing so previously in 1967 and 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

As a part of the countdown celebrations leading to the big games, there will be a series of crowd-pulling activities and, this Thursday, Jamaican artiste Steele (who now resides in Canada) will be in action at Celebration Square.

The free family day of activities at City Centre Drive in Mississauga will include dance, music, food and sports.

"It's a great honour to represent in the countdown activities.

I am looking forward to showing sports enthusiasts a great time.

What better marriage than sports and entertainment?" Steele asked rhetorically.

Steele, who is from Hanover, is an accomplished musician,

Steele (Jamaica Gleaner photo)

songwriter and producer who has earned a strong reputation as a perfectionist with his professional approach to music.

The Pan American Games are the world's third-largest international multi-sport games, surpassed in size and scope only by the Olympic Summer Games and the Asian Games.

The first Pan

American Games were held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951 and the inaugural Parapan American Games were held in Mexico City in 1999. Both the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games are held every four years for the athletes of 41 nations, in the year preceding the Olympic and Paralympic summer games. (Jamaica Gleaner)

feature The Jenman Education Centre

I

n honour of British Botanist George Samuel Jenman’s work to the Botanical Gardens, the Jenman Education Centre was officially launched in 2004 to raise environmental awareness, conduct environmental research and promote environmental activities.

George Samuel Jenman was born in 1945 in South of England, but was taken as a child by his parents to the south of Ireland where he spent his boyhood. He started life as a young gardener and obtained employment at the Royal Botanic Gardens in 1871.

On 6 September 1873 he left that establishment to take charge of the Cinchona plantations in the Castleton Garden as the Superintendent in Jamaica, where he remained until he was appointed Government Botanist and Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens of British Guiana on 21 August 1879.

Jenman reorganised the Royal Botanic Gardens, bringing into high cultivation what

A picture of George Samuel Jenman displayed in the centre

and Trinidad, an enumeration with description of the ferns of the British West Indies and Guiana.

The Jenman Educational Centre is a historical building. It was the home of George Jenman and was erected not too long after the start of the development of the Botanical Gardens.

Additionally, it served as the meeting place for the Garden’s Board of Directors and also was a small warden quarters for Jenman, who was brought to layout the Botanical Gardens, and spent 34 years doing so. The building was also used as an administrative

there in memorial to Sir John Henzon, Director of Science and Agriculture, 1905 to 1926. There are plaques on the wall, which were erected in honour of George Samuel Jenman and Professor Sir John Burchmore Harrison.

One reads, “To the Memory of George Samuel Jenman, fellow of the Linnean Society, Government Botanist and Superintendent of these gardens from 1879 to 1902 to whose knowledge, skill and work the colony is indebted for the laying out of the gardens and the formation of the herbarium.”

The second plaque states, “To the memory of Professor Sir John Burchmore Harrison, Director of Science and Agriculture, Government Analyst and Geologist who died on the 8th February 1926. This tablet is erected by the officers of the department of science and agriculture as a token of appreciation of his sterling ability and long and faithful service of 36 years to the colony of British Guiana.”

The mounting of three significant paint-

Kanuku Mountains painting

was previously waste land, and making them one of the finest and most valuable botanic gardens in that part of the world. Jenman’s efforts to develop botanical research in British Guiana over a period of 23 years were selfless and untiring. He died at the pinnacle of his career on 28 February 1902 at the age of 57. His last report was dated 27 January 1902, which meant that he was working until the time of his death.

His botanical collection of over 8,000 specimens stands out even today as one of the most important colonial collections. In addition to numerous descriptions of new species published in various journals, in 1881 he published a hand-list of Jamaica’s ferns, and in 1898 in the bulletin of the Royal Botanic Gardens

office for the Botanical Gardens for a number of years and then later converted to an education centre, which speaks specifically to environmental education.

Also called the ‘Curator’s Lodge’, the centre was designed by Mr Brummell, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Botanic Gardens, and was erected in 1881.

At first it served as a gatekeeper’s lodge and had a board room for the meetings of the Directors.

It has a black and gold clock on the outside of the building, which was built as a memorial to George Samuel Jenman. It is still working and is serviced annually.

At a later date, a western wing was added to accommodate the gatekeeper. There is also a brass tablet on the building that was placed

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Jenman Education Centre located in the Botanical Gardens

ings of indigenous treasures to Guyana - the Kaieteur Falls, the Harpy Eagle and the Kanuku Mountains- were some additions made in the

centre. It also carries a reading room for research and reading, which is usually visited by students.

For the more than 10,000 visitors who visit

the Gardens per month, the objective of the centre is to serve to expose them to conservation areas and to exhibit Guyana’s flora and fauna.

44

feature

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Petamber Persaud Part One

‘Racing With The Rain’ by Ken Puddicombe, MiddleRoad Publishers, 2012. Reviewed by Frank Birbalsingh.

P

rofessor Emeritus Birbalsingh is an anthologist and the author of many scholarly publications including From Pillar to Post: The Indo Caribbean Diaspora, Passion and Exile: Essays in Caribbean Literature, The Rise of West Indian Cricket: From Colony to Nation, and two anthologies of Indo-Caribbean writing Jahaji and Jahaji Bhai. His latest book on cricket, Indian-Caribbean Test Cricketers and the Quest for Identity is now available. Birbalsingh is an acknowledged book reviewer.

Racing With The Rain is the first novel of Guyanese-born Ken Puddicombe who, since 1971, has lived in Canada where he works as an accountant. The novel offers a fictional version of political events during a turbulent period, from the 1960s to the 1980s, in the history of Guyana,

'Racing With The Rain'

by Ken Puddicombe

formerly British Guiana.

The novel is a roman a clef, one in which people and events may be identified through fictional names assigned to particular organisations, individuals or places, for example, “Liberty Home” for actual Freedom House, “Arawak Hotel” for Carib Hotel, “Kingsley” for Sydney King, and “Jack Hill” for Jack Kelshall.

The narrator, Carl

Dias, is a Guyanese who lived through events in the novel before coming to Canada, and settling in Toronto where we first see him, in 1980, sixteen years after he left Guyana. He is Senior Economist at the Canadian Business Bank, and is separated from his Russian/Cuban partner Natasha and their two children - Alexei and Irina, who play no active

part in the novel. Carl receives news of the death of his father Augusto in Guyana, and his narrative consists of an account of his visit to Guyana to attend the funeral, except that chapters describing his visit are interspersed between reflections on his family or friends, and documentation of Guyana’s political history between the 1960s and 1980s.

The narrator’s surname betrays his origin in a Portuguese community, a Guyanese minority group who were brought to Guyana as indentured workers, from Madeira, during the midnineteenth century. The group has evidently done well since Carl’s father enjoys the status of a successful Georgetown business man, influential among the Conservatives (an actual political party United Force - whose leaders are chiefly Portuguese or rich Indian-Guyanese) all vigorous supporters of free enterprise, and sworn enemies of the Reform Party (actual People’s Progressive Party that is supported mainly by IndianGuyanese) and regarded as Marxist/Leninist or Communist. A third par-

ty, the Republican Party (actual People’s National Congress whose membership is largely AfricanGuyanese and ostensibly Marxist,) forms a strategic coalition with the Conservatives despite deep ideological differences, mainly because coalition brings blessings of the Kennedy administration in the US, and practical help from the C.I.A. and American Labour Unions who share a common anti-communist aim of depriving the Reform Party of power gained (by democratic means) from an electorate that is largely Indian-Guyanese.

The two strands of the novel’s plot consisting of action from the period of Carl’s visit in 1980 and from the tumultuous period of the 1960s with strikes, riots and other ructions, allow the reader to see both the collusion necessary to replace the Reform Party regime with one that is Republican, and the consequences of Republican rule, by 1980, when it had produced widespread food shortages, disorder, increased crime, corruption, repression and dictatorship that left Georgetown, once known

as “the Garden City of the Caribbean” in mere shambles: “Signs of decay everywhere. Trenches were filled with stagnant water and garbage and tall reeds lined the banks.

Buildings were weather- beaten. Streets were perforated with potholes and sidewalks rutted and cracked.” (p.310) Ken Puddicombe is a professional accountant who provided controllership for a number of companies in the private sector before he retired to pursue his love of writing.

His writing has appeared in newspapers and literary journals in Canada and the UK. Originally from British Guiana, he migrated to Canada in 1970 and still lives there with his family. Racing With The Rain is his first novel. He is working on a second novel Junta and a collection of short stories entitled Down Independence Boulevard for early release. His genre is fiction, based on international locations but especially focused in Canada, the Caribbean and Guyana.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

news

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Recruitment, training of Guyana’s Marriott staff starts soon

De Hope Canal project run outta hope

D

e Hope Canal project just getta next deadline.

That is deadline after deadline after de first deadline a long time ago. This project simply look like it line up fuh dead, so deadline getta new meanin now. But no body sure if de Hope Canal project should get another deadline or if dem should just consider it dead.

Even from de beginnin, dem had deadline after deadline fuh de whole project start in de first place.

Now whah ever dem doin all de time can’t done yet.

Dem gettin just like Rum Jhaat and Nagga Man who ain’t even start de no-confidence motion yet, much less done it.

De Hope Canal project turn like a overdue baby whah ain’t wanna come out he mother womb. Maybe this project shoulda begin wid “once upon a time”. But it gon never end wid “happily ever after” because it gon never end.

De Hope Canal project hopeless right now and de Guvament only hopin fuh de best. And de Minister hopin too, but he got some hopeless people wukkin pun this project. Whether dem wukkin or dem down tools is de same ting. All de hope gone down right in de Canal.

Well, every body got to be careful nowadays when dem usin de word “down”. One man drop down he pants in Essequibo and every ting had look down. In fact, when he look down, he couldn’t even see down nor see any ting down dey.

So when de Police tek he down to station, he had wanna bend down and lie down instead of sit down.

But he realise that dem Police in Essequibo don’t get so low down unless dem wukkin down in GT by de market or down in Timehri.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But right now it look like all dem Police who misbehave gon go down!

T

raining and recruitment of staff for the Marriott International Hotel in Guyana will commence soon, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh has said.

He stated too that the government remains committed to hiring as many Guyanese as possible.

This announcement by the minister comes on the heels of questions by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairman Basil Williams as to whence the workforce, for the five star hotel will be sourced. The Finance Minister, during a recent press conference, maintained that the hotel, which is set to open its doors soon, will be directly responsible for providing jobs for hundreds of Guyanese and indirectly, for many more people.

“They will recruit persons with some amount of experience and expertise which they will complement with their own personal training in a bid to equip those persons with the necessary skills,” Dr Singh related at the press briefing.

Further, Dr Singh also indicated that the government will be contesting the injunction that was filed in the courts by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Desmond Trotman, which seeks to stop the government from funding the construction of

The Marriott International Hotel in Guyana under construction (Guyana Times file photo)

the hotel that is almost complete.

The minister stressed that “a new hotel being built is good news”; hence, there is no reason why Trotman would take the injunction to the court at such an advanced stage of construction.

“Marriott is a vote of confidence in our economy,” said Dr Singh.

On May 28, a long-serving executive of Marriott International, Roberto Grisi was appointed General Manager of the local Marriott Hotel. Grisi assumed his new post from June 1. He was General Manager of The RitzCarlton, Aruba over which he has presided since its opening in 2013.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is an independently operated division of Marriott International.

Atlantic Holdings Inc (AHI) and Republic Bank Limited had recently announced the completion of the financial arrangements

by Republic Bank for a syndicated borrowing of US$27 million in debt financing for AHI. The two entities in a release said the money will be spent on the construction of the Marriottoperated hotel and the shell of an Entertainment Complex. Republic Bank, on behalf of its consortium of lenders, has received approval and the transaction is expected to be concluded shortly.

46

history

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Historic Cummingsburg

Previously the Public Free Library built in 1909. Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish born American industrialist and philanthropist, provided financing for the construction and furnishing of the building. The building once housed the Economic Science, Anthropological and Historical sections of the Museum.

In 1951, the Museum was relocated to its present site and the Library took over the entire building Cara Lodge, now a hotel, was known as Woodbine House. This was once the home of George Anderson Forshaw.

The yard contains a Sapodilla tree that was planted by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, on a visit to the colony

D

uring 1759, Jaques Salignac applied for a grant of 500 acres of land for cotton and coffee cultivation. He was granted permission by the Court of Policy. Salignac named this tract of land La Bourgade. In 1807 Thomas Cumming, a Scotsman, became the owner of the estate and renamed Plantation La Bourgade Cummingsburg, after his family, it was a town two miles in circumference and most regularly arranged.

A special feature of Cummingsburg was the provision of fresh water reservoirs. These were filled with small fish and were later planted with Victoria Amazonica and Lotus lilies by Luke M Hill. The reservoir in

Main Street was filled up and converted into a walkway in 1897. It was named the Queen Victoria Promenade by the Mayor and Town Council in honour of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee (this area is now

known as Main Street Avenue). In later years other reservoirs were converted into similar walkways.

In 1864 the western part of Cummingsburg was destroyed by fire.

The creation of new

Prime Minister’s residence is an example of the mid- nineteenth century wooden architecture, with its Italianate influence; characterized by the square cupola at the top and the portico below

ly Murray Street named in honour of Major General John Murray) was renamed in honour

Backdam) of Plantation La Bourgade. Middle Street also derives its name because of be-

streets and redistribution of house lots were several of the plans undertaken to reorganize the destroyed area.

An examination of the nomenclature of this ward of the city reflects rich examples of Guyana's history. Some Streets such as Waterloo Street; named after Admiral Wellington's great battle and Victory at Waterloo against the French forces on The Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology building, which 18 June 1815 and was once the residence of Duncan Hutson, an eminent Carmichael Street; Barrister and legislator, now houses an interesting named in honour of collection of artefacts and relics of Amerindian culture, and General Hugh Lyle was named after an Englishman, who laid the foundation of our research into Amerindian Life and folklore Carmichael who served as Governor of one of Guyana's na- ing the middle dam of 1812-1813 are indicative Plantation La Bourgade. tional heroes. of our colonial heritage.

Other streets derived Lamaha Street was so Quamina Street (formertheir names simply from named because of its geographic locations northerly direction with to buildings or places. main drainage trench Thomas Street derived of the district; New its name from its loca- Market Street because tion as the main road to it led to the new marPlantation Thomas. East ket, and Church Street Street because of its east- as it was the primary erly location in this ward. route used by citizens Cummings Street was for- for access to St. Georges merly known as the back Church. (National Trust dam (Cummingsburg of Guyana website)

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Georgetown Harbour looking north (n.d.)

news

47

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Jamaica moves to ensure citizens’ qualifications recognised internationally - in response to Canada’s latest policy change

M

O N T E G O B A Y , JAMAICA: The Jamaican government is moving to establish a mutual accreditation policy, which gives recognition to qualifications obtained in Jamaica, when the holders move away to other countries for work or to live permanently.

State minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Arnaldo Brown, said the policy aims to ensure that qualifications gained by

Jamaicans are recognised in other countries, preventing them from having to re-qualify for jobs in their new country of residence.

Brown, who was addressing the 2014 graduation class of the Health Education and Counselling Institute (HECOIN), at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Sunday, said the policy comes against the background of a recent position taken by the Canadian government to protect the jobs of its citizens.

"The Canadian government is trying to stimulate employment within their country and have taken the stance that they do not want people with no or low skills to be competing for jobs against Canadians, who are at the same level," he said.

He argued that the only way for Jamaicans to overcome this hurdle is to become educated, trained and certified, as the stance taken by the Canadian government could soon be adopted in other countries.

Jamaica’s State minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arnaldo Brown (Jamaica Gleaner file photo)

He noted, however, that the qualifications of Jamaicans are sometimes not recog-

nised overseas and with the mutual accreditation policy in place, these issues will be addressed.

Brown, meanwhile, has encouraged Jamaicans not to leave a stable living and working environment and head overseas, only to be confronted with challenges, which include sub-standard living and working conditions. He, however, urged persons with those intentions to ensure that the necessary checks and balances are done before they make their move.

He implored Jamaicans to make sure that adequate preparations are made for the care and protection of the children they leave back home.

More than 500 students graduated in the HECOIN batch of 2014 after being trained in the fields of occupation skills, phlebotomy, health care assistant and health care specialist. A number of the graduates will be heading off to Canada where they will be employed.

(Jamaica Observer)

Caricom Commission to review marijuana decriminalisation

S

T . J O H N ’ S , A N T I G U A : C a r i b b e a n Community (Caricom) leaders have agreed to the establishment of a Commission to further the debate on the decriminalisation of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque told reporters that while the composition of the Commission is yet to be determined, it will most likely be made up of experts “in their field”.

“The objective of such a Commission on marijuana is to conduct an

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque

inquiry into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean,” LaRocque announced last week at

the end of the Heads of Government meeting in Antigua.

LaRocque told reporters that the Commission would “determine what recommendations they wish to make based on objective analysis and consultation within the community.

“It is not a pre-determined end, it is as I said to conduct a vigorous inquiry into the circumstances of the use and the implications of the use of marijuana in our Community,” he said.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph

Stiffer fines for fishing breaches in Jamaica

K

I N G S T O N , JAMAICA: Higher fines are coming for breaches of the Fisheries Act in Jamaica, Minister with Responsibility for Information Senator Sandrea Falconer, told reporters last Thursday.

Falconer, who was speaking at the Jamaica House press briefing, said Cabinet has given approval of an increase of all monetary penalties and custodial sentences under the Fishing Industry Act, aimed at strengthening enforcement efforts to curtail a number of problems facing the industry.

"The fishing industry continues to be adversely affected by issues such as pollution, overfishing, foreign poaches in Jamaica's maritime water, invasive alien species, and degradation of critical nursery and breeding ground for fish stock," she said. Drafting instructions, Falconer stated, have already been issued to the chief parliamentary counsel.

She stated that current fines for breaches are

Jamaica’s Minister with Responsibility for Information Senator Sandrea Falconer (right) fields questions from journalists during last Thursday’s Jamaica House press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston (Jamaica Observer photo)

low, ranging from Ja$20 to Ja$5,000, with many paying scant regard to the provisions under the Act. The revised Fisheries Bill will provide the framework for the proper regulation of the sector and efficient and effective management of the island's fisheries resources, added the minister.

In the meantime, Minister Falconer indicated that Cabinet has approved an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the Chair

of Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries to create an appropriate management regime for the Pedro Cays.

The study was commissioned to, among other things, determine the carrying capacity, the number of people residing and working on the cays and obtain the relevant socioeconomic data as well as recommend measures to avoid further depletion and degrading of the natural resources and sanitary conditions. (Jamaica Observer)

Gonsalves, who had initiated debate on the marijuana issue a few years ago, had prior to his arrival in Antigua last week, indicated that while he would not prejudge the work of the Commission, it would most likely consider changes to marijuana legislation in countries around the world, including Jamaica, the U.S., Sweden, and Uruguay.

“They will look at any

number of places and they will make their recommendations. I await those recommendations, because I feel even in the absence of those recommendations, it seems to me counterproductive to ignore the potential of an industry in respect of medical marijuana and to continue to expend police, national security, court resources on persons who consume a minuscule amount of

marijuana in the privacy of their homes,” said Gonsalves.

LaRocque told reporters that the leaders, had during the first day of their deliberations “covered the grounds we wanted covered”, and that the draft strategic plan for the Community that seeks to identify the areas the Region would focus on over the next five years had been presented.

48

Bollywood

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Tabu: Vishal Bharadwaj gives me creative freedom

T

abu will be working with Vishal Bhardwaj after a decade in ‘Haider’. After collaborating with director Vishal Bhardwaj in “Maqbool”, Tabu will be seen in his next “Haider”.

She says she was eager to work with him as he gives her creative freedom.

“I was waiting to work with Vishal again.

He gives me the utmost creative freedom when I work,” Tabu said here Tuesday at the trailer launch of the film.

“He just lets you do whatever you want to do.

He just corrects you if he feels it is wrong, but I

enjoy working with him,” she added.

“Haider”, an adaptation of “Hamlet”, is part of Bhardwaj’s Shakespeare trilogy after “Maqbool” (Macbeth) and “Omkara” (Othello”).

Further praising her rapport with Bhardwaj the 42-year-old said, “I

think we work very well together.”

“We both understand each other very well. We have shared history, we have shared one of the most intense times of my life during ‘Maqbool’ and he will always be part of that.

“It was fantastic to work with him,” she added.

Besides acting in “Haider”, Tabu has also sung a song.

Produced by UTV Motion Pictures, the film, scheduled for an Oct 2 release, also stars Shahid Kapoor, Irrfan, Kay Kay Menon and Shraddha Kapoor.

'I am a bad singer, but I sing'- Salman Khan

S

uperstar Salman Khan, who has sung the song ‘Hangover’ for his film ‘Kick’, says he is a bad singer but that doesn't stop him from singing.

"I sing badly, but I can sing just about anytime. I don't care about how I sing...I sing, I don't care," the 47-year-old said Sunday in an interview.

"But to be suddenly put in a spot and being told to sing, then I get hesitant. If I am singing on my own then I am fine," he added.

As much as he is enjoying the curiosity created by ‘Hangover’, Salman is also quite surprised to see the hype around him singing a song for a film.

"I have sang before,

in 'Hello Brother' and 'Wanted' also, the 'Most Wanted' title track was sung by me. I don't understand why is all this happening because I have sung earlier," Salman said.

"So all this hype is making me feel like I am singing for the first time. I have just sung a bit better than those two times," he added. (TOI)

H

umaima Malick -She is all of 25 but already a name to reckon with in Pakistan. Model and actress Humaima Malick is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Emraan Hashmi in ‘Raja Natwarlal’.

The young actress made her film debut with the Pakistani film ‘Bol’ directed by Shoaib Mansoor and now has her eyes set on Bollywood. In an exclusive interview to Bombay Times, the Bol actress confesses that she is the highest paid actress in Pakistan.

Shahrukh Khan -He's the badshah of Bollywood and rightly so. Apart from his long standing career in the Hindi film industry, his personal life, his controversies, there's another reason why SRK stands out from the crowd. The actor has made it to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list and there's no guesses for this one! King Khan dominated the list, capturing the Numero Uno position. As of December 31st, the actor makes 220.5 Crore through films and his many endorsements.

Salman Khan- While SRK has been ranked No.1 on the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, Salman Khan comes in third after cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni who occupies the 2nd position. As of 31st Oct'13, the ‘Dabangg’ actor rakes in an estimated 157.5 Crore through films and endorsements. Salman has actively been working on his charitable foundation ‘Being Human,’ which contributes to the poor and needy.

Amitabh Bachchan- Big B is a force to reckon with! The legendary actor went through a slump when his production company ABCL went bankrupt and the actor had to start from scratch.

‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ came as bless-

Alia Bhatt: If there is anybody that I need to talk to, it’ll be Karan Johar

B

ollywood actress Alia Bhatt, who made it into the industry with filmmaker Karan Johar’s ‘Student of the Year’ and has a Bollywood background, doesn’t consult anyone in her family when it comes to taking decisions about her film career.

The ‘Highway’ actress said instead of consulting things with her director father Mahesh Bhatt, half sister Pooja Bhatt, mother Soni Razdan, also an actress, she discusses things with the person who launched her, Karan Johar.

The actress, who was last seen in ’2 States’ with Arjun Kapoor, said, “I take my own decisions when it comes to choosing films. I go with my instinct and if there is anybody that I need to talk to, it’ll be Karan Johar.”

Meanwhile, actor Varun Dhawan, who also has filmy genes running in him, doesn’t take any advice from his ‘King of Comedy’ dad David Dhawan.

When asked if he takes his dad’s advice, the 27-year-old actor said, “No not really advice.”

The actors, Varun and Alia who stepped into Bollywood together with ‘Student of the Year’, claim to share a love-hate relationship in real life which they have portrayed in their second film together, ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’, which is a modern day tribute to the classic film, ‘Dilwale

Dulhania Le Jaayenge’.

“We’ve known each other from before we started shooting for ‘Student of the Year’. And even after the film, I never lost touch with Varun, we just became better friends and doing this film together was not because we are good friends but because we both really love the story and love the two characters. And the characters are such that they had this love and hate relation.

Me and Varun in general also have this love-hate relationship. So in that sense it was very very easy to hate each other,” said Alia on her relationship with Varun Dhawan in the film and in real life. (Indian Express)

Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif to give European feel to their apartment

R

anbir Kapoor had acquired three storeys in a plush Bandra apartment complex a while ago. He had earlier planned to move into this apartment and had he done so, he would have had cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin in the same complex.

However, there seems to have been a slight change of plan.

Now we hear that Ranbir and Katrina will move into their love nest on Carter Road, close to a building in which Aamir Khan is renting. A source said that the superstar couple will be renting the same flat that was rented out by filmmaker Subhash Ghai a few years ago when his own home in

Mount Mary, Bandra, was undergoing renovation. Ranbir and Kat's love pad is a beautiful address with an enviable view of the sea.

It is currently being done up by Ashiesh Shah but Kat is personally su-

pervising each and every aspect. Pieces of furniture are essentially being picked up from Italy, Bali, Dubai and South Africa. The Bollywood couple is keen to give a modern European feel to their apartment. (TOI)

Sunny Leone attempts a Marilyn Monroe

S ing in disguise and ever since, there's no looking back for the Shahenshah of Bollywood. One of the highest paid actors of Bollywood, Big B is much in demand when it comes to films, event launches and endorsements. According to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, Amitabh Bachchan makes it to the 5th position and as of 31st Oct'13, the actor earns 147.5 Crore. (TOI)

unny Leone's next with Ram Kapoor will target families for a change.

In fact, it could well turn out to be her first film with a U rating. Sunny will play a Bollywood actress in the film and Ram, a boisterous middle-aged Gujarati married man, who fantasises about her.

Director Devang Dholakia revealed, "Sunny will look glamorous as she plays a movie star, but it won't be raunchy. You will see her dressed in casuals

and there is not a single kissing scene between her and Ram. Their characters will share the

Marilyn Monroe-Jack Lemmon kind of chemistry, minus the double entendres." (TOI)

Hollywood

49

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

I connect with my husband well: Zoe Saldana

‘A

vatar’s’ Zoe Saldana claims she and husband Marco Perego have a connection because they are “artists”.

The 35-year-old actress, who has been the subject of speculation that she is pregnant, said she shares a connection with her spouse and understand the ups and downs that come with their respective careers, reported Contactmusic.

“When you are desired and you desire, so

many things in your life start to make sense. “We both feel we are artists in our core. One moment you’re up; the next moment you’re down. It all depends. You can sell a collection; you might not sell the next collection.

It’s like an actor – you get cast or you don’t,” she said.

Saldana can next be seen in ‘Nina’ and was very proud to have been handed the role of legendary singer Nina Simone.

“I handled the role with

K

the same love, the same respect and the same pride that any other black person would, because I am a black woman, a proud Latino black woman, and nobody’s going to take that right from me,” she added.

Mila Kunis had first real kiss ever with Ashton Kutcher

M

ila Kunis has revealed that Ashton Kutcher was her first real kiss ever and even took her to prom.

The 30-year-old actress told W Magazine that the best day of her life was when Kutcher proposed to her, ABC News reported.

The 'Friends with Benefits' star asserted that she went through everything embarrassing that a girl could go

eira Knightley has revealed that she grew up in a family that believed marriage was pointless.

The ‘Begin Again’ actress, who walked down the aisle with The Klaxons keyboardist James Righton in an intimate ceremony in the south of France last year, said she had never dreamed of tying the knot when she was growing up, reported Contactmusic.

Asked whether it was always part of her plan, she replied, “Never! My parents are deeply happy. They got married because it was the only way they could get a mortgage. I grew up with them going, ‘Don’t know why you’d ever get married.’ And then we did. But it’s been fun.”

Knightley, 29, is even hoping that

she can join her husband and his band on their tour bus this summer. “I don’t actually know what festivals he’s doing. I should know that! I might jump on the bus, if they get the bus. I love the tour bus!,” she added.

‘Ryan Gosling magnetic’ - Gillian Anderson

A through in front of her fiancé, and there was no question that Kutcher

had seen the worst and it was comforting for her.

(TOI)

Katherine Heigl regrets doing too many romantic comedies

A

ctress Katherine Heigl admits taking part in so many romantic comedies has derailed her ca-

reer.

The 'State of Affairs' star said she regrets not taking more challenging roles, reported Ace Showbiz.

"I had an amazing time. I love romantic comedies. I was so stoked to be doing them. But maybe I hit it a little too hard. I couldn't say no. There's nothing wrong with them, but maybe I overloaded my audience. I should have done a superhero movie or a psychological thriller," the mother of two said.

"I stopped challenging myself. It became a bit by rote and, as a creative person, that can wear you down. That was part of why I took that time off, to ask myself, 'What do I want? What am I looking for?' and shut down all the noise," she added. (TOI)

Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus remain best friends

‘T

Keira Knightley never wanted to get married

he Hunger Games' star Liam Hemsworth has reportedly told his friends he will always be best friends with ex-fiancée Miley Cyrus.

The 24-year-old actor said he had an 'instantaneous and powerful' connection with Cyrus, 21, reported New York Post.

"Liam kept raving about how amazing she was, how much they clicked and understood everything about each other. He also said they bought a lot of furniture but he had to leave it behind when they broke up and he got his new place, which was furnished," a source said. (TOI)

ctress Gillian Leigh Anderson has confessed her liking for ‘The Notebook’ star Ryan Gosling and says she would love to work with him in a romantic film.

The 45-year-old actress puts Gosling, 33, in the same league with Hollywood hunks like Tom Hardy and Bradley Cooper because she feels he has the same magnetic effect on people, reports contactmusic.com.

When asked who she would want to work with in a romantic movie, she said: "I do have a healthy appreciation for Ryan Gosling. I don't know what it is. I haven't met him, but I read something recently that said that from the moment he walked into a room, nobody

could concentrate on anything else."

"I think some men do have that effect. Bradley Cooper has it, and Tom Hardy, who I think is one of the most extraordinary actors of our time," she added. (TOI)

Cameron Diaz says life is easier without kids

A

ctress Cameron Diaz, who is dating rocker Benji Madden, says life is "easier" without chil-

dren.

Diaz says deciding not to have a family was not "easy" but she was never "drawn" to being a mother, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"It's so much more work to have children. To have lives besides your own that you are responsible for, I didn't take that on. That did make things easier for me. A baby, that's all day, every day for eighteen years. Not having a baby might really make things easier, but that doesn't make it an easy decision," she said.

"I like protecting people, but I was never drawn to being a mother. I have

it much easier than any of them. That's just what it is. Doesn't mean life isn't sometimes hard. (TOI)

T

he ‘Braveheart’ star Mel Gibson says making films independently has become an extremely costly business, therefore, he has decided not to finance his movies anymore.

"It's tricky…Nobody would have financed them, they more or less worked, but I would never have got anyone else to finance them. I'm out of that business of financing my own films because they (studio chiefs) see you coming and take you for a ride. I'm not a fool," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Gibson as saying.

The 58-year-old actor-director invested his hard earned money into his

controversial films like ‘The Passion of the Christ’ and ‘Apocalypto’, but getting those projects onto the big screen turned out to be a challenge for him.

(TOI)

50 Sport Yaw, Sampson strike bronze at CAC final Limacol CPL tickets -George succumbs to altitude gaining momentum R W WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Limacol CPL 2014…

ising star Jason Yaw added another accolade to his name by claiming a bronze medal at the recently concluded Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships in Mexico at the weekend.

Yaw made amends for missing the podium earlier this year at the Carifta Games with a 47.71s run to claim podium position in the under-17 400 metres but failed to advance to the final of the boy’s 200 metres after clocking 22.16s.

Jevina Sampson captured her first international medal by clocking 57.22s to win bronze in the girl’s under17 400 metres at the championships but also failed to reach the final of the 200 metres with her time of 25.67s.

Meanwhile, three times Carifta Games 1500 metres gold medalist Cassey George had her worst performance internationally as she could not acclimatise to the conditions to pro-

By Avenash Ramzan

Jason Yaw

duce the excellence she is known for.

Mexico, which is 2200 metres above sea level, was too much for the promising athlete as she had to take oxygen after her 1500 metres in which she finished in 5:18.44s- a very slow time when compared to

her Carifta times that are usually well under the five minute mark.

George was sixth in the 1500 metres.

She also had difficulty breathing in the female 3000 metres and finished fifth in 11:23.76s. (Treiston Joseph)

ith exactly a week to go before the first Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) game in Guyana, ticket sales for the local leg is gaining momentum, according to Ticketing Officer, Natasha Khan.

In giving an update on ticket sales from the Limacol CPL OPCO office on Middle Street on Wednesday, Khan highlighted that there has been a steady flow of persons to purchase tickets for the three games in Guyana.

The swiftness of ticketing personnel in dealing with patrons has eliminated long queues outside the Middle Street location, something Khan said the Limacol CPL team is looking to avoid as she urged Guyanese to get hold of their tickets early.

The Middle Street office is opened from 08:00h to 18:00 daily, including Sundays and holidays, and according to

Ready! This beaming fan is all prepared for the Biggest Party in Sport after purchasing his tickets from the Middle Street office on Wednesday

Khan, each person is allowed up to 10 tickets per match and where possible they may be allowed to purchase tickets with the seats of their choice in their preferred stand, depending on availability.

“Don’t wait on the last day to line up; I hate to see sad faces leaving without tickets and missing the chance of being at exciting T20 cricket at the National Stadium. So

Tickets for the Palm Court VIP Party Stand are also available at the Middle Street office

come out early and grab those tickets and ensure you’re part of the Biggest Party in Sport,” Khan concluded.

Tickets for the Red and Green Stands cost Gy$4,000 each, while tickets for the Orange Stand, renamed the Palm Court VIP Party Stand, cost Gy$5,000. Entry to the Party Mound will be Gy$2,000, while parking tickets are available at a cost of Gy$1,000 each.

This year the organisers have put in place many security features to prevent counterfeiting, and unlike other venues, tickets for the Guyana National Stadium are numbered to match the seat number, which will eliminate the possibility of overcrowding.

Meanwhile, fans wishing to purchase Guyana Amazon Warriors merchandise can also do so at the top flat of the Middle Street office.

Four new players sign up − Shah and Dunk lead list of newcomers

T

he Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Wednesday revealed four more exciting names who will be taking part in the rapidly approaching, high-octane T20 competition. The quartet will join the recently announced Kiwi pair, Jimmy Neesham and Daniel Vettori, in travelling to Grenada this Friday for the spectacular opening weekend of the tournament.

England international, Owais Shah, will link up with defending champions, Jamaica Tallawahs, while Ben Dunk, Player of the Tournament in this year’s Big Bash League, will bring his big hitting to the Antigua Hawksbills. West Indies batsman, Kirk Edwards, who played in all three Tests in the recent series against New Zealand, will join the Barbados Tridents, while batsman, Shacaya Thomas, will join Dunk at the Hawksbills.

Those standing aside for the newcomers are Thisara Perera, Antigua

Hawksbills (selected for Sri Lanka ‘A’ tour); Kieran Powell, Antigua Hawksbills (personal reasons); Ahmed Shehzad, Jamaica Tallawahs (unavailable due to PCB training camp); and Imran Nazir, Barbados Tridents, (injured). St. Lucia Zouks are also in the market for a replacement international player, after experienced Australian batsman, Brad Hodge, unfortunately suffered a broken arm in a warm-up game.

Limacol CPL Cricket Operations Director, Michael Hall, said: “It goes to show the strength of the Limacol CPL that we are able to draft in such talented and popular replacements for those who are now unavailable. It is a tournament that is on the lips of every cricketer in the world at the moment, and although international commitments and injuries have taken their toll, we are always confident of having plenty of talented cricketers ready and willing to step in.”

SPort

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WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Limacol CPL 2014…

Warriors ready for battle

By Rajiv Bisnauth

W

ith just hours more before the start of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2014, Guyana Times International Sport chatted with four local members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad prior to their departure from the Grand Coastal hotel on Tuesday for Grenada.

The local franchise will play the Antigua Hawksbills on Friday at 14:00h, their first of nine preliminary games before returning home for three games.

Opener Trevon Griffith, who played one game in the first edition of the tournament last year, said he feels very excited and honoured to play in the Limacol CPL once again and is focused on playing a major role for his team in this year’s competition.

“Last year I played one game so I’m looking forward to playing more

Veerasammy Permaul

Robin Bacchus

Ronsford Beaton

Trevon Griffith

games this year and hopefully grasp any opportunity I get with both hands.” Griffith reiterated that he was “happy to be a part of the team again” as it is a “big opportunity.”

Meanwhile, 25 yearold debutant Robin Bacchus said he plans to capitalise on the opportunity.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to be among some of the best cricketers in the world and eager to learn from them, while I will also

use the opportunity to make a name for myself,” he said.

Fast bowler Ronsford Beaton, who was ruled out from the inaugural tournament due to a stress fracture weeks before the start, said he is fully fit and ready to make an impact.

“I definitely feel excited that I’ve been called up to play for the Guyana Amazon Warriors,” Beaton said.

“I am definitely coming to play and bringing my best. Last year it was

unfortunate to miss out due to injury but I am really looking forward to this year’s tournament.”

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul expressed how pleased he was to be a part of the prestigious tournament for a second time.

“I am happy to be back in the Warriors line-up and hopefully it will be another successful year for me,” the Albion spinner revealed.

The 24-year-old Permaul ended last year’s tournament with

10 wickets from nine games at an average of 19 with best figures of 3-32 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel at the Guyana National Stadium.

It was a complete turnaround for the left-armer, who earlier in that year in the Caribbean T20 competition, was thrashed to all parts of the park, picking up just a solitary wicket.

Further Permaul added “As the runners’ up, a lot of pressure will be on us, but I feel that

we have the strength to do very well this season.

With 10 players in our 15 man squad having been retained, cohesion won’t be an issue.”

He pointed out that one of the high points for him from the inaugural tournament was being able to rub shoulders with international stars like Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and James Franklin, and the Sri Lanka duo of Tillekaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga.

“It was a pleasure to be around those international players because of the experience they have and what they were able to share with us. I think it is a good thing [having international players in the Limacol CPL] because as a player you can learn so much from them, playing in different conditions and different situations,” Permaul, who represented the West Indies in four Test matches, pointed out.

Local fans dejected after horrendous Brazil loss two players, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was quick to take blame for the defeat.

He said, “The person who decided the line-up, the tactics, was me. It was my choice. My message for the Brazilian people is please excuse us for this performance.”

By Avenash Ramzan

B

razil’s horrendous 7-1 defeat at the hands of Germany in semi-final one of the FIFA World Cup was met with shock by fans across the globe, no less by those in Guyana who religiously followed the team’s progress throughout the competition. Though locals refrained from commenting on the loss, the feeling of dejection was quite evident on their faces.

During a visit to one of the most popular spots in Georgetown, fans, predominantly Brazilians who have taken up residence in the country, were in disbelief as the Germans blasted in goals at will, making it the first time that a team has scored seven goals in a World Cup semi-final.

It was also the first time that a team had conceded five or more goals by half-time in a World Cup semi-final.

While the disappointment was evident by those present at the game, much of the same prevailed in bars across Georgetown, as the Brazilians, the most successful team in World Cup history with five titles, were reduced to a mere shadow of themselves.

It was Brazil’s biggest defeat in World Cup history, surpassing the 3-0 loss to France in the final in 1998.

Luiz Felipe Scolari: “The person who decided the lineup, the tactics, was me. It was my choice. My message for the Brazilian people is please excuse us for this performance.”

While Guyanese and Brazilian nationals were reluctant to speak to journalists and offer their opinions on the game, it was clear from their body language which team they were supporting.

Most of them, dressed in the traditional yellow, blue and green Brazilian colours, could not believe what was unfolding before their eyes as the jubilation of the past weeks when the host country topped the Group stage and won the quarter-final turned to despair in the space of 29 horrific minutes.

In Brazil, the defeat created an air of shock, humiliation and embarrass-

ment among the populace, who had journeyed from wide and far to fill the venues in support of the national team.

Many fans left the stadium – which was a sea of yellow – at half-time with the Germans leading 5-0 and the chances of Brazil lifting the World Cup on home soil slipping by the minute.

Brazil’s cause was not helped by the absence of injured star player Neymar and skipper Thiago Silva, who had to sit out of the match after foolishly getting a second yellow card in the quarterfinal against Colombia.

Despite missing those

Brazil were unbeaten in 14 games ahead of the meeting with Germany and Scolari played down the absence of striker Neymar, who fractured a vertebra during the quarter-final victory over Colombia.

He said: “Let’s not

try to find an excuse in Neymar.”

On other side of the world in Germany, newspaper headlines were inundated with praises for the national team, while fans took to the streets in celebration of a famous win.

52

Sport

WEEK ENDING July 13, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Limacol CPL 2014…

Security plan for Limacol CPL unveiled explained.

Vyphuis also appealed to patrons to adhere to the list of restricted and prohibited items, which have been appearing in the press over the past few weeks.

By Avenash Ramzan

F

ans attending the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) games in Guyana are being urged to adhere to security guidelines so as to ensure a free flow of traffic to and from the Guyana National Stadium, as well as a smooth passage of spectators in and out the venue.

During an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International Sport recently, the former Commander of ‘A’ Division, George Vyphuis, DSM, explained in depth the security arrangements for the three days in Guyana.

Matches will be held on July 17, 19 and 20 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, and according to Vyphuis, security will be a key area of operation during those days.

“Security posture is

Traffic

George Vyphuis, DSM

there; we’ve contracted the Guyana Police Force and they’ve broken down into segments. You have the uniformed section, you have CID and you also have the Traffic Department. The uniformed people would be deployed in the stands and around the Stadium while the CID would be distributed equally among the stands, turnstile and around the Stadium too,” Vyphuis

As expected, there will also be specific traffic arrangements, starting from Mandela Avenue and leading to the Stadium to avoid congestion.

“We will be having two-way traffic going to the Stadium and if need be the Traffic Department will establish another lane on the other side of the road, so you will have three lanes of traffic going in that direction, which means that the third lane that would be introduced would be a right of way to get traffic way up Timehri and that side,” Vyphuis said.

The Limacol CPL will start on Friday

in Grenada with the Guyana Amazon Warriors playing the Antigua Hawksbills and conclude on August 16

Nascimento laments lack of support for rugby

with the final in St Kitts.

The Jamaica Tallawahs will put their title on the line against Antigua Hawksbills,

Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St Lucia Zouks and Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.

Santokie in good shape and ready to deliver

Krishmar Santokie prior to his departure from the Grand Coastal hotel on Tuesday

By Saeed Mohamed

The Men’s 15s rugby team that upstaged USA South Panthers to win the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) title on June 28 were hosted to a reception at Duke Lodge on Wednesday

N

oting that the Guyana Rugby Union (GRFU) and Guyana’s rugby teams, over the past 8 years, have delivered by far the most successful performance in any sport in the country, former President of the GRFU Kit Nascimento has lamented that local rugby continues to struggle for national recognition and national funding.

Nascimento was speaking on Wednesday at Duke Lodge where a reception was held in honour of the Men’s 15s rugby team that upstaged USA South Panthers to win the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) title on June 28.

According to Nascimento, Guyana’s rugby achievements have put Guyana on the international sporting map, competing at a world class level that no other sport has achieved. But, competing at world class levels has world class costs attached to it.

He related that the Rugby Union in 2013, without government support, found itself virtually bankrupt, was unable to meet the cost of participating in the NACRA Sevens Championships, a tournament it would probably have won, and was disqualified from participation.

“As we speak, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, rugby Sevens teams regularly beaten by Guyana, are representing the Caribbean at the Commonwealth Games.”

Nascimento stated that the GRFU, nevertheless, with the help of corporate sponsorship, recovered sufficiently to contest and win the Southern and, now, the NACRA Fifteens Championships held in Atlanta, largely made possible by NACRA footing the majority of the bill.

“What more does rugby have to do to earn and deserve full, unqualified national support and funding?”

It was highlighted that the NACRA Sevens Championships will take place in Mexico in December and the winning team will qualify for the Pan American Championships. According to Nascimento, properly prepared and fully financed, Guyana can win those Championships and go on to earn qualification for the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016.

“Surely now our government and corporate Guyana will reward the players for the hard work, dedication and talent they have committed and give them the support they have earned,” Nascimento opined.

J

amaican Krishmar Santokie played a key role in the Guyana Amazon Warriors outfit in the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League where he was the leading wicket taker and named Man-of-the-Series after finishing with 16 wickets from his nine games.

From that tournament, he emerged as one of the most exciting bowlers in the region in the game’s shortest form and was at the forefront of the West Indies attack at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh earlier this year. He subsequently turned out for Mumbai Indians in the lucrative Indian Premier League and also represented West Indies in the just concluded T20 series against New Zealand.

Building on the fear factor he managed to create last year, Santokie has warned opponents he will continue to deliver the

menacing spells that destroyed the confidence and mental composure of some of the best T20 batsmen in last year’s tournament.

“Last year is a different year from this year. I am just off a T20 international series and I am pretty much in good shape. I just want to focus on areas, as you know batsmen are trying to make things more difficult and if you watch over the world T20 cricket is getting harder and harder for bowlers. So I feel it’s just a mind game so I have to be observant in order to be on top of my game,” Santokie revealed.

Questioned on the make-up of the Warriors unit, the Jamaican indicted that the squad is balanced and capable of creating major upsets.

“The squad is good, it’s an all-round and balanced, it’s a squad capable of winning, it’s just for us to get the right balance on match day,” Santokie said.

Sport

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Harper very impressed with team’s preparation

By Rajiv Bisnauth

T

he star-studded Guyana Amazon Warriors departed Guyana on Tuesday for Grenada for their first of nine preliminary games in the second edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament.

The Warriors, who lost to the Jamaica Tallawahs in the finals of the inaugural tournament last year, is captained by Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies test skipper Denesh Ramdin and boasts the likes of Pakistan’s Mohammed Hafeez, Trinidad’s Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and Navin Stewart, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and James Neesham, Jamaica’s Krishmar Santokie, Guyana’s Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Steven Jacobs, Leon Johnson, Trevon Griffith and Robin Bacchus.

The majority of the 15-man squad spent the last seven days at a preparatory camp under Head Coach Roger Harper.

Prior to the team’s departure at the Grand Coastal Hotel, Harper indicated how pleased

The Guyana Amazon Warriors prior to their departure for Grenada at the Grand Coastal hotel

he was heading into this year’s tournament. “We got close last year and we want to do even better this year, looking forward to winning this championship.”

“I am very happy how the camp went, the players responded very well, they were very enthusiastic and I am very happy how things went,” Harper stressed.

Further when questioned regarding the replacement of Corey Anderson, Harper said “We could not have asked for a better replacement for Corey. Jimmy is a great fit for the Amazon Warriors, and we look forward to seeing the excellent form he displayed in the recent Test series

continuing in the CPL.” Neesham replaced his countryman Anderson, who withdrew from the tournament due his fitness.

On the other hand, the former West Indies vice captain expects Jamaican seamer Krishmar Santokie to play a key role in the Guyana Amazon Warriors outfit. Leftarmer Santokie has emerged as one of the more exciting bowlers in the region in the game’s shortest form, and Harper said it was important that the Warriors retained the player from last year.

“Krishmar Santokie is a hugely valuable asset to my team. He is an in-

telligent and determined player and I am very happy to have retained him,” Harper remarked.

Santokie was at the forefront of the West Indies attack at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh earlier this year. He subsequently turned out for Mumbai Indians in the lucrative Indian Premier League.

During the draft at Chris Gayle’s Triple Century Bar in Jamaica in April, the Guyana Amazon Warriors retained the services of 10 players from last year’s tournament, namely Pakistan’s all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, New Zealander Martin Guptill, Trinidadians off-spinner Sunil

Narine, opening batsman Lendl Simmons and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, Jamaican Krishmar Santokie and Guyanese Christopher Barnwell, Steven Jacobs, Veerasammy Permaul and Trevon Griffith.

The newcomers this year are Guyanese Leon Johnson, Ronsford Beaton and Robin Bacchus, Trinidad and Tobago fast-bowling allrounder Navin Stewart and New Zealander allrounder James Neesham.

After the game on Friday, the Guyana franchise, which was bought by the NEW GPC INC, under its Limacol brand, will then play three of their nine preliminary games at home, on July

17 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel (19:30h), July 19 against St Lucia Zouks (16:00h) and July 20 against Jamaica Tallawahs (16:00h).

The local franchise will play Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel on July 24; Barbados Tridents on July 27; Jamaica Tallawahs on August 2; Antigua Hawksbills on August 7; and St Lucia Zouks on August 10 in their final preliminary game.

Jamaica Tallawahs won the inaugural tournament when they defeated Guyana Amazon Warriors by seven wickets in the final in Trinidad and Tobago on August 24 last.

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