Guyana Times International

INTERNATIONAL

Limacol CPL – bigger and better in 2014... Page 6

Dr R Ramroop

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 174

week ending January 5, 2014

2014 holds great possibilities for Guyanese - President Page 3

President Donald Ramotar and First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar with the Guyana Police Force’s top brass at Eve Leary ringing in the New Year

To all our readers and supporters

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NEWS week ending January 5, 2014

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Govt dismisses phone tapping claims T

he government of Guyana on Tuesday strongly rejected allegations peddled by the Alliance For Change (AFC) that is was engaging in illegal wiretapping and was recording the conversations of politicians in the country.

The AFC had premised its allegations on a comment made by the Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali as it called for a full disclosure on all of the instances where the conversations of politicians and citizens were intercepted.

Ali had strongly upbraided that party’s leader Khemraj Ramjattan for disrespecting and verbally abusing a public servant in his office who invited him to a discourse to clarify some distorted state-

ments carried in the media about the East Bank Development Project.

Verbal attack

The minister had said that he was “hoping” to see if soliciting support from Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) was possible to further compel the AFC politician to apologise publicly to the public official whom he verbally attacked. Ali on Monday strongly rejected the charges levied against him by the AFC as he accused the leadership of the party of creating smokescreens, dodging to address the issues raised and seeking to create distractions through lies and misconceptions.

Questioned by media operatives at his postCabinet press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, head of the Presidential

Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon

Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said that there was no merit in the positions taken by the party while opining that they appear largely to be unworthy of any in-depth response from his office.

Unfathomable assertions He could not at that time understand the rationale behind the state-

ments made by the party and its leaders, describing them as “unlikely and unfathomable assertions”.

“I want to reassure him, if that is indeed possible, that his fears generally should be disregarded and that he has very little basis or none whatsoever for even thinking that the gov-

ernment of Guyana and the telecommunication service providers would engage in unauthorised wiretapping of his phone or any Guyanese (phone).”

Asked by Guyana Times International whether government or any of its agents were engaged in authorised wiretapping of the phones of politicians or citizens, he delivered a stern answer: “I can speak authentically, since the enactment and the commencement order and say none.”

The Cabinet secretary has also admitted the focus of the legislation and wiretapping continues to be exclusively utilised in the fight against crime and criminality. He insisted that the legislation is only operationalised when dealing with the investigation of crime. “I continue

to offer all Guyanese, the assurance that any wiretapping that is done in Guyana fully subscribes with the legal framework,” he reiterated.

Dr Luncheon did not divulge any critical security information as how many times the legislation was utilised as part of crime investigating measures.

AFC offensive

The AFC went on the offensive on Monday after the housing minister drew first blood by exposing the alleged lack of ethics in the party. Ali apart from calling for a public apology for the disrespect shown to his staff; exposed the kind of response delivered by Ramjattan who aspires to be president of Guyana when invited to a meeting to discuss matters of public importance.

2014 holds great possibilities for Guyanese frastructural works. Two of which we are pursuing are the deepwater harbour and a road from the coast to Lethem in the south. At the moment we are studying the cost/

P

President Donald Ramotar

resident Donald Ramotar said this new year holds great possibilities for this country but also great challenges, and warned against the politics of blackmail as his administration forges ahead with its development agenda.

In his New Year’s message, Ramotar said how much we will achieve as a nation this year will depend on all of us, noting that: “I am working on the assumption that all of us want to see our country move forward, all of us must want to see poverty eradicated and that Guyana can move quickly to achieving a more developed status in the world. I acknowledge that political obstacles stand in the way of our transformative agenda. I hope that the New Year we can get some cooperation from our colleagues on the other side of the house to move our country forward.”

Accountable

He said if the government was to be held ac-

countable for the performance of “our economy, we reserve the right to be responsible for its developmental trajectory.

This right, however, will not be pursued to the exclusion of other forces within the country. We will continue to encourage dialogue, debates, and consultations with all stakeholders, including the people in the communities.”

The president said in 2014, he proposes to conscript social and religious organisations in the fight against domestic violence. “I believe that these organisations should play a leading role in addressing this concern and I wish to incorporate then to reduce this terrible scourge. It is also my wish to see more community and social organisations involved in enhancing our physical environment.”

Growth

A clean environment will contribute to improving the mental and physical health of our citizens

and will continue to reduce anti-social behaviour in the population, Ramotar said, noting that his government will continue to pursue more affordable and reliable energy for our country.

This is one of the most vital infrastructures for our continued growth and development. With this, Guyana will grow by leaps and bounds, he said.

“I have already mentioned some of the benefits. But those are not all.

We can save almost nine billion that we now spend on subsidising electricity.

Moreover, even more billions can be saved in the importation of fuel to generate electricity.”

With those savings alone, the nation can solve most of the problems presently facing communities. The benefits, according to him, are enormous “and we will persevere. We will also continue to work with other friendly governments to move forward other important in-

benefits of these projects.”

The president said his administration has to also pursue Information Communication Technology. “This is es-

sential to the whole process of modernisation. It also has great possibilities in creating jobs. You are no doubt aware that last year I joined the excontinued on page 5

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Ringing in the New Year in fine style

INTERNATIONAL To contact: Guyana Times International

New York Office 106-15 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica NY 11435 Email: guyanatimesnyint@gmail.com Tel no: 718-658-6804 Preferred method of contact via EMAIL Guyana Office Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana.

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

Fax (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 Email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Welcoming the New Year with fine wine and charming smiles

The New Year T

ime and tide, it is said, wait for no man. But that was said as far back as 1225. Nowadays, the tides are rising due to global warming. But it would seem that time, like Ol’ Man River, just keeps flowing along, as if ignoring Albert Einstein’s confirmed prediction that its flow should also change with our speed of movement. And we are moving much more rapidly, in this new millennium.

Take information. Undersea fibre-optic cables and satellites have combined to allow us to be in instantaneous direct communication with persons in any part of the globe. Our terrestrial distances are too puny to matter to the speed of digital electromagnetic pulses.

This synchronous communication then cascades into every facet of our lives. We know instantaneously that our cricket team has been ignominiously defeated “Down Under” and can go to sleep without agonising all night about what “might be happening to our boys”.

Over Skype, we can eat along with our relatives over in New York or Toronto and even comment on the black cake we sent them, and not wait for the now snidely described “snail mail” to arrive with the news. But the effects of simultaneity go far beyond the personal.

In business and finance, billions of dollars are made in “arbitrage” each day by individuals who are able to utilise knowledge of simultaneous fluctuations of values of an item in different markets. Electronic transfers of money in banks now bypass the days that businesses had to wait for “cheques to clear”. Money can now earn more interest or can be invested to deliver additional returns. It is a fast, fast (monetised) world.

Even wars are now also being waged at a faster pace. The first U.S. invasion of Iraq – “the Gulf War” – began on August 2, 1990 and ended on February 28, 1991, a mere six months, which is not long for a whole war. But the second Iraq war in 2003 only lasted from March 19, 2003 to May 1, 2003 – an amazing month and a half.

By the end of the decade, wars actually happened in “no time”: technicians sitting in caves in Nevada simply guide drones 10,000 miles away in Pakistan and fire away at targets they could see in real time. There is no need to “invade” or even declare a “war”.

In Guyana, however, events do appear to be stuck in a time warp. Take our politics, for instance. Fifty years ago, almost to the day, the U.S. decided that democracy did not really mean “rule by the people” through their representatives – the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) – as chosen by free and fair elections.

Democracy really meant rule by representatives chosen by the U.S. for their fealty to the “American way” and “elected” to office through whatever mechanism that would deliver their desired outcome. Guyana got the People’s National Congress (PNC) regime that destroyed our country between 1964 and 1992.

And here we are, 50 years later chronologically, and the Americans are again convinced that our democracy needs “improving”. Maybe it is a pure coincidence or serendipity, but the government once again has been formed by the PPP. It is clear that the PPP does not appear to understand the American variant of English, especially their meaning of the term “democracy”. Back in the 1960s, the Americans had secretly poured money and training first into the labour movement and then the opposition political parties that understood their intonation.

This time around, the old labour groups have faltered, but in compensation, the political parties have literally gone for the gold. Like the PNC of yore, they have accepted the U.S.’s traducing of Guyana’s sovereignty in order to fund their “training” into the latest U.S.-prescribed democratic mores. Their end game, of course, is to become ensconced in power, for another 28 years.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Part of the GDF fireworks display

Housing Minister Irfaan Ali is all smiles as he ushers in the New Year at the Palm Court Nightclub, Also in photo is managing director of Palm Court Ravin Prashad

Radiant smiles as this group awaited the GDF fireworks last night.

A tribute to Oswald Singh

W

hile I believe that I am less qualified than many to give a tribute to Oswald Singh, I am indeed honoured to have been asked to do so. Firstly, I knew Oswald personally only for about a year now. And secondly, I am not a broadcaster and even if I was, I strongly doubt I would have been one in the calibre of Oswald. Indeed, there are not many who can claim to be.

I grew up hearing Oswald’s voice on radio and at the time I never thought I would have had the opportunity of working with him. In those days of radio dominance, that is, when compared to television at that time, Oswald’s voice had long become unmistakable, distinctive and astonishingly precise. I had created this image in my mind of a tall, towering, yet warm and welcoming character.

I later learned that, at some point in time, we both left Guyana headed in different directions to pursue media careers, albeit of a different sort.

So imagine my apprehension, having returned to Guyana about 15 months ago, and still in the process of settling into the media group where I now serve, only to learn that there was an interview scheduled, not too long after the launching of Radio Guyana Inc (RGI), and that the name of the interviewee was Oswald Singh.

As I recall, it was a week day morning, and as I passed the front desk area of the Guyana Times/ Television

Oswald Singh

Guyana (TVG)/ RGI building on the way to the room where the interview was to be held, I saw this individual seated in a cellphone conversation.

At the time, he wasn’t speaking. But just briefly as I passed, he responded to something obviously being said to him from the other end. It was a short response and something to the effect of a mere acknowledgement -- an “I will call you back shortly” kind of thing.

Immediately, and without being introduced, I knew that was Oswald Singh. We merely nodded to each other as I passed, and in my mind I thought, “We have to get this voice on RGI,” almost momentarily forgetting that there was still an interview process to go through. Eventually, in about two weeks, all the formalities were over and Oswald was on board at RGI, effective February 1.

Being no stranger to radio, for someone like Oswald, there was no need for an orientation.

But coming in to a new radio station, there were obviously new people to meet and new programmes to produce. Yet, it felt as though Oswald was there from the start.

The people at RGI gravitated toward him. Everyone was more his friend than his colleague. He nurtured people.

He groomed people. I look back with regret now that I really did not interact with him much, and more via email than anything else after he was appointed. But that was because Oswald never caused trouble.

Even in his illness he wanted to work. That’s how much he loved radio. He did not stay around with us long enough to do a Christmas Day greetings programme. That was his own request, as it was not required of him. That’s how much he loved his listeners.

On that day of the interview, his very first impression on me had left a smile in my heart. Fast track to the night when I learned that Oswald was in hospital. Regrettably, by the time I visited, Oswald had departed this life.

Graciously, one of his sisters invited me to see him.

There were not many steps, but it was a long walk up. As the cover was lifted and I saw Oswald’s face, I saw a smile.

Indeed, it was typical of him to smile in life. continued on page 6

week ending January 5, 2014

2014 holds great... ecutives of Qualfon in turning the sod for their new campus at Eccles which will be one of the largest contact centre facilities in the entire world when it is completed. When completed, 6000 new jobs would be created at that facility to be filled by young Guyanese.”

He said recognising the vast potential of information and communications technology to transform both the economy and individual lives, “we are working to ensure that no home is denied access, through our One Laptop Per Family programme which will see 90,000 laptop computers distributed across the length and breadth of our country. At the same time, we are building the network infrastructure that would enable us to deliver e-government services to all our citizens. Our aim is to ensure that every single Guyanese person is able to acquire computer literacy.”

Meanwhile, other new and emerging sectors are also showing great promise for the future. Tourism and hospitality, in particular, promise to be major contributors to growth in the

future, given Guyana’s unique tourism product and given the significant investments being made in the sector. During 2014, he said, they expect to open the spanking new Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, which will dramatically increase capacity and raise standards in the sector.

At the same time, a number of major mineral projects are expected in 2014 to advance exploration activities and commence mine construction, setting the stage for a dramatic increase in activity in that sector.

During mine construction, thousands of jobs are expected to be created, and once extraction commences, production and exports would experience increased growth.

Climate change

“Very important, too, is the issue of climate change and the challenges it poses. In recent weeks, we have witnessed extreme weather in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. This has resulted in millions of dollars in damage and loss of life. The scientific evidence is showing that for our region – which is one of the most vulnerable – these weather events will become more frequent as

from page 3

the impacts of global climate change intensify.”

In this regard, Ramotar said he intends in the coming year, to work with other Caricom heads to ensure regional action on climate change is given top priority. “Recognising our own vulnerabilities here in Guyana, efforts will intensify in 2014 to improve and expand infrastructure, in particular, our sea and river defence and drainage and irrigation systems; enhance our forecasting capabilities and response mechanisms, and build climate resilience in the social and productive sectors of our economy. These will be done within the framework of our Low Carbon Development Strategy,” the president assured.

The president stressed that the politics of blackmail will undermine Guyana’s democracy and can lead to further inequality. It will not be a good example for Guyanese, particularly for the youths. “I wish to urge all to let us work together in the interest of our people. Let us be aware that life is short, let us not waste time on pettiness, but focus our energy towards the betterment of our people.”

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LCPL Feature

Limacol CPL – bigger and better in 2014...

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

...Guyana Amazon Warriors Chairman Dr R Ramroop

T

he Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL), and its local franchise, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, were the actors in one of the brightest success stories of 2013.

Guyana Times interviewed the chairman of NEW GPC INC, Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, the owner of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, on the upcoming second year of the T20 tournament.

The tournament is being eagerly awaited with great enthusiasm by cricketing fans from Guyana, the West Indies, and across the rest of the world.

GT: Dr Ramroop, the inaugural Limacol T20 tournament was success beyond the wildest expectations of fans. Do you think this can be replicated in year two?

DR: “Replicated” means simply producing a copy of the original. I’ll tell you what: this year’s Limacol CPL will be bigger and better in all respects that you’ve seen and then some. We will have new elements that will just blow the minds of fans.

GT: Can you give us an inkling?

DR: Well, we can’t spoil the surprise for the fans, can we? What I can

say, it will all have to do with making the cricket experience even more exciting than it was last year. The West Indian brand of cricket is what T20 is all about. The entire cricketing world was blown away with the sample they saw last year. In 2014, we will create an ambiance that reflects the Caribbean experience even more.

And to top it off, what I can promise is when we say “bigger and better”, for starters, there will be more more matches...many more.

GT: Well, let me ask you. Is the Amazon Warriors going to have any new foreign players?

DR: Without any question! Last year, we were pretty much handed a team, to which we had to make some adjustment after personal injuries and so on. But this year, we’re going to have a much greater say in picking our team...starting with the draft in ....

We think the local fans are the most knowledgeable in the world and would like fans to be sending in suggestions starting in January.

GT: Does this mean that you will be dropping some foreign players?

DR: It’s not so much a matter of “dropping” anyone as it is about the

Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop

nature of international cricket. The schedule is such that there will always be some players who will not be available because of their domestic commitments.

GT: Can you give us the name of someone the Amazon Warriors might be looking at?

DR: It would be premature at this time, but I can assure all our fans that we are aware of some gaps in our lineup that might have contributed to us not going all the way...and we’re going to plug those gaps! We will have a formidable foreign presence.

GT: What about the local players?

DR: Now, this is an area in which we are most interested – we are determined to build our local cricket resources. In fact, in addition to their individual skills, we look at our foreign players to impart their wider experience to our 11 local players.

GT: Last month, there was some talk about the NEWGPC/Limacol, owners of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, seeking to launch a sports academy in

Guyana. Was this part of that “local” thrust?

DR: Absolutely! And we are determined to pursue our cricket/sport academy commitment, because as a professional organisation we cannot let the availability of our local cricketers be left to chance.

GT: Dr Ramroop, in your estimation, are there constraints you see in the way of the Limacol CPL fulfilling its goals?

DR: There are several. Firstly, as a Guyanese we’re counting on our country securing the rights to the semi-finals. Last year, over US$25 million was pumped into Trinidad and Tobago's economy during those games. We want that money to come to Guyana.

Then there is the question of getting our numerous fans from New York, Florida, Toronto and elsewhere down to Guyana to witness our home games. We definitely need more airlines plying these routes.

We’re counting on those routes being serviced, because we’ll be reserving a substantial bloc of seats for overseas visitors.

Lastly, while not an actual constraint, we hope the Marriott Hotel will be completed in time for the next tournament in August to complement other hotels such as the Pegasus. The young, professional Guyanese from abroad are now demanding world-class accommodation – and we must provide that to them.

GT: Finally, Dr Ramroop, what are your expectations for the Amazon Warriors in Year II? DR: Last year, we went all the way to the finals. That was good...but not good enough. This year, with the improvements we will be making, the Warriors will be the winners of the Limacol CPL T20 cricket tournament!

A tribute to Oswald...

from page 4

Death is never pleasant and I didn’t expect to see such a smile. It did bring some tears to my eyes, but I felt happy with that smile. It is almost superstitious of me to say that I believe Oswald died a happy man. Undoubtedly, he also left a smile as a last impression on me.

And that’s the way I feel he lived. He made people happy. He made his listeners happy.

Certainly, he made RGI a happy radio station to listen to.

My own three daughters, 14, 12 and 8, not having grown up listening to much radio, having heard his voice, wanted to see him. I allowed them one day, and hereafter, they wanted to see him every day. He played a song for them once and

called their names on radio. They would never forget that. They were sad and tearful when they learned of his passing. One radio colleague had this to say about Oswald:“He was humane and versatile. He never lost his temper when his relief did not show up to take over a new shift.”

Another put it this way:“I haven’t known Oswald for a long period, but for me, Oswald’s simplicity, humility, warmth, sense of humour and immense knowledge of Indian music (especially the older ones) stood out for me.

This, in addition, to his very distinct and powerful voice, which resonated with many listeners.... Additionally, he always had an ease about him despite his obvious

health challenges. That sort of courage is admired.”

On behalf of the board, management and staff of Queens Atlantic Investment Inc, the parent company for the media group that includes RGI, I extend deepest sympathy to Oswald’s family. Oswald also had an extended family, which reaches to all of Guyana, the Caribbean and beyond.

A void has been created at RGI and indeed in radio in Guyana. It will never be filled.

No doubt, we all miss him already and we are still to discover many other ways in which we will miss him.

Daniel Singh General Manager, Guyana Times/ TVG/ RGI

LCPL Feature

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Sports and Development: T

he slogan, “Sports – it’s not just a game”, summarises the realisation – at least in some quarters – that sports is an integral part of the national life of every society. Sports can develop the character of the individual as well as that of the community and the nation.

It is not by chance that countries such as Russia and China, which attempted to leapfrog economic development, all introduced strong national sports programmes.

The role of the Limacol CPL

“Sport builds and nurtures the spirit of friendly competition, it provides healthy entertainment, it exercises the body, it focuses the spirit, it creates a climate of achievement and it challenges the youth in particular to higher levels of endurance and attainment.”

While sports initially was seen as a private undertaking, which was epitomised by the “amateur” traditions of cricket, in the last half a century, professional sports have moved to centre stage, and in fact is today the driving force in modern sports development.

The mantra seems to be that “all that the amateurs can achieve for sports, the professionals can do it better”. And the professionals have taken games to such a level that they have a significant direct economic impact on development of the countries as a whole.

This was brought home most forcefully in the inaugural season of the T20 Cricket Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) in 2013, especially in Guyana, with its home team the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

When the idea of a West Indian T20 Tournament was tout-

ed in 2012, most locals scoffed at it because they felt the logistical and organisational challenges, not to mention the financial demands, could not be overcome.

One local company, however, felt otherwise – NEW GPC INC. It not only purchased the local franchise (the Guyana Amazon Warriors), but actually sponsored the entire tournament, which now became the LCPL. This decision brought home the difference between the old amateur and the new professional approach to sports. Marketing surveys were done to verify that the markets were there for the product – T20 cricket.

The challenges were identified and one by one, they were addressed – using modern project management approaches that emphasised planning, execution and feedback mechanisms.

And so when the LCPL tournament kicked off on July 30 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, very little had been left to chance.

And the “jam packed” stadiums with their enthusiastic cricketing fans in every one of the six venues – St Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Antigua and Trinidad and Tpbago – testified to the success of the vision. Then there were the television broadcasts to every continent on the globe.

In the end, the Amazon Warriors and the Jamaica Tallawahs fought it out in the finals at the Queen's Park Oval.

Even though the Trinidad Red

Steels had been eliminated, the “joint was jumping” like never before that night. Jamaica might have won the first trophy, but every West Indian country won numerous other prizes.

First and foremost, there was the pride inspired in the hearts of every West Indian who had been told that we could not run anything successfully. This is not an inconsequential achievement; for if a people cannot believe, they can never achieve.

West Indians now know that they can produce an event that was broadcast to every corner of the cricketing world that lived up to the very highest standards achieved elsewhere – and then some. There can be no turning back now.

Then there were the unity and amity displayed by the West Indian people that thronged the stadiums – and even among those that watched the games from their living rooms.

Whether we call this building “social capital” or “one love”, the bottom line is that people who see themselves as embarked on a common mission can achieve so much more.

More concretely, we can appreciate the economic spin-offs up close from the Guyana leg of the tournament. Every hotel in the Georgetown area was booked solid – not just the Princess Hotel next to the Guyana National Stadium, but also the Pegasus Hotel and the smaller ones.

And this was in the inaugural tournament when there had to be a host of doubters as to whether the event could be pulled off successfully. Next year, with the certainty of success, the visitors will increase in multiples.

And they will bring with them all the well-known benefits of tourism: money pumped into the economy not only in hotels, but into food providers, transportation services, sightseeing sites, and souvenirs sellers, among others.

But just as important was and will be the selling of the West Indies itself as a tourist destination. The tourism product in the West Indies has taken a beating in the last decade, because of the downturn in the traditional northern markets. But the LCPL has opened up a whole new world literally, to the local attractions. The rise of China has already sent millions of tourists abroad – mostly to the U.S. India which is also rising has a middle class larger than the entire population of the U.S. – and they are all “cricket mad” and tuning in to LCPL’s games. We have a chance of attracting that audience both from India and from their expatriate community in the U.S. Sports in general and professional cricket represented by the LCPL and its Guyana franchise, the Amazon Warriors, owned by the NEW GPC will assist in the development of a brighter future for Guyana.

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LCPL Feature

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

– now “flagship” tourism event in the region

By Michael Younge

T

he government of Guyana said it would be working earnestly to exploit the benefits that can be derived from the second staging of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) in 2014, given its resounding success and contributions to national and regional tourism growth in 2013.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali told Guyana Times on Monday that LCPL is now considered one of the flagship tourism events of the year.

“I think the LCPL is here to stay and the partnerships that it would have established across the region are good and were a resounding success, as there are tremendous economic and social benefits therein which far outweighs the investments made," he said.

He acknowledged the potential of the tournament to provide the greatest opportunities

for sports tourism in Guyana, the region, and beyond.

“In 2013, though the tournament had a very short planning window, the benefits that it brought to the regional economy were indeed enormous. Guyana even benefited, additionally, by having one of its national products (Limacol) being the overall sponsor for the tournament,” he explained.

This development resulted in much attention and interest being generated about the country.

As a result of LCPL, contact was made with more than 30 million households, regionally and internationally, according to government estimates.

Guyana has received focused attention as an investment destination because of the opportunities offered to the rest of the world, Ali said. “We are seeing investors and stakeholders from nontraditional areas outside of North America, from Asia, UK and Australia now having an interest

in Guyana,” he said.

One needs not look far to see evidence that the entertainment and service sectors would have also benefited tremendously from the 2013 tournament.

Sharp increase in arrivals

Asked whether the LCPL tournament had a direct impact on arrivals, Minister Ali responded in the affirmative, explaining that during the tournament a sharp increase was recorded.

The minister noted that several hotels were fully booked, and entertainment hotspots and restaurants packed.

Scores of Guyanese opted to return home, while many Caribbean Community (Caricom) citizens wanted to catch part of the action.

He said the event managed to create quite a stir in the diaspora because of the composition of the teams with the mixture of local, regional and international players, and the hype and party atmosphere associ-

ated with the league.

“In 2014, we are planning to have our own promotion in Guyana because of the interest in LCPL in the diaspora is significant. We must tap into that area,” he stressed.

The minister said that attempts are being made to actively engage the LCPL on certain allowances to safeguard the participation from more persons in the diaspora. “We will be discussing with the tournament organisers, an opportunity to have a specific number of tickets available directly to the diaspora so that we can have a more measurable approach to how many persons we bring in,” he said.

Access to tickets

As expected, Minister Ali, when asked to reflect on the challenges faced in hosting the LCPL tournament last year, pinpointed access to tickets as a challenge for some of the games.

Despite this, he said:

“We are hoping to strategise our marketing and tourism plan around LCPL to ensure that we get into this market.”

The tourism minisTourism, Industry ter said it was hoped too that there will be and Commerce more scheduled flights Minister Irfaan Ali next step must be taken available in 2014 when the tournament is staged by the region en bloc.

“We need to meet as a to facilitate the large incollective to ensure that flux of visitors.

He said experts in we make it easier for the ministry expect more persons to travel withhits on their Facebook in the region for LCPL... pages and more requests Maybe, we need to relook for information via the at the World Cup model tourism stakeholders on for a sunset legislation dealing with the one en'Destination Guyana'.

"I think the founda- try clearance,” he adtion has been laid and vised.

Ali maintained that the LCPL is a major initiative for the tourism these are moves that can sector and we intend to only improve the tourdo everything that we nament, and the time can do to capitalise on is ripe for governments it,” Ali said. He added to strategise on ways in that tourism stakehold- which they can make ers noted the enormous travelling and connectrickledown effect of the tions easier for regional flights so that there can event.

Asked what else can be an easier flow of peobe done to boost the in- ple.

“LCPL will be a grand terest in Guyana during the 2014 tournament, success in 2014,” the the minister said that the minister predicted.

“Limacol CPL, a big hit,” says Harper “A

big hit” is how former West Indies all-rounder and coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise, Roger Harper, described the inaugural edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL), which took the Caribbean and beyond by storm during July-August last.

In an exclusive interview, the 50-yearold, who led the Amazon Warriors to the runner-up spot against the Jamaica Tallawahs in the final, shared his thoughts on the 2013 tournament, which attracted massive crowds at venues across the region.

“I think it was an excellent tournament,” he said. “It certainly caught the public’s attention and the players also bought into it… it was a big hit all round,” he said.

Harper said he was impressed that the organisers were able to “hit the ground running”, as the tournament was able to create an immediate

impact on the cricketloving Caribbean population.

2014

Looking ahead to the second instalment of the league in 2014, Harper said he is keen on having the franchises retain as many players as possible so as to have “continuity”, while he also advocated for larger squads to create more options for the team management.

Each of the six franchises was afforded a total of 15 players during the first tournament.

“I’m not sure what will happen in terms of retaining players. That [retaining players] is important because you want to create a nucleus so as to build on what was achieved in 2013,” Harper pointed out. “I also feel that the squads should be larger, so in the case of players becoming injured and others having to leave for other engagements, you have a wider pool to choose from.”

During the inaugu-

ral LCPL, the Amazon Warriors were set back by the departure of a few players, namely allrounder Mohammad Hafeez, who had to join the Pakistan team, and New Zealand’s opening batsman Martin Guptill, who was forced out through injury.

They were later replaced by the Sri Lankan duo, opener Tillekeratne Dilshan and fast bowler Lasith Malinga.

Challenge

Looking deep into the future, and giving his thoughts on what he would like to see the LCPL evolve into, the former West Indies vicecaptain and coach said the league must rise to become the best T20 tournament in the world.

“The LCPL will have to look at the IPL [Indian Premier League] and aim to get close to that. It will be difficult to compete with the IPL, but that should be the aim…get as close as possible and challenge them for the title of best T20 league.”

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times International, Industrial Site Ruimveldt Georgetown, Guyana or guyanatimesint@gmail.com

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week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Let’s focus on nation building Dear Editor, I have noted the comments and statements made by various individuals and organisations regarding the granting of the now famous Permission for Geological and Geophysical Survey (PGGS) for the New River Triangle, South East of Guyana.

However, despite the facts and clarifications, including credible support from the Guyana Gold and Diamond

Miners Association (GGDMA), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and attorney Ralph Ramkarran, just to name a few, there is still a so-called financial analyst that has launched a nasty attack on those who supported the Muri Brazil Ventures PGGS. In several opinionated articles created by this financial analyst, Christopher Ram, which is aimed at attracting at-

tention to him, he disregarded the facts about the granting of the PGGS and set out to besmirch those involved in the Muri PGGS. Ram, who is also a lawyer, should be interested in the facts, which he himself has disregarded and instead launched an attack on personalities and started spreading misinformation.

In several articles/ opinions, Ram continued to repeat the same mis-

information in a bid to generate his relevance in society to make up for a lack in his personal fulfilment. This blunder will only serve to further diminish his minuscule followers.

The facts on the process of granting the Muri PGGS has been repeated over and over, notwithstanding that Ram and the people within A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change

(AFC) have chosen to disregard the facts and made this like many other irrelevant issue a political one.

I am also made to understand that Ram, along with APNU and AFC, wants to waste the National Assembly’s time to discuss this Muri PGGS. This is one of the many reasons why this nation cannot progress.

We are caught up with settling personal scores and irrelevant issues

such as the PGGS, rather than being focused on real issues to transform this beloved and blessed country of ours.

We all have a role to play and we must recommit ourselves to nation building rather than focusing on petty issues raised by Ram and some members of APNU and AFC. Let us all recommit ourselves to a better Guyana.

Sincerely, Vivian Li (Mrs)

PPP/C wants swift resolution to electricity situation in Guyana Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is cognisant of the inconvenience the recent spate of power outages has caused many Guyanese, especially during this festive season.

It is not unreasonable for consumers to expect the provision of uninterrupted power supply, the need for which becomes exacerbated at this time.

While the party calls on the utility company to do its utmost to ensure that consumers are satisfied, it is not oblivious of the challenges faced by the entity.

These challenges were compounded by the inexcusable act of the combined opposition to use its one-seat majority in the National Assembly to slash subsidies provided by the government to the Guyana Power and

Light (GPL). These subsidies bring tremendous benefits to electricity consumers and help the utility company to mitigate some of the challenges it faces.

As the season of goodwill is celebrated, the PPP/ C would expect that with the dawning of a new year, the opposition would remain cognisant of the consequences of its action and the deprivation it imposes on citi-

Negligence caused Airy Hall Conservancy breach

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esidents and farmers on the whole have become disillusioned with the regional administration of Region Two, for as they put it, a demonstrated failure to be a militant organisation to protect their interests.

The flooding of 200 acres of rice in the Airy Hall area by intermittent heavy rainfall which caused a breach of the Conservancy Dam was

and dedicated workers.

This is the administration we have had for the past 21 years. They can achieve success only if they seek to understand the nature of national development and accept individual and collective responsibility for the work to be done.

At present, the rice farmers can hardly escape the vagaries of the regional administration, in which there is no prop-

A waterlogged rice field

due to no maintenance and no proper monitoring on the part of the drainage and irrigation rangers.

I would hasten to add that if the regional administration is to succeed in holding on to what little they have, it is clear that they must improve the performances of the drainage and irrigation sector. In this regard they will need a combination of several factors.

The government will need skilled managers

er management. There is therefore need for intelligent and skilful policies to be implemented to facilitate the transition and restructuring process for the drainage and irrigation department.

With breaches and flooding out of farmers’ crops, coupled with no maintenance of the Conservancy Dam and canal from Supenaam to Charity, it has never been more crucial for Essequibo farmers. They can no longer rely on the

administration to help them decide when to sow or harvest.

Rice farmers have argued, at several Rice Producers Association (RPA) forums and at different times, that economic and social progress is not sustainable, or even possible, without proper management in the region. Indications are that the economy will slow down as a result of these floodings.

We are already faced with price drops and revenue short falls due to man-made disasters in our region, emanating from flood conditions.

The question is what the regional administration will do in dealing on a long-term basis with these regular flooding.

This trend, which was non-uniform, has had more consequences for small rice farmers in the Airy Hall rice growing areas than others. It is clear what is responsible for the conservancy breach and there should be no excuses by the regional administration.

It was reported a long time that there was overtopping of the main canal by the rice farmers without rainfall, but no one ever visited the area.

Yours faithfully, Mohamed Khan

zens.

The party is hopeful that the opposition would endeavour to be more responsible especially when the citizenry stand to be affected.

Similarly, the party urges GPL to be mindful of the expectations of consumers and to work assiduously to deliver acceptable services.

As Guyana continues to grow and its people prosper, the demand for the use of electricity increases.

This is further compounded by the continuous and robust ex-

pansion of the housing sector and the enabling environment provided for Guyanese to continually improve their lifestyle.

It is in this context that the PPP/ C reiterates the need for the opposition to be responsive to the needs of Guyanese as the country continues along the path of development.

Under the PPP/ C administration, thousands of Guyanese from across the country have been able to access electricity for the first time. As more consumers are added to the grid, it is the

party’s fervent hope that GPL would keep in mind the country’s growth and expansion in its planning.

Further, the party hopes that current circumstances would be mitigated and that the inconvenience being experienced by consumers would be corrected and not allowed to damper spirits.

The party would like to take this opportunity to extend season’s greetings to all.

Sincerely, Vickram Bharrat PPP/C – Freedom House

10

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week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana hoping to achieve universal Holiday musings secondary education by 2016

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d u c a t i o n Minister Priya Manickchand said her ministry performed well in 2013 and the Donald Ramotar administration is hoping to achieve universal access to secondary education in Guyana by 2016.

Manickchand made the comment during her end-of-year press conference held at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown on Monday.

The education minister said the universal access to secondary education goal will be made possible through the strong efforts undertaken by her ministry to improve access to education at all levels and

improving the quality of education being delivered.

Secondary education

“We intend to achieve universal secondary education before the first term of the Donald Ramotar administration ends. That means that students across the country that are of secondary age can access general secondary education,” Manickchand stated.

The education minister opined that universal secondary education has been achieved in many regions but more work has to be done, particularly in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine. Guyana has al-

ready achieved universal primary education.

Meanwhile, in reflecting on the achievements made in the sector in 2013, the minister said it would be difficult to single out which was the most outstanding.

Manichand believes that the work undertaken during the course of the year was remarkable, giving her ministry a rating of seven on a scale of 10.

across the grade and administered those tests across the country, to determine where it is children are… regarding meeting international literacy standards,” Manickchand stated.

The findings of the study in this regard, she said, will be made available in the early part of 2014, and will be used to improve the literacy level of students.

The other study looked at the learning needs of pupils. This was done to determine their level of literacy, as well as to test whether the curriculum that is used to teach this level is relevant or needs a subtraction or addition.

Educational level

This aside, the minister said two different studies were conducted to ascertain the educational level of pupils across the country at primary schools.

“We created tests

Human Services Ministry to focus more on senior citizens in 2014

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry received the elegantly designed Mahaica Children’s Home from telecommunications company, Digicel Guyana in 2013 to boost its care and protection of children

T

he Human Services and Social Security Ministry has had a very successful year in 2013, and will continue its work in the new year towards ensuring Guyanese enjoy their rights, the Government Information Agency reported.

Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster at an end-of-year press conference at the ministry on Monday, said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) TACKLE project will be continued by the government and the National

Action Plan on Gender Based Violence will be completed.

The ministry plans to make life for senior citizens much easier in 2014 through the provision of special training for health officials in the area of caring for the elderly.

Better transport

A lot of emphasis will be placed on the provision of better transport for senior citizens as they often complain of the minibuses not wanting to transport them.

More attention will also be paid to senior citizen’s homes.

Limacol CPL fans reflect on first tournament T

he inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) was held in five Caribbean territories in July-August 2013.

As plans are being formulated for the tournament in 2014, we asked persons in the streets of Georgetown for their views on the first LCPL and their wishes for the 2014 tournament.

Andre Percival, former Guyana and U-19 West Indies cricketer

The LCPL is a good thing that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the sponsors such as NEWGPC INC have done.

To improve more on it, I think that they should add more local players and have just a few overseas players so we could see what quality players we have in the West Indies.

All in all I think that it is a good thing so that we could have some regional cricket, especially in the T20 version.

I believe that the LCPL 2013 was the best thing ever for cricket in the Caribbean and, in particular, Guyana.

I think that it was able to reach the expectations of the entire population – the people with a heart for cricket – and I know for sure that 2014 it will be bigger and better and there will be more teams involved.

Gregory Wickham, City vendor From this perspective, I am expecting that the Amazon Warriors will come out as winners.

Kevin Bess, City vendor

Ronald Seegobin, Georgetown/Berbice taxi driver

I think that LCPL 2013 was good for the fans, the cricketers and everybody because it could help to give young players a break.

I am looking forward for the LCPL 2014 to be bigger and better.

I am looking forward for the LCPL 2014 to be better that last year. In the first year, some major things were not properly organized and this year I am sure things will be better placed. We are looking forward for a better team in 2014.

The selectors need to give more players an opportunity.

The inclusion of the overseas players gives the boys an opportunity to broaden out and its gives them an opportunity to learn from each other; it is good to mix them.

Faith Ross, Student I like the idea of having the tournament. It was good, but not as good as the IPL [Indian Premier League].

We understand that this was the first one. I am of the view that in a few years it will take off. I think one of the things that they need to do is add a few more teams in the tournament and get a few more popular players.

This is a start so you will not expect it to be perfect.

The tournament in itself could do well for tourism throughout the region.

It will be nice if they can have matches played in more islands. It was a good initiative.

W

By Anu Dev

ell 2013 is finally coming to an end. The year is wrapping up and we’re being propelled towards January 1st, 2014. Our thoughts inevitably become a bit reflective as we think about what the past year has been like. We can’t do much about the process, since as humans we’re driven to create narratives.

The point is: what kind of narrative are we going to create? For me, the past year’s been one of my most momentous – graduating from high school, moving to a different country and starting med school all within the space of a few months. It feels like it’s been years since I was last strolling through the halls of QC – so much has happened since then.

But then I realise it was just a few months ago that I was wearing the old school tie.

Time, as I’m constantly reminded, is truly relative.

But I do love New Year’s Day. For some in explicable reason I get insanely happy when thinking about New Year’s Day. For example, after my last exam, the minute I realised that I was now free from school- work and the holidays had officially begun, I immediately started wishing everyone Happy New Year’s – never mind that we hadn’t even gotten past Christmas yet.

It’s hard to be unhappy on New Year’s Day. For our family, it’s a “big day” as we celebrate New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day all rolled together.

There’s (tons of) good food, lots of laughter from good-natured ribbing and just that all-round ‘good feeling’. Cooking with my mom is special! And after being away for four months, I’m looking forward to that familiar feeling of ushering in the New Year with my family even more than I usually do.

It’s true you shouldn’t wait until a specific date like January 1 to decide to make changes in your life.

What’s that cliché? “Today is the first day of the rest of your life...” So you should be continuously striving to improve things. But New Year’s Day is a nice time to make a conscious effort to think about what you want the New Year to be like.

We all have things that we would’ve liked to have done differently in 2013 and we all have goals and expectations of the way we want our lives to turn out.

But the thing is, if we’re not making the decisions to improve our lives, to bring ourselves closer to our goals, thing won’t magically work out in the end without us putting any effort in. Unfortunately, real life doesn’t equip us with personal Fairy Godmothers.

Every alcoholic mightn’t decide to give up drinking, every smoker mightn’t decide to quit smoking and every parent mightn’t decide to make more of an effort to spend time with their kids, but hopefully many will. It doesn’t have to be “big things”... But the “little things” we change can also make a world of difference.

I love fresh starts, new beginnings. And for many of us, especially students, we do get a fresh start after the New Year – it’s a whole new term, a new semester.

We get a chance to improve this semester in comparison to the last.

It’s going to be a New Year! I don’t know what exactly 2014 holds for me, but I do know some of the things that I want from 2014, and hopefully I can make the choices to bring me closer to my goals. And in the meantime, I’ll enjoy what’s left of 2013 and savour the time I get to spend at home, right here in my homeland.

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week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Over 800 Amerindian youths participate in apprenticeship programme

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pproximately 856 youths participated in the Youth Apprenticeship Programme launched by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry earlier this year even as plans are being made to increase this number in the coming year to 2000.

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai made this disclosure on Monday when asked by Guyana Times International for an update on the programme.

Sukhai said that the programme has been of great benefit for Amerindian youths in the hinterland and is expected to expand to other communities in the coming year.

The minister said the achievements made through this programme are exceptional and have seen more persons expressing an interest of getting involved.

“They are contributing to village development. We have community service officers (CSOs), attached to var-

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai

ious sectors… they are engaged at the village council level, project implementation,” Sukhai stated.

The CSOs also provide leadership to the community councils and are involved in record keeping, mobilising communities, improving community infrastructure, assisting daily with monitoring solar units, building roads

and fixing water pipes, among several others.

While admitting that there is a high level of unemployment in the hinterland region, Sukhai said that the programme is helping in a major way to bridge this gap. The ministry has also received requests from Amerindian communities on the coastal region.

Sukhai said that the

ministry is yet to examine the requests, as it is felt that youths in Amerindian communities in the coastal region stand a greater chance of being employed, as against those in the hinterland region.

However, Regions Two and 10 have indicated their interest, which the ministry is looking at and could possibly roll out the programme there to help many Amerindian youths who are seeking employment/ training.

The programme encourages youths to contribute to nation building and community development. It focuses on building skill sets and creating a mindset that will foster and encourage entrepreneurship.

Amerindians youths who are given work stints through the progamme, receive a small stipend as CSOs, and are placed on a sixmonth work attachment with either a private or public sector entity.

New UG council more accountable – education minister

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University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus

d u c a t i o n Minister Priya Manickchand said the recently-installed University of Guyana Council is more accountable so far.

Manickchand made this statement at an endof-the-year press conference on Monday. She said there have been significant changes made to the operations of the University of Guyana, under the stewardship of the new university council and Vice Chancellor Dr Jacob Opadeyi, who has also been more accountable and transparent.

Manickchand told media operatives that while the ministry has no direct supervision over the tertiary institution, it allocates finance to the university to assist in its daily operations.

The education minister added that despite

the ministry having no authority over UG, both institutions are in constant contact to ensure that the curriculum at the secondary level matches the entry level for the university.

Asked whether government is in support of the increased tuition fees the intuition is proposing, Manickchand said various consultations are being undertaken and based on the results of these, a decision will be made.

She said, “As to whether Cabinet has taken any decision on it… I think Cabinet will be guided by what the council discovers with those consultations.”

Major financial irregularities were unearthed at UG, Turkeyen Campus following a financial audit conducted by experts from the University of the West

Indies (UWI). In addition to the financial discrepancies, the premier tertiary educational institution has incurred a debt of Gy$ 482 million.

Based on the reports submitted from the audit, Vice Chancellor Dr Jacob Opadeyi said the university’s accounting system had collapsed over the years, creating major financial loopholes.

Rum Jhaat always deh behind

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um Jhaat is a man who can’t keep he mouth shut. De other day he open he mouth yet again.

He talk bout some body a**, but he sound like one. Wasn’t de first time either. One of he own neighbour seh is every day de man does mek he self one. Now he holler pun a lil gyal in de public service.

And this is a man who seh he fightin fuh de public service.

Is a natural ting if yuh tell somebody someting bout dem house, dem gon look at yuh own house before dem tell yuh back something in return. So that was Rum Jhaat intention. He talk bout somebody else behind to bring attention to he own.

Is not usual that people does want to bring attention to dem behind. Old people does call people like dem a real a**. So Rum Jhaat try it in a back handed way. He use reverse psychology.

He talk bout somebody else own.

It gotta be something with Rum Jhaat and tings that deh behind. Every ting fuh he got some ting to do wid behind. He behind No Gel Hugly in de party fuh de leadership. He behind a company in India fuh de Specialty Hospital. Now he behind a man who tek guvament land.

Rum Jhaat always behind a bottle. He behind get drunk de other day at a cricket club bar and then he behind get stuck in de toilet bowl. Is dem boys who does dress like boys who had to come and tek out he behind. Actually was he face, but by then it had start to look like he behind.

And talkin bout dem boys, is dem boys who decide not to leff down Rum Jhaat behind after dem tek he out. Dem boys had he behind all over GT de garbage town. Is when he wake up he realise he deh alone and nobody deh behind!

Just like he and de KFC. Ting-a-ling-a-ling… friend tell friend… mattie tell mattie! De whole of 2013 Rum Jhaat deh behind. Just wait and see in 2014 he gon deh more far behind!

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week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Eight-year-old electrocuted while fishing M

oments after leaving his home to catch fish, an eight-year old lad was Monday morning electrocuted after he came into contact with an illegal connection at Plum Park, Sophia, Georgetown.

Joshua Regis, a pupil of the Enterprise Primary School, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital sometime after 11: 30h.

According to reports, the lad, who loved fishing, was warned not to leave the house, but he left without his mother’s knowledge, with a bucket and fishing hook in his hands.

He went to a nearby trench where he secured a hook, but slid in the

mud during the process.

In an attempt to stop his slide into the trench, he reportedly grabbed and held onto the live wire and was electrocuted.

Distraught

Joshua’s distraught mother, Nicola Charles, explained that on Monday morning, she was lying in her bed when one of her daughters informed her that the lad was sneaking out to catch fish.

She stopped him; at the same time, his father, Sean Regis, returned from work and gave the child a stern warning, but he eventually left while they were having an argument.

She explained that the argument was about her spouse giving permission to anoth-

Joshua Regis with some of his siblings in happier times

er daughter to attend a wedding over the weekend and up to Monday morning, she had not returned.

During the argument, Charles heard a sound and enquired from her other children about Joshua.

That is when she was told her son was in a

trench, lying motionless.

She and her husband ran to the scene. From all indications, the child was already dead.

The lad’s father, who spoke to Guyana Times International at the Georgetown Public Hospital, explained that he had just returned home from work and

Webster says Govt making progress in fighting TIP

By Alexis Rodney

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mid an increase in reported cases of human trafficking in Guyana, Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster has assured that government was using every available method to help combat the scourge.

Over the years, government has not been receptive to some of the criticisms in its fight against human trafficking and has boasted of rigorous systems in place to combat the problem.

At her end-of-year news conference at her Water Street office, Webster said so far for this year, Gy$ 3.1 million has been expended to assist victims and their families.

She added that every effort was made to include nongovernmental organisations (NGO), both locally and internationally, and other entities that have the total eradication of this debilitating social issue at heart.

Webster said her ministry, through its “Counter Trafficking in Persons Unit”, has received a total of 11 reports of human trafficking for 2013. Four persons have been convicted, while another four are currently facing charges.

Training sessions

The minister pointed out that the ministry is seeking to ensure that women and children are protected.

It is against this backdrop that numer-

Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster

ous training sessions and sensitisation programmes were held across the country to equip persons with skills and knowledge to join in the fight to eliminate trafficking in persons (TIP).

“We have also worked towards having persons in communities understand their roles in being able to identify at-risk persons to trafficking in persons and I think that is one of the areas where we have stepped up our approach,” Webster told reporters.

She pointed out that major focus was placed on the hinterland communities, where the presence of TIP is very high.

“We did have sessions in Regions One, Two, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine, because we feel that we needed to do more work in our hinterland com-

munities because of increased activities in certain sectors, such as the mining sector.”

Webster said that the ministry has been working closely with victims of TIP, seeking to assist them with “training opportunities to find work”.

In its 2013 TIP report, the U. S. Department of State ranked Guyana on the Tier Two WatchList.

In 2011, Guyana had moved from the Tier Two Watch List to Tier Two; however, it went back to the watch list in 2012 and 2013. The Tier Two Watch List encompasses countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance.

Stringent penalties

According to the report, Guyana’s government made no visible progress in holding human trafficking offenders in the country accountable during the reporting period, although the Combating Trafficking of Persons Act of 2005 prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes sufficiently stringent penalties, ranging from three years to life imprisonment.

The report said while there have been some efforts to protect victims, the lack of punishment for offenders creates an enabling environment for continued human trafficking. The majority of prosecutions initiated during the reporting period were dismissed, since witnesses usually declined to testify.

Close to the end of the reporting period, law enforcement and prosecutors were said to be gathering information to issue warrants for the arrest of suspected perpetrators and to initiate prosecution.

WoW programme

Meanwhile, Webster said single mothers across Guyana have been taking advantage of the Women of Worth (WoW) programme – an initiative of the ministry in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI).

More than 1300 women have received loans and have expanded their businesses, with some 447 receiving training in areas such as garment construction, catering, information technology, and cosmetology.

upon entering the yard, he was told that Joshua “get shock”, contrary to his spouse’s account.

He continued that initially he thought it was a joke, but after he saw his reputed wife running towards the young man, he realised that it was true.

He said the moment he picked up the child, he knew that he was dead, but without hesitation he took a taxi and rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The frustrated man added that the area where his son met his demise is about 60 feet from their home, noting that his son was holding onto a telephone cable which was used to steal electricity.

Several police ranks were at the house of the

dead child, taking statements from his mother. They were also seen at the scene where the child met his unfortunate death.

Illegal connections

When this publication visited the area, there were several illegal connections hanging from the lamp post near the spot where the child met his demise.

Joshua is survived by his eight siblings and his parents.

Illegal connections are a major concern for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). This has resulted in the deaths of several persons who came into contact with these connections.

Sophia was listed as one of the areas with the most complaints.

Foreign-funded projects progressing smoothly – Croal

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mid the row over the rejected US$ 13.1 million United States Agency for International Development (USAID) governance project, the Local Government Ministry announced on Monday that other internationally-funded projects are progressing smoothly.

Despite a few hiccups during the initial stage, Local Government Ministry Permanent Secretary Collin Croal said the US$ 150,000 Empowerment Inclusion and Reconciliation Programme (YEIRP) will be completed by the second quarter of 2014 while the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED) funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has completed its mandate for 2013.

First component

Croal made the comment while speaking at the ministry’s end-of-year news conference.

It was reported that the first component of the YEIRP initiative has been completed while the second component is near completion.

The project is being implemented in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10.

Croal said 30 young potential leaders completed training under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative on September 14. The leader completed courses in understanding government structures in Guyana, transformational leadership, advocacy and partic-

Local Government Ministry Permanent Secretary Collin Croal

ipation in policymaking, project development and implementation, conflict transformation and fostering peace, understanding human rights and strategies in community development.

ICT

Meanwhile, the second aspect of the project focuses on the use of social media and information communication technology (ICT) platform by young people to interact with policymakers and aid in the national decision-making.

Already the ICT strategy paper has been developed and the six ICT hubs in the six regions have been identified.

“The computers to be placed within these hubs have already been procured. Each of the hubs will have two computers,” the permanent secretary said, noting that through the programme, participants will be able to procure BlackBerry cellular phones at a reduced price from Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT& T) while the telephone giant will provide free hotspots for the first six months.

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week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Guyana Health Vision 2020’ launched A

comprehensive plan to modernise the local health sector was on Monday unveiled at an elaborate ceremony at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

Dubbed Health Vision 2020 – the plan is a national health strategy for Guyana for the period 2013-2020. The strategy aims to make persons resident in Guyana the healthiest people in the Caribbean and the Americas by the year 2020, officials said.

The plan was launched by Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran; Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud; and President Donald Ramotar.

Dr Persaud presented a snapshot of the vision, which he said is designed to modify health care and put the country’s health sector at an international level. The CMO noted that the vision caters for not only Guyanese but other nationalities living in the country.

“The mission is to create an enabling framework for full participation in leadership and

President Donald Ramotar receives a copy of Health Vision 2020 from CMO Dr Shamdeo Persaud, Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran and Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Leslie Cadogan

integrated health services to deliver quality, efficient and responsive health services and prevention measures also… and to improve the physical mental and social well-being of all the people of Guyana,” Persaud stated.

The CMO explained that the Health Vision 2020 was developed based on a number of locally recognised declarations, including the United Nations Human

Rights Declarations.

He further stated that the objectives of the Health Vision 2020 are close to those of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He noted when the plan comes to an end in 2020, it is expected that Guyana will be up to par with other Caribbean countries in terms of health care.

Better health care

President

Donald

Ramotar, in his feature address, highlighted the importance of the health sector to a country’s economy. He pointed out that while Guyana has come a long way in terms of health-care services, there was still much more to be done.

Ramotar told the gathering that the government has invested billions to ensure quality healthcare services for the people of Guyana.

“That gives you a bet-

ter idea of our commitment to providing a better quality service for the people of our country and this is because of how important we see the health sector in the whole context of having a better quality of life.

This sector has to play a very important role and I’m happy to see that central to the plan that you have and would implement is the question of preventative health care and that should

always be the guiding principle,” the president stated.

President Ramotar said that with this plan, focus will now be placed on providing service to people of Guyana which is second to none.

Minister Ramsaran urged young doctors who were present at the launch to use the plan as a guide when practising medicine. He acknowledged all those who worked on creating Health Vision 2020 and those who will be monitoring the strategy to ensure that it is realised by its deadline.

Also speaking at the launch was Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) country representative, Zoila Fletcher-Payton, who said that Guyana is on its way to meeting the New Millennium Goal established for 2015 and with the implementation of Health Vision 2020, its health care services will be up to standard.

However, she noted that the vision needs the support of the government and society to be successful.

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NEWS

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AFC maintains support for USAID governance project T he Alliance For Change (AFC) said it has noted with amusement the alarm uttered by Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon regarding his reservation about the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Leadership and Democracy Project.

In a statement, the AFC said any “effort which enhances democracy promotes, rather than undermines sovereignty and at a time when there has been no local government elections for over 14 years, and where the country is governed by a minority party which is continuously at war with the legislative arm of the state, any effort which improves the participation of a broader cross section of the population in the decision making process of the country is not only welcomed but necessary”.

Democracy

The party added: “The PPP/C [Peoples Peogressive Party/ Civic] government seems to have conveniently forgotten that it was none other

than their founder leader, Dr Cheddi Jagan, who not only sought but insisted on the participation of former U. S. President Jimmy Carter in his efforts to enhance democracy in Guyana in 1992.”

The AFC said it is therefore perplexed by what circumstances might have changed since then that now categorises efforts at enhanced democracy as a challenge to sovereignty.

“But what could be the justification in not wanting to support a project as this which has increased participation of the citizenry in democracy building, consensus building in the National Assembly, funding for research and legal drafting skills for Parliamentarians, women and youth civic education festivals, and local government education and awareness? It could only be the downgrading of participatory democracy and the abandoning of a once loudly heralded PPP/ C’s goal ‘No development without democracy’”.

According to the AFC, this newfound political approach of confron-

Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

tational diplomacy and harsh assailing of a most senior ranking diplomat from U. S., is a retrograde step towards full fledged authoritarianism.

“All Guyanese and perhaps equally importantly, the members in the Guyanese diaspora in the U. S. A, must speak out against this unacceptable stance adopted by the government. AFC supports the position taken by the U. S. government and looks forward to the positive contribution this project will provide to enhanced leadership and democracy in Guyana. The AFC endorses this project,” the statement said.

The government last week warned that there could be serious repercussions over the U.S. government’s insistence on carrying out the USAID project, which the Donald Ramotar administration has rejected.

The government has also written the U.S. ambassador to Guyana, D Brent Hardt on comments he made in an exclusive interview with the Stabroek News recently, insisting that the project would go ahead with or without the Guyana government’s support.

Dr Luncheon told a news conference on Tuesday that the ad-

Repercussions

ministration will view Ambassador Hardt’s response as the official reaction of Washington.

In a letter to the editor of this newspaper, Dr Luncheon said he noted the ambassador, reportedly stating the U. S. intention to implement the project notwithstanding Cabinet’s disapproval.

He said he has also noted the insistence of the ambassador that the government of Guyana was consulted on the project.

“I have also noted the political opposition supporting the U.S. ambassador’s line that the government had no good reason to reject the project.

“Mister Editor, at this stage, the issue is the U.S. ambassador’s apparent contempt of the Cabinet of Guyana – an act that can have serious repercussions,” Dr Luncheon warned.

The Cabinet secretary said Hardt was playing with words with regards to consultation.

“I still contend Guyana was not consulted. The project was conceived by the American authorities, the project

was funded by Congress,” he said.

A bid was then tendered, and the U. S. organisation International Republican Institute (IRI) won that bid and was awarded the contract to implement the project.

According to Dr Luncheon, it was subsequent to those actions by the American authorities that the U. S. ambassador approached the government of Guyana.

“I challenge the ambassador to indicate at what point was the government of Guyana consulted about this project. The U.S. ambassador presented the government with a fait accompli.”

Dr Luncheon further stated that Hardt’s apparent contempt of the Guyana government begs the question and supports “our contention that the ambassador is of the opinion that the U.S. authorities can execute projects in Guyana at will. This is a dangerous proposition that all right-thinking Guyanese and indeed sovereign states must repudiate,” Luncheon added.

NEWS

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Simply the Truth

Drug rehabilitation Gender-based programme must cater for violence (Part I) women – finance minister

Professor Daizal Samad

I

n Guyana we observe these various “days”.

International day for this or that. You name it, we observe it. For a day.

We trot out the “experts” and the “scholars” and the “social scientists” and the “leaders” from inside and outside this nation. They talk. They do power points and videos.

And they all use the almighty microphone.

Volume is power. Noise is righteousness.

At the very best, we have one or two victims who are reduced to giving “testimonies”. We sympathise; we even cry.

And our emotional reaction is genuine. But as Jose Marti said: “We can only talk about pain if we have felt the slap on our own faces.”

Violence

The Education Ministry has taken an initiative to reach out to schools on “gender-based violence”.

This is an admirable initiative, and one hopes that the outcome will be positive: a lessening of gender-based violence.

Gender-based violence is a scourge. It is evil. And that evil has almost consumed this country. Men beat, maim, rape, and kill women; and this has almost become ordinary.

We are starting to read about it and see it as if we were reading and seeing a cartoon or comic strip.

Gender based violence takes many forms. Physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, verbal abuse. If a man beats a woman, she may recover after a few months or years. A child raped never recovers — ever! If it happens within a family, that family often shrouds the rape in secrecy in the name of family pride.

Rape

The raped child is sold off to the cheapest bidder in what passes for marriage. She is damaged goods, like a piece of rotting meat. And her life is one long misery. This is often how it shakes down!

So the raped girl is sold off as quickly as possible to any idiot that comes along. And more often than not, she is subject to more and more emotional abuse. She becomes a slave to cook, clean, bear children, provide sex, and

serve.

The sexual violence continues, over and over. There is no relief, no escape. A lifetime of horror. Gradually she begins to believe that this horror is normal.

There are forms of gender-based violence that we hardly recognise to be violent. There are many forms of violation. A woman or girl gets into a taxi and is made to suffer any form of violation: groping, touching, sexual advances by action or words. This too is genderbased violence. It is violation.

Humiliation

But where do women go to make things right?

She got into a taxi, did not note the licence number (who does?), it is dark. She takes her humiliation and violation and lives with it.

It becomes normal.

Even if she goes home and tells her partner, he will almost instinctively think that she “looked for it” or she would be told some foolishness like: “These things happen.

Get over it!”

Someone is sent by some phone company to fix a phone. Male, of course — we don’t have an abundance of technicians who are female. The fellow walks into someone’s home.

The woman is there in the place where she should be most safe and comfortable. And, without hesitation or provocation, she is subject to sexual advances by the “technician”.

Violation!

Violence! Does she now take her time and go complain to whichever company sent that beast to her home? Even if they fire the beast, how does the company make up for the dishonour to the woman, the dishonour to her done in her house?

There is much violence in our language! “I will kill yuh so and so!” is now ordinary speech. And there is no price to pay.

None! It is rarely reported to the police because it has become a way of life.

And these monsters are to be found in every single profession in this country!

We as a nation do seem to know that gender-based violence is much, much more than cuffs and kicks and beatings. Those are horrible enough. But it goes much deeper.

So yes. Let us have these outreaches to our children. Let us have these conferences, workshops, seminars, and vigils. But in the name of all things holy, let us have action. This may sound regressive and simplistic, but maybe it would be a good thing for those who subject others to violence and violation be made to suffer greater violence and violation — in public! Make examples of them!

support once it continues to achieve its goals.

Last year, the government gave Gy$ 16 million in capital funding to expand the drug rehabilitation programme in its effort to accommodate more clients.

Give equal opportunity

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh speaking at the Guyana Salvation Army dinner and social event on Friday evening

F

inance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, is calling for more involvement by civil society to foster and promote social programmes aimed at developing Guyana.

He made the call at a Guyana Salvation Army dinner and social event on Friday evening. “Nowhere in the world can government alone confront and overcome all of the challenges faced by a country,” he said, adding: “Responsible social partners and responsible citizens are an absolutely critical pre-requisite if our country is to achieve what we want of it.”

The minister noted that the work of the drug rehabilitation centre is one to be applauded for reforming persons affected with drug addiction and re-integrating them back into their communities and societies where they are able to contribute to the development of their country.

“We want to ensure

that each and every one of you get a fair chance to make an optimal contribution to the growth and development of our

“At that stage, we were looking to attract female clients too,” explained the minister.

He noted that drug addiction affects both men and women and therefore the facility should also cater to the needs of female clients.

“I wish to urge the Salvation Army to replicate the outstanding

mise the resources and facilities as part of their recovery.

“I believe substance abuse has distracted you from your intended calling,” said Minister Singh, pointing out that “We need you badly to return to the path on which you have been put on this earth to walk.”

Chief counsellor at the rehabilitation centre Amarnauth Parsad noted that the year has been one of the most successful for the organisation as all of their clients have remained in the programme compared to previous years where a number of them would

A section of the gathering at the dinner and social event on Friday evening

country,” the finance minister said to current and former clients of the rehabilitation centre.

Minister Singh, having noted the contributions and benefits of the programme, pledged government’s continued

success that has been achieved with male clients, to extend the programme to include female clients,” he said.

Minister Singh also urged the participants to stay with the programme and to maxi-

have left.

He attributed these developments to a combination of factors, including government support, stronger leadership and the ability of the organisation to hire more qualified staff.

Guyana providing financial support to storm-affected Eastern Caribbean countries

H

ead of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Luncheon announced that Cabinet has approved financial support of US$100,000 each for St Lucia and St Vincent and US$75, 000 to Dominica, in wake of the deadly storm that recently affected the Eastern Caribbean, impacting more seriously on the three countries.

Several were left dead and others missing in St Lucia, St Vincent and Dominica following heavy rainfall that affected parts of the Eastern Caribbean from December 23 through 25.

All three countries also experienced massive infrastructural loss.

Immediately following the storm, President

Residents of Castries, St Lucia, work together to clean up their area which was badly affected by flooding on Christmas Day (photo courtesy: Bill Mortely)

Donald Ramotar publicly expressed Government’s intention to provide assistance to the affected countries, as he joined the Caricom Head of States in commiserating with the Governments and people of the affected states.

Dr. Luncheon said

too, that Government, in conjunction with the Public Service Commission (PSC) has also put in place mechanisms for a disaster relief fund, whereby Guyanese and institutions desirous of making a contribution in support of the Governments and people

of the Eastern Caribbean states can do so.

The heavy rainfall and high winds, caused by a low level trough system experienced over the two-days in the Eastern Caribbean led to flooding and land slippage in the affected countries, resulting in significant damage to infrastructure such as roads, health centres and airports, and homes and regrettably, loss of lives.

Water, power and telephone services were also interrupted.

In Dominica, the main impact was to the southern part of the island from Scotshead to Laudat and Canefield.

Flash flooding and land slippage blocked roads, homes and interrupted electrical power supply.

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Housing Boom: Govt says 6000 houselots will be distributed in 2014

T

he Housing Ministry will be allocating some 6000 house lots and will work to see the completion of a highway into Parfaite Harmonie in 2014.

This apart, the ministry will be building more turnkey homes and developing new housing schemes including Silica City, thereby providing jobs for thousands of workers in the construction sector.

These projects were outlined by Housing Minister Irfaan Ali on Friday at an end-ofyear press conference at his ministry's office at Brickdam, Georgetown.

The ministry is targeting in 2014, the construction of 500 turnkey homes, Minister Ali said, as a lot of applicants now are requesting to be part of the project, the young professional homes, the clerical workers’ homes and the lower high income homes.

Trickledown effect

He pointed out that the acquisition of one of the homes as against constructing one works out far cheaper for the applicant. The minister also pointed to the ‘real trickledown effect’ the construction of the homes is having on the economies of the neighbouring communities where they are being constructed.

He said that in Eccles, to construct turnkey homes, the ministry in 2013 employed more than 400 persons from nearby communities, inclusive of Agricola and Mocha.

This housing development which is to be developed on the LindenSoesdyke Highway would be one of the ministry’s signature projects as it would be a prime housing, commercial, tourism, and industrial development for Guyana, Minister Ali said.

The concept was

launched at Building Expo 2013 and the ministry was hoping to have the conceptual designs, and outlay and outlook of the area available early in 2014.

The ministry has already publicly asked for anyone who wants to be part of the grand idea to submit their thoughts.

“Flooding, climate change, land availability, infrastructure upgrade, infrastructure expansion, future plans of a deep water port that will necessitate the expansion of our highway all the way to Linden, all of this makes Silica City a viable mid-town, mid-point area of development and opportunity for Guyanese people and we are going to pursue this dream, we are going to pursue this ambition with vigour because we at the Ministry of Housing believe strongly in the accomplishment of this dream,” he said.

Land allocation

The minister also pointed out that land allocation in Region Four has become an issue because of the lack of availability and has created challenges for the ministry’s planners.

“From a planning perspective it is becoming increasingly more difficult for us to find plots of land on the East Coast. Matter fact, we cannot locate lands on the East Coast now that can be used for housing development, because GuySuCo as you know is still the largest owner of land on the East Coast, and they are basically not ready to divest themselves of any portion of land in that area,” he said.

He said too, that the ministry is in its penultimate tier of development with regards to the East Bank.

Employment

The Housing Ministry will advertise very shortly for masons, carpen-

ters, labourers and other skilled persons to work within the ministry.

This will be sustained employment for a period of a year or two that will see the workers being formed into small contracting groups and given the responsibility of constructing the different types of homes that are made available under the ministry’s housing programmes.

“We are going to train them to become contractors, to become owners of companies… they will be supervised by a competent team of engineers and planners here,” Minister Ali explained.

In 2014, the ministry is hoping to complete a few new schemes, among which are Zeeburg and the expansion of Zeelugt in Region Three, towards the creation of 1500 more lots.

There will also be the continued development of the East Bank corridor to bring about another

3000 lots. Focus will be placed on opening up of the Little Diamond area to have commercial and industrial development.

The ministry will also focus on completing the new highway into Parfaite Harmonie that would realise a new access road almost to the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

To be completed as well in 2014 is the asphaltic concrete paving of four collector roads between Eccles to Little Diamond. These are designed to create the link between the existing East Bank highway and proposed alignment that would link the East Coast and East Bank.

Minister Ali said that the ministry has already completed a preliminary design for the proposed link, and is hoping to complete the designs and start work soon.

Continued focus will also be on some of the main arteries into Sophia.

Two remanded for Shamdas Kirpalani robbery

F

our persons were brought before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry on Friday after they were charged in connection with the Shamdas Kirpilani robbery.

Three men and one woman appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where they were not required to plead to the indictable charges.

Howard Rambarose of 6 Meadow Bank, Greater Georgetown, Rajesh Singh of 216 Layne Avenue, and Alistair Naughton of Guyhock Park, were all charged for robbery under arms.

They all stood silently as Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry read the charge which stated that on December 20 at Georgetown, being armed with a gun, they robbed Mahesh Chetranie Gy$ 17,250,000 property of Shamdas Kirpilani.

Joan Persaud, however, was charged with receiving the sum of Gy$370,000 knowing same to be stolen money.

Persaud was also not required to plead.

Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that Singh is employed at Kirpilani on Regent Street and is entrusted with the responsibility of depositing money in the Bank of Baroda.

Attorney Nigel Hughes

On the day in question, he and manager of the store, Chetranie, uplifted the money and boarded the company vehicle to make the deposit at the bank. While in the vicinity of Avenue of the Republic, they were “stuck up” by Rambarose and Naughton, who relieved them of the money and made good their escape.

Rambarose was represented by Attorney Clyde Ford while Attorney Nigel Hughes entered an appearance on behalf of Singh.

Attorney Hughes stated that his client has been an employee at Kirpilani for the past six years and there has never been a complaint against him. On the day of the incident, Singh was taken to Brickdam where he signed a statement, his cellphone was taken away and he was released.

The attorney went on

to say that on Christmas eve, ranks went to his place of work and arrested him, taking him to Eve Leary headquarters.

Beaten

There, he was told to sign a statement and was then beaten with a police baton. He further stated that when he visited Singh on Christmas morning, there were visible marks of violence on his body.

Hughes then proceeded to show the court pictures of the accused’s battered body.

Hughes pointed out that he heard no mention of conspiracy to commit a felony and was perplexed at what the prosecution has put forward.

He said that his client was one of the victims robbed at gunpoint and he cannot seem to understand how is it that Singh is being slapped with a robbery charge, slapped with “robbing himself?” and stated that

the prosecution cannot point to any solid evidence other than the confession statement that implicates his client.

Attorney Ford made a bail application for Rambarose stating that his client has an alibi.

On the day in question, the attorney said that his client was on his way to court to appear before the Chief Magistrate for a matter which was dismissed on Monday last.

Bail Prosecutor Mangru objected to bail, citing the seriousness, prevalence and the fact that the suspects might try to evade the law.

When asked by the Chief Magistrate if any of the suspects were identified by means of an identification parade, the response was negative.

Prosecutor Mangru said that money was recovered from Rambarose and Naughton but stated that the bills were not marked prior to the robbery when asked about it

by Beharry.

Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry overruled the objections in regards to Singh and Persaud granting bail in the sum of Gy$ 500,000 and Gy$ 100,000 respectively.

However, the other two men were remanded to prison.

The matters were adjourned to January 14

‘Haul yuh ass’!

Satiricus was agog. Not that he was “fast” or a “pot salt” or anything like that but as a fella always eager to know what’s going on, Satiricus was frequently “agog”.

This time he was all agog about the wonderful way the Leader of the KFC party, Rum Jhaat, had with words. And how misunderstood he also was.

The thing was... in Guyana... ordinary people didn’t know how important words were to a highly trained senior lawyer like Rum Jhaat.

Just as how a cutlass was the tool of a cane cutter, words were the tools of a lawyer. And Rum Jhaat could wield his tool as good as any cane cutter. In the matter at hand, Rum Jhaat had announced that the housing minister was practically giving away prime real estate on the East Bank to every Tom, Dick and Harilall who called themselves “developer”. Satiricus became livid when he heard that. Imagine selling land to private developers when only 200,000 house lots had been given to ordinary folks. Since when private developers had any rights? Or money meant anything? Lucky for the ordinary folks that Rum Jhaat and his communist sympathies were on their side.

The minister then tried to weasel out by calling a press conference to announce the developers had paid millions of dollars for the land. As if this mattered!!! And to top it off, had his secretary invite Rum Jhaat to the press conference! Now, this was really taking this democracy business too far. Who the heck was this minister to think he could defend his ministry and rebut a party leader (KFC party) – and a presidential candidate at that – to his face?? “The nerve!!!” fumed Satiricus.

But being the great leader he was, the newspaper reported that Rum Jhaat very maturely told the minister’s secretary to have the minister “haul his ass”. Satiricus immediately knew that the report was incorrect and concocted. Rum Jhaat would never speak like that. As a trained lawyer Rum Jhaat would always speak with the correct syntax. Rum Jhaat would never say “haul his ass”.

Satiricus knew that Rum Jhaat had said “tell the minister to haul ‘e ass”. How could Rum Jhaat say otherwise?

Hadn’t even his junior partner – the Nagga Man, entering the legal profession in his dotage – parsed his words ever so carefully when he announced in Parliament, he’d told his grandson: “Shut yuh so-and-so mouth!!”? Ah.... What class! If a junior could exhibit such an erudite command of the language, how could the party leader do less? So, to all who would condemn such a senior lawyer like Rum Jhaat, Satiricus says: “Haul yuh ass!”

news week ending January 5, 2014

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Ali describes Kaieteur News report on EcclesProvidence housing project as “nasty and scandalous”

H

ousing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali has taken the Kaieteur News to task regarding an article published on Christmas Day headlined “Eccles to Providence hijacked by private developers”.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday at his ministry’s Brickdam, Georgetown office, Ali said the news report is riddled with lies and designed to paint the Donald Ramotar administration in a bad light.

The minister contended that the report sought to create a picture that government sold most of the land from the Eccles to Providence, East Bank Demerara, to private housing developers, instead of issuing it to the public.

This, he said, is far from the truth, pointing out that these issues were addressed previously and the public-private partnership is aimed at ensuring that there is equal access to land ownership.

On that note, the

minister urged Kaieteur News to give up its scandalous and lawless approach to reporting, describing the article as a “nasty, nasty, nasty lie” that “makes one wonder what is hoped to be achieved by this disgusting, rotten piece of journalism… all morals and ethics are obsolete in this case.”

Ali said that his ministry always operates in a transparent and fair manner.

According to Ali, work in the area began after a public expression of interest was placed in the Guyana Chronicle during 2010.

Contrary to the Kaieteur News report, he said that almost 4000 lots were distributed through the normal application process.

In explaining how much money was paid for the lands by private developers within the East Bank area, Ali said the investment was from both the public and private sectors and the cost of land in the first phase

went to the public sector, he said.

The minister stated that the map published in the Kaieteur News with the article is public information and was made available to the media since 2011. He said too that his ministry has nothing to fear, as it operates in a transparent and fair manner.

Disrespectful

Housing Minister Irfaan Ali making a point during his press briefing at his ministry on Friday

ranged from Gy$ 4 million to Gy$ 6 million, plus infrastructural cost per acre, while the average investment service per acre of land is between Gy$ 10 million to Gy$ 15 million by the private sector.

Ramjattan was quoted as saying in the Kaieteur News, “We have in our possession a leaked document that maps out lands that were earmarked for

housing….” The first phase of the East Bank Demerara development project was advertised on December 15, 2010.

“So when he said people are working there a year ago, it was there since 2010, published in the Guyana Chronicle under the caption ‘invitation for expression of interest for housing development at the proposed Eccles to Mocha Housing

Government announces new technology for mining sector in 2014

T

he local mining sector is set to benefit from new technology in 2014, geared at cutting down the use of mercury, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Robert Persaud said.

He told Guyana Times International that the sector will receive a great boost with the introduction of more trained personnel and

the Amerindians Affairs Ministry and the National Toshaos’ Council, which are expected to be among the first beneficiaries.

Persaud said a reduction in the usage of mercury would result in the immediate reduction of a number of health problems and environmental concerns. This initiative would also facilitate Guyana’s transition to

of the treaty signed by them at the Minamata Convention on Mercury held last October.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury, which is a global legally binding instrument on mercury, was adopted in Minamata, Japan on October 7 to 11. The treaty is named after Minamata city where its residents suffered mercury poisoning during

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud

the 1950s.

Persaud said Guyana should be proud since it is one of the first countries to sign the convention. This step has enabled Guyana to move from a position where many in the mining sector were resisting the elimination of mercury, to the phasing out of it.

According to Persaud, some businesses in the mining sector have already phased out the use of mercury.

In addition, suppliers are including alternative technology on their inventories.

Another initiative by government to phase out mercury usage is the provision of equipment to miners.

According to the minister, the minimisation of the use of mercury would help to reduce some of the difficulties in the mining sector such as contaminated water and the threat to miners’ health.

However, there are other challenges facing the mining sector which are being combated through coordinated efforts of the various agencies under the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

Mining in Guyana

equipment.

“We’ve looked in terms of introducing better technology and new technology to improve the recovery and less impact on the environment, more in terms of training in this regard.”

The minister said discussions are currently underway with

mercury free mining.

Cabinet recently had given its no-objection for the setting up of mercury-free technology fund to benefit small miners and Amerindian communities involved in mining.

Efforts being made by government are to satisfy the requirements

Development site’; a total of 14 expressions was received,” explained the minister.

There is also the perception that all of the lands between Eccles and Providence did not go to normal houselots.

However, the minister said the policy for the housing programme is based on the development of the partnerships.

The majority of the lots

The minister said after reading the article, he sent an email, through his secretary, to Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Khemraj Ramjattan, but instead got a response stating “tell him to haul his ass”. He said Ramjattan verbally abused his secretary, deeming his behaviour lawless and disgusting.

According to Ali, Ramjattan said “how can that chap demand me to come to his press conference, tell him to haul his ass”. Ali is demanding a public apology from Ramjattan for being disrespectful to his secretary, whom he said is a simple public servant.

Court quashes injunction to block upgrade of ECD four-lane road

A

cting Chief Justice Ian Chang has thrown out a case brought by the owner of BM Soat Auto Sales at Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD) against the Public Works Ministry on the upgrading of the four-lane road from Better Hope– Mahaica (ECD).

According to a Public Works Ministry release, Justice Chang on December 20 dismissed the matter as “illegally misconceived”. The delays have cost the public purse tens of millions of dollars.

“There are no legal impediments stopping the Ministry of Public Works from proceeding to demolish the illegal structure. The ministry would proceed with the construction of the fourlane upgrade project.

“We take this opportunity to thank the public for their patience with the judicial process. The completion of this fourlane extension is integral to our delivery as a ministry to the people of Guyana,” the release added.

Owner of BM Soat Auto Sales at Success, Bashair Mohamed, through his attorneys Khemraj Ramjattan and Neil Persram had filed an application for con-

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang

stitutional redress and subsequently took the Public Works Ministry to court, preventing the ministry from upgrading the said road.

The ministry was represented by Attorney Eusi Anderson, principal legal advisor from the attorney general’s chambers.

Dipcon Engineering Limited was contracted to upgrade the road to the tune Gy$ 671,623,054.

The contractor commenced works from October 3, 2011 and the proposed completion date was expected to be July 3, 2012. During construction, the contractor ceased operation because of an illegal construction which inhibited works.

This illegal construction was on the government road reserve on the southern half of the public road at Success.

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Four-lane extension road project to be completed in 2014

W

ork on the fourlane extension road project being undertaken on the East Coast and East Bank highways is expected to be fast-tracked next year.

While there have been some delays owing to several issues encountered by the contractors, the work should be completed by the first quarter of 2014 at the latest.

This is according to an official of the Public Works Ministry.

Stern warning

According to the official, most of the issues that were brought to the attention of the Work Services Group (WSG) of the Public Works Ministry have been corrected, and contractors have been given a stern warning about meeting the deadlines.

The roadworks being done along the East Coast of Demerara consist of six lots.

The contract for lot one was terminated and was awarded to Dipcon

Engineering by government. This phase of the project is moving ahead and the works are expected to be completed soon.

Some challenges are being experienced at lot two of the project as a result of disputes over land, with persons who live there.

For lots three and four, for which Courtney Benn Contracting Service is responsible, works have been moving at a slow pace. The contract for that lot was extended until March 2014.

Salba Engineering is responsible for the final lot, which starts from the Mon Repos market to just before the Good Hope Bridge.

That component of the project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2014.

East Bank

On the other hand, the four-lane extension on the East Bank of Demerara consists of three lots. Dipcon Engineering is responsible for lot one, which had

With the heavy traffic on the East Bank highway, there has been much confusion and congestion, which affects hundreds of commuters, causing the tardiness of workers and schoolchildren.

Traffic

Work ongoing at the four-lane extension on the East Bank of Demerara

some challenges caused

by GT& T power poles.

Works on lots two and three have commenced, and the construction of a high bridge is also ongoing.

The entire project should be completed by next year.

Government had received US$ 20 million

from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), for the East Bank Demerara Four Lane Extension project.

The main objectives of the project are to enhance urban and suburban mobility and safety by lowering transport costs and reducing accident rates via the ex-

pansion of the East Bank Demerara main road between Providence and Diamond from two lanes to four lanes.

The country’s coastland continues to face heavy traffic especially during peak hours. The high influx of imported vehicles has contributed significantly to this.

The afternoon traffic is said to be the worst.

The congestion has contributed to the numerous accidents that continue to occur on the busy highway, which is the only ingress or egress for Guyana’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Similar issues occur on the East Coast highway, especially during peak hours, but the extra road – the Railway Embankment road, which caters for two-way traffic from Georgetown to Enmore, provides some relief.

Nonetheless, the narrowing of the major highway on the East Coast further complicates the situation during peak hours.

Guyanese youths participate in int’l Ramotar, daughter make Christmas conference in Brazil

T

Members of the Guyana delegation

he Rights of the Child Commission (RCC), sponsored by UNICEF, participated in an international workshop – Adolescent and Youth Civic Participation held in Brasília, Brazil on December 10-13.

According to a release from the RCC, the event was part of the self-managed activities of the Global Human Rights Forum.

Approximately 130 participants from 12 different countries attended the international workshop: adolescents, young people, policymakers, leaders of social movements, student leaders and other stakeholders developing programmes and policies aimed at ensuring the right to participation of young people.

The first day was reserved for educational workshops for sharing

information on concrete participation experiences and for collective knowledge production to ensure a systematisation of the consensus obtained.

For the first day, there were a total of six workshops with presentations from: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, and Norway.

The last two days focused on the contexts of participation of young people at national, regional and global levels, and on existing public instances for participation, at the Global Human Rights Forum.

Representatives from RCC and the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry participated in several thematic workshops, including: “Human Trafficking

for Sexual Purposes: A Latin-American Reality”; “Strategies towards Development and Strategies to Fight Racism”; and “Child Labour: Violation of Human Rights of Children and Adolescents”.

The workshops were followed by the launch of the manual “Understanding Human Rights”.

Young people

The participation of young people has been recognised by international legal documents, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989), and in many other human rights treaties relating to women’s rights, protection against discrimination, and the guarantee of civil and political rights.

Many countries, including Guyana, have incorporated the right to

participation of young people at the policy level within organisations or institutions and in varying degrees within their national legislations.

Moreover, the UNICEF; United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and UNHABITAT offices in Brazil, the Youth Coordination of the Government of the Federal District, and the National Youth Secretariat organised this international workshop as a space for debate, exchange of experiences, and ideas and knowledge for the sharing on civic participation of young people.

The objectives were to: identify and systematise a framework for the participation of young people based on international norms, legislations and institutions of countries; give visibility to public policies that ensure the participation of young people in decisionmaking fora regarding the realisation of their rights; share experiences of participatory processes led by young people and create space for youth expression on innovative processes of participation, social mobilisation and use of new information technologies and communication.

rounds at GPH

T

President Donald Ramotar chatting with a patient in the Paediatric Ward of the GPHC

here were smiles on the faces of many of the 26 young patients on Christmas Day, when President Donald Ramotar accompanied by his daughter Lisa Ramotar, along with Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan and other officials visited the Paediatric Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The president and his daughter delivered gifts and kind words to

the young children who are being treated for ailments ranging from burns and broken limbs, to cancer.

The head of state said he was happy to be able to visit the children who were ill and also expressed appreciation for those caregivers on duty at this time within the various children’s units.

“I’m happy to be coming here to extend Christmas greetings to those who are not continued on page 26

News

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APNU steps up call for better working conditions for police

T

he opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is calling for better working conditions for members of the Guyana Police Force, saying this will inspire ranks to better perform their duties with diligence and integrity.

At the party’s weekly press conference, its chairman, David Granger highlighted rising road fatality figures, pointing out the recent death of Chief Librarian Gillian Thompson.

He said the force is “badly under strength, with some 200 officers leaving every year. “We are calling for increased enforcement so that we can save more lives. We do think that the Police Force can be brought up to the standard that is

Programme, the Cunha Canal, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion, and other projects.

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC), disregarding the calamity of nationalisation through the 1970s and 1980s, now essentially want to nationalise the Berbice River Bridge, seeking to have

required but it calls for government policy, and to direct resources where they are needed. Too many people are dying”.

The opposition leader recalled that a few years ago, it was recommended that police officers be given a higher level of remuneration in order to attract better recruits and retain those in service.

“I think the absence of implementation of those recommendations is why over 200 persons leave the force today,” Granger stated.

Corruption within the force is another factor that needs to be addressed urgently by the police authority, he added, noting that with a better paid and fullstrength police force, there will be no such woes to worry about.

ruption.

Increase in remuneration

APNU Leader David Granger

Granger stressed that as long as the police force is under-strength, those who remain in the service will have to do double the work and this may result in cor-

APNU’s shadow home affairs minister and former police commissioner, Winston Felix, shared the same views on the increase in remuneration, stressing that the force needs to offer an attractive package so that persons would want to be employed there. “It’s not just about pay but conditions of services,” he stated.

Felix pointed out that corruption is more prevalent when officers are on the road without any guidance or supervision by their seniors. He recalled a programme which was created years ago whereby senior officers would just show up on the road to assess the work of ranks, pushing policemen

Reflections on 2013

Parliament take over policy decisions. Yet for years, they opposed government’s efforts to liberalise the telecommunications sector.

They agree that the anti-money laundering bill meets all requirements, but the AFC continues to vote against the bill because they want the government to appoint the Public Procurement Commission.

APNU says the anti-money laundering bill is flawed, but will not say what changes they want. APNU and AFC voted against the bill to stop trafficking of arms and ammunition because they hate Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.

Guyana has an abundant mass media and social media that are unimpeded. There is a commissioner of in-

and women to behave professionally.

“Ranks on the road would not know when they would be tested and this is one of the ways to ensure that they keep their behaviour in check.”

Felix pointed out that society too has a hand in the prevalence of bribery and corruption, noting that it is a “two-way street”. “If there is not a giver, there will not be a receiver so we have to look at the nature of how society works. Why some people prefer to pay a bribe and do the wrong thing? We pay a bribe so that somebody could turn a blind eye to what you are doing rather than keeping the money and doing what is right of you. These are social issues which the force has to deal with,” Felix said.

from page 19

formation under the Freedom of Information Act. Yet, Parliament has twice silenced the voices of Guyanese citizens.

The opposition parties combined to stop the private sector from petitioning parliamentarians in November and, in December, sport administrators and stakeholders were denied from petitioning.

Both parties earlier

in 2013 tried to prevent Rohee from speaking in Parliament.

These same politicians were silent when women were at least twice denigrated by the Kaieteur News simply because that newspaper is opposed to such women occupying important positions in Guyana.

These are frustrating experiences. Without them Guyana would be

on an even steeper upward development trajectory. 2013 must be a barometer of who cares for Guyana, and of how the lust for power can derail national development and diminish national aspiration.

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

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NEWS

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Arbitration proceedings against Repsol was last resort – CGX

BY SAMUEL SUKHNANDAN

C

anadian oil company CGX Energy Inc said the legal arbitration it has brought against Repsol was a last resort after efforts to redress its “transgression through dialogue” did not work.

“CGX maintains that it is imperative it protects the rights of its shareholders, many of whom are Guyanese,

both locally and in the diaspora, in terms of the Georgetown licence,” the company’s general counsel Michael Galego told Guyana Times International in a recent interview.

Explaining the details of the dispute between his company and Repsol, CGX Cochairman, Dr Suresh Narine said, while at one point in time CGX owed US$ 15 million to the consortium which drilled

the Jaguar 1 well in the Georgetown licence, it has repaid this sum.

Under the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) between the consortium which had included YPF, Tullow, Repsol (15 per cent ownership) and CGX (25 per cent ownership), arbitration proceedings will be filed in London. Repsol will have a certain period, governed by the terms of the JOA, to respond to the proceed-

Dr Suresh Narine

Michael Galego

ings, Galego said.

Under the terms of the agreement, Repsol was constrained to apply for an extension of the Georgetown licence, within which the Jaguar 1 well, which was plugged and abandoned, was drilled. That licence should have included a pro rata ownership by CGX, which opted to stay in the licence, while Tullow and YPF opted to abandon the licence.

Instead, Repsol allowed the licence to lapse, even when it only owned 15 per cent of the licence.

Subsequently, Repsol applied for an entirely

new licence, the Kanuku licence, covering substantially the same area covered by the old licence, but now it acquired 100 per cent ownership.

“This is a blatant act to deprive the CGX shareholders of their rightful percentage of ownership over the licence,” said Galego.

“In the interest of our shareholders and in keeping with the principled fashion in which we have always carried out our functions and responsibilities to the people and government of Guyana, CGX cannot allow this matter to go unaddressed.”

He said it is CGX’s view that all companies operating in the basin – large or small – must be required to conduct themselves within the highest levels of proprietary and in accordance with Guyana and international laws.

“We are not prepared to stand by and let this kind of bargaining in bad faith creep into the basin,” he added.

CGX, though the smallest independent company operating in the Guyana-Suriname basin, has invested the most on exploration in the basin and has drilled the most wells.

Professor Narine said the company is solely focused on the GuyanaSuriname basin, and was instrumental in Guyana’s legal challenge to Suriname after Surinamese evicted the company from a drill rig via gunboat. He said the company has, over its more than 15-year history in the basin, always taken the principled approach to the resolution of crises through amicable and legal means.

Ramotar, daughter make...

from page 24

in a position to enjoy themselves. I thought I would come to meet them, to meet the caregivers, the nurses, the

Lisa Ramotar spreads Christmas cheer with a gift to a child at the Georgetown Public Hospital

doctors who are here at this point in time, who would have been away from their families and contributing their services. I’m happy to be here to share with the children, the nurses and doctors that I’ve seen, and I want to express profound thanks to the caregivers, the nurses and doctors and all those who are working hard here… for the work that they are doing on behalf of our country, on behalf of our people.

To those who are ill, I take the opportunity to wish them a very speedy recovery and hopefully they will be spending New Year’s at home,” he said.

Lisa Ramotar said

this was her first visit to the hospital, after returning to Guyana several months ago, after completing her studies.

She too, said she was happy to bring some level of joy to those hospitalised at this time when many others are spending time at home with their families.

Children visiting their siblings along with staffers on duty at the Paediatric Ward also received presents from the head of state. The annual Christmas visit to the Paediatric Ward by the head of state has been an established tradition for many years, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

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health

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Kidney functions

By T isha Boston

T

he kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each positioned on each side of the spine. They are situated in the middle of the back below the rib cage. The kidneys function as reprocessing machines by fil-

tering waste products and excess fluid from the blood stream. The wastes and extra water combine to form urine, which then goes to the bladder for release.

This filtration process is done with the help of nephrons, which are tiny units inside the kidneys. Each nephron

contains a glomerulus i.e., a tiny blood vessel, entwined with a tubule, which is a urine-collecting tube. The glomerulus acts a filter, keeping normal proteins and cells in the bloodstream while letting excess fluid and wastes out.

In addition to waste

and excess fluid removal, the kidneys help to regulate the quantity of chemical substances such as sodium, phosphorous, and potassium in the body. Initially, tubules receive waste contents and chemical substances that are still useful to the body.

The kidneys therefore

measure out how much of these chemicals the body needs and release them back into the blood stream.

The kidneys are also responsible

for releasing important hormones: erythropoietin, renin, and calcitri-

ol. Erythropoietin stimulates bone marrow to make red blood cells, renin regulates blood pressure, and calcitriol helps maintain calcium for bones and normal chemical body balance.

Ideally, one has two kidneys, but people who have only one healthy kidney, res u l t i n g from birth or from a kidney removal operation, due to a kidney malfunction, can still have a normal, healthy life.

feature

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T

he drop of a pin could have been heard around the Caribbean as people waited with bated breath for the winner of the 2013 U.S. edition of ‘The Voice’, of which Jamaica’s songbird Tessanne Chin was a part. She, after months of gruelling competition on The Voice, had landed among the top three. Comments flooded Facebook walls, there was general jubilation around the Caribbean when she was announced its winner.

Hot on the heels of Chin’s win was TT’s own Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez climbing to acclaim, as he was nominated for an MTV Iggy award for his 2012 hit ‘Differentology’. Alvarez’s ‘Differentology’ eventually tied with Korean rapper G-Dragon’s Crooked for the 2013 Iggy song of the year. But before both of them, Barbadian songbird Rihanna topped charts with hits such as ‘Umbrella’, ‘Diamond’, ‘We Found Love’, among others.

Has the world finally sat up and taken notice of the talent pouring from the Caribbean?

Many questions arose about what such wins means for Caribbean talent and the sale of its cultural product on the world’s stage.

To be successful, does it mean that a Caribbean entertainer should look and sound like what is in the mainstream, or can all that is uniquely Caribbean be a major contender and earner on the world’s stage?

For actor, director, storyteller and broadcast journalist Rhoma Spencer, the world is getting a different view of music outside of American standards.

Spencer said, “I think the world is now getting caught on to another world view of mu-

Caribbean artiste was capable of performing any kind of genre. Raymond added that the success of Chin and Alvarez was opening doors for other Caribbean talent. His own company, he said, was seeking its own Chin and developing these artistes for the internation-

Winner of the 2013 US edition of ‘The Voice’, Jamaican Tessanne Chin

sic outside of the canon of American standards.

It’s fashionable to call it world music now, and so our Caribbean entertainers are getting their pie in the sky now.”

“I would not say it is a resurgence at all because Caribbean entertainers, certainly those from Jamaica, are out there.

Who doesn’t know Bob Marley or Jimmy Cliff.”

Caribbean talent

Chin’s win, she said, was a testament to the talent the region possesses. There were many, she added, waiting to be successful but who were impeded by the right opportunity.

“Barbados’ Rihanna has been the flagship for artistes from the region hitting mainstream big, and the world is taking notice and looking for another to rival her so who

Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez (TT Guardian file photo)

knows it might just be Tessanne,” she said.

Asked if enough had been done by regional governments for the development of the creative industries as an economic earner, Spencer said there have been too much lip service and no action.

Funding

For Martin “Mice” Raymond, music producer, the marketability of the Caribbean cultural product has grown and it started with Rihanna.

Raymond said the Caribbean product was marketable and that the

al market.

R e f e r e n c i n g Alvarez’s success with ‘Differentology’, Raymond said remixes using the indigenous song were making strides on the world’s stage.

However, he said governments needed to provide finance, tax breaks and

other support for the artistes to be successful.

“Artistes need access to funding,” he said.

Raymond said he was aware of some interesting initiatives, but that the responsible agencies needed to “get moving faster.” (Excerpt from TT Guardian)

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Fashion

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t the recently held gala fashion event, Guyana Fashion Week 2013, a flurry of international designers showcased their creative and elegant collections, but one that stood out was by US-based African designer Flo. Working closely with Guyanese veteran designer and

CEO of Guyana Fashion Week, Flo presented an array of gorgeous formal evening dresses and gowns.

“Flo’s pieces are sophisticated, sexy, elegant and fashionable. You can certainly make a statement with Flo Couture. It is a collection for those women who want to

look distinct, Noel pointed out to Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

For more information visit Flo Couture on Facebook or check out Sonia Noel’s fashion studio at 176 Barr Street, Kitty, or call 226-3099. (Photos by Donn Thompson)

feature

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Another successful year for the Rupununi Christmas Fair!

“O

h! This fair getting bigger every year!” was the comment of taxi drivers delivering patrons to the annual Rupununi Christmas Fair, held at the Market Place in Lethem.

The Christmas Fair, held December 21, started from a simple idea

Rupununi’.

Recognized as a significant livelihood initiative spanning across agriculture and tourism, the Rupununi Christmas Fair has attracted the interest of regional and national public and private sector stakeholders by providing access to market for impover-

rience of the Fair. “It is excellent! It was entertaining and fun, as well as a great opportunity to sell our products!” said Floyd Buckley from Surama.

Jacqueline Allicock, Surama Eco-Lodge manager, said she was very impressed with the fair.

“I had heard about it but

businesses, retail outlets, and individuals donated gifts to be disbursed among the participant groups, including outstanding donations from the Ori Guest House, Asian Trading Company, Lincoln’s Stores and Strong.

A unique and popular feature is the awards

Artist Theodore Edward, winner of the KMCRG Award, showcasing his crafts

promoted by the Kanuku Mountains Community Representative Group (KMCRG) in 2010, and entered its fourth year as a now firmly established local tradition.

Participants travel from all over the region to showcase a variety of festive gift ideas, including locally made handicrafts, jewellery, cosmetics, soaps and natural products, as well as a fuller range of deliciously made foods and beverages.

It is therefore not surprising to witness increasing support for the Fair from private sector enterprises exercising corporate social responsibility.

“Contributions from patrons such as TransGuyana Airways, Neal & Massy, Golden Arrow Airways and Air Services Ltd show that these companies are recognizing the value and quality of products from the Rupununi and are eager to help reduce some of the challenges of getting these wonderful products to wider markets” said Behi Barzegar, one of the organizers of the fair.

Continued support from Conservation International Guyana was strengthened this year by the linkage between the Christmas Fair and the current CI/ IDB funded programme ‘Leveraging Natural Capital in Guyana’s

ished Amerindian communities, and especially women.

This year it has received significant promotional support from the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce & Industry in addition to an order from the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry for 30 gift selection packs made from products from the Rupununi, thus benefitting at least eight community craft workers and producers.

“There is so much potential here!” said Haydock Thompson, representing the New Guyana Marketing Corporation for the first time. “I never knew there was such variety of wonderful products available in the Rupununi.”

First-time participants from Surama Village in North Rupununi were delighted with their first expeVisitors checking out the stalls at the fair

I couldn’t imagine how you could link tourism with agriculture. But I can see how this is working. It is bringing people from all over the region, people that you wouldn’t normally see, and allows you all to interact. I am amazed to see the range and quality of different items each community has brought to the Fair, and the effort that they have put in,” she noted.

The appearance of Santa Claus for the second year running thrilled the children. Thanks to donations from the Georgetown-based charity EIRIPAN, Global ShapersGeorgetown Hub and local retailers Saarah’s, Andy’s, and Carlton Beckles’ stores, more than 400 children received gifts from Santa, including 30 who were visiting from Region Eight.

More than 20 local

and prizes given for winners of categories, selected by a panel of judges. The value of these awards goes beyond allowing the winners to

Products from the Sepo Women-Traditional Medicine From Trees group on display at the fair

airplane.

In the past three years, the fair has been responsible for awards at no cost to the participants. Awards that allowed two women from different communities to attend twoweek workshops at the Carnegie School of Home Economics; two women to attend 10day IPED workshops in Georgetown; two women groups had the opportunity to showcase and market their products at Guy Expo 2013; one women’s group received $100,000 of specifically designed and printed labels covering their entire range of products; and one women’s group attended the November 2013 Honey Expo in Georgetown.

This year judges selected five categories for awards. The award for Best Agricultural products was given to Ben Noah’s ark balata figures by artist George Tancredo of Nappi Balata Artisans

market their goods and services but, more importantly, to gain valuable exposure to experiences that would have been beyond their reachincluding flying in an

Smith from Moco Moco Village; Best Preserved Foods Products award was presented to the Shulinab Women’s Group; the Nappi Balata Artisans received the Best Handicraft Products award; the Most Innovative Range of Products award went to the Ishartoon Women’s Group from Aishalton, and Theodore Edward from Maruranau Village received the KMCRG award for his hand-woven armadillo purses.

Behi said that many patrons and participants commented on the improved organisation of the fair this year, which had much to do with the increased collaboration among the stakeholders, including painting of the

stalls by young local volunteers, and gate and car parking control by members of the Community Policing Group.

“This Christmas Fair is growing because it is filling a gap in what the communities and enterprising people in the Rupununi need. Its popularity and the commitment and enthusiasm, not only from the communities but from local businesses, are proof that people in the region are clear about what they want and how it should be organized,” noted Behi.

Her views were confirmed when analysis of a questionnaire survey, completed by patrons and participants on the day, revealed 100 percent support for the location of the venue and the promotion of family and traditional values while maintaining the focus on sales and marketing of quality products from the Rupununi.

Camilla George, a community member from Moco Moco community, wrote as her comment on the day: “Thank you for giving agriculture a voice.”

Another member of the Fair Committee, Jessica George, who is also KMCRG project manager, commented: “The wider success of the fair this year is a result of increased collaboration between our public and private sector stakeholders as well as the communities themselves.

We now need to strengthen those partnerships and work towards longer term sustainability of the fair and not just next year. We need the support of our partners to improve the standards of the facility and hygiene services at the venue, promote and market the fair, facilitate attendance by addressing transportation issues, and keeping diary dates flexible to allow both customers and vendors to enjoy and benefit from the unique ambience and offerings of the Rupununi Christmas Fair.”

For more information on the fair visit Rupununi Christmas Fair on Facebook.

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More Guyanese law enforcement officers benefit Jameer from overseas training Shamshudeen G YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Entrepreneur

By Vahnu Manickhand

With many young people trying to establish their own businesses, their aims hardly ever steer towards the agriculture field, and this was one of the many factors that motivated 26-year-old Jameer Shamshudeen to enter farming.

Growing up in an East Coast Demerara village, Shamshudeen attended Chateau Margot Primary School and St Joseph's High School where he wrote CXC exams in 2004, gaining passes in eight subjects. During his school days, he was a “classical nerd” as he found immense pleasure in reading, and was too shy to socialize.

After school, he began working at Republic Bank for more than three years as a teller, after which he left to pursue his dream of managing his own business.

Shamshudeen’s parents had a shop in the Mon Repos Market where he would assist from time to time as a child, and this had conceived his desire which he would later realize.

“It was something I grew up with and so it came to me naturally; and being in the business field in school really assisted me.”

He said that he toyed with the idea and quickly decided on farming because a lot of young persons do not get into that field.

“There was not much competition there and I found that this a whole lucrative industry open to me with a lot of possibilities, as long as I can explore them.”

Shamshudeen started his business, Nature Green Farm, in 2009. He had inherited farmlands from his grandfather, which he used to cultivate and process pepper. He would later enter a six- week entrepreneurship program by the Guyana Youth Business Trust. In the end he was among three persons whose business proposals were adjudged outstanding from a group of more than 20.

With this start, Shamshudeen’s business venture quickly expanded as he began exporting his produce along with other West Indian products.

“I did a lot of research, and after finding out that there is a market there for my products, I began shipping them out. I was also encouraged by a lot of friends to do so because they saw the need for West Indian products,” he said.

Shamshudeen has prided his business success on the fact that he has the support of the Ministry of Agriculture through various programs designed to assist young entrepreneurs. Through these programs he also acquired training and guidance from experienced agriculture entrepreneurs.

Shamshudeen is aiming to expand his business to create a legacy that would not only ship but also process the produce. He wants to keep bringing new things on the market just to keep his customers interested.

The young entrepreneur is advising persons out there with business ideas to take risks and make their dreams come true.

“A lot of young people come up with business ideas, but they are not motivated to get it done. There is a saying: ‘bigger the risk, greater the rewards’, and they should follow this. I was told when I was starting my business that one should not enter a business venture to make a profit – profit will be a by product of your business; you just have to do what you like.”

uyana’s security sector continues to focus heavily on training of its personnel, and only recently several officers benefited from overseas training at various levels.

The Home Affairs Ministry in a release recently announced that Detective Sergeant Shivram Murguyya and Detective Corporal Devon Lowe attended the junior criminal investigation course in Christ Church, Barbados.

The aim of this course was to develop the requisite investigative skills of junior officers that would enable them to execute their duties in a professional manner.

Inspector Clifton Davis of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) attended the regional armoury management training course in Portof-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to bolster the capacities of government armourers in the specific technical skills and management processes necessary for the

Ashley Williams and Devendra Ramzit from the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) attended the second regional Container Control Programme (CCP) meeting in Panama. This meeting focused on money laundering, UN sanctions, arms trafficking, intellectual property rights and storage of medicaments.

safe, effective and efficient accounting, inspection, repair, maintenance, storage, security and destruction of firearms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (Law Enforcement) Seelall Persaud attended a special meeting on the establishment of a regional counterdrug intelligence school for the Caribbean in November.

Guyana’s Deputy Commissioner (Law Enforcement) Seelall Persaud.

Aim

The aim of this forum was to seek the input of regional security officials on specific counterdrug intelligence training needs to form the basis for the curriculum of the proposed school.

With regard to the Guyana Fire Service, Cadet Officer Andrew Holder and Section Leader Dehola Jacobs attended the third executive meeting and the seventh biennial conference of the Caribbean Association of Fire Fighters (CAFF) in Castries, St Lucia. This was aimed at promoting cooperation, standardisation and enhancing the quality of service by

regional firefighters.

Meanwhile, cadet officers Suresh Persaud and Cleon ThomFernandes attended the Junior Officer Leadership Academy training event in early December in Dominica.

This programme was designed for the development of junior officers in fire and rescue organisations throughout the Caribbean.

Additionally, it provided classroom training on information critical to the success of fire professionals and included various peer group activities.

Meeting

Meanwhile, Kavita Bhowani from the Home Affairs Ministry attended the fourth Caribbean– United States Security Cooperation Dialogue in Washington D.C. This meeting allowed delegations to examine several of the flagship programmes that have commenced under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and consider the next steps forward in respect of cooperation and information sharing in order to reduce illicit trafficking, promote social justice, and improve citizen security, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Bahamas listed as Caribbean’s wealthiest country T he World Bank has rated The Bahamas as the wealthiest Caricom country. The Washington-based financial institution said The Bahamas is the most economically prosperous country, relying on tourism to generate most of its economic activity. It said the tourism industry not only accounts for more than 60 per cent of the Bahamian gross domestic product (GDP), but provides jobs for more than half the country’s workforce.

After tourism, the next most important economic sector is financial services, accounting for approximately 15 per cent of its GDP. The Bahamas, with a gross national income (GNI) of US$21, 280, is one of the richest countries in the Americas.

The World Bank in its ‘2014 World Development Report’ noted that oil-rich Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest and well-developed nations in the Caribbean.

“Trinidad’s economy is strongly influenced by the petroleum industry. Tourism and manufacturing are also important to the local economy. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. Agricultural products include citrus, cocoa and others,” the World Bank said.

It said that within the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), St KittsNevis, with a GNI of US$13,330, has an economy characterised by its dominant tourism, agriculture and light manufacturing industries. Tourism on the island has been expanding.

Tourism

Tourism dominates Antigua and Barbuda’s economy, accounting for more than half of its GDP. The island, which is famous for its many luxury resorts located around the coastline, has a GNI of US$12,640. The Financial Complex in Port-ofGrenada’s economic progress in Spain, Trinidad. (TT Guardian file photo) fiscal reforms and prudent macro- ing up its economy, is listed below economic management has boosted Dominica and St Vincent and the annual growth to five and six per Grenadines, but above Guyana. cent in 1998-1999 and the World The island, with a GNI of US$5,140 Bank said the increase in econom- has a mixed economy with both ic activity has been led by construc- state enterprises and private-section and trade. Tourist facilities are tor businesses. being expanded as tourism is the “Major sectors of the Jamaican leading foreign exchange earner. economy include agriculture, minThe World Bank said St Lucia’s ing, manufacturing, tourism, and educated workforce and improve- financial and insurance services. ments in roads, communications, Tourism and mining are the leadwater supply, sewerage and port ing earners of foreign exchange. facilities have attracted foreign in- Half of the Jamaican economy is vestment in tourism and in petro- generated by income coming from leum storage and transshipment. services such as tourism. An esJamaica and Guyana timated 1.3 million foreign tourJamaica, which has had to look ists visit Jamaica every year,” the to the International Monetary World Bank noted. (Excerpted from Fund (IMF) for assistance in shor- TT Guardian)

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Arthur James Seymour The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

By Petamber Persaud

Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.

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is love for literature provided him with the love of his life and many of his favourites things in life. Arthur James Seymour had become interested in Elma Bryce because, as he once declared: “I had realised that she had in her memory more line of Milton’s “Lycidas” than I had at the time, and this knowledge first prompted my curiosity in her.”

The marriage on July 31, 1937 of Arthur and Elma lasted more than fifty years, with only death physically separating them; a union that issued six children and an adopted child, and directly produced at least two books, “My Lovely Native Land” and “Dictionary of Guyanese Biography”. (The latter a landmark work in Guyanese literature.) Seymour immortalised that love and marriage in some of the most delicate romantic verses ever penned by a Guyanese, in a little known collection entitled “Love Songs” (1975).

Seymour’s love for literature and reading started much further back. When he was approaching seven, something happened which he described as his “second vivid recollection…one day a box of books was delivered to the gallery of the house and was opened to reveal 20 volumes of a series edited by Arthur Mee called “The Books of Knowledge”. This led to his confessing, “...before I became eleven I was reading everything I could put my hands upon.” This avid reading constrained him to express himself, leading to the other level of literacy – writing.

Seymour was a prolific writer who started keeping a diary at 22 because “biography and autobiography have not been the strong suits in Anglo Caribbean bibliography” and because he had the urge “to write primarily as a means of self-discovery.” This desire to write also stemmed from his discovery of “the element of creativity in myself and was intent on protecting and developing that gift”; he wanted “a fuller deeper understanding of the workings” of his mind.

Forthwith, he borrowed books from Guy de Weever on short story writing.

But, after only winning a few local competitions, he realised from measuring his efforts against the models of Maupassant and O. Henry, that he wasn’t making the breakthrough that was necessary. So he gave up writing of short fiction, turning to poetry.

In August 1936, he wrote his first poem, going on to perfect his craft by reading everything available on poetry in the li-

AJ Seymour (Jan 12,1914 – Dec 25, 1989)

brary, sometimes spending 3-4 hours reading such books on the seawall. His early efforts at writing were kindly endorsed

by Walter McArthur Lawrence.

In 1937, when he was only 23 years old, he published his first book of poems, “Verse”.

“More Poems” came out in 1940, followed by “Over Guiana Clouds” (1944) and “Sun’s in my Blood” (1945). Since then, his poetry has been translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Russian, Chinese and Hindi. In Australia, one of his poems is taught in Braille. At least 10 were put to music and placed into the national repertoire.

Seymour’s other books of poetry include “Six Songs, Selected Poems” published in 1965 to mark his 50th birthday, “Monologue” and “Images of Majority”, among others. His poetry, essays, autobiographies and other genres of writing effectively mapped the course of his life and the history of the development of a Guyanese literature.

Such a map includes gems like “Introduction to Guyanese Writing” and “The Making of Guyanese Literature”, and all his autobiographical books: “Growing up in Guyana”, “Pilgrim Memories”, “Family Impromptu”, “Thirty Years a Civil Servant” and “The Years in Puerto Rico and Mackenzie”.

His books of literary criticism, like “A Survey of West Indian Literature” and “Studies in West Indian Poetry”, helped to define a Caribbean literature. A bibliography in 1974 of his writing, compiled by the National Library, was 100 pages long! (A matter of immense interest is that almost all his books were published locally).

Poet, literary critic, radio programmer/broadcaster, anthologist, “ ‘nativist’ publisher” and cultural historian, A. J. Seymour was born Jan 12, 1914, grew up in Georgetown, but spent many delightful August school holidays in New Amsterdam in the neighbourhood of N. E. Cameron, Jan Carew, Wilson Harris, the Abbensetts and Edgar Mittelholzer.

He started his education at Blackman’s School on Regent Street across the road from home, and then moved to St. Phillip’s School, Smythe Street before going across to the Collegiate High School, Camp and Bent Streets. At the Guianese Academy headed by N. E. Cameron, he won the Government Junior Scholarship to enter Queen’s College. Apart from his academic pursuit, he played halfback in the football team, a position that suited his stocky nature, a characteristic inherent from birth where he weighted whopping 14 pounds.

Seymour entered the world of work at the General Post Office in the mails branch where he was known as a man of letters – writing and publishing his poetry. This working experience came at a time when there was rank class discrimination but social and political changes were at hand from which he eventually benefited.

One such change was when the colonial office implemented one of the more impor-

and his niece, Maggie”. “A book Dictionary of Guyanese Folklore” was a direct result of that study. The project also provided him with additional material for his poetic development and other literary involvement.

In 1943 when the British Guiana Union of Cultural Clubs was organised, Seymour was named honorary secretary. This group was headed by N. E. Cameron who was the first person to publish a collection of Guyanese poems called “Guianese Poetry” (1931). Seymour was also part and main mover of a number of other literary groups, including the British Guiana Writers Association, launched Dec 28, 1944; the Diogenes Club, discussing essays, and The Library Committee.

He also played a vital role in a number of organisations dealing with national development: Chairman of the Standing Committee for Preservation and Protection of Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites, Acting Chairman of the Board of Film Censors, Vice Chairman of A book produced by Ian the British McDonald and Dr Jacqueline de G u i a n a Weever and published in 2000 T o u r i s m Committee, A c t i n g Chairman, Public Free L i b r a r y Committee, Chairman, G u y a n a T e x t b o o k Committee… just to name a few.

In 1946, he started editing Kykoveral an important journal in the fine literary tradition of its counterparts in the Caribbean namely Bim of Barbados and Focus of Jamaica.

Wherever he trav- elled or lived, he tant recommendations of the found himself in the environWest India Royal Commission ment of a literary nature. In Report: that governments of Puerto Rico, as a cultural prothe region “should adopt a moter with the Caribbean much more positive policy of Organisation, he discovbringing their points of view ered there was much more before the mass of the people, to Caribbean writing than and of explanation in suffi- Anglophone Caribbean litciently plain terms the reasons erature as he came into conwhich lie behind their deci- tact with Dutch, French and sions…”

Spanish writings.

This led to the formaDuring a 30-day sea trip on tion of the Bureau of Public the Marine Marlin, he formed Information in 1942 of which a cultural group and started a Seymour was an integral part magazine! He was never at sea until 1962, moving from volun- when it comes to literature. In teer status to chief information the UK, he met with T.S. Elliot officer. and C. S. Lewis; while livThe 40s was a fertile peri- ing in Mackenzie, he was visod of Seymour’s life. This new ited by Andrew Salkey, John appointment with the bureau LaRose and Beryl McBurnie led him to research the history (as recorded by Salkey in his and folklore of Guyana and dis- ‘Georgetown Journal’). seminate his findings through Seymour was an able cula radio programme “Uncle Jim tural organiser evident in the

success of expansive and elaborate events – from the 1954 History and Culture Week to Carifesta (1972).

Despite his active public life, he spent quality time with the family, larger due to his strongly religious family, as described by his wife Elma, in her autobiography, “A Goodly Heritage”. It could be said that religion was like literature and vice versa to him. Seymour’s life was a personification of those two disciplines.

In public and privately he was generous. The many anthologies he produced attested to his concern for development of other writers, ensuring their work reach a public. Such collections as “Treasury of Guyanese Poetry”, “The Miniature Poets”, and “Independence Ten – Guyanese Writing” were stepping stones to many emerging writers who eventually became famous in local and world literature.

In 1970, he was honoured here with the Golden Arrow of Achievement. In 1983, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree by UWI. In 1984, Dr Ian McDonald compiled an extensive bibliography on Seymour titled “AJS at 70” – in tribute to Seymour on his 70th birth anniversary.

In 2000, McDonald teamed up with Dr Jacqueline de Weever to produce the elaborate, “A. J. Seymour, Collected Poems 1937 – 1989”.

Guyana and the Caribbean owe him a great debt of gratitude for his pioneering work in the field of literature –well defined by McDonald: [H]e began when everything was still to be done…the work done at the beginning is the least seen but the most important part.”

Arthur James Seymour died Dec 25, 1989, knowing that “tomorrow belongs to the people”.

For Seymour’s birth centenary, the National Library has planned a number of activities to mark the occasion.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com What’s happening: • “An Introduction to Guyanese Literature” is now available from the above contacts, Austin’s Book Service and at the National Library.

This book is an up-to-date guide featuring significant literary landmarks from the 16th century to the new millennium. This 150-page book including over 100 photographs is an attempt at bringing to the fore little known facts about lesser known aspects of our literature. The big books, the big authors and the big success stories in Guyanese Literature are also featured.

• Coming soon: Hall of Fame for the Literary Arts.

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fun time

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This week's Crossword

J k es

Why did the chicken cross the road?

RICHARD M. NIXON: The chicken did not cross the road. Repeat, the chicken did NOT cross the road.

JERRY SEINFELD: Why does anyone cross a road? I mean, why doesn’t anyone ever think to ask, “What was this chicken doing walking around all over the place, anyway?”

OLIVER STONE: The question is not, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Rather, it is, “Who was crossing the road at the same time, whom we overlooked in our haste to observe the chicken crossing?”

DARWIN: Chickens, over great periods of time, have been naturally selected in such a way that they are now genetically dispositioned to cross roads.

GRANDAD: In my day, we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Someone told us that the chicken had crossed the road, and that was good enough for us.

MACHIAVELLI: The point is that the chicken crossed the road. Who cares why? The end of crossing the road justifies whatever motive there was.

EINSTEIN: Whether the chicken crossed the road or the road moved beneath the chicken depends upon your frame of reference.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON: The chicken did not cross the road; it transcended it.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die; in the rain.

COLONEL SANDERS: I missed one?

Classic church bulletin bloopers

The Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the ladies’ B.S. is done.

The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.

This week's Puzzle

For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth into Joy.” The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister’s daughter, who laboured the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.

Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.

Sunday school

see solution on page 46

Nine year old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday school.

“Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then, he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.”

“Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?” his mother asked.

“Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you’d never believe it!”

----------------------A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible; Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the verse.

Little Bobby was excited about the task. But, he just couldn’t remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Bobby was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, “The Lord is my shepherd and that’s all I need to know!”

travel & tourism

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Annai

A typical house in Annai

A

Horse back riding

nnai has developed a cultural tourism product that gives visitors an insight into the traditional lifestyle of the indigenous population, rather than offering only mountain hikes and nature-based tours to visitors.

The central hilltop location of Annai is the perfect setting for the role it plays in the Rupununi region. The village is located just over a mile south of the main road.

The thatched roof houses are mainly made of clay bricks and are built close together along the top of the hills. It is a direct contrast to the sprawling villages located on the flatbed of the savannahs, which also makes the entire village much more accessible to visitors.

The small Amerindian village, made up of Makushi residents, is home to the regional administrative compound which has a health centre, police station, guesthouse and administrative offices. Although it is equipped with modern facilities, Annai remains a traditional village. (Information from Kirk Smock “Guyana Bradt Guide- Edition 2�.

Photos by Ravena Gildharie)

Aircraft taking off from Annai airstrip

Children having fun in the village

The view entering Annai

Scenic view of the mountains

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feature

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A

personal challenge turned into a flourishing music school, Music Unlimited aims to promote self-development through the lyrical power of music.

Founded by Christian Sobers, the music school was officially launched in November 2012. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Sobers said that it began as a project and personal challenge for him in 2010. “[It] took a more serious turn when a music comrade, Mr. McDonald, approached me about tutoring at his music school. I tutored for about two years, and it was during this time Music Unlimited was developed,” he recalled.

For 20-year-old Sobers, music has always been a significant part of his life. Both his parents, Sean and Michelle Sobers, are music aficionados. But it wasn’t until Sobers was 16 that music began to matter to him.

“I saw an American Idol contestant play guitar and I thought it looked easy enough to try. I remembered we had one in our house, picked

Christian performing with his guitar

it up that very evening, and my journey began,” he revealed.

As a self-taught musician, Sobers researched books, self-help guides and even YouTube for guidance. As he progressed, the musician took a few online courses to sharpen his knowledge, and has since been able to gain much knowledge from performing and working with other musicians.

Every day he learns about music as he views it an “unending” field, and therefore is constantly challenging himself to

explore and understand it even more.

Since he began with acoustic guitar, Sobers has learnt bass and piano; his recent challenge is drums – which he loves.

Now, through Music Unlimited, Sobers passes on his passion for music, and helps others find their inspiration through it. Music Unlimited offers courses in guitar, piano and drums, and will be offering vocal coaching as a course in 2014.

There are also live and online courses available.

“Within the past year we have developed a pro-

gramme for music enhancement in churches.

We call it our Worship Empowerment Program, (WEP) and have implemented it in two ministries who had no musicians and now have full bands at their churches,” he outlined.

Music Unlimited currently has more than 50 students as part of its programmes. It enrols students from age 4 upward- the youngest “playing” student presently is 5 years old and the oldest is 40.

“Guyanese culture is one which is very much based on our expression through art in its many forms. Our aim at Music Unlimited it to be an avenue of expression through music, to do our part in enhancing the quality of musicians and music lovers and to aid in creative development of the minds we’re able to interface with,” expressed the musician.

Sobers said tutoring is available Mondays and Wednesdays from 5pm to 8pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. For those who cannot attend classes, Music Unlimited can come to you. Private tutoring is also available 7 days a week.

The programmes, pointed out Sobers, are developed utilizing numerous music tutoring syllabi from established music institutes. They initially identify the specific aspects of participants which need development from genre to style and technique.

Through modified exercises, theory bases videos and games, as well as many “JAM” sessions,

students are able to learn and retain principles faster. Music Unlimited works with students to set goals and show them how to work with the various programmes to achieve those goals.

Sobers also mentioned that live performances are an integral aspect of the Music Unlimited programmes. The team at the music school understands the dynamic feeling when performing in front of an audience and with other musicians and the strengthening power that has for musicians.

Additionally, Sobers revealed, performing onstage gives musicians direction as opposed to just playing alone in a bedroom. All students at Music Unlimited are given an opportunity to display their skill and sharpen their technique at events (gigs). This has resulted in the formation of three young bands of students from Music Unlimited with the past year. Sobers even had students joined him in his performances at nu-

merous venues such as Upscale, Sidewalk Café, Red Cross and even the recent Courts ‘Christmas Light Up’.

“I always tell people that music saved me because it changed who I was and gave me purpose, and I see that purpose every time I commence a session for Music Unlimited. The principles taught in music are rigid and the practice they require fosters discipline and coordination in children. The possibilities with music are vast and it gives room for them to explore creativity through different genres and artists, both past and present.

I’ve seen students identify with and connect to each other through songs from decades ago, and this shows the social impact that the music has on them. When they JAM with each other it challenges them to be sensitive to each other and it enhances their ability to work together as a unit to achieve a single goal,” he declared.

Learning drumming techniques

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arts & Culture

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H

ailing from the Pomeroon River, Everley Austin has been creating ceramic masterpieces for more than 43 years, incorporating his artistic flavour of colour and distinct designs.

Of Warrau and African-Guyanese descent, Austin started making ceramics pieces from the early age of nine. He copied the designs from Chinese vases and used ordinary paint for the finish. The pieces were unfired: lathered water colour and a coat of lacquer were used.

In a previous interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Austin said that his mother provided scope for his creation by giving away his work, so there

Austin with a few of his pieces at a past exhibition at Castellani House

was always a space in the home for another piece.

Born March 3, 1948, Austin noted: “Since from

childhood I would create many ceramics pieces; it came naturally to me, and my mother would al-

ways encourage me. She kept giving away my ceramic work so that there is always room for more

pieces, which motivated me to continue.”

In 1969 he was exposed to finished ceramic pieces when he participated in an exhibition of clay and clay products. Then in 1970, after an interview for the entrance to the Pre Service Teachers’ Training College, he was recommended for a scholarship to study ceramics at the Royal College of Art in London.

After training college, he continued to create his ceramic pieces and went back to the Pomeroon to continue teaching, but not for long. He was requested to return to Georgetown in 1973 to teach where he and several of his colleagues started- the Sophia Centre for delinquents. He taught Art and Craft.

Later, he became a part-time student of the Burrowes School of Art in 1975 and in 1976 was awarded a conditional scholarship to study fine arts at the Jamaica School of Art. At that school, Austin graduated with an Honour.

Returning to Guyana, he graduated and commenced working at the Burrowes School of Art in 1980. In that year, he participated in an exhibition at the Jamaica Pegasus, and later that same year mounted a one-man show at the John Pear Tree Gallery Jamaica.

From 1982 to 1990 he was the judge for Guyfesta Art and Craft Exhibitions. He was also a judge for the Children’s Mashramani Costume Competition for many years, and later became the Chief Judge. He was responsible for decorating the National Park

for the Mashramani Anniversary celebrations.

In 1992 and 1996 he took works from Guyana’s art collection to Trinidad for Carifesta, and in 1994 set up a special art exhibition for Her Majesty Queen’s Elizabeth’s visit to Guyana. This exhibition was later one of the first displayed at the National Art Gallery at the Castellani House.

Austin was the first curator of Castellani House from 1994 to 1996, and was responsible for mounting the exhibits for the opening of the African Heritage Museum (then called the Museum of African Art and Ethnology) under Dr Denis Williams.

In 2001, he migrated to Botswana where he taught the general subject of Art for 2 years. He returned to Guyana in 2006 and recommenced his teaching at the Burrowes School of Art. “When I’m sculpting I think of nature. Most of excitement is from glazing them, and when I create these too I think about the likes of people which sometimes motivate me to create extraordinary pieces. Clay is very exciting and easy to work for me because of being in it for many years,” Austin noted.

For decades, Austin has been responsible for introducing the elements and practical methods of ceramic-making to scores of students in Guyana and elsewhere.

(Information by National Gallery curator Elfrieda Bissember) For more information on the artist, contact Castellani House on 2250579.

Brilliant work of glazed vases and goblets by Everley Austin

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feature

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com Dara BobbSemple

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oted for her outstanding academic achievements, Guyanese-born Dara Bobb-Semple is proving that through diligence and dedication anything can be achieved.

In the U.S. at Stony Brook University, Dara has many accomplishments. Twice she has been recognized for achieving a 4.0 GPA; she has received the coveted MARC award in 2011, was elected to Tau Beta Pi Honour Society in December 2011 and was named a recipient of a national awardthe 2012 UNCF Merck Undergraduate Science Fellowship.

But looking back, the path has not always been straightforward or easy.

She said in an interview with her Stony Brook University, “Some years ago, I would have never dreamed of doing what I’m doing now. Getting involved in the Wong group has been a great opportunity for me. It’s given me a lot of experience and has opened the way for me to become involved in many other

Awarded by the UNCF-Merck Science Initiative in 2012

things. My MARC fellowship is partly due to my research. I also believe that the skills and experience I acquired in the Wong group gave me an edge toward the Merck scholarship.”

As an 11-year old, Dara remembers deciding that she wanted to be a scientist- in part influenced by a Scholastic Biography of George Washington Carver. As a high school student, she remembers being captivated by the study

of chemistry, “It was one of the subjects that I had to work the hardest at in high school. I just gravitated towards it early on, and I grew to love it and understand it better than most other subjects.”

However, her goal of pursuing science as a career/profession seemed more than remote in the years following high school when Dara took a job as a bank teller to help support her family. After a few years in

banking, Dara decided to redirect her focus back to her love of chemistry, and set out north by northwest from her home in Georgetown to arrive at Stony Brook in 2010, motivated to pursue her studies of in the field of chemical engineering.

Looking back on that time period, Dara reflects, “The time I spent in that job helped me to clarify my goals, and to realize exactly what it is I wanted to do. When I arrived at Stony Brook, I had a clear goal and I was more driven towards it.”

To help support herself, Dara worked as a lab assistant, 10 hours weekly, in the Furie Laboratory at the Centre for Molecular Medicine from her first semester there onward.

When she took the initiative to get involved in Chemistry research in sophomore year, she

contacted Dr. Stanislaus Wong in the Chemistry department at Stony Brook and counts herself fortunate to get an opportunity that she acknowledges changed her life.

Dara worked in the Wong lab together with her graduate student mentor, Chris Koenigsmann, preparing crystalline metallic ruthenium (Ru) nanowires and getting invaluable training in the nanotechnology field, including exposure to physical characterization methods such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Dara’s research was supported in 2011 through AGEP-Summer Research Institute, a program hosted by the Centre for Inclusive Education (CIE). Dara subsequently applied for and received a MARC fellowship from the Centre for Science and Mathematics Education (2011-2012) which has allowed her to dedicate more time to research/ scholarship. She was awarded the UNCF-

MERCK Undergraduate Science fellowship, a nationally competitive award which provides additional internship opportunities at Merck.

In her spare time, Dara enjoys singing, dancing, badminton and reading. She is the corresponding secretary of the Stony Brook Gospel Choir and the secretary of the Essence of Praise dance group. She is also an active member of Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CStep) and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP); as well as the American Institute for Chemical Engineers.

Dara credits her mother and grandmother as motivating forces in her life, and fondly remembers her grandmother's recitations of the poet Longfellow as she extolled the merits of hard work and dedication, “The heights by great men reached and kept, were not obtained by sudden flight.

But they while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” (Excerpted from www.stonybrook.edu)

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Captain Debra Gouveia named 'Guyana Times Person of the Year'

T

he first woman to become an airline captain in Guyana, a proficient professional and an outstanding yet humble individual, are just a few reasons Captain Debra Gouveia is aptly chosen as the Guyana Times ‘Person of the Year’.

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Sunday Times, Capt. Debbie Gouveia, who began her aviation education at 17, said that she has never regretted choosing her challenging and exciting aviation career. She also shared her life’s story that has led her to many accolades and awards over the years.

Sunday Magazine: What are your academic qualifications?

Capt. Debbie: I attended St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School, St Roses High School, Flight Safety International Academy in the U.S., Oxford Air Training Academy in the U.K., IATA Travel Agents Training Academy in the U.S. where I studied professional travel planning, IATA Academy in Montreal, International Airline Station Management, ICAO Academy in Ecuador where I studied international aviation safety systems, CDI College in Canada where I graduated with a diploma in business management. I have also completed numerous courses in aviation security and airline operations.

Sunday Magazine: What motivated you to get into aviation?

Capt. Debbie: I was always fascinated with machines. My father had me driving large bush trucks at a very tender age as he ventured out looking for gold in the hinterland. My attraction to aviation developed during my visits to Ogle airstrip with my father – he used planes to support his mining operations. This was where I met my husband, Capt. Gerry Gouveia. He was an army officer and pilot, and was conducting aviation classroom training with the military pilots. I guess my association with him and his encouragement, along with my mother’s support, increased my interest and passion in aviation. So when I graduated from St. Roses, while a lot of my friends were going on to universities around the world for an academic education, I was going off to the Flight Safety International Academy in the U.S. for a technical education in aviation.

Sunday Magazine: What was

one priority. My boys are now grown men, shaping their own lives, and I am right there beside them.

Sunday Magazine: What were your feelings when you were told about being on a national postage stamp?

Capt. Debbie: Emotional, honoured and humbled. I knew both my husband and I worked hard for Guyana, but I had always stayed in the background and supported him totally.

When I was told by Gerry about the honour of being featured on a stamp, I could not believe it. Soon I fully realize it was really for me. I was overwhelmed. My husband and my sons are always totally supportive.

aviation at the time, Tony Mekdeci, demanded that I return to the plane and fly with him so that he could personally assess my command readiness. He instructed me to take off from Ogle and fly low level east along the seawall, not going 1ft above 100ft above the ocean. I had to follow his very detailed instructions precisely- “fly level”, “turn sharply”, “climb rapidly”, “fly as slow as the plane could fly”... He was relentless for one hour, until he told me to return to Ogle where he readily signed off my command licence.

Sunday Magazine: At the beginning of your career, what was your determination?

Capt. Debbie: I worked harder, studied harder until I eventually was respected equally as a professional aviator by fellow pilots and more particularly the passengers. I guess because I am a woman- a relatively small woman and a Chinese woman too-all the traditional odds were against me. I do not believe there was ever another pilot, before or after me, who, having passed his or her check ride, ever had to undergo the scrutiny I did. After all, I am the first woman to become an airline captain in Guyana. I was always a very detailed pilot and took nothing for granted. I prepared for every flight with great detail, and I flew every flight carefully and precisely.

Sunday Magazine: Any unforgettable experience during your career?

Capt. Debbie: The one event that

Working long hours at Roraima Airways at Ogle Airport

your first experience like as a pilot?

Capt. Debbie: I felt free and totally in charge of my destiny at that moment. It was wonderful to be zooming high above the earth’s surface.

Being totally in control was amazing.

It's a feeling I feel every time I fly my planes, even today. When I passed my first command flight check with flying colours, the director general of civil

resonates in my mind occurred during a flight to Caracas in Venezuela with some mining executives. Annette Arjoon-Martins was my co-pilot. I was halfway and in cruise at 10,000ft when the left engine started surging and losing power. I made the decision to do an emergency landing along the coast of Venezuela on a road I saw on the map.

As I descended lower and was prepar-

The Gouveia family

ing to land, I glimpsed an airstrip on my right and landed there instead.

Soon as the aircraft came to a stop, we were surrounded by approximately 100 Venezuelan soldiers. After a few hours of questioning and investigation, they eventually released us. They then drove us to a hotel in Caracas. Gerry and Yacoob Ali came the next day with the mechanics. They could not find us and were upset because Annette and I went shopping in downtown Caracas. I guess they had expected us to be sitting waiting for them.

Sunday Magazine: How do you juggle being a pilot, entrepreneur, mother and wife?

Capt. Debbie: I have always prided myself on being a very organized and disciplined woman. Very early in my life I learnt quickly from my father what was important and what was not. I learnt how to prioritize my time. There was a time to play and a time to work. I knew early we (myself & husband) were young and preparing a future not only for ourselves but our children. My husband made it even harder because he was determined not only to work to make our company successful but making Guyana a better place. What that meant was that I had to support him as well in his endeavours. So I got up early in the mornings, took care of my children, sent them off to school, flew the planes, came back to the office, worked until it was time to be with the boys after school. I ensured that the weekends were spent with the children, and that’s how Arrowpoint got started. We bought a boat and would spend weekends at Arrowpoint.

Our Medivac plane would be parked at Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Many nights Gerry and I would have to leave our kids with our friends from the village, drive the boat out of the creek at night, fly our Medivac plane deep into the Guyana jungle to rescue a sick person. We returned late at night to continue our time with the children.

My children are always my number

Sunday Magazine: Presently, what is your main focus?

Capt. Debbie: Roraima Airways is a very complex conglomerate of aviation, travel, security and tourism services. I had to become trained and functional in every sphere of activity, whether it was flying the planes, driving the boats, coordinating the airport security and airline handling operations, planning events at our hotels, coordinating the Wedding Expo, or just arranging the airline catering on demand. As you could imagine, it’s neverending. So I do spend my time managing the managers and the details.

The future is exciting. It took Gerry,

Her award for being a female pioneer in aviation

myself and our staff 21 years to build from nothing to a successful business.

Today, I believe there is nothing like our company offering a real one-stop shop of travel and tourism services.

We hold high the quality control visitors experience from the time they arrive in Guyana to the time they depart.

Therefore, it is our focus to continue to refine and expand our services Sunday Magazine: Do you still get time to fly? continued on page 45

44

Feature

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Chutney stars promoting new music in Trinidad

“End Ah The Day” by Avinash Maharaj was one of the new Chutney songs of the season

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he New Year is already upon us and local singers in Trinidad and Tobago have been busy promoting new songs for the just-ended Christmas season and the upcoming Carnival season.

Music director Rishi

Gayadeen and members of the TTEC ‘Gayatones’ are busy creating and mixing music for some of the country’s top artistes. Scores of local artistes are now flocking to the band room preparing for the upcoming season.

New songs for the season include: “End Ah The Day” by Avinash Maharaj, “Tassa Jam”

by Daddy Chinee and Fya Empress, “Dharu” by Neeshad Sultan, “Countryside Christmas” by Ravi Jagroop, “Chahay Praan Chalay Jai,” and “Ratna Nisdin Bhaja Hari Naam” by Dubraj Persad.

Gayadeen said although the band had been doing weekly shows for the Christmas season, his main focus is on preparations for the big Carnival shows that traditionally attract huge crowds.

This accomplished musician’s career spans more than two decades, starting at the tender age of 12 when he followed his father’s footsteps and learned to play the keyboards.

His father, Capil Gayadeen, a founding member of the continued on page 45

A

Star of the week

doe-eyed beauty, Zahrah Alli is a professional who knows that hard work is vital for success.

After completing her secondary education at Queen’s College, Zahrah moved to Miami for four years to attend the University of Miami. In 2009, she graduated with a degree in International Finance and Marketing and a diploma in Accounting. She currently works at a local accounting firm. A well-rounded individual, Zahrah balances her professional life with her passion – dancing. It all started when her mother enrolled her at the Lets Dance Studio, headed by Nadia Jagan, for ballet lessons when Zahrah was just five. The first time Zahrah performed on a stage was at one of the studio’s dance recitals. However, when Nadia migrated with her family, Zahrah’s mother recommended Indian classical dancing. She still has her little red ballet outfit she wore at her very first performance. At nine, Zahrah’s classical dancing journey began when she enrolled for classes at the Kendra in Prashad Nagar. Dreaming of becoming as graceful and skilled as the senior girls in the class, Zahrah dedicated all her energy in developing herself as a talented dancer. She invested several years of training on her technique, and masterfully fulfilled what she initially set out to accomplish: becoming a creative dancer. For more than 17 years, Zahrah has been actively part of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Dharmic Nritya Sangh. Dance is now a medium of selfexpression for Zahrah. The adept dancer has been a popular face in numerous Naya Zamana dance shows over the years, and was honoured to be given a lead role in a local Bollywood drama, “Bollywood Dreams” – a dance production by the Dharmic Nritya Sangh. To perfect her skills as a dancer, Zahrah reviews her flaws on stage and tries to correct them. It is Zahrah’s wish that she and her fellow dancers can take the Dharmic Nritya Sangh’s dance shows to the international stage as they have developed themselves and are equipped to perform at that level. If not dancing or crunching numbers as an accountant, Zahrah enjoys travelling, exploring new locations and learning about new customs and cultures.

feature

Chutney stars promoting new music in... from page 44

‘Gayatones Orchestra’, is now the band’s manager. Gayadeen’s younger brothers are drummer Donnie and Vedesh, who play the bass-drums and guitar.

Over the years, Gayadeen has earned his place as one of the most prominent musicians in TT. He has worked with top chutney artistes, calypsonians and soca stars such as Iwer George, Ras Shorty I, Marcia Miranda, Rikki Jai, Drupattee Ramgoonai, Rasika Dindial, Rakesh Yankeran, Massive Gosein, Vedish Sookoo, Machel Montano, and Dawg E Slaughter. He has produced many successful hits, including Iwer George’s “Bottom in d Road”, and the remix of “Mor Tor” by Machel Montano and Rikki Jai. He has gained recognition locally and internationally and he is described by overseas promoters as “the man with the golden fingers,” or “the wizard of music”. With the band, he has toured to North and South America, and England.

“While there is a steady demand for chutney and soca, the crowds really go wild for the

Indian tunes that are now being mixed with rock and pop music,” he said, adding that recording artistes in India have joined in the trend and are producing remixes of their recordings.

He noted the song, “Channa Ve,” which was recorded by Kunal Gangawala of India, was done with a mix of rock music. He said many of the local bands have since done different versions of “Channa Ve”.

“The youths and those of us who are young at heart really go for the remixed tunes as they can give the satisfaction of both the Indian and English songs,” he indicated.

Gayadeen was asked to do music for the Indiabased singer Sweta Subranamyam who was invited in TT to perform for weddings and concerts last August.

In a radio interview while she was in TT, Sweta said she was impressed with the quality of music provided by Gayadeen and his orchestra. She actually spent time in the band room working on two songs “Isa Mere Pyar Hai” and “Sajanaji”. (TT Newsday)

45

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Captain Debra...

from page 43

Capt. Debbie: I do sometimes, but only alongside Gerry. Between my sons and the day-to-day management of the Roraima activities, it is challenging to find the time to fly too.

Sunday Magazine: What is your encouragement for women?

Capt: Debbie: For mothers, motherhood is a sacred role and so it must always take preference over a woman’s professional career. I believe that a woman could do anything in this world if she works hard, organizes her life and sets her priorities.

Sunday Magazine also interviewed her husband and sons, who highly praised the doyenne of aviation.

Her husband Captain Gerry Gouveia, also an award-winning pioneer in aviation in Guyana, said that he met her at a very young and tender age when she was still in high school and he was a young army officer and pilot.

“Her disposition, principles and mannerisms have remained a constant- she has never changed.

She was always a very calm and quiet woman, never trying to outshine nor outperform anyone. Her only objective seemed to have always been to do the very best she could do in anything she does.

Debbie is down- to- earth and simple, and takes great pride in working alongside her staff. She is a wonderful, hard-working woman, an extremely supportive wife and a seriously dedicated mother.

I have utmost respect for her, and

Debbie as a young pilot

depend on her advice and opinion on everything I do,” he explained.

Speaking about his mother, son Kevin said that it was impossible to find such an extraordinary mother. “My mother will do anything and sacrifice everything to make my brother and I happy.

I couldn’t ask for a better mother. Even if she wasn’t my mother, I would love to have someone like her giving me advice. The best advice my mother ever gave me is, ‘Don’t strive to be average.’

She always told me to strive to be 100 percent in everything I do,” he said.

Gerry, her eldest son, said that his mother has always had an indomitable spirit, unrelenting determination and immeasurable

compassion; entering a completely male-dominated profession at a young age and excelling to become one of the most respected pilots in Guyana. He believes that the traits that helped her while flying in the interior also helped when she co-founded Roraima airways with his father, while still finding the time to share with them.

“To me, this is her most impressive accomplishment; her ability to be a shining example of a professional in the business community while being an outstanding mother is nothing short of incredible. She has always been there to support and motivate Kevin and I, regardless of her busy schedule or even distance – she was always there. She is truly an inspiration to me, and her advice is always welcomed and frequently sought.

We are all proud of mom and incredibly happy she has been given the honour of being recognized with a national stamp as well as the Guyana Times’ ‘Person of the Year’,” he stated.

Adding to her achievements, Capt. Debbie was elected president of the Travel Agents Association for two terms, and has served on the council of the Private Sector Commission representing travel agents. Additionally, she has served on the IATA board in the Caribbean as a representative for Guyana. She was recently awarded by President Donald Ramotar for being an outstanding female pioneer in aviation.(Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

46

history

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Christianburg Waterwheel, a well-known historical structure in Guyana, was constructed in 1855 to provide hydropower for a sawmill

Kaieteur Falls has become an icon for an emerging ecotourism industry

The most common interior mode of travel. Boats surround a landing on the Pomeroon River

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Often the only way to get from one place to another on Guyana’s vast waterways

he National Trust of Guyana published a booklet that focused on Guyana’s “Heritage of Water”. The Trust looked at water as a catalyst for Guyanese economic, environmen-

tal, cultural and social development and achievements.

It noted that water “inspired various aspects of educational and vocational endeavour, especially

Preserving our heritage through pictures

in areas of art, poetry and literature, while shaping our intangible cultural values associated with beliefs, religions and other practices.”

Guyana’s waterways have helped shape our infrastructure, exports, environment and human settlement from the moment the territory was discovered and explored. Guyana’s many historical and modern structures often arise from early and contemporary inhabitants’ need for and use of water, as do its main ports and crops.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Georgetown Cricket Club, British Guiana Nd

caribbean NEWS

47

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Caricom secretary general optimistic about region’s future

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a r i b b e a n Community ( C a r i c o m ) Secretary General Irwin La Rocque says 2014 promises new directions for the 15-member regional integration movement as it seeks to deliver more immediate and tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean.

In his end-of-year message, the Dominicanborn LaRocque said 2013, which marked the 40th anniversary of Caricom, underscored the determination and commitment of the region to forge a common destiny as small unified states in this unique corner of the world called the Caribbean.

He said the anniversary theme of "Celebration and Renewal" remained relevant "as we bask in our Caribbean-ness, rekindle the spirit of community and continue our integration quest with an outlook that is shaped by new thinking and different approaches".

He said that outlook would be influenced by the necessity for appropriate responses to the current global environment which has placed member states in dire straits, stymieing growth and development and denying the Caribbean the wherewithal to create a better standard of living for the

people of the region.

"Indeed, the vulnerability of our member states and their capacity for resilience came into stark relief last week in St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Dominica, when severe weather visited death and destruction and caused a setback to development efforts there," said the secretary general.

Five-year plan

However, he noted that the new outlook would also be shaped by the review and reform of the integration movement being undertaken at the request of regional governments, adding "we are on schedule to

Caricom Secretary General Irwin La Rocque (Jamaica Observer file photo)

achieve early in the new year one of our key milestones—the completion of the draft Five-Year Strategic Plan".

The plan was crafted following consultations with stakeholders across

the region and sets out a common vision, identities priority areas of focus over the period and also addresses issues of implementability including the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the community's architecture.

"Unsurprisingly, sustainable economic growth and development emerged as one of the primary areas of concern for stakeholders across the spectrum with whom the Change Team interacted over the past year, and it is our intention, through the efforts of the recently established Caricom Commission on the Economy, to explore possible avenues to

put us on a sustainable path," La Rocque said.

He added that the commission would provide advice on implementable solutions based particularly on the priority areas set out in the Caricom growth agenda.

"For the Caribbean Community, therefore, 2014 dawns with the promise of new directions, prioritisation on the critical areas that will deliver more immediate and tangible benefits to our peoples, more strategic approaches and the continued emphasis on our youth and empowerment of our citizens," he added.

(Jamaica Observer)

Linden businessman was speeding - eyewitness

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he Linden community of Guyana was on Saturday morning left in a state of shock and mourning when popular businessman Collis “Tom” Mentis, 37, plunged to his death after careening his vehicle off the MackenzieWismar Bridge.

The incident occurred about 08:15h. Mentis, who sold beverages prior to his death, was at the time driving a white Tundra pick-up GRR 4634, which crashed head-on into the centre of the bridge railing, before ending up in the Demerara River.

Reports are that Mentis was at the time of the accident returning to his home at Fairs’ Rust, Mackenzie, after attending an “All White” glow party last Friday evening held at the Christianburg Community Centre Ground, Wismar, Linden.

An eyewitness who worked at the bridge, which con-

happened, the boy who was working the (bridge) barriers said he noticed this vehicle coming with a speed, but he take he eye off of it for some time, but he said when he looked back he couldn’t believe that the vehicle made it across the bridge so fast. Is till when somebody come and tell we

Dead: Collis “Tom” Mentis

nects Mackenzie to the Wismar shore, related that Mentis was speeding at the time that he approached the western end of the bridge and had proceeded to cross; however, the eyewitness reportedly did not observe when the vehicle crashed and made its way downward into the river.

Staff at the bridge noted that they did not

notice that anything was amiss until a few minutes later when someone observed that the rail along the bridge was dislocated. The toll booth where the staff operates is located on the eastern end of the bridge (Mackenzie), in the direction where Mentis was heading.

“We didn’t even hear nor see anything that

T

he Executive committee of the Canal Polder Picnic Reunion/Charity Group would like to thank all the donors/volunteers who assisted in making the 11th Annual Senior Citizens/Widows/Handicapped Christmas party a success. The party was held on December 22nd, 2013 at Kawall School in Guyana.

Every year we serve over 900 guests. All of them are given gifts, hampers, and cash. For more information about how you can contribute to future events, please contact (1) James Manbahal (917) 406 0134 (2) Dr.Harold Persaud (973)-6507404 (3) Munir Mohammed (518) 339 2625 (4) Joey Singh (905) 791 2948.

the man just fly over the bridge then we run and look in the river, but all we see is a set of bubbles coming up in the river, nothing more,” the eyewitness said.

Soon after the incident, hundreds gathered at the scene as a rescue team made up of several persons, includ-

ing two public-spirited divers identified only as “Chucky” and “Nally”, began a frantic search for Mentis and his vehicle in the river, which were hours later recovered only a short distance from the place on the bridge where it went down.

48

Bollywood

week ending January 5, 2014

| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Who got close, closer and closest in 2013?

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hey heated up their lives and gave us fodder for gossip.

As 2013 has now ended, let's take a look back at the stars who found their companions.

Whether these "good friends" will turn into lovers is what only this new year will tell.

Bipasha Basu and Harman Baweja went on cosy holidays together. Harman even played host at Bipasha's Diwali party and visited temples with her.

Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor couldn't get enough of each other even after their runaway musical hit ‘Aashiqui 2’.

Sources said they withstood tough questioning about their appearances together and refused to confess. But friends say they can't get enough of each other, at least for the moment.

Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt seem to have hit it off during the making of ‘2 States’. No confessions are available from either side.

Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty are yet to start shooting for their ‘Hero’ remake. But like

T

most debutants, they are reportedly drawn to each other already. Whether it's in the gym or dance classes, their interest goes beyond rehearsals and exercise routines.

Tanuj, who got himself linked to Virat Kohli's ex-girlfriend, the Brazilian model-turnedBollywood actress Izabelle Leite, is apparently getting closer to Kamal Haasan's younger daughter Akshara. Rati and Kamal did one of the mushiest love stories of all time—‘Ek Duje Ke Liye’. Of course, Akshara has just bagged her first Bollywood film. So, for all practical purposes, these youngsters will keep a lid on their relationship,

taking each day as it comes.

R...Rajkumar promotions have reportedly brought two single superstars, Shahid Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha, close.

Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh got close, reportedly because Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted them to breathe passion into their screen portrayals of Ram and Leela. But their proximity definitely extended beyond the regular dressrehearsal routine.

Salman Khan also found companionship in Romanian model Lulia Vantur. She was his arm candy for a ‘Jai Ho’ schedule in Hyderabad.

(TOI)

Akshay books a yacht for Twinkle’s birthday

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kshay Kumar flew his entire family to Goa on December 29 to celebrate his wife, Twinkle's birthday. A source said, “Akshay has a sea-facing bungalow in Goa which he visits often. But this time he also booked a yacht and took it to the middle of the ocean where they dropped anchor for fourfive hours. They celebrated Twinkle's birthday on the boat. On board were their children, Aarav and Nitara, his sister Alka and brother-in-law Surendra Hiranandani among other family members.”

The source added, “Akshay had taken his ailing father-in-law Rajesh Khanna to Goa in 2011 on his last birthday. Now that Kakaji is

no more, a visit to Goa brings back the good memories. The family is expected to return by the first week of January.”

(TOI)

Priyanka Chopra's Caribbean holiday comes to end, work resumes

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t was not a year Priyanka Chopra would like to remember. Daddy's little girl was left shattered when she lost her father, Dr Ashok Chopra, to cancer in June. She didn't get enough time to mourn as she was back on the sets of Omung Kumar's Mary Kom biopic just four days after the tragedy. Then, it was her music album, ‘Exotic’, that kept her on her toes.

But at the end of the

‘‘Dhoom 3’ was not written with Aamir Khan in mind’ - Vijay Krishna Acharya

year, the actress finally managed to squeeze some time from her hectic schedule to unwind.

She was in the Caribbean holidaying with her brother Siddharth and cousins. The actress uploaded some of her pictures and by the looks of it she had a gala time basking in the sun.

A friend of the actress said, "It is one of the longest breaks she has taken. A rejuvenated Priyanka didn't want the vacation to end. But she has commitments to keep in Chennai on New Year's Eve." (TOI)

he latest Aamir Khan-starrer, and the third film of the ‘Dhoom’ franchise, has returned magical figures at the box office.

Writer-director Vijay Krishna Acharya, who also wrote the first two installments, but has only directed this one, recently spoke about working without budget constraints, and denies

that other actors’ roles were cut down to give Aamir more screen time.

People are saying that ‘Dhoom:3’ is all about Aamir Khan.

“Because Aamir’s character is so important, for Aamir’s fans, it’s an Aamir Khan film. I’d like to think of it as a Vijay Krishna Acharya film. Aamir’s performance was outstanding, but I think every actor excelled in what they did,” the director said.

So, it wasn’t written with him in mind?

“With 'Dhoom' (the franchise), or any other film, we finish the script and then take it to an actor. I find it easier to tell someone what’s in my head once it’s on paper, rather than write with someone in mind,” Acharya added. (Hindustan Times)

Kareena associates herself with a brand, free of cost

K

areena Kapoor Khan’s concern about women’s safety is well known. She has associated herself with Channel V's ‘VithU’ app, a Star Network initiative, to highlight that issue. What isn't known, however, is that it is probably the first time an actor has come forward to associate with a brand initiative, that too, free of cost.

The phone app is a brand extension of the channel, developed for users of the Android and iOS mobile platforms, features a ‘panic button’ that can be used when in

distress. Kareena said, "This app is a clever idea and since most of us use smartphones these days, it can really help prevent untoward incidents."

Prem Kamath, GM & EVP of the channel said, "Created with the sole intention of aiding

women's safety, the app has seen over six lakh downloads already. Also, with the kind of reach and influence that our TV channels have, we believe it is critical for us to create a social impact in every way we can."

(TOI)

How did Hrithik react when he faced Sussanne after split?

E

ver since Hrithik Roshan announced that the love of his life and his wife Sussanne has decided to split after 17 years of relationship, the media has been abuzz with speculation over whether it will be a

bitter separation. However, the star and his gorgeous wife disappointed gossipmongers when they came faceto-face after their split.

They met recently for their sons’ annual day event. Rather than giving each other the cold shoulder or awkward silent treatment, Hrithik and Sussanne were very cordial with each other. They even hugged and sat next to each other for the whole evening.

In fact at her store launch, Sussanne was very forthright about her separation and said that though she and Hrithik are separating, they will not let their children be affected by their split and carry on the responsibility of parents perfectly. (TOI)

Big B proud of son's success

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egastar Amitabh Bachchan is a proud daddy. Reveling in the box office success of his son Abhishek's ‘Dhoom 3’, he says he "never imagined" his boy would become the star that he is today.

The 71-year-old posted a childhood picture of Abhishek Bachchan on Twitter.

"Abhishek on rare Sunday at Prateeksha, never imagined he would become what he is today...Dhoom 3," Amitabh posted on the microblogging site last Tuesday.

‘Dhoom 3’ has grossed Rs.107.61 crore in the first three days of its release, including earnings from the Tamil and Telugu versions. Produced

by Aditya Chopra, the film also features Aamir Khan, Uday Chopra and Katrina Kaif. (TOI)

Hollywood

49

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Director once ordered Julia Roberts to get rid of freckles

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scar-winner Julia Roberts says she was once asked by a director to get rid of her freckles as it made her look "dirty".

The 46-year-old ‘August: Osage County’ actress was asked by a director of a film that her facial marks be "taken off" as he thought they made her face look "dirty", reported Contactmusic.

"One director wanted me to have two freckles taken off because he said it made my face look dirty," Roberts said.

Mother of three kids, Roberts also feels that many old actress are deeply beautiful and their faces radiate because of confidence and self-assurance.

"I definitely think some of my older female peer group are deeply beautiful women. They have this thing that radiates from them. It's coming from this deep place of understanding who they are and what their purpose is. It creates a light," she said.

The ‘Pretty Woman’ star also said that ageing

has nothing to do with acting, it is just a "cultural obsession".

"I don't spend a lot of time in the mirror. I'm pretty efficient in terms of looking at myself and, to be honest, I don't think what you're talking about is a business demand - it's a cultural obsession," she said.

(TOI)

Keanu Reeves felt like an outcast on sets of ‘47 Ronin’

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eanu Reeves has revealed that he felt like an outcast while filming ‘47 Ronin’ because of the language barrier faced by him with the all-Japanese cast.

The film is based on a classic Japanese tale about 47 samurai in 18th-century Japan who avenge the murder of their master. ‘47 Ronin’ has a cast of Japanese actors-except for

Reeves.

While talking about working with the cast, Keanu admitted that even though everyone was really nice to him and they got along great, he still couldn't hang out and speak Japanese, so in a way he was always Kai, the outcast character, Universal Pictures India reported.

Based upon one of Japan's most enduring legends, this extraordinary tale of courage has its origins in the early 18th century, when 47 noble Samurai honoured the untimely death of their master by avenging him. This groundbreaking re-imagining about the legend of the Ronin's ultimate sacrifice and undying honour is now being reborn for an entirely new generation.

The film is set to release in India on 3rd January in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. (TOI)

Matthew Morrison wants to Courtney Love vows to be be good fiancé in 2014

friends with exes in 2014

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ourtney Love has revealed that her New Year's resolution will be to be friends with all her former boyfriends and get rid of any

grudges she has been holding against them.

Love, who was married to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, posted on her Facebook page that she thinks at nearly 50, the basis of any relationship should be restraint and pragmatism before the big dramatic tsunami, Contactmusic reported.

The 49-year-old singer said that she wishes she knew this when she was much younger and insisted that it's important to leave romances nicely.

Love added that she doesn't have time to hold on to the past and that she would let go off all the grudges. (TOI)

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a t t h e w Morrison's New Year's resolution is to be a good fiancé.

The 33-year-old actor, who proposed to girlfriend Renee Puente earlier this year, admitted that he usually resolves to be healthier and work out more with the beginning of another year, but his plans for 2014 are all focused on his relationship.

He said: “My New Year's resolutions are normally always getting rid of the bad stuff I ate over the holidays and getting to the gym, but this year's will be geared

towards my relationship and just trying to be the best partner that I can be.”

Matthew has just released a festive album, ‘A Classic Christmas’, and

loved getting the chance to work with a big orchestra.

Matthew previously revealed that he hopes his musically talented friends will perform at his wedding, although it won't take place until 2015 because of his hectic schedule.

He said: “We're planning it together but it won't be until early 2015 because my schedule is so busy. 'It's going to be a small wedding, but we definitely have a lot of musical friends so I'd love to have a whole bunch of my friends get up and sing.” (TOI)

Gwyneth Paltrow admits being a 'sex addict' Sandra Bullock suffered 'depression'

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wyneth Paltrow has confessed that she is addicted to sex.

The ‘Shakespeare In Love’ star, who is married to Chris Martin, told chat show host Chelsea Handler that she was a really normal person until she started to hang out with Handler all the

time, EtOnline reported.

Paltrow said that she was inspired by all the fun Handler was having in her life.

The 40-year-old actress was on the chat show to promote her upcoming film, ‘Thanks For Sharing,’ which deals with sex addiction.

(TOI)

DiCaprio takes acting lesson from YouTube

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ctor Leonardo DiCaprio took inspiration from a YouTube video to make his act look more convincing in his latest offering ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’.

For a particular scene, when DiCaprio's character Jordan Belfort indulges in drugs overdose, he loses senses to walk and is required to crawl up to his car by himself.

To make the scene dramatic and funny, the ‘Titanic’ star took inspiration from a YouTube video titled “The World's Drunkest Man”. DiCaprio aped the man in the video to get near perfection for the scene, said a statement.

The Martin Scorsese directorial, distributed by MVP Entertainment and PVR Pictures, will release in India January 3, 2014. (TOI)

when George Clooney left ‘Gravity’ set

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andra Bullock has revealed that she felt depressed after George Clooney completed his scenes for ‘Gravity’.

According to Variety, the 49-yearold Oscar-winning actress said that she felt lonely when the 52-year-old American actor finished filming his part for the outer space drama because he was like energy for the entire team, Contactmusic reported.

She added that they had a lot of fun for three weeks and when he left, she went under depression and had a hard time saying goodbye. (TOI)

Anne Hathaway imports electric car for hubby Adam Shulman

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nne Hathaway has imported a new eco-friendly electric BMW i3 for her husband, Adam Shulman, from Europe for Christmas.

The ‘Les Miserables’ star was spotted running errands with the jewellery designer in his new red BMW i3, which is not yet available in America, Contactmusic reported.

Shulman took his 42,000-dollar vehicle for a spin with Hathaway to pick up groceries.

(TOI)

50

Sport

week ending January 5, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

National cricketers undergo rigorous fitness tests

Sewanrine Chattergoon assists Ronsford Beaton in doing his portion of sit-ups (Photos: Rajiv Bisnauth)

By Rajiv Bisnauth

T

hirty-three (33) members of the provisional squad of 37 players named by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) underwent their first day of fitness training at the Guyana National Stadium on Saturday, as selectors began to explore for players who will comprise the touring squads for next year’s West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day and NAGICO Super50 tournaments.

The sessions were

conducted under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Esaun Crandon, Chairman of the Senior Selection Panel of the GCB, Rayon Griffith, and coach Julian Moore.

Saturday’s sessions focused mainly on the physical aspect of the players’ training. The squad, minus all-rounder Narsingh Deonarine, veteran middleorder batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and all-rounder Steven Jacobs, began the session by testing their stamina and oxy-

gen uptake by virtue of a beep test.

Beep exam The players then ran 20-mile shuttles back and forth for a designated period of time and after completion of the beep exam; they then free-ran 50-mile shuttles with the use of cones.

The players then sought to impress the GCB officials by completing a series of drills and simulations in a bid to secure a spot in the national senior team.

After the beep trails were concluded, the

Vishal Singh and Trevon Griffith doing their rounds of push-ups

players were engaged in the cardiovascular aspect of fitness as they were drilled on push-ups and sit-ups, followed by “military boot- camp” simulated drills, with the use of chairs and cones.

In an invited comment at the conclusion of the first day, Crandon told Guyana Times International Sport that he was very impressed with the players’ fitness level.

“A lot of the players have shown that high level of fitness, which is very encouraging,”

Crandon said.

The players shortlisted for possible selections on the Guyana team for the upcoming NAGICO Super50 and Regional Four-day tournaments commencing next month in Trinidad and Tobago are: Leon Johnson, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Anthony Bramble, Robin Bacchus, Assad Fudadin, Zaheer Mohamed, Royston Crandon, Christopher Barnwell, Shivnarine C h a n d e r p a u l , T a g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul, Vishal

Singh, Ronsford Beaton, Rajiv Ivan, Amir Khan, Trevon Griffith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shaquille Williams, Jonathan Foo, Narsingh Deonarine, Steven Jacobs, Keon Joseph, Raun Johnson, Jason Sinclair, Paul Wintz, Anthony Adams, Rajendra Chandrika, Gudakesh MotieKanhai, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Stoll, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ryan Ramdass, Chris Pattadin, Royan Fredricks, Totaram Bishun and Collis Butts.

Sports writers pick Bolt, Williams as 2013's best - Fraser-Pryce third in women's category

J

amaica's Olympic and World champion, Usain Bolt, and American tennis star Serena Williams, have been voted International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Best Athletes for the second year in a row.

A panel of 470 sports journalists from 96 countries voted in this year's poll.

Bolt received an overwhelming 1,282 votes, followed by Formula One's Sebastien Vettel on 499 and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo on 437.

Williams, who in 2013 aced her finest season statistically with a 78-4 record, and 11 titles, received 915 votes, ahead of Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayev (644) and Jamaican athletics star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (551).

European champions Bayern Munich, who dominated football in 2013, winning their first Club World Cup title and finishing the Bundesliga season unbeaten, were the resounding winners of the Best Team award with 1,707 votes, 1,128 ahead of second-place winner Miami Heat, twotime NBA Champions, who racked up an incredible 27-game winning streak in 2013.

New Zealand's All Blacks Rugby team, with 14 wins from 14 matches in 2013, took third place.

This year's Best Press Facilities Award has been split into two catego-

Usain Bolt (Jamaica Gleaner photo)

ries - Best One Day Sporting Event and Best Press Facilities, Major Championship.

Winner of the One Day Sporting Event award was the UEFA Champions League Final.

The results of the second category were very close, with the 2013 Moscow IAAF Track and Field Championships receiving 558 votes, the FIFA Confederations Cup (545) and FINA World Championships (486). (Jamaica Gleaner)

SPorts

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Jehue Gordon steals show at TT’s Spirit Sport Awards

H

urdler Jehue Gordon was named Trinidad and Tobago’s top athlete for 2013 at the third annual Spirit of Sport Awards (SOSA), staged by the Ministry of Sports and Sport Company of TT (SporTT), at Queen’s Hall in St Ann’s, Portof-Spain, on Saturday.

Gordon walked away with the lion’s share of the prizes, copping the Male Athlete of the Year, Consistent Performer of the Year, Breakthrough Performance of the Year and the prestigious Sport Performance of the Year titles.

Gordon who ended the season as the top ranked athlete in his event in the world, won gold for TT in the 400-metre hurdle at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia, back in August, before repeating at the Diamond League in Brussels, Belgium, a month later. In this the season of giving, the first class multiple-award winning athlete was in receipt a lot of gifts.

Gordon received a cheque valued at TT$800,000 on behalf of the government and peo-

ple of TT, presented by permanent secretary Ashwin Creed.

Later, Jearlean John, managing director at the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) joined Gordon on the stage to present him with the keys to his new home –a duplex in the community of Maracas, St Joseph. Then, to the young athlete’s delight, his coach Dr Ian Hypolite made the honour roll when named as Coach of the Year.

Junior swimmer Shanntol Ince and multiple gold medal winner at the 2013 Youth Para Pan American Games held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was another big winner on the night, taking home awards for Athlete with a Disability and Emerging Athlete of the Year; and justifiably so.

The Paralympic athlete secured gold in 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle at the first junior event, and believes these victories provides her with the impetus to medal successfully at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Male Athlete of the Year, Jehue Gordon, receives one of his four awards from Sport Ambassador and West Indies and TT women’s cricket captain, Merissa Aguilliera, at the SOSA on Saturday night. (Sean Nero/TT Guardian photo)

Tracy and St. Paul Ince were awarded the Parent of

the Year title while Gymnast Marisa Dick beat out compe-

tition in other front-line sport to clinch the Female Athlete of the Year.

Kwanieze John, one of the sports tops athletes and avid campaigner secured the Community Champion of the Year to the delight of her peers.

TT Guardian’s Vinode Mamchan copped the Print Journalist of the Year for the second consecutive year, while Kent Fuentes of State-owned CNMG was voted Electronic Journalist of the Year.

Express photo editor Robert Taylor emerged as the best lensman. The award for Record-Breaking Performance of the Year went to Dylan Carter while the Comeback Performance of the Year prize was awarded to track athlete Romona Modeste. Veteran sportswoman Marjorie John now joins Olympic medal winner Rodney Wilkes, as well as the late Emmanuel McDonald Bailey who were inducted into the SOSA Hall of Fame, being a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

(Excerpted from TT Guardian)

Guyanese fast bowler Gordon in Canada’s team for ICC W/C 2014 Qualifiers

Jeremy Gordon

By Ravendra Madholall

G

uyanese cricketer Jeremy Gordon has been named in Canada’s squad to compete in the 2014 International Cricket Council (ICC) 50-over World Cup Qualifiers tournament, which is scheduled for New Zealand.

Canada has been placed in Group A alongside Scotland, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong and Nepal while Group B includes Kenya, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Netherlands and Uganda.

The North American country will begin its quest for qualification on January 14 against its newest rival UAE. The side will be led by

the experienced Ashish Bagai again while Andy Pick is the new coach after Gus Logie was asked to go, following the country’s poor tour of Dubai in the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers recently. They failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup, which will be staged in Bangladesh in March, 2014.

Former Guyana captain Damodar Daesrath, who toured with the team last month in Dubai, has been overlooked after he sustained a groin injury while off-spinner and ex-Trinidad and Tobago under-19 player Afzal Dean was not considered for this event.

However, fast bowler Gordon, who had a fine run in the T20 format, retains his place

and has expressed confidence that he will make an impression once again. He believes that the Canadian team has a great chance of making it to the 2015 World Cup competition, which is slated to be hosted

by Australia and New Zealand jointly.

“I [am] confident we can qualify this time,” Gordon related.

Only two places are up for grabs and Canada will have to win three of their four matches and then advance to the knock-out segment.

The group stage of the tournament will be held between January 13 and 23, followed by the Super Six phase between January 26 and February 1.

The schedule for the Super Six stage is based on rankings given to teams in the group stages. If the top three teams qualify for the Super Six stage, they retain their group-stage ranking irrespective of their position in the points table. However, if a team that is ranked fourth or fifth in the group stage qualifies for the Super Six, they will assume the ranking of the team they have displaced.

Associate members Afghanistan and Ireland have already qualified for the 14team World Cup, set for February 14 to March 29, 2015.

Afghanistan is in Group A with England,

Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and New Zealand while Ireland is in Group B with South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies and Zimbabwe.

The winner of the qualifying tournament will move into Group A while the runner-up go into Group B. Sri Lanka won the inaugural qualify-

ing tournament, previously known as the ICC Trophy, in 1979.

Other winners were Zimbabwe (1982, 1986 and 1990), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (1994), Bangladesh (1997), Netherlands (2001), Scotland (2005) and Ireland (2009).

Canada featured in the 1979, 2003, 2007 and 2011 editions of the

World Cup. The full team reads: Ashish Bagai, Harvir Baidwan, Khurram Chohan, Parth Desai, Nikhil Dutta, Jeremy Gordon, Ruvindu Gunasekara, Jimmy Hansra, Nitish Kumar, Usman Limbada, Cecil Pervez, Raza Rehman, Junaid Siddiqui, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Hamza Tariq.

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The Ashes: England's Borthwick, Ballance & Rankin set for debuts

E

ngland could give three players their Test debuts in Sydney as they fight to avoid a 5-0 Ashes whitewash at the end of a disastrous tour.

Batsman Gary Ballance, leg-spinner Scott Borthwick and fast bowler Boyd Rankin are all tipped to be included in a rejigged team.

Michael Carberry, Tim Bresnan and Monty Panesar could make way.

Asked whether England could blood three new caps, captain Alastair Cook said: "I think it's possible, yes."

"Settled sides happen when you win games of cricket and perform well," he added.

"When you lose games of cricket and people's performances don't justify selection, then there's going to be lots of changes."

Panesar is struggling with a calf strain after the eight-wicket defeat in the fourth Test in Melbourne, while Carberry has looked almost neutered at times since a promising start at the Gabba seven weeks ago.

With Bresnan failing to find a cutting edge at the MCG, Rankin - one of the three tall pace bowlers England brought on tour but have barely used - will finally be given a chance here in Sydney to impress.

England last gave three men their Test debut eight years ago, when Cook and Panesar were joined by one-cap wonder Ian Blackwell in winning call-ups in India.

Having already batted at six and three,

Batsman Gary Ballance, leg-spinner Scott Borthwick and fast bowler Boyd Rankin are all tipped to be included in a rejigged team.

Joe Root would move up to open with Cook, with Ian Bell moving to three, the 24-yearold Zimbabwean-born Ballance at five and Ben Stokes at six.

Cook said: "It gives people an opportunity who might not have played in this series to make a difference.

"That's what is exciting - that they can go, 'If I can score a hundred here, I can play another Test match for England'."

While Australia captain Michael Clarke said he expected Matt Prior to be recalled as wicket-keeper, Cook made it clear that Jonny Bairstow will keep his place at seven, with Borthwick - who scored three first-class centuries for Durham last season - likely to bat at eight.

Clarke felt England missed Prior's experience in Melbourne.

The Sussex player was replaced by Yorkshire's Bairstow for the fourth Test after averaging only 17.83 runs and missing two stumping chances offered by David Warner in the third Test.

However, 24-year-old Bairstow scored only 31 runs at the MCG. "It's probably not my place to say that - but if I was in England's shoes, I would certainly be getting Matty Prior back into my team ASAP," said Clarke.

"The one player I think England missed last game was Matt Prior - and more so for his leadership and experience.

"That's certainly not having a crack at Bairstow - he's a wonderful talent and has a huge future for England.

"But I think when you're not performing as well as you would like as a team; that senior play-

er - that tough-nosed senior player - helps the group a lot."

Borthwick represents a gamble almost beyond imagining at the start of this series, having been called into the touring party only before Christmas when he was playing grade cricket for Northern Districts in Sydney.

His leg-spin is far from the finished article (last summer his 24 first-class wickets cost 38 runs apiece) but with England's original strategy in disarray his chance has come early.

Australia, in total contrast, may yet be unchanged once again after Clarke hinted that the same XI that has had so much success in the four Tests so far will once again take the field on Friday (23:30 GMT on Thursday).

Cook spoke well in the news conference and was both honest about

his own shortcomings and bullish about his team's future.

He said: "When you lose games of cricket and you lose games of cricket like we have, it's a tough place to be as a captain.

It does affect people make no mistake about it, it hurts for me.

"For me to say I'm 100% right would be wrong. I am proud of the way I've handled myself in this series, but I do know I have a hell of a lot to learn as a player and as a captain.

"I do want to continue. I love doing the job.

I like the challenges it presents to me. It's a real test of who you are as a person, whether you are up to it or not.

"I wouldn't have changed anything about our preparation coming into this tour and how we've gone about this tour. But I'd change a lot of what has happened in the middle, and that's

what counts."

Cook has come in for particular criticism from former Australian great Shane Warne, who has been covering the series for Australian television.

Warne has accused Cook of tactical incompetence and a lack of adventure while being fulsome in his praise of former team-mate Clarke.

But Cook said: "I have to be the man I have to be, I have to be true to me. I can't change because Shane Warne says I need to change totally.

"I can certainly look at his stuff he says - and he might have a point with some of it - but if you listened to everything your mind gets muddled.

"I have to do it the way I think is the right way for me and this England side. You have to believe you're making the right decisions. You can't be thinking 'someone in the commentary box might be thinking something else'."

Australia squad Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (captain), Steve Smith, George Bailey, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner, Alex Doolan, Nathan Coulter-Nile.

England squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Joe Root, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Monty Panesar, Gary Ballance, Michael Carberry, Boyd Rankin, Steven Finn, Ben Stokes, Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan, Scott Borthwick, James Tredwell. (BBC Sport)

Slingerz FC, Santos to contest GFA Banks Beer Cup final S lingerz FC and Santos will contest the final of the third annual Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Banks Beer Cup after earning victories at the semi-finals on Sunday evening at the GFC ground, Bourda.

The two teams will contest the final on New Year’s Day 2014 at the GCC ground, Bourda, where a new champion will be crowned since defending champions Camptown and inaugural winner Alpha United were booted at the quarter-final stage.

Slingerz FC didn’t have to do much, as Western Tigers were generous on the night, slipping in an own goal to hand the West Demerara side passage into the final.

All Slingerz had to do after then was play defence, and that they did to keep their hopes alive of copping the Gy$

Part of the action between Santos and GDF (Photos: Carl Croker)

4 million top prize.

In the other game, Santos,

through goals from Anthony

Abrams and Christoff Wensley edged the Guyana Defence Force 2-1.

As was the case in 2012, the champion team will receive Gy$ 4 million, while the runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers will collect Gy$ 2.5 million, Gy$ 1.5 million and Gy1$ million.

A new addition to this year’s tournament was the monetary incentives for all the teams, including Gy$ 250,000 each for the losing quarter-finalists, Gy$ 150,000 each for those knocked out at the second round and Gy$ 100,000 each for teams booted at the first round.

There will also be individual prizes for the Most Valuable Player, highest goal scorer, best goalkeeper and most discipline team.

The most outstanding coach will pocket Gy$ 100,000 cash.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Cardiff City hire former Man Utd striker as boss O

le Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed Cardiff City's new manager.

The 40-year-old former Manchester United striker has agreed a 12-month rolling contract with the Bluebirds.

Solskjaer met his new squad at the club's training ground on Thursday. He joins from Molde - whom he led to two Norwegian league titles and a cup - and replaces the sacked Malky Mackay.

"It is a fantastic challenge. Cardiff are ready to take the next step up. I hope I can help them," he said.

"I've always dreamt of being a manager in the Premier League and I'm delighted to get the opportunity.

"I am really looking forward to convincing the Cardiff fans that I am the right man to take them forward.

"I will try to convince the fans with my hard work, loyalty and my brand of football.

I'm a very positive manager."

Cardiff, who were beaten 2-0 by Premier League leaders Arsenal on Wednesday, are 17th in the table and only one point clear of the relegation zone.

Solskjaer's first game in charge will be against

Newcastle in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

The Norwegian will be given significant funds by owner Vincent Tan to spend on new signings in the current transfer window.

He dismissed speculation that he would find it difficult working for an owner who reportedly meddled in team affairs during Mackay's reign.

Solskjaer added: "He wants the club to be successful. I had a good meeting with him. Communication and dialogue will be key.

"Everything isn't exactly what it seems from the outside."

The Norwegian will return to Old Trafford on 28 January with his new club 10 days after playing Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

"We've got some of the toughest trips in world football coming up this month.

They're games we'll relish and look forward to."

He rejected reports his former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had told him to turn down the chance to become Cardiff's third manager in 32 months.

"That is absolute nonsense," said Solskjaer. "He has wished me the best and given me some good advice as

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

he always does. I had a good conversation with him."

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman insisted the Norwegian was the club's only target.

He said: "There was only one name in my head from the very beginning. We're delighted to welcome Ole. "I've seen Ole play for many, many years. I like his style of football and his ideas on the game."

Former Manchester United and Sheffield United

midfielder Mark Dempsey will work as his assistant just as he did at Molde.

Solskjaer, who scored the winner in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in 1999, made 363 appearances for Manchester United. He also won six Premier League titles and two FA Cups during 11 years at Old Trafford from 1996.

After ending his playing career in 2007, Solskjaer took charge of United's reserve team for two-and-a-half years

before guiding Molde to their first Norwegian league title in 100 years in 2011.

He successfully led Molde's defence of their title as his managerial success attracted the attention of Premier League clubs.

Molde could only finish sixth behind champions Stromgodset this season, but they did beat Rosenborg in November to take the Norwegian Football Cup for the third time in their history.

Solskjaer held talks with Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner in May 2012 following the sacking of Alex McLeish, but the man who earned the nickname "the baby-faced assassin" opted to remain with Molde because he was reluctant to uproot his wife Silje and three children from Norway.

He was also a candidate to replace Steve Kean at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship last season.

Solskjaer becomes the fourth Norwegian to take charge of an English league club, following Egil Olsen at Wimbledon in 1999, Stale Solbakken at Wolves in 2012 and Henning Berg at Blackburn in 2012. (BBC Sport)

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Wada could test for drugs using hair samples, says Sir Craig Reedie

Poole becomes Guyana’s first three-star boxing coach

By Treiston Joseph

L

A

thletes could soon be tested for drugs using hair samples according to Sir Craig Reedie, the incoming president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

Briton Reedie revealed that a £6m fund from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could lead to new testing techniques to catch cheats.

Currently athletes are tested using blood and urine samples.

"Now we will look at different approaches such as, can we use a lock of hair?" Reedie said.

Traces of some drugs can last longer in hair than blood and urine and could improve testing.

"This new fund from the IOC will create tremendous opportuni-

ties for advances in anti-doping and allow our scientists to look at alternative approaches to sample testing for banned substances," Reedie said.

"This is a really exciting development and means we can look at approaches that in the past have been unaffordable."

A Moscow testing laboratory for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics had its Wada accreditation suspended recently, but Reedie, who took over his role on New Year's Day, confirmed that provisions have been made.

He added: "There will be a very well-staffed and functioning satellite laboratory in Sochi and a group of foreign experts are helping resolve the problems in Moscow."

(BBC Sport)

ocal boxing coach Terrence Poole is now in a category by himself after qualifying as Guyana’s first three-star International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) coach during the World Championships in October 2013.

Poole, who is one of a few in the Caribbean and the only in Guyana to reach such a level in coaching, explained the importance of the accomplishment during a press briefing on Tuesday at the Sport Ministry’s head office.

“This is an honor for me having this certificate; this piece of document is so important to me, my family and the entire boxing fraternity of Guyana. In any endeavour one tries to achieve the maximum or pinnacle, and as a boxer I was not fortunate to reach the pinnacle.

[I] turned to coaching and this is the pinnacle in coaching at present. Three-star is the highest level of coaching they have worldwide by

Steve Ninvalle (left) alongside three-star coach Terrence Poole showcasing his [Poole] certificate at the media briefing (Photo: Treiston Joseph)

AIBA,” Poole told representatives of the media present.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle congratulated Poole while noting the importance of the achievement.

“Mr. Poole went to Kazakhstan in October and he was successful in the three-star competition that was run

by AIBA and he is the only three-star coach in Guyana. We [GBA] are extremely proud and extremely happy that Mr. Poole could have gone and done Guyana well by being successful at the examination.

This basically means as AIBA has stipulated or mandated that we must have a three-star coach, so you cannot send a team to certain AIBA

competitions without them being accompanied by a three-star AIBA coach,” Ninvalle explained.

Further, Poole outlined his immediate goal upon notching up such an achievement.

“My goal and the only way this certificate could show well yes I achieved the fullest, I must able to have someone qualifying for the next Olympics or even going on and winning a medal. The certificate is just paper but this now is production, I need to have someone qualify by any means for the coming Olympics which is in 2016,” Poole echoed.

Meanwhile, Ninvalle thanked Permanent Secretary of the Sport Ministry, Alfred King, for ensuring that the trip came off while Poole was quick to thank the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) boss Mark Phillips, the former brigadier Gary Best and the GBA for allowing him to achieve his new credentials before both wished prosperity for boxing in 2014.

guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

week ending January 5, 2014

Fast-scoring Anderson leads New Zealand plunder of Windies

Q

UEENSTOWN, New Zealand (CMC) — New Zealand outclassed West Indies by 159 runs to win a lopsided and rain-shortened third One Day International (ODI), powered by the fastest international century from Corey Anderson at the Queenstown Events Centre yesterday.

Anderson reached his 100 in a One-Day match against West Indies in Queenstown from 36 balls, breaking the record of 37 set

by Pakistan's Shahid Afridi in 1996, as New Zealand reached 283 for four from 21 overs.

In reply, West Indies, who chose to field after winning the toss, limped to 124 for five as New Zealand tied the series one game each with two matches remaining.

Anderson finished with 131 from 47 balls with his ton, including 14 sixes and six fours.

He was supported by Jesse Ryder, whose 104 was itself the sixth-fastest ton in ODIs, in only his second match since an attack outside a nightclub last March left him in an in-

duced coma.

The pair, who put on 191 for the fourth wicket, came together at 84 for three in the seventh over.

The pick of the West Indian bowling was Jason Holder with two for 48 from four overs.

Sunil Narine and Ravi Rampaul bore the brunt of Anderson's carnage conceding four sixes in an over each, with Rampaul's three overs costing 64 runs.

The Caribbean side surrendered their series lead and made no serious effort to embark on a winning run chase.

They stumbled to 54 for four by the 11th over and never recovered from the top order collapse.

Captain Dwayne Bravo was undefeated on 56, including three fours and three sixes, while Narsingh Deonarine scored 29.

The only other batsmen contributing double digit scores were Chadwick Walton and Lendl Simmons with 17 each.

New Zealand batsman Corey Anderson celebrates his century against the West Indies in the third One-Day International at the Queenstown Events Centre yesterday. (PHOTO: WICB)

Guyana Baseball League bracing for busy 2014 T he Guyana Basebell League (GBL) is bracing itself for a busy 2014, even as it comes off a challenging 2013 in which it was able to make some strides in the game of baseball/ softball.

specifically those directly involved with the game.

Below is the full text of the message.

“Dear Guyana, baseball/ softball coaches, players, fans, sponsors, me-

Guyana organisation, I wish you all the best as we begin another journey of challenges, victories, lessons and changes in the year ahead.

We thank our all volunteer staff and cadre of coaches for their tireless

During 2013 the Guyana Baseball League (GBL) was able to expand the game beyond Georgetown.

Here, students of the Berbice High School strike a pose after a session conducted by the GBL

This disclosure was made by president of the GBL, Robin Singh, during his New Year’s message to Guyanese,

dia and the general public, I would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. On behalf of the whole Baseball

work in spreading the great game of baseball throughout the 10 regions of Guyana.

This year has been a challenging one for Baseball Guyana, the introduction of a new game to our shores was never envisaged to be an easy task.

2013 was our year zero and we grew from an idea to a sport with over 700 school-aged participants; this is 200 in excess of our stated year one goal of 500. Our number of certified coaches now number 26 and we have only just begun.

Such rapid growth comes with many challenges and a decision was made to support the growth of the game in Berbice at the expense of the others.

The Caribbean Examinations Council’s decision to allow baseball as an examination sport for the Physical Education certificate has been a significant one for our sport.

The coming year will see us adding to the number of schools in both Berbice and Demerara with baseball coaching programmes.

Our first official PONY league will be played during the period January to April and the winners of the 14 and under category are expected to compete in the PONY Caribbean Zone tournament in Puerto Rico, July 9-13.

At the Board of Directors and management levels we continue to be committed to the development of the game for wider participation and awareness.

We look forward to working with you and your children for a rewarding new year.”

Guyana Times International - (Guyana Office) email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com, Tel: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709, Fax: (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 (NY Office) email: guyanatimesnyint@gmail.com, Tel: 718-658-6804 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INTERNATIONAL INC.; AVAILABLE AT ALL MAJOR WEST INDIAN STORES.