Guyana Times International

INTERNATIONAL

Limacol CPL unveils fixtures

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 192

week ending May 18, 2014

Insel Air optimistic about flying Guyana route - links to Aruba, Curacao will boost tourism

More drama: CJ quashes decision to appoint King as Town Clerk

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U.S. reports big cocaine seizure in Caribbean sea

See story on page 3

Page 11 New York Mayor Bill de Blassio interacting with students at P.S.69 in Queens earlier this week

NY Mayor outlines major reforms for City schools

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NEWS

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Insel Air optimistic about flying Guyana route - links to Aruba, Curacao will boost tourism

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t a reception held to educate passengers more on Insel Air, three persons were the lucky recipients of free round trip flights to three different destinations as the airline continues to market its services before commencing operations in Guyana.

The reception was held at the Roraima Duke Lodge on Wednesday evening to allow the Chief Executive Officer of Insel Air, Fredericks Noboer, and his marketing team to meet with stakeholders in the travel industry.

Nuboer said he is enthusiastic about commencing operations in Guyana and thanked Roraima Airways, which has been a strategic partner in the airline coming to the country.

He noted that Insel Air will be bring preclearance in Aruba for those travelling to the US and opening a variety of airline options to choose from that are operating out of Aruba going to Toronto and Europe, among several other destinations.

“This is the opportunity in connecting Guyana

Insel Air Marketing Representative, Captain Gerry Gouveia (left), CEO Frederick Nuboer (third left) and officials with the winners

with all of the airlines that arrive in Aruba… and now that we are connecting Aruba to Guyana, I have to go back and tell the Minister of Tourism watch out because maybe people will connect to Guyana instead of staying in Aruba,” the CEO stated.

Meanwhile, acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali highlighted that with the thriving Tourism Sector in Guyana, Government is committed to marketing Guyana as a tourism destination and bringing more investments to the country

to facilitate the linkages being built. The Minister noted that “modern tourists” are looking for a new tourism product apart from the “polluted cities” and “long stretches of white beach and blue water”.

“Most… modern day tourists are seeking a new product, a product that is rich in nature, a product that rekindles them with the beginning of the world, a product that is dynamic and versatile and for my dear friends at Insel Air, you have entered the right market. The right mar-

ket that offers the right product, for the modern day tourists to meet their expectations,” Ali noted.

Improving package

The Minister added that they are looking at twinning the marketing strategies so that tourists can be able to experience the beaches and water as well as all the exciting opportunities available in eco-and adventure tourism.

Also speaking was Private Sector Commission Chairman Ramesh Persaud, who explained that with Insel

Insel Air CEO Fredericks Noboer addressing the gathering

Air coming, it emphasises the confidence the airline has as an investor to partner with Guyana.

Persaud stated that linking Guyana to Curacao and Aruba must be seen as more than just a convenient linkage to other transport networks globally.

“This transport linkage opens the door for Guyana to possibly benefit from the more than 1.5 million tourists that frequent the shores of Curacao and Aruba on an annual basis,” he noted, while mentioning the impact this will have on

Guyana’s economy.

Roraima Airways Managing Director Gerry Gouveia underscored that air lift, and more broadly tourism, is important to Guyana and while persons are calling for more airlines, there needs to be people to fill the seats. On this note, he pointed out that those in the industry failed to understand the importance of marketing Guyana.

Gouveia stated that with major projects such as the Marriott Hotel and the Airport Expansion Project, Government will have to develop a huge marketing strategy to attract people to Guyana in order to fill that hotel and make use of the airport facilities.

“I think we are on the right track. Tonight its Insel Air, months down the road it will be Copa, very shortly after that there are two or three more airlines in the pipeline that are going to start flying to Guyana, but sustainability is what is important and they are not going to stay on this route if we don’t fill those seats,” he stated.

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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.

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EDITORIAL

The kidnappings in Nigeria Men also have their stories to tell in relation to domestic violence T A view of Main Street, Georgetown

he shocking and brutal kidnapping of the more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls on April 15 by a known militant group is grabbing headlines around the world. Influential figures and other activists have stepped up their call for every effort to be made for the girls to be found and the perpetrators brought to justice as quickly as possible.

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, whose Government is currently hosting the World Economic Forum in Abuja, has insisted that the kidnapping by Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group operating there, will mark the “beginning of the end of terror” in that country. Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the group’s main faction, has threatened to sell the schoolgirls as slaves or brides.

For nearly five years, Boko Haram has been waging a violent insurgency in north-east Nigeria. The fighting has killed more than 4000 people, displaced 500,000 more, and destroyed hundreds of schools and homes.

Nigeria, an oil-rich country in West Africa, gained independence from the British in 1960. Under colonial rule, development was centred primarily in Nigeria’s south. The legacy of neglect in the north continues to affect lives today. Government services like electricity, roads, security, water, health, and education are absent for many. Persistent Government corruption, Police impunity, and regional conflicts continue to undermine reform efforts. In these circumstances, Boko Haram (roughly meaning “Western education is forbidden”) thrives.

Exploiting a political and security void, some Boko Haram members have dispersed to neighbouring Niger and Cameroon, where authorities are also poorly equipped to fight the radical armed group, which feeds off grievances in neighbouring countries.

A recent incident where the girls were kidnapped has once again brought the group under the microscope. It is horrifying that hundreds of girls, their parents and their relatives are living each passing moment in escalating fear – with no idea whether they’ll ever see each other again. But perhaps the most awful part of the story is that Boko Haram stands against a better future for ordinary Nigerians, especially women and girls.

Weighing in on the recent events in Nigeria, Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had this to say: “It’s difficult to pinpoint the worst aspect of this atrocity. And it’s pitiful that this is nothing new.

Treating women as spoils or weapons of war has been a common practice for thousands of years. Boko Haram has sought to justify its actions as consistent with Islamic teachings, and this is an insult.”

Many influential voices in the Muslim world have rebuked the group’s actions. To cite just one example, Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb of the Cairo-based Al-Azhar, one of Sunni Islam’s most prestigious theological institutions, said the kidnappings “completely contradict Islam and its principles of tolerance.”

This militant group is committed to the idea that women are the property of husbands and mere instruments of reproduction. It is particularly opposed to the idea that girls ought to be educated, which is why they target schools.

When girls are educated and free to pursue their passions, they contribute more to a thriving society. Melinda Gates reminds us that there are countless examples of places around the world where women and girls are gaining power and autonomy, where the future looks brighter because women and girls are slowly wiping away the old gender norms.

More persons are calling for women and girls to be empowered where they could be educated and live freely without the fear of being attacked because of their decision to work or earn their own money, so that they could develop themselves and their communities. Boko Haram is trying to suppress and deny women the opportunity to better themselves and to achieve their full potential; this is clearly not what Islam preaches.

It is very encouraging to see the massive outpouring of support, both from within and outside of Nigeria, for the girls to be found and returned home safely. While the international community has promised assistance in this regard, the world is watching to see how the Nigerian authorities will confront this crisis.

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ith the growing incidence of domestic violence in the country each day, citizens are becoming alarmed and concerned and have begun to question whether there is a serious failure in the system for the protection of women and children.

However, while concerns mount for the victims of violent attacks and this is understood, everyone seems to have forgotten that it is not only the women and children who are affected, but the men themselves as something has to definitely be wrong for the them to simply ‘lash out’ and act in the manner in which they do. They can be described as victims themselves, just in a different sense of the word.

To find out what pushes men to violence and why they abuse their spouses, girlfriends and partners, Guyana Times International spoke to several men who were in the past abusers themselves but are now on the road to recovery through rehabilitation and counselling.

Wrong medicine

During the course of the interviews with the men, the main factors which emerged as the main causes for the growing number of domestic violence, spousal murders and suicides were found to be mounting frustration from lack of jobs, low self-esteem and insecurity, uncontrollable jealousy and the inability to handle the pressures of life. It was related that this led to the abuse of drugs and substances and ultimately to the path of domestic violence.

The men said that it was a situation which had not started overnight, but it was a cycle which had started from years back, leading up to the eventual death and suicides of persons.

John Fitzpatrick, 42, a father of two, related that he was a caring, loving and patient individual up until the time he decided to try crack cocaine because of rising stress levels. He related that because of frustration from not being able to amply provide for his family financially, he turned to drugs which

helped him cope with realities he was not yet ready to handle.

He related that he believes that everything stemmed from a low self-esteem and insecurity and consequently jealousy on his part and even other men who initiate and practice violence on their partners.

“I grow up real insecure, and so you know I have low self-esteem and when I cannot work and provide for my house, plus I using drugs, I does wonder what my girlfriend still doing with me when she can get better else-

where and it drives me crazy.

So I used to use the violence to threaten her so that if she ever thinks about leaving me, she is going to think twice and don’t bother leaving,” Fitzpatrick related.

Fitzpatrick noted that he had abused his girlfriend for approximately two years after a constant abuse of drugs, but one day realised the extent of damage he was inflicting and decided that it was time he got help before it escalated to a tragic end.

He left the home and moved into the Salvation Army where he receives counselling and other forms of therapy to assist him in behaviour control.

Abuser

Another resident of the facility, Lewis Lancaster, told GTI that he was an abuser up until four months ago. He related that while men often are at fault and are the first to initiate violence in the home, there is much more to the story that is not being told.

The man related that even though he was and is a patient

man, there were many times when his girlfriend would provoke him so that he can get defensive and lash out. He is of the view that while the society holds men totally accountable for domestic violence and this is sometimes true in some homes, there are many other unreported cases where the woman initiate violence and thus aggravate them to the point where they are required to become defensive and prove their manhood and send the message of who is really the head of the home.

“I know that we men are most times blamed for the violence and for starting it, but at the end of the day, not everything is true. Men are creatures that are aggressive and are born to command authority and if you are going to insult a man and belittle him then he is going to want to get defensive and prove himself. It is in the nature of men to do so and the quickest way men find to end conflict is by using violence,” Lancaster articulated.

He related that due to this and the increasing pressures he was faced with, he began to abuse drugs to escape the reality of the situation at home since he did not want to succumb to the practice of domestic violence.

Becoming addicted to cocaine, he began to practice what he vowed he never would do – beat his girlfriend. Lancaster confessed that the beatings often took place during the times he craved the drug and could not access it. He disclosed that he began to verbally and physically abuse his girlfriend after she began to insult him and belittle him and even ill-treat the child they share together.

The man opined; however, that he soon began to realise that it was not a healthy relationship and it was becoming unfair to his child. It was on this note that he began to seek help and is today a different person, with a different perspective and different approach to relationship conflicts. Both men have made reparations and still maintain contact with their exgirlfriends.

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Cops accused of killing man outside fish shop freed - Mother of victim pleads for justice

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ity Magistrate Ann McLennan last week set free two policemen who were charged with the killing of Dameon Belgrave outside of the White Castle Fish Shop back in 2012, prompting the Alliance For Change (AFC) to call for an independent investigation to determine why the case collapsed.

Belgrave’s parents told Guyana Times International that they were told during the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) that the policeman who had actually fired the shot was not charged and subsequent checks at his house for him proved futile.

Belgrave was hanging out with friends at the fish shop when a Police patrol tailing a car, fired shots, hitting him. Belgrave was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Sheldon Williams and Errol Williams were subsequently charged with manslaughter. McLennan had upheld no-case submissions presented by the policemen’s lawyers George Thomas and Patrice Henry.

Belgrave, who was 23 at the time of his death, lived at Middle Street, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. He sustained one gunshot wound un-

AFC MP Cathy Hughes

Dameon Belgrave

der his left arm in the region of his heart.

Mother of the slain man, Donna Sulker in tears told media operatives that the Guyana Police Force has been playing games with her emotions since the death of her son more than two years ago. According to the woman, her son was shot dead on his birthday on October 5, 2012 by members of a Police patrol in front of the White Castle Fish Shop.

Sulker related that since the beginning of the court proceedings, she had realised that justice will not be served since the Police Force was also investigat-

ing the matter.

“During the Preliminary Inquiry, the prosecutor came and told me that the guys were the wrong guys and that the man who did the shooting wasn’t charged. He said ranks from the Brickdam Police Station were going to go to his home and arrest him. One time they go and he wasn’t at home and they never went back.

That alone told me that justice will not be served. Then they changed the state prosecutor.

That was another indication,” the woman related.

Bluff

She disclosed that even though former Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell had visited her home and promised her justice, she now realised that it was just a matter of saving face.

“It was just a bluff, a big bluff,” the woman said with tears rolling down her cheek.

Even though the case has been dismissed from the courts, the woman is still pleading for justice to be served, noting that her child’s life was snuffed out by power drunk policemen.

Meanwhile, AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Cathy Hughes lambasted the Police Force for its handling of the case. The comments which were made at the party’s press conference at the Side Walk Café, come at a time when the Force has been under pressure for alleged human rights abuses and its failure to successfully prosecute several high-profile murder cases.

Hughes told media operatives that for far too long, the Guyana Police Force has been abusing its powers, which has been vested in it and in the process has been driving fear in the lives of all citizens. She raised questions as to how long the lawlessness will continue, while

noting that the time has come for all Guyanese to raise their voices and stand up for their rights.

Alex Griffith

Making reference to the shooting in the mouth of 15-year-old Alex Griffith, coupled with the dismissal of the case against the two former policemen for the shooting to death of Belgrave, Hughes related that the Guyana Police Force has indeed sunk to the lowest of the low while opining that the Guyanese population has already lost confidence in the system.

“How can the GPF ever hope to win the confidence of Guyanese when such acts of extra judicial shootings and killings continue to go unpunished.

Who shoots a 15-year-old in the mouth or is allowed to get away from killing someone who was out celebrating his birthday?” she asked.

She noted that it was utter nonsense and a great travesty that the two suspects who were arrested, charged and placed before the courts on the count of manslaughter are now roaming free after the case was dismissed last Thursday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

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Local Muslim group condemns killing of Nigerian schoolgirls “Knowledge-seeking is not just a right, but an obligation placed on every Muslim believer by the Prophet Mohammed”

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s international organisations continue their protests against the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls on April 14, last, the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT) has registered its ire over the situation and has maintained that Islam is not against the education of females.

The organisation is also of the firm belief that the actions taken by the Boko Haram Group; the self-acclaimed Islamic militant organisation, to prevent female students from accessing this basic human right is nothing more than “barbaric”.

Assistant leader of the Guyana Islamic Trust, Sheikh Abdool Aleem Rahim said the organisation is very much concerned about the actions of the group and has emphatically suggested that its members could not truly be part of the religion.

“We condemn their actions in the strongest of terms, especially the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls in the name of preventing them from being exposed to Western education,” Rahim said in an exclusive in-

ing of Muslim women of those rights.”

Anti-Islam

People hold placards calling for the release of secondary school girls abducted in the remote village of Chibok, during a protest along a road in Lagos, May 14 (Reuters photo)

terview with this publication on Wednesday.

On that note, he said men and women are equal. He pointed out that knowledgeseeking is not just a right, but an obligation placed on every Muslim believer by the Prophet Mohammed. Rahim said everyone who desires to further their education, be it male or female, are free to do so. He boasted that the religion is rich with the contributions of scholarly women, noting that

if what the Boko Haram group is doing was an accepted practice, then those women would not have had the opportunity to play any leading roles within the faith. He cited the contributions of several women including I’sha, wife of the Prophet Mohammed, among others who have made contributions to the religion.

“All of these are testimony to the place and status of women and the education of women in Islam. So there is no deny-

During the interview, Rahim revealed some of the teachings and practices of the Muslim faith. According to him, the decision by members of the Boko Haram group in no way upholds those teachings.

Rahim said part of the Muslim belief requires that members live harmoniously.

Any action taken by any organisation based on violence and oppression is viewed as “unacceptable by all means possible”.

“We do not view this group called Boko Haram as a Muslim group. We believe this to be something inapplicable and they should be separated from Islam completely. We do not accept any of their actions which they claim to do in the name of Islam. They have distorted the teachings of Islam and they basically defile the pristine purity of Islam through their claims that what they are doing is justifiable in the name of Islam.”

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the idea of a swap of

Boko Haram prisoners for the schoolgirls, Britain’s Minister for Africa said after talks with him in Abuja on Wednesday.

“He made it very clear that there would be no negotiations with Boko Haram that involved a swap of abducted schoolgirls for prisoners,” Mark Simmonds told a news conference.

The Islamist group, which is holding more than 200 girls, posted a video on Monday offering to release them in exchange for prisoners held by the Government.

Boko Haram militants, who are fighting for an Islamist state, stormed a secondary school in the northeastern village of Chibok on April 14 and seized 276 girls who were taking exams. Some have managed to escape, but about 200 remain missing. The abductions have triggered a worldwide social media campaign under the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, and prompted the US, Britain, France and Israel to offer help or send experts to Nigeria.

Britain offered further help to Nigeria including a surveillance plane and the offer was accepted, Simmonds said.

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Amerindians are treated equally – Sukhai tells UN forum

cial measures to enforce and safeguard the rights of the Amerindian peoples are in place to address the remaining gaps and challenges which Amerindians face in this current period,” Sukhai told the gathering.

Self-determination

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai

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m e r i n d i a n Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai on Tuesday told attendees at the 13th Session of the United Nationals Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues that Amerindians in Guyana are treated equally, fairly and just as any other ethnic race in the country through the implementation of proper governance systems.

The Minister noted that the Government continues to effect and uphold compliance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) which places priority on Indigenous peoples rights and development.

She related that this was evident since the Government had embarked on the achievement of these goals even prior to the implementation of the UNDRIP in 2007.

Sukhai stated that those plans which the Government had made and put in place has since given rise to availability of several opportunities for the Amerindian population.

Evidence of this is the enactment of the Amerindian Act, Number Six of 2006, which provides for the recognition, and protection of the collective rights of Amerindians, the granting of land to Amerindians, and the promotion of good governance within Amerindian villages and communities.

“Constitutional, sectoral, legal measures are in place to promote equity for advancing the rights of Amerindian peoples. The bold commitment by the Government of Guyana to address the legitimate needs, challenges and rights of Amerindians, fully conscious that Guyana is a land of six peoples, and mindful that the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Guyanese should be upheld and respected.

Notwithstanding, spe-

Presenting on the practice of good governance as it relates to the Amerindian people, Sukhai made special reference to Part 111 of the Amerindian Act, which outlines the principles of good governance and self-determination at the local village level, noting that these are indeed a testimony to the Government’s commitment in ensuring that indigenous people are rightly guided and are provided with equal opportunities as everyone else..

Sukhai in continuation of her presentation of the matter, related that Article Six of the UNDRIP, states that “every indigenous individual has a right to a nationality” noting that the Government has made this possible through the establishment of an effective system which ensures the registration of every single birth.

Further, she added that according to Article 46 of the UN Declaration, the Government has put in place special measures to address the issues affecting Amerindian peoples and the evidence is seen in the establishment of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, who’s mandate is to support the enhancement of the quality of life of Amerindians in Guyana through the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes consistent with free prior and informed consent; thus, enabling the full inclusion and participation of the indigenous people, respectful of their traditional cultural, social and economic development practices.

“The Government of Guyana believes in equality, non-discrimination and good governance and assures that under the new political dispensation as a minority Government in Parliament, we continue to be responsive to the 10 per cent of indigenous population which forms part of our ethnically diverse nation and the promotion of good governance which we believe will further enhance the rights and development of our Amerindian peoples in Guyana,” Sukhai intoned.

Guyana’s rice production tops 300,000 tonnes in first crop

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mid the major challenges with respect to market and payments to farmers by millers, Guyana created history on Saturday when some 300,000 tonnes of rice was harvested; a first time win for Guyana.

Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy made the announcement on Monday, as he delivered the feature address at a ceremony to launch the new agriculture syllabus for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) at the Theatre Guild, Kingston, Georgetown.

According to Minister Ramsammy, it was the first for Guyana, or any country within the

The rice industry contributes about five percent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product

Caribbean to make such an achievement in any one crop. “It is the first time in our history; it is the first time in the Caribbean that in a single crop, a country has produced 300,000 tonnes of rice. Indeed, going

back 15 years ago, any claim that any country would have the capacity to produce 300,000 tonnes of rice in a year would be treated as a Utopian dream,” the minister said.

Dr Ramsammy noted

that doubts were rife just over 10 years ago, when a target of 500,000 tonnes per year by the year 2020 was set. According to Dr Ramsammy, the country was able to surpass that target last year, when some 535,000 tonnes of rice was produced more than five years ahead of schedule.

“Six hundred thousand tonnes, which was thought to be an impossibility, now that we have achieved 300,000 tonnes in the first crop and still some more time to go, 600,000 tonnes in 2014 is a real possibility.”

He said he is confident that by the end of this year, he would be able to make the announcement continued on page 12

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Glowing tributes at funeral service of murdered Trinidadian prosecutor

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undreds of people from a wide crosssection of society converged upon the Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Tunapuna, last Thursday, to pay their final respects to Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal.

The 400-seater church could barely accommodate a third of those attending, who included most government ministers, senators, Opposition MPs and almost the entire Judiciary, and the rest were accommodated in tents set up in the churchyard while others spilled over onto Cochrane Street, which borders the church and the Tunapuna Presbyterian School,

which Seetahal attended as a child.

Even the aisles of the church were packed with chairs as government ministers, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, and other VIPs were accommodated.

Police presence in and around the churchyard was noticeably large, especially with President Anthony Carmona, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Chief Justice Ivor Archie in the congregation.

Legal luminaries rubbed shoulders with less prominent members of society, a mark of Seetahal’s humility and simplicity, which were echoed throughout the many tributes during the

Dana Seetahal’s body is carried out of the Aramalaya Presbyterian Church by family members after her funeral service last Thursday (TT Guardian photo)

service. Dressed in their uniforms, several employees of the Ma Pau casino, Seetahal’s favourite liming spot and the last place she visited before being brutally murdered early Sunday morning, were at the service.

While many were not

allowed into the church for the service, ushers granted entry to those who wished to view Seetahal’s body in her open casket, which was covered by a bouquet of red anthuriums and white lilies. Many present described the service as the biggest they had ever seen, as well as the only funeral that started at 5 pm and ended

well past twilight. It was also one of the few private funerals which was attended by members of all three arms of the state, the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary.

Many mourners were touched by soca superstar Machel Montano’s heartfelt rendition of an original song which he wrote especially for the

event. Seetahal represented Montano in his assault case almost two years ago. They were equally affected by the tear-jerking tributes that were presented by Seetahal’s colleagues, former students at the Hugh Wooding Law School and six of her nephews and nieces, who all recounted their loving memories of their aunt’s important role in their lives. In the end, because of the lengthy tributes that went well beyond the scheduled times, the funeral far exceeded its 90-minute estimated duration. After the service ended around 7.30 pm, the funeral cortège made its way to the Belgrove’s Funeral Home, Tacarigua, where she was cremated. (Excerpted from TT Guardian)

Jamaica’s senior cop James Forbes convicted on corruption charge

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e n i o r Superintendent of Police in Jamaica James Forbes was last week convicted on a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The guilty verdict, handed down by Corporate Area Magistrate Stephanie Jackson-Haisley, makes Forbes the most senior member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to be convicted on corruption charges.

He's to be sentenced in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court later this week. His bail was extended until then.

Senior Superintendent of Police in Jamaica James Forbes (Jamaica Observer photo)

Following the conviction, Queen's Counsel Jacqueline SamuelsBrown gave notice that she would be appealing the decision, but JacksonHaisley told her to wait until after sentencing before she gives notice.

Should Forbes lose his appeal it would bring an end to the 30-year career of a man who was slated for promotion to the post of assistant commissioner just before the arrest.

In handing down the verdict, the magistrate said she found that Forbes was aware of the circumstances surrounding businessman Bruce Bicknell, in that Bicknell had been arrested and was before the court on allegations that he attempted to bribe a police officer during a traffic stop, when he (Forbes) called the meeting that resulted in a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice being brought against him.

The magistrate rejected Forbes' defence and said she found him to be "changing his defence as the trial progressed". She

said she also found him to be "insincere and disingenuous" in his testimony.

On the other hand, she said she accepted the prosecution witnesses--sergeants Jubert Llewellyn and Delon Lewis--as being truthful, even though there were some discrepancies and inconsistencies in their testimony.

However, the magistrate said that the inconsistencies and discrepancies did not go to the root of the prosecution's case.

Daryl Vaz, who, along with Forbes and Bicknell, was charged as a result of the alleged bribery attempt, said it was a "very sad day" for Forbes and his family.

The charge stems from a meeting Forbes facilitated at his Oxford Road office in St Andrew with Bicknell, Llewellyn and Lewis, who had ticketed Bicknell for speeding in April 2012. A part of Forbes' defence was that he wasn't aware that Bicknell was charged and that the meeting was to mediate the matter. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)

9 Mails from the US arriving broached

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

There is a plan to physically harm me Dear Editor, I received information from a reliable source who was part of a meeting in South Georgetown, organised by two officials from the Mayor and Councillors of Georgetown, who have been against my appointment as Town Clerk (acting).

These officials were meeting with known elements connected to the criminal underworld. Part of their plan is to physically harm me by dousing me with corrosive substances and to fire bomb my residence.

I have no reason to question the credibility of the information provided to me, since neighbours and other individuals have reported to me that strange persons were seen in and around the vicinity of my home on several recent occasions.

Two recent incidents have caused me to believe that my vehicle was

trailed during the time when I travelled home. Though I express concern, I will be relentless in my effort as Town Clerk (acting) to stop anyone who tries to have me removed by illegitimate and sinister means.

These threats have since forced me to implement additional security measures. These attacks on me have emanated from my efforts to root out deep-seated corruption in the City Council.

I remain humble and encouraged by the great support given to me by citizens in and out of Georgetown, officers and staff of the Council in the face of concerted efforts by the Mayor and his cabal to stymie my efforts with their anti-Sooba campaign.

Sincerely, Carol Ryan Sooba Town Clerk of Georgetown (acting)

Burnham cannot be both brilliant and a failure, was he a brilliant failure?

Dear Editor, Revisionists are fond of touting Norman Girvan and PNC founder leader Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham as brilliant. But both respectively bankrupted Jamaica’s and Guyana’s economies.

Burnham killed his opponents, subverted democracy, rigged elections, caused starvation and forced Guyana’s best brains to run away!

Can anyone be both brilliant and a failure at the same time?

Writing a book, acquiring a PhD, or being a political leader with followers cannot automatically earn anyone the “brilliant” title. If so, it would certainly elevate Nigeria’s Boko Haram as better than Uganda’s President General Idi Amin and Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gadaffi.

Kidnapping nearly 300 innocent girl children and reportedly selling them for US$12 as sex slaves is an abomination which only sullies Africa’s image.

Claims that Burnham was brilliant, but only made minor mistakes which kept the PPP alive are most laughable. Raping Indo Guyanese women at the compulsory Guyana National Service, banning food items used daily by Indo Guyanese, rigging elections and orchestrating kickdown-the-door banditry cannot be the paragon

of virtues of any noteworthy leader to emulate.

Yet some still go down that road, while they are still silent on Boko Haram’s insanity.

Interesting was Trinidad’s Dr Eric Williams.

Williams knew how far he could go to limit his racism.

As Prime Minister, he understood the critical importance of Indo Trinidadians in sustaining the country’s economy. He did not embark on a policy of sweeping destruction of Indians.

In flirting with the worldwide socialist wave at that time, Williams nationalised companies and regulated the prices of goods without favouring any race group. Not so with Burnham’s PNC. Williams understood the importance of the Opposition DLP/ UNC which was supported by most, not all, Indo Trinidadians and did not forcefully seek their extinction.

In fact, Williams swiftly changed course when things were not working out. Eventually, he went capitalist all the way.

For Girvan to be considered brilliant is whitewashing the facts that his economic policies bankrupted Jamaica’s economy when adopted by Prime Minister Norman Manley. Can national bankruptcy be the new

PNC definition of “brilliant”?

The PNC/AFC/ WPA cabal can learn from both Belize’s and Trinidad’s Opposition parties if they can be so “brilliant” and patriotic. Belize’s Opposition put aside their party’s interest and voted for the national good by supporting their country’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Bill.

T r i n i d a d ’ s Opposition Leader, Dr Keith Rowley paid his own expenses and visited India to make a point. He also condemned his PNM predecessor Prime Minister Patrick Manning and the PNM’s old guard for all its past wrongs.

Rowley has even publicly condemned the crime wave in Trinidad and demanded that the armed forces crack down on the criminals.

Compare Brigadier General David Granger’s PNC, which criticises the Police for being proactive on crime.

Before all hands can be washed clean, Granger and his PNC has to break from the PNC’s shameful past, admit to the PNC’s involvement in Dr Walter Rodney’s murder, and clean up the PNC’s nasty image. Their party’s future depends on it. Brilliant is not only reacting to history but shaping it.

Sincerely, Vassan Ramracha

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Dear Editor, The Guyana Post Office Corporation has been recently receiving items from the United States of America that have been broached.

This has been the case on a number of occasions although the mailed items are received in sealed mail bags.

Information relating to this recent development has been communicated to the United States Postal Administration for them to launch an investigation into these occurrences.

The Postmaster General wishes to advise that the corporation remains committed to preserving the integrity of the mail and will continue to do everything possible to carry out this mandate. The public is also urged to be guided by this information and advise their overseas relatives and friends to be cognisant of these occurrences when posting mail.

Sincerely, Telesha Whyte Guyana Post Office Corporation

A barbaric, terrorist act

Dear Editor, I stare with sadness and disgust at the horrible news of 200 school girls being abducted on April 14 in Nigeria’s North-Eastern Borno State, West Coast Africa as schools were opened for students to prepare for their final exams.

What is the crime these innocent children committed? Why do they have to endure this horror? Who are these barbarians’ abductors; these beasts of the un-Godliness operating under the banner of Islam?

The kidnappings three and a half weeks ago by the extremist group called Boko Haram have raised a worldwide outcry and condemnation. The group’s leader has used the distorted teachings of Islam for justification of his actions and threatens to sell the girls into slavery.

This crime and the crimes committed by the likes of these extremists organisations contradict and violate all humanitarian principles and

moral values and violate the Sharia laws of Islam and the sacred teachings of the Holy Qu’ran and of Prophet Muhammad – may peace be upon him.

This is a barbaric, terrorist act of which I utterly condemn as I echo the call for the perpetrators and their affiliates to be brought to justice and treated with the full force of the United Nations – International Human Rights Law. The hearts of God-fearing and Godconscious people around the world are bleeding and we hope and pray that the 200 children will be rescued or freed and reunited with their parents and loved ones in Nigeria.

Our sympathies and prayers extend to the children, their parents and relatives who are traumatised at this moment as a result of this heinous crime.

I pray that God – Almighty have mercy on all of us and cause us to be just people.

Respectfully, Nazar Mohamed

Lessons for success in the rice industry Dear Editor, I have noticed that the Agriculture Minister has announced that the first rice crop surpassed 300,000 metric tonnes, and 600,000 metric tonnes is forecast for this year’s production, which is a good indication for the rice industry.

However, the Minister should give us a breakdown of the target in each rice growing region, land prepared, sown, harvested, bags, metric tonnes, rice equivalent to metric tonnes, yield per acre and the per cent harvested for each crop out of the 192,500 acres.

Declaring production of paddy and rice are often an underlying issue; they are too complex and politically sensitive where Government has sought to engage their efforts.

In Guyana, lack of appropriate local information about the rice industry hinders development planning and programmes and hampers farmers’ efforts to monitor change.

Each rice entity should have an accompanying website and CD to present Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), which brings together rice farmers in their respective communities and regions, and local authorities to gather and monitor locally obtained verifiable information about actual costs of production.

Good public policy choices for uplifting the farmers are best made when local farming communities work together, guided by sound data and evidencebased analysis.

And while the Agriculture Minister boasts of production, the farmers and the industry are often seriously un-

der-financed, and farmers have to wait years for their payment. He has never analysed their strengths and weaknesses.

The field of information and communication has become central to much development thinking in recent years, a trend which can boost the massive growth in the industry. But there is a noticeable gap in the Minister’s statement on region/zone, target, projected yield per acre, projected harvested, prepared, per cent prepared, percentage sown and the total acreage in each rice growing region.

Such information is vital and will be a powerful tool for future planning and key decision-making for the rice industry of Guyana and will help farmers to execute their task in a more effective and efficient manner.

Kudos must be given to the rice farmers who are toiling under harsh and back-breaking methods of production without subsidies. In closing, I would like to remind the Agriculture Minister that “if the rice industry is wrecked; the entire economy will virtually collapse”.

Yours faithfully, Mohamed Khan

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NY Mayor outlines major reforms for City schools V

isiting parents and students at P.S. 69 in Queens on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio outlined major reforms

coming to city schools.

The sweeping changes were put forward by the administration in the executive budget and its contract with

the United Federation of Teachers, and will fundamentally improve the education of hundreds of thousands of students.

The reforms address some of the most vital needs in City schools, from devoting 40 minutes each week to dedicated parent-teacher interaction, to $4.4 billion in capital funds to ease overcrowding, to fulfilling the Mayor’s pledge to dramatically expand pre-K and after-school programs.

a lucky few; they are foundational changes that will lift up schools in every neighborhood,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The strategic investments we are making recognize parents as true stakeholders, empower our educators and help students succeed.”

“We are making un-

the number of evening parent-teacher conferences from two to four each school year.

A l l e v i a t i n g Overcrowding: This budget will start to address space conditions in the city’s schools, reducing overcrowding and the use of trailers as classrooms with $4.4 billion capital invest-

New York Mayor Bill de Blassio interacting with students at P.S.69 in Queens earlier this week

Mayor de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and City Council Education Committee Chair Daniel Dromm emphasized these fundamental changes would improve public education across the whole school system.

“These aren’t pilot programs that help

precedented investments in our children through an historic expansion of universal pre-K, and ensuring that from early education through high school, our focus is on preparing students for the future. The teachers’ contract and the reforms embedded in the Mayor’s executive budget reflect tremendous progress to restore dignity, opportunity and empower our city’s parents, schoolchildren, teachers and principals,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

“By instituting these reforms, Mayor de Blasio has demonstrated his commitment to ensuring that all of the students in our city’s public school system receive a highquality education,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.

The reforms discussed include: A Greater Voice for Parents: The UFT contract dedicates 40 minutes every Tuesday for teachers to reach out to parents by email, letter, telephone, or faceto-face meetings. The contract also doubles

ment in new space, including class size reduction. In addition, the Department of Education will devote $480 million to remove temporary classroom units and rehabilitate the play yards where they had been located.

High-Quality, Universal, Full-Day Pre-K: The executive budget launches a major expansion of fullday universal pre-K to ensure that all 4-yearolds are set up for longterm success, including $300 million for 53,000 seats in FY 2015 and $340 million for 73,000 seats in FY 2016.

More Middle School After-School Programs: The executive budget includes an unprecedented investment of $145 million in FY 2015 to fund 34,000 new seats to serve nearly 100,000 middle school children.

More Arts Education: The executive budget also allocates $20 million in FY 2015 for arts education, which will be used to expand a range of art programs in schools across the city, improve art facilities, and increase partnerships with art institutions.

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U.S. reports big Caribbean states get high ranking for cocaine seizure Citizenship by Investment Programmes in Caribbean sea

A member of the U.S. Coast Guard carries one of the packages of cocaine seized in the Caribbean

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he United States Coast Guard says it continues to make a dent in the illegal drugs trade, seizing an estimated US$20 million worth of cocaine during operations in the Caribbean Sea. It said 1,327 pounds of cocaine was offloaded at the Coast Guard base over the weekend as part of the interdiction exercise, Operation Unified Resolve.

The Coast Guard said at least two suspected smugglers have been taken into custody.

"This seizure highlights the hard work and dedication of our

crews in stopping the illegal flow of drugs in the Caribbean and reducing the destabilising effects that drugs have on society," said Commander Anthony Williams, commanding officer of the Spencer.

Last year, the Coast Guard said it removed US$22 million in marijuana and US$1.8 billion in cocaine throughout the Caribbean and that Operation Unified Resolve "contributes to the interagency results being achieved each and every day locally under Operation Caribbean Guard".

(Jamaica Observer)

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Antigua and Barbuda ranks ahead third of four nations offering citizenship by investment programmes in the Caribbean

ntigua and B a r b u d a ’ s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) has been ranked as the sixth most attractive in a new global report.

The report–by Wealth X and Arton Capital–is entitled “A Shrinking World: Global Citizenship for Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) Individuals.”

In a Caribbean context, Antigua and Barbuda ranks ahead third of four nations offering citizenship by investment programmes.

St. Kitts and Nevis is third globally; Grenada, fifth; Antigua and Barbuda, sixth and

Dominica, eighth.

The authors say Dominica’s ranking is set to improve, though, as its citizens will soon gain visa-free access to Schengen countries.

The Arton Index gives Antigua and Barbuda’s CIP 59 out of 100.

Under the criteria of simplicity, which measures the components; language requirement, physical waiver, interview with the government authorities, and fast track for citizenship, the country gets full marks with 20 out of 20.

As for speed, which measures the length of the application process and time to citizenship, the

nation received 15 from 20.

Under costs, which Arton Capital said is arguably the most important indicator for investors, the country got 12 out of 20.

Meanwhile, Arton Capital and Wealth X say the Caribbean is the second most popular region for economic citizenship applications.

Over half the number of applications is for Europe; a quarter is for the Caribbean; and 14 percent for North American programmes.

The authors of the report said the popularity of the Caribbean region is thanks to the lower

barriers to entry offered.

They point to Antigua and Dominica, where they say fast track programmes are available and physical residency requirements are very low.

Over 20,000 families are said to apply for global citizenship programmes every year– with billionaires the most likely to apply.

The latest data shows most applications came from Pakistan at 17 percent, followed

by Lebanon at 15 percent, then Egypt, Syria and the USA all at seven percent and Russia at six percent. (Antigua Observer)

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Jagdeo says Caricom leaders not doing enough to boost agriculture

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ormer President Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday called on Caricom leaders to do much more to deal with the declining agricultural production of the region, as well as to curb the impact of climate change.

Addressing the launch of the Faculties of Food and Agriculture and Science and Technology at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, Jagdeo, after whom a regional agricultural plan was named, said in only three Caricom countries have agriculture contributed more than 10 per cent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Caribbean has a

food import bill of US$4 billion, and Jagdeo noted that there was a decline in the budgetary allocation for agriculture in regional countries and the employment opportunities in the sector had also declined.

Urgency

Jagdeo told the launch that clearly something must be wrong if there can be so much academic success and achievement at the University and the policymakers appear not to be focusing enough on the issue, adding that something must be urgently done to give agriculture the priority it needs.

“There isn’t a sense of urgency and that is what we need today, a sense of urgency among our pol-

icy makers. Maybe we should have term limits for the entire Caribbean.

And then policymakers may know that you only have a small period to achieve what you want to,” said Jagdeo.

The former President said the region was also not meeting the international requirements to deal with the issue of climate change and that regional leaders have not done what is required to address the issue.

“We have been struggling in Caricom to get this issue on the agenda for ages and for our leaders to pay attention to the existential threat that it poses for our region and the threat that it poses for our way of life and social welfare and

economic development.

“Yet we can only respond and we seem to develop a sense of urgency only when we are struck with a hurricane and for two months after that every leader talks about climate change and then we forget it,” he said, adding that the “same thing has happened in the area of agriculture”.

Jagdeo noted that in 2008 when there were significant price increases in commodities globally, every regional leader accepted that it was a political issue and there was some urgency in dealing with the matter. But he said when the prices abated, “we lost interest again”.

“Jagdeo Initiative”

Former Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo

The “Jagdeo Initiative” identifies and defines the key constraints facing agricultural development in the Caribbean region. The ‘new agriculture vision’ aims at making the sector about more than the production of food by exploring the numerous opportunities that exist for agro-businesses which will create more employment, increase export earnings and the income of all stakeholders especially farmers.

The initiative has been endorsed throughout the Caribbean for its thorough analysis of the state of agriculture, its hard look at internal and external factors, and for deepening the discussion of fundamental areas that need improvement, reform and/or initiation.

Limited financing and inadequate new investments, outdated and inefficient agricultural health and food safety

systems, inadequate research and development, and fragmented and unorganised private sector are some of the constraints identified.

Insufficient land and water distribution and management systems, deficient and uncoordinated risk management measures, and inadequate transport systems are other elements outlined in the initiative.

In pursuing the “Jagdeo Initiative”, several interventions were made by the Government of Guyana to help realise the country’s agricultural potential. At present, a chain of activities is being undertaken in this direction.

This includes the new extension services programme that entails several components aimed at aiding cultivation and production, implementation of new technologies and research. (Taken from CMC)

Guyana’s rice production tops... from page 7

that Guyana was able to achieve its 600,000 tonnes target.

Achievement possible

Dr Ramsammy said that achievement is possible since there is a high presence of science and technology in Guyana.

He said the availability of technology must be used to transform the agriculture sector of Guyana and the region.

In 1990, the minister recalled that the yield per hectare was between one and a half to two tonnes.

He said there has been significant improvement over the years, with the tonnes per hectare now being between five and half to six tonnes.

According to him, science was responsible for that success.

The minister added that the rice industry contributes about five percent of Guyana’s

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which would account for in excess of US$240 million in export earnings for Guyana.

Dr Ramsammy reported that some 40,000 Guyanese depend directly on the industry for their livelihood. The industry also provides employment for more than 20,000 people. Just last month, the first shipment of rice to neighbouring Venezuela, departed from the Muneshwar’s Wharf. It is expected that over the course of the next month, about 300,000 tonnes of rice is expected to be exported to the country, with smaller amounts going to other Caribbean countries.

These include Jamaica and Haiti, among others.

Rice is also exported to the European Union (EU).

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TT$190 million to complete Monies allotted for overseas Lara Stadium in Trinidad travel are authorised by Constitution, President says

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A 2013 aerial view of the stadium at Tarouba, Trinidad (TT Guardian file photo)

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T’s Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, Tuesday assured that the government was committed to completing the Brian Lara stadium.

To complete the stadium, he said, would need an additional TT$190 million.

Speaking to reporters following the official opening of the Hermitage/Debe road, Hermitage village, Moonilal, commenting on the additional costing required to complete the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, also recalled that Rowley had been part of the previous

Manning Cabinet which had approved a number of cost overruns on several government projects, one of which included the controversial stadium.

Moonilal said an estimated TT$190 million would be required to complete the stadium following an independent assessment of the facility. “We have done an assessment, an independent assessment and we estimate it will take another TT$190 million dollars to conclude that project,” Moonilal said, adding, “it is something we will have to budget for now to conclude it, but we are committed to

concluding it.”

And asked whether the works would be completed by 2015, Moonilal said, “we will have to find the sources of funds for that.”

“We expect to begin the work shortly, but some of the work, it’s a lot of work to be done, we expect to begin before,” he added.

Originally scheduled to be opened in time to host matches in the 2007 ICC World Cup which was staged in the Caribbean, the Brian Lara Stadium was budgeted to cost approximately TT$275 million dollars. (TT Newsday)

Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Desmond Trotman has asked a series of questions regarding President Donald Ramotar’s overseas assignments, querying the costs of the trips and also what benefits Guyana derived from them.

But the Head of State said he has to use whatever is necessary to carry out his duties. He said too that all monies used for his overseas trips are constitutionally allotted to him. The President said he would offer no other comment on the matter except to say that a response would be furnished in accordance with the laws.

The questions were posed to Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds who is also Leader of the House.

“Would the Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs tell this House: the number of official overseas trips made by the President and delegations since taking office in 2011; the total dollar cost of each trip made by the President and del-

APNU MP Desmond Trotman

egations individually (destination, accommodation, transportation) since taking office in 2011,” Trotman asked in the first set of questions.

He further asked the Prime Minister to tell the House: “the immediate and medium term benefits to Guyana associated with each of the trips undertaken by the President and delegations since taking office in 2011 to February, 2014; what benefits Guyana stands to gain in 2014 from each of the overseas trips undertaken by the President and his delegations in 2012 and what benefits Guyana stands to gain in 2016 from each of the overseas visits made by

the President and his delegations in 2012 and 2013.”

The queries being made by the APNU MP are nothing new to the political arena.

Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was similarly tasked with providing information on her expenses to Parliament.

Tax payers had however stated that although the J$50 million figure spent by the Head of State in 2013 appeared to be abnormally high in some quarters, in the context of the stubborn financial crunch bedevilling the Government, they were of the view that there was nothing spectacular about Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s overseas travel costs.

In Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Kamla PersaudBissessar was also forced to defend her spending of public funds to facilitate travels out of the country. PersaudBissessar had at the time, back in 2012, accommodated her sister, a non- public officer, on the official trip.

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More drama: CJ quashes decision to appoint King as Town Clerk

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cting Chief Justice Ian Chang on Wednesday granted several interim orders, one of which quashed the decision by Mayor Hamilton Green to swear in Royston King as Town Clerk and also nullified several decisions the Council had taken at an extraordinary meeting held earlier this month.

Justice Chang’s orders have effectively shackled the Council, which has been on a warpath against Government-appointed acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba.

The application for the orders was filed on Tuesday

by Sooba through her lawyer, Roysdale Forde. The first order is an Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari directed to Green, quashing his decision to swear King into the Office of Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown, unless cause is shown on the ground and for the reason that the said decision is unlawful, ultra vires, irrational, unreasonable, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect.

A second order quashed the decision of the Mayor and City Council of the

Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Councillor Kamla Devi Ross and acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba, had a minor scuffle over who gets to use the microphone designated for the Town Clerk

City of Georgetown established by the Georgetown Town Council Ordinance of 1860 and continued by the Georgetown Town Council Ordinance of 1918 and further continued by the Municipal and District Councils Act, Cap 28:01 as set out in a letter dated May 7, under the hand of Green to decide that Sooba, the acting Town Clerk should with immediate effect, no longer perform the functions of Town Clerk unless cause is shown on the ground and for the reason that the said decision as set out in a letter dated May 7, is unlawful,

ultra vires, irrational, unreasonable, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect.

The third order quashed the decision by the Council to install King as acting Town Clerk to appoint and install King as the officer to perform the duties of Town Clerk Chang also ordered the quashing of the decision taken at the Extra Ordinary Statutory Meeting held on May 8, to send Sooba on Administrative Leave unless cause is shown on the ground and for the reason that the said de-

cision is unlawful, ultra vires, irrational, unreasonable, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect.

Another order was granted prohibiting Green and the M&CC from acting on the decision taken at their Extra Ordinary Statutory Meeting held on May 8, or any other decision whatsoever and whenever to send acting Town Clerk Sooba on Administrative Leave.

Further, another order from Chang prohibits the M&CC from acting on the decision to decide or any other decision what-

Royston King occupied the seat designated for the Town Clerk while Carol Sooba resorted to the use of a chair which she placed in front of the Town Clerk's desk

soever and whenever that Sooba should with immediate effect no longer perform the functions of Town Clerk.

Besides, Justice Chang also issued an order prohibiting the M&CC from acting on the decision taken at the Extraordinary Statutory Meeting or any other decision whatsoever and whenever to appoint and install King as the officer to perform the duties of Town Clerk.

The final order is an Order or Rule Nisi of Quo Warranto directed to the Office of Town Clerk, a Public Office established by the Municipal and District Councils Act,

Cap 28:01, restraining and/ or prohibiting King from usurping the Office of Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown and/ or from entering upon the said Office and /or discharging or further discharging any of the powers, functions and duties of the aforesaid Office of Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown without lawful authority whatsoever, appointment and/ or in furtherance of the elections and/ or appointment by Green and the Councillors of the City of Georgetown. The matter has been adjourned to May 22 at 13:00h before Justice Chang.

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week ending May 18, 2014| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Region 10 blocks Bai Shan Lin’s proposal for wood processing plant

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Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon

he Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has put on hold a proposal by Chinese logging company Bai Shan Lin Forestry Development Inc, for the development of a wood processing plant in the region, citing non-compliance of environmental health and safety guidelines as the main reason for the action.

The company is seeking permission from the RDC for the establishment of two plants in Soesdyke-Linden and at Lower Kumacka, Demerara River, Region 10. Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon said that the proposals are not new, adding that the RDC has now mounted pressure on the company which has been involved in activities in the community for some time, to step up in putting certain necessary environmental systems in place.

In a letter addressed to Solomon, the company noted that the submission of an application for an environmental authorisation and an environmental permit was requested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the social and environmental impact of the plants on the community. However, it further indicated that the application cannot proceed if the company does not submit all required documentation, which includes: a ‘no objection letter’ and an approved time plan from the RDC. “We are not giving them anything… the region is saying that they are not operating in compliance,” Solomon stated.

He added that the company has not been adhering to calls made by the regional legislative arm for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on a laterite pit at Moblissa in which almost 47,000 tonnes of material was removed. Additionally, the Regional Chairman said that the company must comply with all necessary environmental consider-

ations and permits from statutory agencies such as the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Guyana Lands and Survey, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the EPA, before moving on with its operations. He said the decision is guided based on advice given by the RDC’s environmental consultants and the company has been informed of the necessary submissions to be made before permission is granted.

Solomon said since there is now increased operation and movement of trucks by the company in the Linden community, it is now time for consultations to be held with residents. He further related that previously, some trucks belonging to the company had operated in the community without first being licensed to do so.

Bai Shan Lin Forestry Development Inc, in a recent letter addressed to the Regional Chairman, made a promise to the RDC to adhere to EPA safety guidelines, while noting that the projects will create jobs in Region 10. It added that the company will take all reasonable and practicable measures in conducting its operations so that there will be minimum impact on public health and the environment. The company also stated its intentions to establish a Public Relations Committee, comprising its representatives and stakeholders.

In response, Solomon said Bai Shan Lin has moved closer to the riverine area of one of its operations at Conception, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, and as a result farmers at Dalawala, Demerara River in Region 10 have complained about being affected by pollutants entering their farming area. He added that farmers in other communities in the region such as Bamia, Lower Kara Kara and Speightland stand to be seriously affected if immediate action is not taken.

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US Embassy on needs assessment Freed again: Prosecution fails to prove Carolan visit to Regions 9 and 10 Lynch murdered husband

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nited States Embassy D e p u t y Chief of Mission (DCM) Bryan Hunt and Economic Officer Jeff Barrus spent the week of April 7-12 visiting several communities in Region Nine and Region 10.

The Embassy officers sought to gain insight into development successes and challenges facing communities in these regions and assess how the US Government might be able to assist them in the future, a release stated. Hunt and Barrus travelled more than 1500 kilometres on dirt roads to visit Amerindian communities from Fairview in the Iwokrama forest to Katunarib in the south Rupununi.

In speaking with Amerindian leaders, DCM Hunt reinforced the United States’ commitment to the development of indigenous people and listened to Amerindians' concerns about natural resources management, climate change, land titling, social issues, and

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United States Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Bryan Hunt and other officials in discussions with leaders in Region Nine

wildlife protection.

According to the embassy release, one key area of common interest was the burgeoning eco-tourism industry and how best to develop the potential for both areas to attract visitors in accord with community values.

The hinterland trip also assessed the impact of previous US Government assistance to communities in these regions. The Embassy team was able to see the benefits of such assistance in various ways, from a Bedford truck transporting guests to Surama, to a rooftop solar system pro-

viding electricity to the Karanambu Trust and Lodge.

“USAID did some wonderful work in this part of Guyana several years ago and the opportunities they created for these Amerindian communities can still be seen today,” DCM Hunt observed.

To promote sound environmental practices, the DCM passed out wildlife protection calendars created by the US Embassy to several villages and urged communities to work to reduce deforestation. He also reiterated the US Government’s support for Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy.

ormer Mrs South America Carolan Lynch was on Monday freed by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry after the prosecution yet again failed to prove that she murdered her husband Farouk Razac back in 2007.

After listening to the testimonies of 17 witnesses during the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), the Chief Magistrate ruled that there was no need for the matter to be heard before a judge and jury.

Lynch was accused of killing Razac, the owner of Swiss House Cambio in 2007, but the charge was thrown out of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court in 2008 by then Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys after there was not sufficient evidence against the beauty queen.

In 2010, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar AliHack had recommended that the murder charge be reinstituted against Lynch. After the issuance of a wanted bulletin for her arrest, Lynch managed to evade the

Murdered: Farouk Razac

Freed: Carolan Lynch

Police for three years until January of this year when she turned herself into the Police in the company of her lawyer.

During the second PI, several persons testified, including the former beauty queen’s daughter, niece, and personal trainer. They all testified in favour of the woman who had an alibi for the time her husband was murdered.

In her argument, defence counsel Latchmie Rahamat said that during the PI, the prosecution failed to provide any circumstantial evidence to prove that Lynch committed the act. She noted

that the handyman had access to the house at the time of the murder and was never charged.

It was reported that on May 7, 2007, Lynch discovered her husband’s lifeless body on the bedroom floor of their 106 Ireng Place, Bel Air Park, Georgetown, residence with blood oozing from his mouth.

The post-mortem examination showed that the businessman died as a result of “asphyxiation (suffocation) due to possible ligature strangulation (strangulation with an object). Four days later, Lynch was charged with his murder.

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Guyanese civil society activist collects Sabga Award for Excellence

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o-founder of the Red Thread Organisation,

Karen De Souza on Saturday collected the 2014 Anthony N Sabga

Caribbean Awards for Excellence for her public and civic contributions

Recipients of the 2014 Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards For Excellence, from left, Professor Liam Teague, Karen De Souza, and Dr Richard Robertson, at the awards ceremony at the National Academy for The Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain, on Saturday evening

on social issues when the awards ceremony was held in Trinidad and Tobago.

Red Thread supports victims of rape, domestic and other violence among the lowestwaged sectors of women in Guyana. De Souza is a pioneer in public education, having scripted and produced videos and drama on domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Another awardee, Professor Liam Teague said Trinidad and Tobago has only scratched the surface in

discovering the potential of the national instrument, the steel pan.

Teague said it was miraculous that pan pioneers had been able to work against the odds to make the pan a legitimate instrument.

He said he was committed to taking the instrument to higher levels in whatever way he can.

The TT pannist received the award for his work in the field of arts and letters. The other recipient was the Director of UWI’s Seismic Research Unit at St Augustine, Dr Richard Robertson, of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The awards were presented during a special function at UTC Theatre 1, National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port of Spain. Among those in the audience were Finance and Economy Minister Larry Howai and A Norman Sabga, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies.

Teague, a Professor of music at Northern Illinois University, arranges for bands in the TT National Panorama Competition. He is a recipient of the Humming Bird Medal (Silver) and has promoted the steel pan internationally, collaborating with internationally-renowned composers to compose music for the instrument.

Build resilience

Robertson, after receiving his award, said there was need for greater support from Government for the

work of the UWI Seismic Research centre.

He said the time had come for those in authority to build resilience to natural hazards in the region. “We need help to support applied research that is relevant and can provide significant impact on our national and regional agenda,” he said.

Robertson said the UWI Seismic Research Centre “will like to move away from simply monitoring, data collection and research to the creation of useful tools that policymakers, planners can apply to guarantee that development is sustained as desired”.

He said knowledge about hazards is not kept among the scientific community but disseminated to a wide range of stakeholders.

Chairman of the Regional Eminent Persons Selection panel, former Independent Senator Michael Mansoor said it appears that “our leaders have abandoned the possibilities of regional integration”, as they are “yet to articulate and introduce appropriate responses to bend the adverse currents that affect us”.

Among the challenges which affect the region, Mansoor said were uncertainties about the future, globalisation and the lingering effects of the global recession.

Mansoor said the work of the laureates is critically important to the creation of a Caribbean space and development and advancement of every Caribbean citizen.

(Trinidad Guardian)

news

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana signs Suicide rate climbing: Two agreement to dead, another hospitalised tackle rural poverty

after drinking gramaxone

M Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali and local UNDP Resident Representative Khadija Musa signing the Guyana-Chile Agreement

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he governments of Chile and Guyana on Monday signed an agreement aimed at reducing poverty in rural communities in Guyana.

The project will be implemented by the Government of Guyana through the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and will be supported through technical assistance by the Government of Chile and other external experts.

UNDP Resident Representative Khadija Musa stated that in 1978, the United Nations (UN) established the

Unit for South-South Cooperation to promote South-South trade and collaboration within its agencies.

She said the idea of South-South cooperation started to influence the field of development in the late 1990s. Due to the geographical spectrum, the cooperation is now well known as South America-Africa (SAA) cooperation.

South-South cooperation has been successful in decreasing dependence on the aid programmes of developed countries and in creating a shift in the international balance of continued on page 21

arina Ishak, 78, of Lot 51 Section H King Street, Hampshire Village, Corentyne, Berbice, succumbed on Friday last after she consumed gramaxone.

According to the her daughter Zainato Appadu, who resides in Canada, her mother lived alone, however, there was always someone there during the day to assist her.

The deceased, who was said to be a diabetic, also suffered from high blood pressure and most recently suffered a broken arm after she fell while trying to pick a fruit in her garden.

“The act that my mother committed will always remain a mystery to us and my thought is that she was depressed and felt isolated and lonely, we don’t know and we will never know what caused our mother to do that,” the grieving daughter said.

She explained that after consuming the poisonous substance, her mother begged for her life and told those who

Dead: Marina Ishak

Dead: Ramona Ramnarine

visited her at the hospital that she regretted ingesting the poison, and wanted to live as the agony of the poison “ripping through her system” was too much to bear.

The daughter said she believes her mother chose death because she was becoming frail and did not want to be dependent on anyone to take care of her needs and apparently this was the solution to her problem.

It was noted that the act could have been a pre-meditated one as the dead woman had in her possession a container with the poisonous liq-

uid, which according to her daughter; she hid in her bedroom away from the eyes of anyone.

Reports are that the gramaxone was bought to spray the grass in the yard and unknowingly to them; Ishak took out a portion and kept it.

The daughter is also alleging that her late mother told a family member that she was corrupted and tempted by the devil as she would constantly hear a voice telling her to commit the act.

The woman leaves to mourn her eight children.

Hospitalised: Pooran Rawana

Meantime, a Skeldon Line Path Secondary School student died on Sunday after she too consumed gramaxone.

Dead is Ramona Ramnarine, 16, of Lot 105 Springlands, Corentyne.

According to the mother of the deceased, she is still in shock and bewilderment as to why her daughter committed suicide.

“She lock me out from outside and went in the house and drink poison… me had to halla for neighbour to come help continued on page 21

20

NEWS

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“We are now considering paving the allDr Gobin Ganga tipped to replace weather road from Georgetown to Lethem” Williams as Governor of BoG – departing Brazilian Ambassador

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President Donald Ramotar greets outgoing Brazilian Ambassador Luis Gilberto Seixas de Andrade

r a z i l i a n Ambassador Luis Gilberto Seixas de Andrade is set to depart his Guyana post after completing four years of duty. On Monday, he paid a farewell call on President Donald Ramotar, at the Office of the President.

Speaking to the Government Information Agency (GINA) after his meeting with the President, the Ambassador said that he thanked the Head of State for the high level of cooperation shared during his tour of duty, and briefed him about his successor who is due to take up his post soon.

Ambassador de Andrade said overall, he was also pleased that projects, which were not completed under his tour, are on stream to be finished in the near future.

“After the completion of the Takutu River Bridge, we are now thinking of paving the all weather Lethem to Georgetown Road. This is very important for access to Guyanese markets and also for Guyana to access Brazil. This will be very important.”

Guyana and Brazil share close ties and collaborate on many issues such as industry, trade, mining and secu-

rity. Brazil has provided military assistance to Guyana in the form of warfare training and logistics.

Bilateral relations between the countries have recently increased, as a result of Brazil’s new “South-South” foreign policy aimed to strengthen South American integration.

During a state visit by then Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to Georgetown in March 2007, the governments of Guyana and Brazil signed several cooperation agreements and announced plans to boost trade between the two countries.

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Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobin Ganga (inset)

resident Donald Ramotar said the post of Bank of Guyana Governor will be not filled immediately, and will only be done after extensive discussions.

The position was left vacant on May 7 following the passing of Governor Lawrence Williams.

“The appointment will not be made for now. Give it some time. It is an issue which requires quite some discussion and that discussion cannot be held right now,” the President said.

President Ramotar did indicate, however, that Deputy Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga will be taking over the reins and performing the duties and responsibilities of Governor for the time being.

Asked whether Dr Ganga is likely to be given the post, the President, who is by law required to make the appointment within six months, related that he cannot make such a pronouncement just yet.

Meanwhile, GTI has been reliably informed that Dr Ganga has been tipped to be appointed to the position of Governor.

Several individuals, from the financial community contacted by this newspaper, disclosed that they believe the appointment of Dr Ganga as the next Governor must be done sooner than later.

Pointing out that the Guyana dollar has been under pressure recently, linked to factors such as the precipitate fall in the price of gold as well as the continued shortfall in sugar production (based on installed capacity), the experts pointed out that it was imperative that the domestic and international financial communities see that the Central Bank is in firm hands.

An “acting” appointment, they believe, will not address this need.

Dr Ganga completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Administrative Studies at the University of Winnipeg in 1981, his Master’s in Economics in 1983 and a PhD in Economics in 1988 at the University of Manitoba.

He was a lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at his alma mater. He was also a lecturer in Economics

at the University of West Indies, Mona Campus, in Jamaica, an Adjunct Professor at the Consortium Graduate School at Mona, Jamaica and a Senior Researcher/ Senior Lecturer at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.

In 1995, Dr Ganga was appointed Director of the Research Department at the Bank of Guyana. He held that position until November 2003, when he was appointed Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank in Washington, DC, representing 10 Caribbean territories along with Canada and Ireland.

In June 2005, Dr Ganga was appointed Deputy Governor at the Bank of Guyana.

However, he was only able to take up his appointment after completing his term at the World Bank in the same year, a position he still holds nine years later.

Dr Ganga has a wealth of central banking experience. He has written and published many articles on a wide variety of economic issues, including monetary policy and macroeconomics.

NEWS

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

awardee Basil Guyana signs National Rodriques laid to rest agreement ... G from page 19

power.

“This project was initiated in 2013; together, the UNDP office and Chile exchanged findings and knowledge and made a decision. Guyana has moved ahead and met the required needs, but there is still poverty that needs to be addressed and Guyana has fully participated in every step of the way,” Musa related.

Critical areas

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, speaking at the press conference, said “this project will help to build a new entrepreneurial skill, to enhance our ability to help small businesses and it also seeks to improve livelihood conditions”.

The project will address three critical areas that will complement national development.

The first area that will be looked at is the Ecotourism sector, where US$80,000 will help in developing a strategic marketing plan that is community-based.

This fund will assist community members in training and development of skills and to help them access financing to create businesses.

In capacity-building, $US100,000 will be allocated for rural enterprises. Ten communities will be assisted under this grant, where help will be given to develop small businesses.

Lastly, US$20,000 will be dedicated to starting a small business and assisting in training on

“How to start up a business”.

Guyana, like most developing countries, has been seeking new ways to improve the living standards of its citizens. Positive growth is evident, but a long-term trend analysis reveals that there is still room for improvement. Real growth averaged one per cent between 1970 and 2005.

It was stated that the Household Income and Expenditure Survey and the Guyana Living Conditions Survey, each shows that the proportion of households living in moderate poverty (on US$2 daily) has declined from 43 per cent to 36.3 per cent in seven years.

Extreme poverty dropped from 28.7 per cent to 19.1 per cent over the same period; a clear sign that Guyana is on track with the targets identified in Millennium Development Goal (MDG) One. Despite this positive outlook, data reveals that for particularly vulnerable groups, such as Amerindians, the outlook is less positive. Seventy-seven per cent of Amerindians are classed as poor, and they remain the poorest group of citizens in Guyana.

The UNDP supports innovative pilot projects and shares global best practices and resources. It also promotes the role of women in development and brings governments, civil society and external partners together to coordinate efforts to tackle poverty.

from page 19

Suicide rate climbing: Two dead, another hospitalised... me… she na even tell me what ah bother her, me love me data so much, how me go live here without her,” the woman said.

She explained that she lives alone with her late daughter since she and her husband separated and her other child is in Trinidad.

Teachers from the secondary school described the late student as very intelligent and well behaved, however, according to sources; she was in a relationship and became pregnant.

The inconsolable woman said she is unable to cope with the tragic loss of her beloved daughter.

In another incident, a man from Albion Front, Corentyne, is clinging

to life as he too ingested gramaxone on Friday.

Pooran Rawana, 41, a tailor by profession and father of three, is critical and according to medical sources, the poison has already seeped into his internal organs.

The man’s wife told Guyana Times International that she was unaware that her husband had attempted to commit suicide until he started to vomit.

“Me ask him why he did it and he said he felt corrupted and tempted by the devil… we have no problem, we go Christian Church and I still wondering why he did it… he say he don’t know,” she said.

The man is now begging God to save his life as he is in immense pain.

uyana on Wednesday bid farewell to Basil Cuthbert Rodrigues, beginning with a tribute programme anvd viewing followed by a short service at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam.

Rodrigues’ body was then flown home to Moruca, Region One for the funeral service.

In recognition of his work in the Rupununi, Rodrigues was awarded a Medal of Service (MS) twice; in 1989 and 1994, by the Government of Guyana for his dedication towards the development of education, culture and community work.

He was also awarded the Arrow of Achievement (AA) in 1998 for his teaching and musical endeavours.

Delivering the eulogy, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett focused on the National Awardee’s life and contribution to the nation. Basil Rodrigues died just one month short of his 82nd birthday on

er.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and John Rodrigues (brother of the deceased), along with others, bear the casket of the late Basil Rodrigues out of the Brickdam Cathedral

May 9 after contributing more than 40 years to teaching and dedicating even more to his music.

An inspiration

Minister Rodrigues traced his life from Santa Rosa to Waini where he attained his schooling from the Roman Catholic nuns and began his musical life. At age eight, Rodrigues began his life as a teacher in the Rupununi.

During this time, he married Delores, and together they parented four children, two sons – Wally, who is a ma-

larial microscopist at Aishalton; Curtis (attacked and killed by a tiger in the Marudi Mountains), and two daughters, Beverly and Kay. As a teacher, Rodrigues used both music and sport to help build the students’ confidence and was so successful that his school Shea Primary had the best drama and cricket clubs for years. Although he was a school teacher, he was also given and accepted roles as counsellor and community lead-

In 1992, with the intention of retiring, Rodrigues was nevertheless invited to rejoin the teaching service and taught in the local Santa Rosa Primary School.

In 2003, Rodrigues also received the Wordsworth McAndrew Award for his outstanding contribution in culture and in 2013; he was honoured by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry for long and dedicated service. He was also honoured by Pope John Paul II for his work in the Church in Guyana’s hinterland.

A series of tributes also lauded Rodrigues’ work and life over the years. Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony expressed sadness on behalf of himself and the staff of the Ministry at the passing of a teacher, village icon and cultural promoter. He expressed condolences to the Rodrigues’ family and relatives and Arawak residents of Santa Rosa, Region One.

Gauitra Bahadur writing biography of Janet Jagan

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uthor of 'Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture' Gauitra Bahadur is working on the biography of former President Janet Jagan, using the story of the former President to tell of American intervention in Latin American politics.

Bahadur made the disclosure during an interview with Guyana Times International while promoting her book Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture.

She visited the National Library in New Amsterdam where she read an excerpt attended by primarily women.

She then handed over a signed copy to the library.

She also held a reading at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus.

The book is also available for sale at Austin’s Bookstore in Georgetown and on Amazon.com 'Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture' is a book written by Guyanese born American Gauitra Bahadur. The book was inspired by Bahadur’s great grandmother Sujaria, who was four months pregnant while traveling alone from Calcutta, India as an indentured labourer to British Guiana.

The book tells a tale of her great grandmother’s story, one focused on

Gauitra Bahadur presenting a copy of her book 'Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture' to a staff of the National Library, New Amsterdam branch

the suppressed history of many other “coolie women”, highlighting the difficulties they faced.

Many of whom were widows, runaways and outcasts facing extreme hardship and sexual exploitation.

Bahadur, who originally hails from Canje, East Berbice, migrated to the US when she was six years old. She attended Yale University where she studied Literature and Columbia University where she read for a Degree in Journalism.

Her desires about knowing her roots brought her back to Guyana in 1997 when she started hearing more stories about her grandmother. One of which was of her grandmother giving birth on the ship; and the child was named

Lalbahadur, a name which means “Son of a Hero”.

Discovery

“As I started to do research to find out more to see what I can discover, I saw that the story wasn’t so unusual, it was like a lot of women who left, pretty much two to three of the women came by themselves; their stories were complicated, many of them were widows, child widows in some cases, if they were marred before, they were forbidden by society to remarry and other women have been thrown out of their homes, fled from mistreatment. I decided to write the book in the end, I realise that I wasn’t only going to tell the story of my great grandmother, but a much broader picture.”

The author also

writes reviews and articles for New York Times Book Review, The Nation Magazine and Ms Magazine, among many others.

Bahadur, who is also a journalist, shares this advice to young journalists: “Leave your office as much as possible, there are not a whole lot of stories to be found in the office, mostly press releases. For me, I was a beat reporter the best thing I could have done was to go out to whatever community I was covering to talk to people.”

She said too that journalists should not accept what everyone tells them, noting that they must always double check their information for accuracy.

The Book 'Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture' was published in 2013 to critical acclaim in the US, United Kingdom, India and the Caribbean.

The Trinidad Guardian chose it as one of the year’s Best Caribbean Books while Ms Magazine in the US bookmarked it as one of its “Great Reads”.

The book was also one of three non-fiction finalists for the Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature and is shortlisted for the Orwell Prize, Britains most prestigious prize for political writing.

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

GuySuCo commended Human Services Ministry for surpassing first honours outstanding women crop production target

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resident Donald Ramotar has congratulated the management and staff of the struggling Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for surpassing its first crop target of 74,842 tonnes of sugar.

The President acknowledged that this achievement was not easy and expressed admiration for the persistence and hard work of the GuySuCo community of stakeholders who made it possible.

He said the attainment of this goal has not been without major challenges, many of which hamper efforts to make the Corporation viable and sustainable.

President Ramotar encouraged the management, staff and other stakeholders to use this opportunity to further motivate them to greater accomplishments, especially taking into account GuySuCo’s traditional contributions to the social and economic development of the country.

The President noted that many of the challenges faced by the Corporation are due to the vagaries of the international market.

“At this time, the world market prices for sugar are discouraging, but the Corporation would have to continue to find ways of being cost effective, efficient and productive,’’ he encouraged.

Confidence

President Ramotar said he is confident the Corporation can regain its prominent position in the social and economic strata of society and encouraged the management, staff and other stakeholders to build on its achievement, cognisant of the need for the continued support from all stakeholders.

He also recognised that determination and hard work are the key points to

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

achieve the desired targets.

Minister Ramsammy had said that it is very encouraging to see GuySuCo performing at a level of its potential.

“This is testimony to my faith in the industry, and also allows for the detractors of the industry to pause a little, because I have heard the explanation of bad management and so forth, and my question is how come when the weather is good, even in the last three years, GuySuCo performs at its potential,” he said.

Prevailed

“Indeed there is a group of people in Guyana who were convinced that GuySuCo would fail again and there are people who I believe were praying that GuySuCo would fail again, but I believe the Corporation, the managers and workers of GuySuCo, and we altogether, that given the right conditions the same manager, the same factories, the same equipment, the same workers would perform as they have done historically, producing sugar at high levels and we have done so again,” he said.

Guyana to tighten surveillance at ports for Chikungunya cases

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uyana plans to tighten up surveillance at its ports of entry for vector-borne diseases, primarily Chikungunya, to prevent outbreaks, Director of Vector Control Services (VCS), Dr Reyaud Rahman, said during a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA).

He said VCS desks will be stationed at the Ogle Airport and later at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). This initiative will see tests being conducted on persons entering Guyana who may be experiencing fever, headaches, joint and eye pain, and vomiting – symptoms of Chikungunya. Chikungunya is an arthropod-borne virus that is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes. It is transmitted similarly to dengue fever and causes an illness with an acute febrile phase lasting two to five days, followed by a longer period of joint pains in the extremities. This pain may persist for years in some cases.

The best means of prevention is overall mosquito control, hence the fogging and smearing exercises being carried out by VCS. There is no specific treatment currently available for this disease, but medication can be used to reduce

symptoms.

He said the VCS is working closely with port health authorities to have these desks established within a matter of weeks at the Ogle Airport. Dr Rahman added that while the intention is not to cause any inconvenience to passengers, the goal is to identify any case of Chikungunya and contain it. The team of medical workers will also be looking at persons who may have visited an island or area that is already affected by the disease.

Since its discovery in Africa, in 1952, outbreaks of Chikungunya have occurred occasionally, but recent outbreaks have spread the disease to other parts of the world. Numerous Chikungunya re-emergences have been documented in Africa, Asia (India), and Europe, with irregular intervals of two to 20 years between outbreaks. Currently, Chikungunya fever has been identified in nearly 40 countries. In 2008, Chikungunya was listed as a US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) category C priority pathogen.

No case of this disease has been found in Guyana thus far, but several Caribbean states have seen cases such as: Anguilla, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Haiti, St Kitts, and St Vincent and the Grenadines

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Mrs Yvonne Hinds, Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster, and Education Minister Priya Manickchand pose with the women who were awarded for their contribution

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uyanese women who have contributed to the advancement and well-being of other women were on Saturday honoured for their services by the Human Services and Social Security Ministry.

They were recognised at a simple ceremony at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

During the ceremony, the Ministry launched a magazine entitled “International Women’s Day”, which provides details of the struggles of Guyanese women from 1955 to present, and the vision of the Ministry towards bettering the lives of Guyana’s children, women, elderly, homeless, as well as eliminating violence.

Present at the event were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Mrs Yvonne Hinds, Education Minister Priya Manickchand and other distinguished women who have, and are still playing a role in Guyana’s development.

Speaking at the event themed “Celebrating the achievements of Guyanese women”, Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster said that it is not often that persons take time out to recognise the contributions of women, and the event was a significant one to reflect on the progress made to enhance the quality of life of women and to celebrate the courage and determination of ordinary women who played an extraordinary role in the growth of Guyana’s economy.

Outstanding women

Women such as retired, Justice Desiree Bernard, the first woman to become the Chief Justice in Guyana and the first woman to have served on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ);

Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira receiving a plaque from Mrs Yvonne Hinds

the late former President Janet Jagan; late former Education Minister Desrey Fox; and late Member of Parliament Deborah Backer would have played a significant role in the country’s development.

Today, women hold 33 per cent of the positions in the Cabinet, which Webster said is commendable.

Women have access to greater services as a result of programmes and policies implemented by Government.

“Our women have secure economic independence, many of them have been able to access secure livelihood programmes… so today, as we embrace this opportunity to pay tribute to those women, we must recognise their roles, struggles and commitment to Guyana,” Minister Webster noted.

She pointed out that the recognition of these women speaks to Government’s unswerving commitment to the contributions that women have made to the development of the Guyanese society and the progress made towards the advancement

of the status of women.

Receiving awards were Mrs Patricia Benn, mother of Public Works Minister Robeson Benn; Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira; Member of Parliament Indranie Chandarpal; Human Services and Social Security Ministry Permanent Secretary, Lorene Baird; Human Services and Social Security Ministry, former Manager, Document Centre Yvonne Stephenson; Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) Ann Greene; Women’s Affairs Bureau Administrator Hymawattie Lagan; and Assistant Chief Labour/ Occupational Safety and Health Officer Lydia Green, who would have served the Labour Ministry for many years.

At the event, there were also cultural presentations in the form of dances and poetry by the National Dance Company, the National School of Dance, The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and the Classique Dance Company, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

news WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014

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| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Live streaming Human rights body roasts of parliamentary police for delay in charging ranks who shot teen in mouth debates coming soon

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he Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has called out the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for its failure to institute charges against the officer who shot 15-yearold Alex Griffith in his mouth over a week ago.

The organisation in a statement said that the “abject failure” to charge all of the officers involved in the illegal detention, torture and shooting of the teenager both criminally and departmentally is a major setback in light of hopes nurtured that under new leadership, the Force will vigorously tackle errant officers. “The message this failure sends to the public is that protecting the criminals in their midst is a higher priority than protection of the public,” the GHRA stated.

The Association is of the view that given the fact that the circumstances of the incident have not been challenged by the Force, it shows that the delay in instituting the charges stems not from difficulties in the investigations but reluctance to tackle the rogue elements among its cadet and other officers.

“Had charges been laid promptly against all involved, the new leadership of the GPF would have emerged with considerable credibility. What they have in fact achieved is to undermine, at a stroke, their own efforts to create goodwill in communities, exposing, for example, the initial campaign in Albouystown to be little more than a PR job,” the organisation pointed out.

GHRA stressed that from all indications, the Police do not intend to pursue the matter criminally as it is evident a cover-up is in the making. It noted that another factor to support this claim is the fact that the main perpetrator was released from close arrest under the justification that “the Police know where to find him.”

The association went on to highlight that the failure of the Force’s new leadership to recognise the consequences of recruiting officers with psychopathic tendencies to protect citizens is astonishing, while pointing out the impact this may have on the decent officer, who should now re-assess their

Alex Griffith

future in the Force.

GHRA further stated that going forward from this “politically-riddled, incompetent and corrupt approach to policing” towards a more efficient and community-responsive form of policing will require sustainable commitment. However, with the response to the Alex Griffith’s case, it does not appear as though the new leadership of the GPF is ready to make that commitment, the Association said as it calls on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to exercise her authority and ensure that appropriate criminal charges are laid against the culprits.

Only Monday A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) called on the Guyana Police Force to speed up their investigation into the shooting of Griffith of East La Penitence as it strongly condemned the act.

APNU Member of Parliament (MP) and Former Commissioner of Police, Winston Felix during a press briefing at his party’s headquarters stated that the matter should have been wrapped up and some form of penalty meted out to whomever is found culpable. He said that it has been close to two weeks now and he does not understand why the delay in making a decision.

he National Assembly in ensuring that its work is transparent, accountable and effective has taken several steps to improve Information and Communication Technology (ICT) delivery.

To this end, the Assembly will be launching its newly revamped website, its Paperless Parliament Pilot Project and the live streaming of all National Assembly sittings on May 15, at 13:00h in the Parliament Chambers.

The much anticipated website is being designed

by Consultant Cirrus Multi-media and will include a media centre, a searchable database of committee reports, records, hearings, votes and other parliamentary documents pertaining to the current Parliament; searchable database of legislative acts, bills, documents laid, resolutions, motions, notice papers, questions and answers, minutes of the National Assembly, subsidiary legislation, petitions and other parliamentary documents.

According to a release, there will also be a special section on budget and financial legislation; an overview of the composition and functions of the National Assembly, including a description of the specific role of the parliamentary chamber and non-plenary bodies (committees, commissions, etc); a “Guided tour”(virtual tour) of the parliamentary building;

practical information on access to the parliamentary building, and parliamentary library; pictures and contact information for all Members of Parliament; summary or complete records of parliamentary debates; audio and video Web telecasting of parliamentary sittings.

The website being launched is a beta version meaning that it is a work in process with ongoing work and changes being made.

The multimillion-dollar initiative to stream all sittings of the National Assembly is the fruit of a partnership between the Parliament Office and the Canadian Government through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

This fund supports and implements projects, the world over, in partnership with local, national and international organisations, educational institutions and local governments. In February, the Office had signed a Memorandum of Understanding which saw the Canadian Government providing for the funding of this project.

The Parliament Office will run a pilot

project for four months in which the Speaker and a select group of Parliamentarians and members of staff will commit to share all information electronically.

While this is done, the office will commit to conducting a study of the amount of paper and financial and other resources that will be saved, while acquainting MPs and staff of the benefits of the electronic sharing of information, by a process of extrapolation, the true benefits to the National Assembly will be realised.

During this pilot project, all members involved will report regularly to a designated officer who will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the project and preparing regular reports for sharing with the Parliamentary Management Committee and the United Nations Development Project (UNDP).

To facilitate this project, the Parliament Office had in December received 15 Samsung Galaxy Tablets, five Dell Optiplex desktop computers and one Dell laptop computer from the UNDP.

Guyana Festival promises to be a memorable occasion

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ts rich culture, set against a backdrop of black waters, golden beaches and never ending forests is what gives Guyana its lasting influence on travellers who visit.

However, it is through an introduction to another country’s culinary traditions that there is the potential to spark a curiosity in many other aspects of another country’s culture like their language or music; this is what the Guyana Festival seeks to accomplish.

In a release, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) said one of the many other highlights of a visitor’s rest here is sharing a meal with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and sampling their traditional dishes.

The GTA says the Guyana Festival will offer a culinary delight

It said by doing this, the visitor’s identity expands to take in a fresh feast of experiences which will assist in improved intercultural understanding of the destination.

The release stated that since relationships are often established and maintained in social situations where food holds a central place, then this inaugural Guyana Festival is the

ideal event for families, friends and even strangers to connect.

An ingredient from each of the six ethnicities has been added to produce a touch of excellence to the Guyanese cuisine, since the food is derived from the diverse cultural influences that were bestowed on the destination.

Exotic indulgence

The GTA said the various peoples have added

their own flavours to the cuisine, transforming it into an ultimate exotic indulgence.

It noted that only healthy ingredients are used to create Guyanese ‘soul foods’ – the perfect name as the flavour and aroma of every dish elates the soul and offers an ultimate gastronomic experience.

The cultural confluence in Guyanese cuisine has turned the destina-

tion into a food lover’s paradise, offering plates piled high with world flavours.

Food is such a unique cultural experience in Guyana because it involves everyone. This is why Guyanese recipes are so diverse, the GTA explained.

Hemingway wrote that “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” The notion of a moveable feast has been adopted in reference to people from diverse and rich cultural and linguistic backgrounds migrating to a foreign environment, bringing to the host culture a multitude of diversities in their ways of living and dietary practices.

“In this context, Guyana is also a moveable feast!”

While many tourists arrive in Guyana in search of the perfect paradise, many leave with an appreciation for everything that the country truly has to offer, other than its unparalleled landscape.

The GTA said it is an unforgettable experience taking in the Guyanese culture, noting that a unique opportunity will be presented at the Guyana Festival from August 8-10 at the National Stadium.

As part of this event, a Festival Cook-out will be staged and interested groups and individuals are invited to participate.

Interested persons can contact the Tourism Ministry and the GTA for more information.

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News

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| guyanatimeSinternational.com

"Green must go"- PPP T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said it is concerned over the state of affairs at the Georgetown City Council and recent alleged acts of illegality perpetrated against the administrative branch of the entity.

In a statement, the party noted the attempts

by Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green and his cabal to oust the legitimate and legally appointed Town Clerk Carol Sooba from office via illegal and backdoor manipulations.

“The PPP condemns this latest act of desperation by the Mayor and his inmates who have brought the City Council into disrepute by his actions which smacks of racism and political bullyism, which can only hurt the Council and its service to the citizens of Georgetown. The PPP demands the removal of Hamilton Green and the entire City Council and its replacement by an Interim Management Committee.

“No charade or theatrical performance put on by the Mayor will fool right-thinking Guyanese. Mayor Green would be well advised to put the resources and energies that he is using to advance his game of witch-hunt against Sooba into meaningful

Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green

use rather than the divisive policies he and his ilk are currently carrying out,” the party said in the statement.

The PPP said it is

no secret that Hamilton Green is single handedly responsible for the demise and deterioration of Georgetown and its environment. The PPP refuses to accept that the absence of Local Government Elections is exclusively responsible for the shortcomings being faced now in the capital city.

The PPP has noted that the de facto Town Clerk has been unearthing many corrupt and self-enriching activities being carried out through the underground economy run by a small clique of councillors. Green’s conduct has been accepted by the APNU and the AFC which remain silent.

President says Williams lived a purposeful and dedicated life

President Donald Ramotar and members of the Williams’ family at the signing the Book of Condolence for former Bank of Guyana Governor Lawrence Williams

President Donald Ramotar signing the Book of Condolence for former Bank of Guyana Governor Lawrence Williams

T

he passing of Bank of Guyana Governor Lawrence Williams has been described as a major loss to Guyana and the local financial sector by President Donald Ramotar.

The Head of State, who signed the Book of Condolence last Friday at the bank, Avenue of the Republic, said that he grew to know the financial expert during his ascension to office and had several interactions with him.

“I have found him to be completely professional and dedicated.”

President Ramotar stated that Lawrence gave invaluable service to Guyana and possessed a great knowledge of financial affairs, “which was of a very high calibre” for which he will always be remembered.

He added that Guyanese can be consoled by the fact that “he lived a useful, purposeful and dedicated life” and emphasised that there was no better life than when it is done in service of their country.

In 1979, just after successfully completing the Bachelors of Social Sciences Degree (Management), Lawrence Williams joined the staff of the bank as an Assistant Principal in the Exchange Control Department. In November 2004, Williams was appointed acting Governor and on June 8, 2005, he was sworn in as Governor, by then President Bharrat Jagdeo.

As the Chief Executive Officer, he was responsible for the overall management of the bank. As Governor, he was also Chairman of the board of Directors.

Earlier in his career, Williams was a member of the Guyana Gold Board and the Guyana Rice Export Board.

He also attended a number of professional training programmes as well as numerous seminars, conferences and meetings regionally and farther afield.

Williams passed away on May 7, after succumbing to cancer.

Reparations committee report almost completed G u y a n a Reparations Committee Chairman, Eric Phillips said the committee’s report is near completion and should be submitted to the Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and President Donald Ramotar by June 15.

During an interview with Guyana Times International, Dr Phillips related that the research for the four key documents which are to be examined have been completed and at this point in time, the analysis and writings are being completed.

“The research for the first key document which was to create a detailed historical narrative of Indigenous genocide and African slavery has been completed. The report is almost finished. The other three which are to

link the past discrimination to present day inequality; to define and prove the nature of modern inequality and to denote policies adopted by Europe to continue this process, those reports are being written as we speak. We are meeting on Thursday and he should be able to have a draft on that day of what the report will look like but rest assured that we will meet our deadlines.

There is no doubt of that,” Phillips assured.

He noted that while a lot cannot be disclosed at this moment, the research has proven to be very much beneficial and will be shattering several long held beliefs of history.

Phillips communicated that the Committee has given themselves up until June 1 to finish every aspect, including the executive sum-

Guyana Reparations Committee Chairman, Eric Phillips

mary of the report and while this seems very possible at this point in time, the report will only be sent to the President and Minister on the 15th as outside stakeholders with and without links to the research and report will be invited to peruse the document before it is

finally sent off.

After perusal by Minister Anthony and the President, the report will then be sent to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and then subsequently off to Caricom.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, Caricom will be sending off the report to the monarchies of Great Britain, France and Spain by the first week in July; around a time when the Caribbean will be celebrating Freedom or Emancipation Day as it is commonly known, to begin the process of seeking reparations.

The Guyana Reparations Committee was established under the Caricom Reparations Commission in October 2013 following the mandate of the 24th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government

held in Trinidad and Tobago last year.

Task

The Reparations Committee was established to seek compensation for the wrongs which were inflicted upon the indigenous people and Afro-Guyanese during enslavement by the Spanish, English and French.

The Committee had been tasked with the preparation of a report via research on four key areas. These are to create a detailed historical narrative of indigenous genocide and African slavery; to create linkages from past discrimination to present day inequality; to define and prove the nature of modern day equality; and to denote policies adopted by the European countries to continue this process.

In presentation of the

report, the Caribbean countries will be seeking an apology rather than a Statement of Regret; an admission of wrong doing; a commitment to reasonable reparation and a commitment of non-repetition of the sin against mankind from the countries named.

It is expected that whatever reparations are given, it will be used for the development of citizens in the country, particularly the descendants of the people who were once enslaved.

If the governments refuse to follow the path of reparation, Phillips disclosed that Caricom is prepared to take the governments, in Guyana’s case, Great Britain to the International Court of Justice since they have built their economies from the enslavement of the descendants of the Caribbean people.

News Journalists must not be immune from scrutiny – Nandlall

L

egal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that there is a dire need for the establishment of an oversight body to scrutinise the work of journalists and other media operatives, noting that they should be held accountable in the discharge of their duties with the same fervour and zeal that all others are held accountable to them.

“The media demands accountability from every sector in the country, people in their personal life, people in their professional life, the Government, the court system, the National Assembly, the Opposition… media demands accountability from everybody,” said Nandlall, while questioning: “To whom do they account? Who watches the watchdog?”

To that end, Nandlall pointed out that there is an urgent need for an oversight mechanism to be put into operation that will see journalists and those plying the trade being held accountable for their work and their reporting on issues that are of national importance.

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

No final decision on UG tuition increases – Misir

O

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

“We need some form of ethical guidelines, which must be in writing… some form of accountability”, adding that the media “has to operate within some framework of regulations, rules to which we can hold them accountable and when I say we, I mean me as a citizen”.

He adopted this position during a recent interview on TVG Channel 28’s Current Issues and Analysis show.

During the interview, Nandlall posited that there is a need for journalists to receive further training so that the standards at which they operate can be raised; hence, raising the bar for other young individuals that may venture into the esteemed area of work.

On that note, Nandlall related that the media can prove to be very instrumental in the development of a country, especially if that country is a third world country.

He said the media can also stymie development.

“It is important that we partner with the media to ensure that there is a sure and steady flow of information to our people” while highlighting that the “media plays the role of oversight to not only Government but to all the other sectors”.

The Attorney General was at the time addressing core concerns about press freedom in Guyana and the need for more to be done to promote a freer and more democratic press.

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u t g o i n g University of Guyana (UG) Pro Chancellor, Dr Prem Misir on Friday said no final decision has been made on tuition increases at the institution, but acknowledged that several proposals were made.

He made these comments at a press briefing on Friday afternoon at his Pere Street, Kitty, Georgetown office.

Professor Misir noted that the learning institution understood that there were many prospective students who wanted to access the services offered by the university, and as such, the administration will not make a decision which will hamper the application process for entrance into the centre.

He said: “Nobody should be denied admission on the basis that they are not able to pay or cannot afford the tuition. We are aware that there are hundreds of other people who want to come to study at the university and we do not want to hamper this.”

Misir noted, however, that if it comes to

UG Pro Chancellor, Dr Prem Misir

the point where changes have to be made to the current tuition fees, it will not be an abrupt decision, but a decision which will be taken after the administration which includes him, would have held consultations with the student population.

Misir related too that the general public should stop their view of the changes as ‘increased tuition’ and more of an ‘adjustment’ given the rate of exchange of the US dollar versus the Guyana dollar.

“What we are trying to do is make some adjustments. It’s not an increase; definitely not an increase and it will

not be presented carte blanche to the students.

There will be a consultation process with them where they can express their concerns and from that the administration, will make a decision,” the Professor related.

The Pro Chancellor told reporters that more than 19 years has passed since the university has adjusted or made any changes to the tuition fees despite the depreciation in the Guyana dollar, and he believes it will prove to be beneficial to the institution if an increase is made at this time.

“It’s perhaps a good move to make and I hope that the consultation outcomes could bring about this and that we have some reasonable realistic adjustment to our fees in relation to the currency rate of the US dollar,” he said.

At the time of the finalising of tuition fees some 19 years ago, US$1000 was equivalent to Gy$127,000 Guyana dollars. Today; however, that amount is equivalent to Gy$200,000 or more depending on current exchange rates.

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NEWS

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

PNC says Rodney CoI sullying its good name T

he People’s National Congress (PNC), the political party fingered in the 1980 assassination of Dr Walter Rodney on Friday said it is prepared to do all that it possibly can to protect its good name from all attempts by the PPP/C Government to implicate it in the killing.

“We are going to vigorously defend the name and the members of the People’s National Congress and all the public servants who would have worked during that period for what we have been calling the pursuit of truth.”

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Legal Representative at the CoI, Basil Williams told reporters at the party’s weekly press briefing that the Government is using the Commission of Inquiry to stain the party.

According to Williams the Commission, headed by Barbados Queen Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham is heading down the wrong road.

Desired outcome

“We are saying that they were merely proceeding in furtherance of an outcome that is desired,” he said. Several persons who testified before the Commission thus far have said that it was the PNC Government that killed the prominent historian. But Williams is contending that the Government should take stock of the fact that

DPP advises closure of Dr Ashni Singh’s Mash Day accident file

Brigadier David Granger. The leader said the CoI is set to miss the truth behind Rodney’s assassination and the PPP has no interest in finding the truth.

Why hide

Opposition Leader David Granger

Guyanese, near and far are paying attention to the inquiry.

At the press briefing, issues addressed include the recent statement made by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), urging the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry to summon PNCR leader retired Brigadier David Granger to appear before the Commission to give evidence.

According to Williams, the party had indicated since the inception that the inquiry was “hopelessly flawed”.

Expressing similar sentiments was PNCR Leader retired

But the PPP has emphasised that that if Granger is interested in the truth, he would not have been “hiding” from the Commission.

He said Government had over the last 20 years had made some “insincere gestures” to Dr Rodney. These include a post-humus Order of Excellence (OE), establishing the Walter Rodney Chair of History at the University of Guyana and designating the National Archives as the Walter Rodney Archives.

According to him, the party has planned well. “The PPP/C has now deliberately waited on the onset of Local Government Elections with the intention of diverting public attention from the issues of crime, corruption and conflict within the PPP itself,” Granger told reporters.

The first session of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry was officially opened on April 28 and lasted four days. Nine witnesses were slated to testify during that hearing; however, only four witnesses gave evidence. The CoI will recommence on Tuesday, May 27 at the Supreme Court building, Georgetown.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

M

ore than two months after the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh was involved in an accident at the junction of Delph Avenue and Garnett Street in Campbellville, the Guyana Police Force said no charges will be laid against the Minister.

The Force, in a release, said that “legal advice has been obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack who said that no charges should be instituted, since the affected

parties, Jaggernauth Hira and Parbattie Shivcharran, have stated that they no longer wish to pursue the matter.

Guyana Times International was unable to contact the Minister for a comment on the developments regarding the incident. When previously questioned by reporters about Dr Singh allegedly leaving the scene of the accident without rendering assistance to the taxi driver and his passenger, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee had said the matter was in the hands of investigators. “That’s a police matter. That’s not a political matter,” he said back then. He had expressed scepticism about whether media reports of the incident were factual. Reports were that Hira was headed west on Garnett Street, Campbellville when the collision occurred with the vehicle driven by Dr Singh, which was heading out of Delph Avenue.

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NEWS

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

TT buying more helicopters, drones to bolster security T

he Trinidadian Cabinet has approved the purchase of six helicopters and four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) for the National Operations Centre (NOC) that would cost about TT$600 million, reported National Security Minister Gary Griffith.

He told TT media last week that the cost of the six helicopters is TT$500 million which is less than the overall cost for one of the Augusta helicopters “which we are not able to use effectively because some bright person decided to put them under a civilian licence” when they were first acquired. He explained that because the helicopters—acquired in 2011—were under the civilian licence they cannot be used as they should.

He said the four UAVs, which are 10 times more sophisticated than the airship or “blimp”, acquired under the previous People’s National Movement administration for intel-

TT’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith (TT Newsday photo)

ligence gathering, had a budget of TT$87 million. He noted both assets were being selected via an “air asset acquisition team” that had been specially selected based on their knowledge and expertise in the field.

He announced the helicopters and UAVs last Thursday at the postCabinet media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

Griffith said the current four aircraft had been provided by three

different manufacturers but the new helicopters will be provided by a single manufacturer which will be safer, more effective and cheaper. He also reported the current aircraft were more than 30 years old and obsolete, scarce and expensive components have to be sourced increasing operational costs and decrease the availability of the aircraft for use as needed.

Real time video

He said they have

seen the value of the NOC Air Division in many different operations including reconnaissance patrols for law enforcement agencies, monitoring operations and providing immediate real time video footage which is passed on to law enforcement agencies on the ground.

“So by going ahead in this manner what we will do is to ensure more success in the operations,” he added.

He noted Cabinet considered the acquisition of the UAVs to augment NOC air support to national security law enforcement efforts and other assistance. He said this is subject to the development, approval and implementation of legislation and regulation to govern the use of UAVs in TT’s airspace.

He explained that the UAVs will be of significant value to add to national security apparatus for remote sensing, reconnaissance, surveillance, deterrence and early warning purposes. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)

Jamaica Police baffled by shooting death of Spanish Town activist/mediator

L

ess than a week after articulating his vision for empowering residents of Spanish Town through unity, a Jamaican peace facilitator at the St Catherine capital's Peace and Justice Centre, Mohan Bunwarrie, has been gunned down.

According to the Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Bunwarrie, who was also a member of the Jamaica Defence Force, was shot and killed about 7:30 Saturday night while having a drink at a bar across from his house in Dempshire Pen, Spanish Town.

It was a place where he was a regular domino player. The death of the 45-yearold trained mediator and restorative justice facilitator has been described as a loss for the entire parish of St Catherine.

"My vision is for persons to become community oriented in knowing the value of their community and the value of their voice, because that is what is lacking. People do not know the power of their voice or unity. There is so

Mohan Bunwarrie (Jamaica Gleaner file photo)

much disunity in Spanish Town, and if we could get back to where everybody becomes their brother's keeper, it would be such a beautiful country," Bunwarrie told the opening session of a State of the Capital Editors' Forum hosted by The Jamaica Gleaner newspaper at Twickenham Park in the parish on Monday, May 5.

"I have faith in the future of Spanish Town because I've seen persons with vision and also the will to make the change," were Bunwarrie's closing remarks to the forum.

The CCU said Bunwarrie's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds. A motive is yet to be established for his murder. (Excerpted from Jamaica Gleaner)

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feature

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First Indian Muslims arrival in Guyana I

t was in the year 1838 that 94 Hindustani (Indian) Muslims arrived in the colony of British Guiana on board the first two “coolie” ships – the Hesperus and the Whitby. This account debunks the myth that Muslims were not among the first set of indentured immigrants to the colony. After slavery was abolished, the British turned to India for cheap labour which ushered in the period of indentureship.

Based on the information compiled from the two ships’ logs of the immigrants, 94 passengers, or 21 percent of them were found to belong to the Muslim religion; the second largest group after the Dhangur tribesmen and women. Interestingly enough, from the Islamic names of some of these Dhangurs it is apparent that they may have converted to Islam prior to their recruitment as an indentured servant, however, on the embarkation list, Dhangur and other castes were recorded as their scheduled caste.

The Whitby was the first to set sail from Calcutta on Saturday, 13th of January 1838 with 267 immigrants and after 112 days at sea it dropped anchor off the shores of Berbice on that eventful day, Saturday 5 May 1838. 181 immigrants were unloaded - 166 men, six women who accompanied their husbands, two boys, five girls and two infants whose gen-

Ploughing rice, British Guiana

ders were not stated. Of the 166 males, 45 were Muslims, two of them – Ally Buckus and Chummare – were recruited to serve as mates on board the ship. Of the 45 Muslim men, five were teenage boys ranging between the ages of 14 and 15 who were registered as indentured labourers to be paid wages in the amount of six farthings monthly. Among the six women only one was a Muslim – Sheebah, aged 18 years, who accompanied her husband, Beejo number 92 in the embarkation register. This first batch of our ancestors was “bound-

ed” to Plantation Highbury, East Coast Berbice, which was owned by Messrs. Davidsons and Company and administered by John Cameron.

Having unloaded its human cargo in Berbice the Whitby then sailed to Demerara where the balance of the immigrants - comprising of 82 men, two women, one boy and one girl - were unloaded, all of whom were indentured to James Matthews, Plantation Bellevue, Property of Andrew Colville, esq., of London. One Muslim man, Nophur aged 25 from Bancoorah (District

of Bankura), State of West Bengal died on the voyage, while another Muslim – Jhurri - whose name did not appear on the embarkation list, was shown as having disembarked with the other passengers. Of the 82 men, 17 were Muslim one was a sardar, Nuthaw Khaw (spelt Nertha Khan on the disembarkation list) while, Jhurreechuck (shown as Thurry Huck on the disembarkation list) served as a mate on board the ship. Khan converted to Christianity shortly upon his arrival in the colony and was looked upon favour-

ably by the Minister of the Parish. This trend of converting to Christianity continued throughout the years in the colony.

Up until 1966 those Indians who converted were given preferential treatment and considered more suitable for certain jobs both on the sugar plantations and in the Public Service over the other Indians who choose to follow their Hindu/ Muslim religion even though in some cases they were just as qualified as the ones who converted to Christianity.

The second ship – The Hesperus, laden with 171 passengers, departed Calcutta 16 days after the Whitby for British Guiana on Monday, 29th January 1838 and landed later the same day as The Whitby on Saturday 5 May 1838, at Port Demerara with 157 servants– 141 men, 6 women, 5 boys and 5 girls (which meant that 14 immigrants on the Hesperus died during the voyage). Ninety-four men and 2 women were bound to John Gladstone owner of Plantations Vreed-en-Hoop and Vriedestein. Among this batch of indentured servants on Gladstone Plantations, 14 were Muslims, one of them – Jeewoon Khaw (Irrwan Khan) was accompanied by his wife (Bharrupp), there was also one Pathan - Coda Buckus, aged 26 or 27, from Ara, Bihar. The remaining 61 immigrants from CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

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By Indrawattie Natram

W

hen our ancestors came from India in the two ships, Whitby and Hesperus, they brought with them traditions, which we inherited.

Today, many of us proudly preserve our culture inherited from our fore parents. One such person is Radica Deonandan of Golden Fleece Estate on the Essequibo Coast.

Radica, lovingly called “grandmother” in her village, continues to practice the instilled values bestowed on her from her ancestors.

Born in the beautiful religious community of Johanna Cecilia to parents Deokie Nandhan and Sahordra Nandhan, Deonandan spent almost

The Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir Temple where Radica is the caretaker

all of her life in the temple. Still strong and determined, the 73-yearold continues to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors in promoting the Hindu religion. She

continues to encourage young persons from her community to attend temples, encourage married couples to live respectful lives, and also she is a role model to all

her grandchildren.

Deonandan, a mother of six religious children, disclosed that persons would hurl words of disdain of her religious devotion. However, being taught by her parents and grandparents

ber of the temple since 1960, Deonandan posited she never regretted her life’s decisions.

She said since she took the religious path her life has been positive.

Additionally, she is proud of the similar path her children have taken.

She said in 1960 the Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir mandir was basically board and mud, but is now a wonderful concrete structure. She reminisced she would hurriedly prepare her children for school and then rushed over to the temple to prepare in advance for Sunday puja (prayers) services.

Deonandan also offers her time to assist in various religious functions being held by families.

Deonandan, who is the caretaker of the Golden Fleece Vishwa

ple every Sunday and Friday night. The grandmother said that because she lives neighbouring to the temple, she is teaching her seven-year-old granddaughter to put on the temple lights and offer morning prayers.

During the interview, Deonandan noted that she was encouraged by her mother-in-law’s mother Golabi Babulall, who came on one of the ships from India, to always attend temples and to be actively involved. She recalled that Babulall always used to tell all her daughtersin-law to continue the “India traditions”.

Deonandan’s children, namely Sarajanie Madhoo, Parbattie Madhoo, Chintanmie Madho and Devanand Madho, are all executive members of temples

Radica Deonandan

Radica offering early morning prayers in the Shiva mandir of the temple

to always render her full devotion to the temple, Deonandan continues to be a devout Hindu.

Being an active mem-

Jhotir mandir, pointed out that taking care of the temple has become a significant part of her life. “It doesn't have a day I don't visit that temple. When I’m not around I feel like if something is missing.”

As a single parent, after her husband Babulall died, Deonandan managed to incorporate positive values in her children. She explained she worked feverishly in the backdams to cultivate her rice lands. The proud rice farmer said her hands were sometimes too "corned" (bruised) to do work, however she persevered because she wanted to give her children the best education, including religious education.

This proud grandmother said that all her grandchildren are actively involved in temple.

Her grandson, Rovindra, is a drummer while her granddaughter, Talisha, is a Kirtan singer.

Deonandan mentioned it has become a custom for them to attend tem-

where they live.

Other than being an active member at her temple, Deonandan enjoys gardening, which is therapy for her. A normal day for Deonandan is spent cleaning the temple, spending time with her extended family, and counselling youths in the area.

Her advice to youths is to always be optimistic. “The key is thinking positive. Many times young people are carried away with wrong things, which also dampen their spirit. My advice to them is to always think positive. I know it is not always easy but with prayers anything is possible. When things are not going your way or something very upsetting happens, it is all too easy to start feeling down about everything. However, positive thinking is a skill that can be learnt. Do good, live good and never indulge in the negative,” Deonandan encouraged.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

FEATURE

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Winston Kassim, C.M. -First Guyanese to receive the Part 2 highest Canadian award

Winston Kassim, C.M.

During the 1980s, he broadened his volunteerism to a more global stage. Kassim lobbied with various groups and individuals towards the release of Nelson Mandela. He represented a small but significant minority of NonSouth Africans from corporate Canada engaged in this struggle.

Canada, as a leader in the Commonwealth, championed the call for sanctions against South African apartheid. The international pressure sparked political and social changes in South Africa culminating in the release of Nelson Mandela. Canada’s efforts towards Mandela’s release propelled it to world prominence for its philanthropic position.

Kassim regards this as one of the greatest achievements he has contributed towards. He continued his lobbying by working on the committee for the sponsorship of Nelson Mandela.

Kassim reflects fondly on the opportunity he had to meet Mandela, “Looking back at that endeavour, we had a duty to not only help a great cause, but also a great man.” Kassim continues to be an active member of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (Canada), an organisation focused on becoming the foremost charity in Canada by promoting and realising Nelson Mandela’s global vision of social justice for children and youth.

As a volunteer Vice Chairman of the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), an organisation that he has been a part of for ten years, Kassim made significant contributions over 30 years as a dedicated volunteer who has demonstrated exceptional leadership with many regional, national and international char-

itable and humanitarian organisations. He assists in leading IDRF in projects dedicated to empowering disadvantaged people throughout the world.

The appointment cites Winston Kassim “for his contributions as a community volunteer who played a key role in establishing several community and religious centres that provide outreach services to refugees and immigrants”.

Through Kassim’s instrumentality, the IDRF donated $1million (GYD) towards the fund for victims of the Lusignan massacre and other causes in Guyana. The programme, undertaken

by Kassim through IDRF in Guyana, facilitates some 160 marginalised rural women being given an opportunity to start entrepreneurial activities. It gives technical assistance in catering, sewing and knitting.

Kassim emphasised that the type of work being done in Guyana is reflective of that old adage, “Rather than giving the person the fish, we teach them how to fish.”

Despite his hectic schedule, the demands of his job and his passion for humanitarian work, Kassim maintains that his top priorities are his wife Kameni, three children Nadina, Shaun and Sara, his grandson Joshua and his mother Hajjin Noorun Nisa Kassim. He takes that zest for helping the underprivileged into his home and includes his family in many of his community service and volunteer efforts.

Of humble origins, Kassim has traits worthy of emulation and serves as an inspiration to persons of all walks of life with the dream of changing the destiny of the underprivileged beyond the borders of any one country. (First published in Horizons Magazine 2010)

health corner

By Tisha Boston

A

rthritis means joint inflammation. The term is generally used to describe a group of musculoskeletal disorders i.e. conditions or diseases associated with the destruction of joints, bones, muscles, cartilage and other connective tissues that can inhibit physical movement. Arthritis is more common among older adults, leading to the inaccurate belief that it is an old person’s disease. However, what many people do not know is that arthritis is also prevalent in children.

This is called juvenile arthritis.

There are many different types of juvenile arthritis because children can develop almost all types of arthritis that affect adults. However, the most common type of juvenile arthritis is juvenile idiopathic arthritis. According to a 2008 report from the National Arthritis Data Workgroup, about 294,000 children, ages 0 to 17, are affected with arthritis in America.

The following figure is an illustration of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Unfortunately, the genuine cause of juvenile arthritis has yet to be determined, which makes finding a cure very difficult. Nonetheless, research has shown that most forms of juvenile

arthritis are autoimmune disorders. This means that the immune system, which normally helps to fight off bacteria and viruses, mistakenly attacks some of its own healthy cells and tissues, resulting in inflammation. This inflammation can lead to joint damage. There are also studies that pinpoint a genetic predisposition as the reason for juvenile arthritis. In other words, the combination of genes the child inherited from his or her family members with arthritis may have caused the onset of the disease when triggered by other environmental factors. This is the reason why diag-

nosis does not only involve the health history of the affected child, but the health history of the child’s family as well.

The common symptoms of juvenile arthritis are similar to those in adults affected by the disease. These include: joint swelling, pain, stiffness, and limited movement of the affected area.

Besides, joint symptoms, children with arthritis may also experience high fever and skin rash for a short time, and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck and other parts of the body. Lymph nodes are small glands that filter clear fluid (lymph) from the body.

The presence of these

symptoms, as well as the length of time these symptoms have been present, must be considered before a diagnosis of juvenile arthritis can be established. The time elapsed since the initial swelling of one or more joints or the presence of other symptoms of juvenile arthritis should be at least weeks, in order to receive a diagnosis. In addition, physical exams and blood tests can help to eliminate other potential causes of these symptoms.

Although there is no cure for juvenile arthritis, there is still treatment. Medications used to treat it are placed into two categories: those that help to reduce pain and inflammation and those that can alter the course of the disease, putting it into remission to prevent joint damage. In addition, each child’s response to the treatment may be different, depending on their dosage and immune system.

In sum, arthritis is not only and old person’s disease; it is prevalent among children as well. The specific cause of juvenile arthritis and the cure for this disease still remains unknown.

Fortunately, there is treatment available that helps to relieve pain and swelling, as well as alter the course of the disease.

This way, children affected by arthritis can still enjoy a normal childhood.

First Indian Muslims... the Hesperus comprising 47 males, 4 women and the 10 children were bounded to John and Henry Moss Plantation at Anna Regina, Essequibo. Among this latter batch there were 11 Muslim men, one of the men, Uckloo, was accompanied by his wife and four kids. At least two Muslim men died on the Hesperus – Soonawoolah, and Kryamt; while one immigrant - Kyut Alle - whose name did not appear on the embarkation list was shown on the list of passengers that disembarked from the vessel.

The immigrants brought with them the richness of the Mughal culture –the Urdu language, arts, cuisine, fashions, and lifestyle. They came from districts and cities where the Mughal culture proliferated Lucknow, Ghazipur, Allahabad, Agra, Gorakpur, Murshidabad, Azamgarh, Mirzapur,

Record of name and year of immigrants' arrival

Shahabad, Sultanpur, Faizabad, Patna and Alighar. Where Agra, founded by Sultan Sikandar Lodi in the year 1506, and Lucknow, Faizabad and Patna, to name a few states, were centres of great learning and culture of the Mughal Empire.” Soon after their arrival in the colony the Muslims became organized despite the lack of the traditional structures of mosques,

with the basic characteristics such as minarets or domes these early Muslims nevertheless celebrated their traditional Islamic holidays such as Eid-ulFitr and Eid-ul-Adha as well as the Tazia festival. And today, according to the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG), there are about 140 mosques scattered throughout Guyana.

Despite attempts at

from page 31

conversion, humiliation, and subjugation, Islam survived in Guyana, and it is an ongoing struggle. Hindustani Muslims in Guyana have had a long history of resistance dating back to the 11 October 1838, when two Muslims – Jummun (Juman) and Pultun escaped the clutches of the gora sahibs (white masters). The bodies of two strange men were discovered shortly afterwards at Mahaica, in the bushes who were believed to be the two “runaway coolies” Jummun and Pultun. We also saw the Rosehall uprising of 1913 where mainly Muslims were at the forefront “battling” imperialism - Moula Bux, Jahangir Khan, Dildar Khan, Chotey Khan, Aladi, and Amirbaksh stood up to the injustices on the plantations.

(By Raymond Chickrie; Muslims in the Caribbean; Caribbean muslims.com)

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FEATURE

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Dmitri Allicock

A

Private Board and Lodging House, British Guiana (n.d.)

picture may paint a thousand words but ads written from over a century ago lend a kind of majesty to that vintage age of early Guyana and capture so well the essence and that flavour of passing time.

For the travellers of British Guiana in the late 1800s and early 1900s these historical hotel advertisements served the practical purposes for lodging and comfort away from home.

Hotels would have provided basic accommodation, a room with bed, a cupboard, a small table, washstand and cutting edge technology of electrical lighting plus furnishing like a billiard table, drawing and stylish dining room for passengers arriving by steamer.

Male guests of that Victorian period of etiquette and fashion had various forms of facial hair, dressed in tailcoat, trouser, waistcoat, bow tie and shirt with winged collar carrying walking canes and pipe for tobacco. Women’s outfits were characterised by high collars, ankle length dresses extremely tight around the corseted torso and the waist, wearing widebrimmed hats, covered with elaborate creations of silk flowers, ribbons, exotic plumes and sheltered by glamorous parasols of elegancy.

For passengers arriving by steamers, public transportation would have included British

The White House Hotel ad 1880

Royal Albert Hotel ad 1909

El Dorado Hotel, British Guiana (n.d.)

The Tower Hotel ad 1909

Guiana railways, steamships, horse and carriages plus the tramways of Georgetown.

On the 27 December 1878, Paris Britton, one of the hotel industry pioneers and owner of the hotel The White House, died at his residence Strand, New Amsterdam, after a lingering illness at age 90 yrs regretted by a large group of friends and relatives - The Colonist BMDS 1879.

“Anthony Trollope, in his amusing book, ‘The West Indies and The Spanish Main’, said that in ‘New Amsterdam three people make a crowd’. Old Paris Britton house, at which the novelist stayed, and at which he called the best hotel in the West Indies, has long been pulled down. It is certainly, especially of the late years, a rather sleepy place” - Henry Kirke 1890s.

Famous teacher and composer of national songs of Guyana, Valerie Rodway (1919-1970) linage can be traced back to the original owner.

Rodway’s mother, Jane Elizabeth (nee Fraser), was born in Corentyne, Berbice, and a descendant of Parris Britton, a Barbadian immigrant who came to Berbice circa 1816, just after the colonies of Berbice and Demerara were finally ceded to the British by the Dutch. He was a leather worker – the maker of saddles, harnesses, stirrups, and other accoutrement required for the horses and mules that dominated the transportation system of sugar estates in British Guiana. He became a successful proprietor of estates, livery stables, a race course and the first owner of the Strand Hotel in New Amsterdam called The White House in 1880.

The Demerara Ice House ad of 1909 reveals perhaps the best known building in Guyana and a piece of living history. The Demerara Ice House or the now Demico House, situated at the junction of Water Street and Brickdam, was originally owned for 50 years by Messrs. Birch & Company and Charles J. Macquarrie. It was bought in 1896 by the four sons of Jose Gomes D’Aguiar, founder of the 1840 large family business and formed the D'Aguiar brothers’ partnership. The acronym of the Demerara Ice House, DIH, became the brand of the company and is still in existence today with international recognition. The DIH had several connotations, D’Aguiar Imperial House and also D’Aguiar Industries and Holdings being prime examples.

The building, which contained a hotel, soft drink plant and liquor bars, got its name from holding ice imported by schooner from Canada and the US. The age of ice and refrigeration for food preservation had not arrived as yet in British Guiana.

Historical Advertisement not only peaks the curiosity but also tells a vivid story of history. Egyptians used papyrus to make sales messages and wall posters. Commercial messages and political campaign displays have been found in the ruins of Pompeii and ancient Arabia. Lost and found advertising on papyrus was common in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Wall or rock painting for commercial advertising were another manifestation of ancient advertising form, which is present to this day in many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America, including Guyana, a tradition of antiquity that dates back to thousands of years.

These eight newspaper clippings of more than 100 years ago tell a tale of treasured history and cultural identification of that vintage time of early Guyana, which must not to be forgotten. (Reference: British Guiana Genealogical Society)

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Simply the Truth

Science… …in la la land Will Alfred Bhulai please pick up the white courtesy phone? Reality’s calling. This fella Bhulai is a real piece of work. He throws out a few terms gleaned from some half-digested basic science courses and…voila!!…He’s “scientific”. And of course, therefore possessed of the TRUTH. In capitals. A few days ago, he weighed in on the Rodney CoI. Claims he KNOWS the PNC rigged elections…but he doesn’t KNOW whether they killed Rodney.

And how does he KNOW the former, even though the PNC’s denied it?? Well some persons ADMITTED the act to him and he CAUGHT others in the act of rigging. En flagrante delicto, so to speak. Fair enough.

The man’s an empiricist: he believes only what he sees with his own two eyes. Now, with Rodney’s killing, no one’s fessed up to the dastardly deed.

But based on PNC’s lying through its teeth about what Bhulai KNOWS, Bhulai INDUCES that the PNC were involved – even though they’ve denied it. In for a penny, in for a pound, we guess. Again we have no problem with this. Hey! If your eggs are sucked dry, you go after the dog you know who’s an egg-sucker, don’t you?

But this “empiricist” abandons all reference to the evidence when it comes to the PPP/C. Imagine a fella who remembers how he stumbled over the PNC riggers – probably at Sophia in ‘85 where all the fake ballots were written up – but utters this piece of nonsense: “As I see it, the reason the PPP/C did not have inquiries shortly after 1992 into Rodney’s killing and into election rigging was that it feared the still fairly young and strong thugs in the PNC would exert undue influence over witnesses.”

Well we know that the PNC still had most of its thugs – “young and strong” as well as old and vicious – because Green didn’t carry many of them with him when Hoyte kicked him out of the PNC. But surely the empiricist Bhulai hasn’t forgotten that in 1996, Doodnauth Singh was appointed as Special Prosecutor to go after Gregory Smith. The PPP/C wasn’t intimidated not to seek the truth.

Bhulai is just playing the fool and taking advantage of the freedoms under the PPP/C. Even though he SAW PNC rigging, did he say anything, much less publish it in the papers? But here it is, he buries the truth of the PPP/C’s early action on the Rodney matter and questions the party’s motives in launching the present CoI. He should ask Patricia Rodney why there was no CoI in 2005. …in Agri Every year, around this time, thousands of students in Guyana and across the Caribbean write Agriculture Science as a subject at CSEC. In fact, most of them write the subject as a “double award” – meaning that the volume of work actually qualifies it as two subjects but for purposes of matriculation, it’s counted as one. Now it’s just been announced that CXC will now offer the subject at CAPE. On the face of things, no one can argue with the focus of CXC on Agriculture. Founded on this human endeavour, it was a no-brainer that WI peoples should be trained in a scientific manner to take advantage of our comparative advantage. But sadly, all the training hasn’t really produced farmers as in, say, the USA and EU, when it comes to scientific agricultural practices.

We believe our policymakers should take a close, hard look as to why so few individuals with CSEC Agri Science ended up in Agriculture. And why CAPE might not necessarily change anything. …and the looney bin There are good reasons why it was said during the heyday of the Empire only “mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun”. You could get a heatstroke! So if the Mayor and his minions aren’t Englishmen, what are they?

D

onald Sterling, owner of the basketball team LA Clippers, was recorded spouting reprehensible comments about black people. He seems to have been in his mansion and was talking privately to his girlfriend. She recorded the conversation.

It is all over the TV and newspapers in North America.

Sterling, a billionaire, is being dragged through the mud. He will be forced to sell the LA Clippers, and he has been banned for life from attending any basketball game. The humiliation of public condemnation is something from which he will never recover, even though he will still have lots of money. That’s in the United States of America.

Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto, was caught on tape uttering nasty things about women and “coloured” people while holding a crack pipe. The recording allegedly says something obscene about what he would like to do to some woman. His career is dead, for all intents and purposes. This is in Canada.

In the civilised world and for civilised people, racism and misogyny are criminal acts. One cannot utter racist and misogynistic filth in your own house. Someone may hear or someone may record you. And one

cannot dare babble racist or woman-hating rubbish in public. Prison time!

While it remains unfair to draw too great comparisons with places like the USA and Canada on the one hand and a place like Guyana on the other, it is quite appropriate to draw comparisons about the attitudes of people everywhere. For us in Guyana, it is quite acceptable to be loudly racist and even more acceptable to be misogynistic. Let us provide an example with the “music” to which we subject ourselves and others.

There is this new “noise” called “Coolie bai”. It is unabashedly blasted by radio stations and it screams from cars and buses, and from every rum shop. It says much about us as a nation that this vile thing is allowed air time and has become so popular.

The best thing that can be said about this stuff is that it is not anywhere close to being music.

At worst, it is racist filth – loud and stink. It says much about us that we can glorify this filth by revelling in it. There are the usual nasty stereotypes: the eating with hands, the dhal puri, the leaf and seven curry, the cowardliness, the quick move to violence when a few drinks are had, the “bus patta”, and so on.

There are references to wife-beating before or after eating too. And we blast this rubbish everywhere.

The racism and misogyny are clear and these criminal things are celebrated in the noise.

It is the same thing with other offensive stuff like “Kick in she back door” and “Bend over, bend over”. And our society plays them often and loudly, without shame, without thought. We gyrate and sing along in celebration, in drunken and sober revelry.

Not only men but women too. It is a sad thing indeed when victims join hands with victimisers to perpetrate or glorify that victimisation. It is a sad thing when the whole society participates.

And then we have the gall to have workshops and seminars and make speeches against racism and the victimisation of women. We do these things in nice rooms in language that few people would understand, in comfortable places or pseudo-academic settings.

But I have heard no one come out against these offensive things that pass for music in Guyana. I have heard of no parliamentarian (supposedly our leaders!) raise their voices in outrage at these things.

After all, they want

By Professor Daizal Samad

votes; and they will not get votes if they come out against what so many in our society dance and jiggle and giggle to. There is no moral indignation at all. I have seen online comments: almost all of them laud these “songs”.

I will say clearly that in civilised places if songs like these were made about whites or blacks or Latinos or Muslims or Jews, there would be outrage. Not so in Guyana. We have lost our ability to know what is good and what is downright wrong.

We have lost the ability to think at any level. If we had any real researchers or scholars in this country, they would see that this is a fertile field of investigation, and the results may just make a difference to our nation.

Of course, we have no scholars that we can hold up to the world and say: “This person has contributed to the reform of a whole nation!” In allowing these racist and woman hating things, we betray ourselves in terrible ways.

Visa questions

S

atiricus was all confused. He was filling out the online form to apply for a visa to visit the US. The daughter of his third cousin on his wife’s side in NY was getting married. He didn’t know the child, but he did know he would have a whale of a time with the friends, family and relatives he would “butt” up with. And then his brothers were paying for the ticket!

He now wished he’d plodded ahead and visited the Visa Fair the Embassy people had arranged a while back.

At the time, he was just disappointed to discover there would be no Ferris wheels and other fancy rides and had turned back. He now cursed the hour and damned the minute he turned

around. How the heck was he going to answer these questions to get the visa?

One wrong answer and he’d be refused. “Are you coming to the US to engage in prostitution?”

Now this had to be a trick question, Satiricus figured. He knew his old flame Betty was going to give him a “small piece” when they reached up at the wedding. She always did so when she visited Guyana – and then nature always took its course. Like water, nature always took the lowest path when it came to such things. And Satiricus was “high natured”.

Now if this happened in the US, was Satiricus committing prostitution?

The act would be done; money would’ve changed hands. Satiricus was confused.

Then there was the one, “Do you belong to a clan or tribe?” “How the heck the Americans defined “clan” wondered Satiricus. The Satiricus family was extraordinarily large – his father and mother each had 10 brothers and sisters and they felt it was their duty to follow suit. While Satiricus’ generations couldn’t keep up with their pace (they had TV to distract them at nights) they weren’t any slouches either.

Everybody talked about the “Satiricus Clan”. While Satiricus agonised over the question, he wondered why belonging to a clan was against the beliefs of the US. He guessed they wanted to promote the nuclear family.

Another quandary was posed by the

question as to whether “as a Government official, he’d be responsible for “particularly severe violations of religious freedom”. There was that time when he’d been on the local NDC as dog catcher and he’d turned away those folks who banged on his gate at six in the morning to give him some religious tracts.

Satiricus had been out with the boys and was still groggy. The milk of human kindness wasn’t exactly oozing from him. Was chasing them away with a stick a “particularly severe violation?”

Satiricus didn’t even want to think about the questions as to whether he had committed “acts of moral turpitude”. He had to admit, he’d been quite a wanker as a boy.

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

This week's Crossword

J k es

Wrinkle cream

My nine-year-old daughter walked in while I was getting ready for work. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Putting on my wrinkle cream," I answered. "Oh," she said, walking away. "I thought they were natural."

Feline friendly

A woman walked into my aunt’s animal shelter wanting to have her cat and six kittens spayed and neutered. "Is the mother friendly?" my aunt asked. "Very," said the woman, casting an eye on all the pet carriers. "That’s how we got into this mess in the first place."

Facebook time

Facebook and Formspring are two of the many social-networking sites that allow users to embarrass themselves in front of millions of friends and strangers, like these people did.

LARRY: Happy Valentine’s Day to All, especially Wendy, Heather, Lindsey, Ellen, Valerie, Isabel, and all the other wonderful women I adore.

JENNIFER: You forgot your wife.

Proper pronunciation

I bought a pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream at the supermarket.

As the cashier rang it up, I asked, “How do you pronounce that?”

Speaking slowly and distinctly, he said, “Four dollars and seventy-nine cents.”

Special pie

I was looking at the pies offered by a nearby café. They had cherry, apple, berry, peach, and Herman’s.

"What type of pie is Herman’s?" I asked the waiter.

"Apple," he said.

"Then why is it called Herman’s pie?"

"Because Herman called in to reserve it."

This week's Puzzle

The Difference Between an Optimist and a Pessimist "What’s the difference between an optimist and a pessimist?"

An optimist is the guy who created the airplane. A pessimist is the guy who created the parachute."

Lawnmower upgrade

At age 70, my grandfather bought his first riding lawn mower.

"This thing is great," he bragged to my brother. "It took me only an hour and a half to mow the lawn. It used to take your grandmother two days to do it all!"

The important things

With fire alarms blaring at my mom’s apartment complex, she grabbed her favourite bathing suit and ran out.

"A bathing suit?" I said later. "Of all the priceless things in that apartment, that’s what you chose to save?"

"Material things come and go," she said. "But a one-piece suit that doesn’t make you look fat is impossible to replace."

Going to the doctor

A man went to the cardiologist after experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.

"I had taken our cat to the vet," he told the nurse, "and while I was there, my chest got tight, and I had trouble breathing. Later, my left arm began aching."

The nurse was clearly concerned. "So," she asked, "how was the cat?"

Astrology

see solution on page 46

When one of my patients came to me complaining of ear trouble, I looked around for the appropriate instrument with which to examine him.

Unable to find it, I buzzed my receptionist and asked, "Have you seen my auroscope?"

"No," came the reply. "What sign do you come under?"

news

37

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Limacol CPL unveils fixtures – the Biggest Party in Sport announces 30 games over 37 days on eight different islands, as the Limacol CPL II countdown begins

T

he 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League, which will run from 11th July to 16th August, has announced the full set of fixtures that will have fans of the Biggest Party in Sport blocking out their calendars with 30 explosive games set to be played in just 37 days.

CPL II is set to thrill crowds across eight beautiful islands in the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Trinidad and Tobago. The tournament is set to entertain record-breaking crowds both on and off the field, building on last year’s inaugural tournament won by the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Damien O’Donohoe, CEO of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League, said: “It’s a thrill to be able to announce the full schedule for this year’s tournament. Each island will deliver a party like no other, and the combination of worldclass internationals and exciting Caribbean talent will thrill the crowds, ensuring that this year’s Limacol Caribbean Premier League will be like no other cricket tournament, combining unbelievable, dramatic action on the field and a unique, vibrant carnival atmosphere off it.”

Week 1 – Grenada Carnival cricket fever hits the beautiful island of Grenada with the announcement that the National Cricket Stadium will host the opening round of games of the 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL), from Friday 11th July, with all six teams in action over the first weekend.

The National Stadium, which has hosted several West Indies matches since 2002, as well as six matches at the 2007 World Cup, boasts fantastic playing facilities, and will hold the biggest Limacol CPL crowd ever, with room for a massive 16,200 fans each day. The opening fixture, on Friday 11th July, will be Guyana Amazon Warriors vs

Antigua Hawksbills, followed

by Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel vs Barbados Tridents on the 12th and St. Lucia Zouks v Jamaica Tallawahs on the 13th July.

Week 2 – Guyana/ Antigua The second week of the tournament is spread between Guyana and Antigua, with the Amazon Warriors and Hawksbills both looking to make full use of home advantage.

A packed Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is expected on 17th July as the Antigua Hawksbills welcome the visit of Mickey Arthur and the Jamaica Tallawahs, with coach Tim Nielsen no doubt hoping the mystery spin of Saeed Ajmal can unravel Chris Gayle and his travelling Tallawahs.

Meanwhile, 15,000 passionate Guyanese fans are expected to fill the Providence Stadium as the Amazon Warriors welcome Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in the second game of the day, to be held on the evening of the 17th.

There will be a distinctly Kiwi feel for the match, with Corey Anderson and Martin Guptill turning out for the home team, and Ross Taylor representing the Red Steel.

Four further games follow at the weekend, with the pick of the week coming on Sunday 20th July, and a rematch of last year’s final between the Jamaica Tallawahs and the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Week 3 – Trinidad/ Barbados It’s set to be the tale of two Ovals in week three, as the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, and Kensington Oval, Barbados play host to the next six games of the tournament.

Barbados fans will be well aware of the threat posed by the St. Lucia Zouks in their opening game of the week (24th July), and will hope Kieron Pollard and his Tridents are able to contain the powerful batting threat of Darren Sammy, Andre Fletcher and Brad Hodge.

Kevin Pietersen could make his Zouks debut later that week, against the Red Steel on 27th July. It will be a big weekend for Trinidad & Tobago, with reigning champions the Jamaica Tallawahs visiting Queen’s Park the day before for a fantastic clash between two of the Caribbean’s favourite players, Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle.

Week 4 – Jamaica/St. Lucia With July drawing to a close, the CPL party will show no sign of stopping as it arrives in Jamaica and St. Lucia for the fourth week of the tournament.

Chris Gayle will hope to

light up his home ground, Sabina Park, in his first home game of the tournament on July 31st. However, another legendary West Indian batsman stands in his way, with Antigua Hawksbills mentor Sir Vivian Richards hoping to provide his team with the inspiration to spoil the Jamaican’s homecoming.

Kevin Pietersen will discover the passion and support of his home fans when he arrives at the Beausejour Stadium for the first time in a Zouks jersey. Captain Darren Sammy will be expecting the box-office batsman to deliver in three tough games, one of which includes a clash with local rivals, Barbados Tridents.

Week 5 – St. Kitts The penultimate week of the tournament sees Warner Park welcome the CPL for the very first time, as the people of St Kitts and Nevis will get the chance to experience the thrill of the competition first-hand. With the stadium having undergone recent development to enable it to host CPL matches with the construction of state-of-the art lighting facilities, it is sure to be another exceptional host for the thousands of local fans expected from August 7th.

The first three games of the week will give teams the opportunity to settle some scores from the opening weekend of the tournament, with the first three fixtures mirroring those

that took place in Grenada in July.

However, tension is set to reach breaking point when the final round of fixtures takes place on the weekend of 9/10th August. Jamaica Tallawahs and St. Lucia Zouks will be hoping for one final push as they both play two games in as many days, including the hotly anticipated showdown between Gayle and Pietersen on 9th August.

Finals Week – St. Kitts The tournament will reach its climax during a packed week in St. Kitts, beginning with the semi-finals, taking place on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th August.

In a change from last year, the first-placed team at the end of the group stage will advance straight to the final, rewarding consistency across the season. The third and fourthplaced teams will meet in the first semi-final, with the winner of that match set to play the second-placed team the following day for a place in the final. The remaining two franchises will then have the rest of the week to prepare, as the Biggest Party in Sport reaches its epic conclusion, with the Limacol Caribbean Premier League 2014 final due to begin at 3.30pm on Saturday 16th August.

Check cplt20.com for ticket announcements and further details.

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Arts & Culture

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

W

hen artists meet a point in their artistic life where they require little or no introduction, it signals that they have reached a level of artistic maturity. Bernadette Indira Persaud, A.A., is one of such artist who needs no introduction. This year, her work celebrates both Indian Arrival Day and our 48th independence anniversary.

Persaud’s work last graced Castellani’s galleries almost a decade ago in 2005 in a solo exhibition – sponsored by the High Commission of India- titled ‘India: A Glimpse’. By then, she had already accomplished significant achievements and gained recognition in the region and in the diaspora. Yet, her most recent painting in the National Collection is ‘Going Masjid’, which is dated 1994 – two decades ago. It is only now, with this exhibition, that this lapse can be corrected.

Winning the National Award for painting in

1985 and being the first woman to do so, Bernadette Persaud refused to entertain a dull moment in her artistic career, which saw her mounting six solo exhibitions and participating in more than 20 group exhibitions. Through the decades, she won many awards and recently has been bestowed with the Caribbean Hall of Fame Award in Jamaica for excellence in the visual arts.

Although Persaud’s paintings have evolved over the years, their daring allegorical content continues to forge and provoke dialogue.

Her ‘Gentleman in the Garden’ series of paintings in the 1980s have perpetuated the notion of militancy, subtly commenting on the pervasive militarism under the regime of the day. This local political commentary was extended in the painting, ‘Gentleman Under the Sky’ when militarism on the world’s stage captured her attention.

Recently, her allegorical content has evolved into

'The birth of the lotus' (1990)

'Tree of Life II' (2010)

a more complex configuration of spiritual, social and political undertones in her ‘Forest’ series, which may seem very unorthodox to many.

Her tenaciously stippling brush strokes have grown shorter in her recent series of paintings

as compared to the longer brush strokes in the ‘Bird Island’, ‘Gentleman in the Garden’ and ‘Lotus’ series. Every inch of Persaud’s canvases is detailed with brush strokes that could engage years of study.

In her statement, Persaud noted that she began painting seriously in the early 1980s after being forced out of her teaching career. She added that painting became an instrument which, not merely seduced, but pricked and prodded the individual/ collective conscience.

“The scope of my work later broadened

into an investigation of not only political oppression, but cultural identity and the ephemerality of life. In retrospect it was a quest – integral to post-colonial societies – tied up with that complex of needs for creativity, originality and an authentic self,” expressed Persaud.

She went on to say that her submissions to this new project represents ‘new and old’ works, which subsume philosophical, political, aesthetic and ecological concerns, from the perspective of an artist located in a particular historical, geographical

and cultural space.

“These works challenge, critique and subvert existing notions about our art and more specifically perceptions about the nature of our socio-political reality – a reality more poignantly voiced by Martin Carter: ‘New and old is the face of the world’s great grief, and current notions about ‘climate change’ – as seen through the lens of Hindu mythopoeics and metaphysics,” Persaud disclosed.

Persaud’s applauded paintings are now on show at Castellani House, Vlissengen Road. The exhibition ‘As New and As Old’, an exhibition of selected works (1984-2014), is presently opened to the public. Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10a.m. to 5p.m. Monday to Friday and 2 to 6p.m. on Saturday; the gallery is closed Sundays and holidays. (Text by Curator Ohene Koama)

40

News

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

District Leader Albert Baldeo calls on City official to fix potholes District Leader and community advocate Albert Baldeo points to one of the numerous neglected potholes that urgently need fixing

D

istrict Leader and community advocate Albert Baldeo has made a passionate call on the authorities to urgently fix the numerous potholes on Liberty Avenue, Rockaway Boulevard, Atlantic Avenue, Lefferts Boulevard, the North and South Conduits and other locations.

In an interview with this publication he said that not only do these potholes destroy our vehicles and perpet-

uate a threat to our safety, “but they are symptomatic of a greater problem of neglect and inattention to the issues that cry out for governmental redress in our community - lack of public safety, poor police relations, ticketing harassment, trailer park education for our kids, substandard heath care, second class quality of life, inequality in our justice system, poor wages, rampant foreclosures, and spiraling unemployment".

King of the Tarmac

S

atiricus is a fan of historical dramas – especially in the movies. He’s looked at Ben Hur at least a dozen times. “Just love that chariot race scene!!” he enthused to himself. But his favourite historical character of them all was Henry VIII. “Here’s a fella who knew what he wanted and wouldn’t let anything stand between him and his desire,” sighed Satiricus wistfully.

Henry wanted a son to succeed him as King of England. And, by golly! He split away the entire Church of England from its Catholic roots and the Pope – just to clear the way to have a new wife to give him one.

That Henry never got a son is beside the point. The man did what he had to do.

All of these thoughts whirled through Satiricus’ head as he saw Mayor-for-life, HamTon Greed anoint his loyal scribe Roi-Stone King, as the Clerk of the fair City of Georgetown. “What a guy!” thought Satiricus.

Here it is Georgetown already had a Clerk of the City – a woman, ShooBa. And to boot, she just wouldn’t do what the Mayor told her to do and go quietly into the night.

She had this weird idea that just because the Mayor wasn’t her boss, he couldn’t tell her what to do. “What nonsense!” said Satiricus as he sucked his teeth loudly. The Mayor-for-life was the Mayor for life.

Just like Henry VIII. Why did this ShooBa person think people had to call HamTon Greed “Lord Mayor”??

“Lords are just a shade below Kings!” fumed Satiricus.

“HamTon Greed could do just as he damn well please.”

The ShooBa woman thought HamTon Greed would be shooed away when she locked the door of the City Hall office. “Why!! This was just like when the Pope locked the door to the Cathedral to stop Henry from marrying again!” said Satiricus to himself, with hushed breath. Henry just went ahead and created his own Archbishop!! There were now two Archbishops and two Churches in England.

And Lo and behold – this was exactly what HamTon Greed did in the fair city of Georgetown. He summoned his followers and Councillors onto the Tarmac of City Hall. Picking his Pee Are man, who was so aptly named – “Roi” meant “King” and “King” was…well… “King”) His Lordship HamTon Greed laid his sword (a twig, actually) on the back of RoiStone King and declared henceforth RoiStone also would be “Town Clerk” of the fair City of Georgetown.

For good measure, to mark the occasion, HamTon Greed sprinkled some water from a nearby canal on RoiStone, and gave him an additional title: King of the Tarmac.

Satiricus was so happy for the old Pee Are. But the water from the garbage-filled canal did make him smell like “Pee Is”. Phewwww!!

Travel & Tourism

41

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

C

arahaa Landing camp is an exciting hammock camp located on the banks of the Burro Burro River, three miles from Surama Eco-Lodge in North Rupununi.

In a large clearing of the dense jungle, there is a large, open benab for hanging hammocks; a smaller adjacent benab has a table and cooking area where food is prepared over an open fire.

It is a basic set-up but the permanent structure provides good shelter for anyone wishing to experience a night camping in the jungle without roughing it too much.

Staying overnight at the camp also allows visitors to experience night walks through the jungle, and late evening and very early morning canoe trips on the river, when the animals and birds are most active. For birding enthusiasts, it is a great location for spotting some of Guyana’s famed birds.

Carahaa Landing camp offers a great experience in the heart of the jungle.

(Information by Kirk Smock)

Arriving in a canoe at Carahaa Landing camp (Photo by Jay Seedy)

A morning tour on the river

Beautiful sunset on the Burro Burro River

Wading under fallen trees along the river (Photo by Jay Seedy)

42

Feature

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A Tribute to former President of Guyana, Mrs. Janet Jagan - Mother of the Nation

T

HE political awareness, especially among women, that began in the decade of the 40s was essentially catalysed by the Jagan-led agitation against exploitation of the labour force. But today, the focus is on a special mother who led Guyana during times of travail. Mrs. Janet Jagan co-founded the Political Affairs Committee in 1946. This was the predecessor of the Peoples’ Progressive Party.

During that year also, she and Mrs. Winifred Gaskin formed the Women’s Political and Economic Organisation (WPEO).

In 1947, she joined the British Guiana Clerks’ Association and became its Assistant Secretary, and her mobilisation of women against oppression gathered impetus from thereon.

Born Janet Rosenberg on October 20, 1920, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Janet Jagan breathed her last in her adoptive homeland on March 28, 2009.

She married Dr Cheddi Jagan on August 5, 1943 against much family turmoil on both sides, and their union produced two children: Joey and Nadira.

Like the biblical Ruth, Janet Jagan came to British Guiana in December 1943, making her husband’s homeland her own, and worked for 10 years as a Dental Nurse in Dr Jagan’s clinic. She

Former President of Guyana Janet Jagan died on March 28, 2009

almost immediately became involved in the labour struggle, and was a member of the colony’s firstever union, the British Guiana Labour Union. She worked with labour hero, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, to organise domestics.

Her love affair with journalism began with the PAC Bulletin, of which she was editor. In 1947, she contested the general elections under limited franchise in Central Georgetown, but lost.

One of the founders of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Janet was elected the party’s General Secretary, and held that post between 1950-1970. Since then, she was a Member of the Central Committee and Executive

Committee of the People’s Progressive Party. She has served as International Secretary and Executive Secretary.

She was appointed first editor of Thunder, the PPP’s official organ, and the first elected woman to the Georgetown City Council. In 1953, she co-founded the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), and continued to hold the post of President of this premier women’s association until her death.

That year also, she was one of the three women to enter the House of Assembly as a representative of the Essequibo constituency. In 1953, she was the first woman to become Deputy Speaker of the Legislature, but in 1954, following the suspension of the Constitution and the ouster of the PPP Government by the British colonialists, she was jailed for six months, and restricted, after release, to the city of Georgetown. She had to report to the police weekly.

During the period 1957-1961, Janet Jagan was returned by the constituency of Essequibo to the Legislature, and was appointed as Minister of Labour, Health and Housing, in which capacity she made dynamic and transformational changes to those sectors. continued on page 44

Three hammers for the S*ity Council

A

hammer is a powerful tool. It does bruk down tings and mek up tings dependin on de situation, dependin on de owner, and dependin on de man or woman who usin de hammer. And sometimes, both man and woman does have to use it fuh offence or defence, dependin on who pick up de hammer fuss.

Well, Guyana gotta Hammer Man who does use he own hammer fuh all kinda tings. De Hammer Man does hammer people wid he mouth and wid he hammer, and not necessarily in that order. Some does get he mouth fuss and some does get he hammer fuss.

De Hammer Man does even walk in some people TV and radio studio and tell dem announcers whah song to play and whah song not to play. That was when every body realise that de Hammer Man don’t play around.

Otherwise he woulda bruk down de studio wid he hammer.

De Hammer Man bruk up a business man fence pun de East Coast because he seh de fence deh pun guvament land, and he need de land fuh de road.

Two month pass and de road ain’t build yet. Plus de neighbours fence deh pun de guvament land, but de Hammer Man ain’t doin nutten. Is different hammer strokes fuh different folks.

Bee Kay is de only man who ever stand up to de Hammer Man after he tell Bee Kay that de country ain’t got stone to do any construction. When Bee Kay show de Hammer Man all de stone whah he got, de Hammer Man nearly drop dead. De Hammer Man never believe one man coulda got so much stone when he only got one hammer.

Now that de whole a de S*ity Council in sheer problems, de only man who can hammer out every ting is de Hammer Man. Guvament should send in de Hammer Man with three hammers all at de same time.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! One hammer each fuh de two Green scamps and de other hammer fuh de one who mekkin he self de Town Clown.

feature

43

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

T

he word “entrepreneur” originated from a thirteenthcentury French verb, entreprendre, meaning “to do something” or “to undertake”. By the 16th century, with the stirrings of global economic expansion, that presaged would deliver the capitalist economic revolution, the word was being used to describe someone who undertook a commercial venture.

J S Mill used the term “entrepreneur” in his popular 1848 book, "Principles of Political Economy", to refer to a person who assumed both the risk and the management of a business. In this way, he made the crucial distinction that a person who merely works for someone else or purchases a stock is not an "entrepreneur". The latter is one who takes the risk in establishing an economic venture and also plays a key role in its running.

In modern Guyana, while there has been no definitive survey, anecdotal evidence suggests that Indian Guyanese constitute a large percentage of the entrepreneurial strata of the country. If Guyana is to continue with the economic progress, which it has achieved in the two last decades, and indeed if it is to break into the double-digit GDP growth rates necessary to catapult the country out of the black hole created by the PNC during 19761992, a heightened burst of entrepreneurial activity will have to be facilitated.

Indians were brought to labour on the sugar plantations between 1838-1917 with absolutely nothing that the ordinary man would think of as "economic" resources.

But even before the end of indentureship, they were beginning to make their mark in business and commence. In this special Indian Arrival Day supplement, we will examine the roots of Indian Guyanese entrepreneurship in the hope that those roots can be nurtured and replicated by all Guyanese in the modern era for the development of a greater Guyana.

The beginning

Just before the end of "Apprenticeship" on 1 August 1838, Portuguese (1835), and Indians (May 1838) were brought in as

mained was the inducement by the planters to exchange the value of their contracted passage back to India - about which they complained bitterly - for small plots of marginal swampy lands near to the sugar plantations. The immigrants craved land and the planters craved greater profits. In 1894, the $60 cost of the return passage per immigrant borne by the planters was far greater than the price of the undeveloped land accepted by some immigrants.

But this scheme of ex-

The late Kayman Sankar was an outstanding entreprenuer in Essequibo

indentured labourers to replace the newly freed African slaves. While these African Guyanese could also now work for wages on the plantations, the rates were so minuscule that after striking in 1842 (successfully) and 1847 (unsuccessfully), they left in droves to form the independent village movement and become labourers in the towns and the interior.

The Portuguese and later the Chinese (1853) also left the plantations - immediately following the expiration of their indentureship stint. These two groups went directly into commerce and demonstrated very early on the spirit of entrepreneurship. In fact, it was the refusal of the Portuguese to remain on the sugar plantations that pushed the planters to seek Indian indentured servants. The latter generally remained to labour in sugar even at the pitiful wages (as late as 1898; 24 cents for men and 8 cents for women and youths for a full day's labour), which were rejected by all others. The question is how they managed to survive and indeed eventually prosper.

Rice

At first the Indians by all accounts did what they were supposed to do: cultivate, harvest, and manufacture sugar cane into sugar. They took their contract seriously. This pleased the planters no end and the Indians were greatly lauded. But the latter, like most immigrants even today, had come for

a mission - to earn a fortune. In this they were cruelly disappointed, but most worked as hard as they could; lived so frugally that they became a metaphor for "miser" and saved.

This size of savings can be gleaned from the records of the cash and jewellery taken back by re-migrants. Of the one-third (75,792) of the 239,000 immigrant indentured labourers that returned to India, while there was the occasional surprising significant savings (the highest was $9,150), the overage was a miserly $63 and most went back penniless.

One of the reasons why the majority of Indian immigrants re-

changing land with indentures had any number of further benefits for the planters than simply saving them money.

The immigrant used the swampy land to grow rice, as many of them would have done back in India and for which they were eminently skilled. They drained the land manually with shovels on Sundays and in the "out of crop" season, planted the paddy individually, cleaned the roots of weeds, and eventually threshed the paddy with their hands.

In this way, they sup-

plemented the abysmal, subsistence wages from the sugar planters: in effect were actually subsidising their own labour costs to the sugar barons. They could now feed themselves to show up for work whenever the planters needed them.

The labourers were also tied to the environs of the sugar plantations.

In 1865, in the first large scale endeavour, 16 acres of rice were planted by indentured labourers at Plantation Edinburg on the West Coast of Demerara. This continued on page 45

44

feature

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A Tribute to former...

from page 42

On the death of the Minister of Home Affairs, Claude Christian, she became Minister of Home Affairs and a member of the Senate in 1963, but resigned as Minister in protest over the murderous incidents in Wismar.

She was Editor of the Mirror Newspaper from 1973 – 1997. After the PPP ended a boycott of Parliament in protest over the rigging of the elections in 1973, she returned to the House as an opposition MP. She served in the House continuously, and was returned in 1980, 1985 and 1992. In April 1997, she was acclaimed the longest serving member of Parliament.

After Guyana’s first free and fair elections in post -independent Guyana in October 1992, she was designated First Lady of the Republic.

She continued her work as Editor of Mirror.

Mrs. Jagan served a three-month stint as Ambassador to the United Nations when Guyana’s Permanent Representative, Dr Rudy Insanally, was elected President of the General Assembly. She was subsequently appointed Chairperson

Photo taken a few days after the 1992 election victory (Photos: Guyana Times file)

of Castellani House Committee of Management, home of the National Art Gallery Collection; and Chairperson of National Commission on the Rights of the Child from 1992-1997.

On a historic day, March 17, 1997, Janet Jagan was sworn in as Guyana’s first wom-

an Prime Minister and First Vice-President.

She again created history on December 19, 1997 when she was sworn in as the first woman President of the Republic of Guyana and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. She resigned on August 8, 1999 due to ill health.

In March 2009, Mrs.

Jagan indefatigably poured her energy into the establishment of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.

Simultaneous to the multiplicity of activities she also authored several publications, including works on the history of the PPP and Rigged Elections in Guyana; and five children’s story books, among them ‘When Grandpa Cheddi was a Boy’, ‘Children’s Stories of Guyana’s Freedom Struggles’, and ‘Alligator Ferry Service’.

Mrs. Jagan became the recipient of the nation’s (Guyana’s) highest honour – Order of Excellence (O.E.) and a Woman of Achievement award from the University of Guyana. In 1997, she was awarded the Gandhi Gold Medal for Peace, Democracy and Women’s Rights by UNECSO. Mrs. Janet Jagan is one of the greatest daughters the United States of America ever produced; but that she became such an indomitable freedom fighter and national leader is a matter of pride for Guyana, and today, she is rightfully called the Matriarch of Guyana.

De Mayor-fuh-life wanna be a mayor after he dead

O

ne man wanna be a billionnaire so freakin bad that he sing a song bout it. Well, fuh sure that song writer know that a lotta other people wanna be billionnaire too. Plus nuff a dem wanna be a lotta others tings as well. In fact, Guyana got so many people who wanna be some ting that even dem people at G-Come gon have a hard time countin all dem wanna-bes.

De Mayor-fuh-Life had wanna be a billionnaire so freakin bad that he tell he wife not to pay all dem millions a dollars in taxes whah she had owe GT de garbage town. Now it gotta Stone Man who wanna be Town Clerk so freakin bad that he run a ad wid he name as Town Clerk.

That same Stone Man believe he can mek de Mayor-fuh-Life be whah ever he wanna be. And of course de Mayor-fuh-Life wanna be de Mayor even after he dead real freakin bad.

Green Jah and Rum Jhaat wanna be de Prezzi fuh a long time. Dem wanna be de Prezzi so freakin bad that dem even behavin like dem is de Prezzi.

De problem is that both a dem wanna be Prezzi at de same time. Dem gon end up bein two wanna-be Prezzis fuh life.

By de time de Rodney CoI done wid some a dem in de Yap-NU set up, dem ain’t gon wanna be alive. Will Yams not gon wanna be around de Gilbert people.

Poop Narine not gon wanna be facin any body from de Rodney family. And dem House of Israel people gon wanna be in a far away place like Israel.

Adumb on de other hand gon soon wanna be free from de Big Mook. But that ain’t gon happen because de Big Mook never wanna be a man who gon do any ting or give any ting fuh free.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! And de Big Mook wannna be like a certain Prezzi so freakin bad that he can’t done call that Prezzi name.

FEATURE

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WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

The beginning of entrepreneurship in the...

from page 43

is now Leonora - more specifically where the new Leonora Primary School is located, next to the first rubberised track and field facility under construction. This was a seminal entrepreneurial move as there was no guarantee of success.

But it was the launch of what is now an industry that produces over 500,000 tons of rice and is the largest employer in the country.

Even though there were ups and downs, by 1884, about 2500 acres were cultivated across the coast and this increased inexorably as the farmers' gamble paid off. They were increasingly able to supply the needs of the colony for rice which up to then had been imported for India and Burma, which averaged some 19,000 tons annually. By the beginning of WWII in 1914, the acreage rise to 47,000 acres and the imports down to 2500 tons.

With the German blockade of shipping during WWI, no rice imports could be facilitated and the immigrant farmers rose to fill the need of the hour. By the end of indentureship in 1917, one

year before the end of the war, the acreage had grown to 58,000 acres.

Three tons were recorded as imported.

But just as importantly for the fortunes of Guyana, in 1903, five tons of rice were exported, but this soon became a torrent as the excess beyond Guyana's needs found a ready market in the West Indies.

Another boost was received during WWII, between 1938-1945, when exports jumped to 25,000 tons.

The spin-offs

Success in rice encouraged Indians to move off the sugar plantations and they took a pioneering role in bringing into cultivation vast swathes of uninhibited land on the banks of the Mahaicony and Mahaica Creeks.

It was the same on the Corentyne Coast. When sugar cultivation was abandoned in Essequibo and the Islands there, rice cultivation by the descendants of indentured labourers filled the agricultural gap. Many took huge risks to expand the industry.

Kayman Sankar was one of those pioneers.

Originally from the West Coast of Demerara, he moved to Essequibo and invested in land.

Starting with two bulls, he eventually became Guyana's largest rice farmer using mechanised equipment and pioneering rice milling and exporting packaged rice.

Rice milling is a direct spin-off from the cultivation of rice and very early on, entrepreneurs invested into equipment that in most instances had to be fabricated right here in Guyana.

What the rice industry has shown that once there is an identified need in any populace, there will have to be individuals who are willing to use their resources, even if it is their labour and time, to fill that need. These are the entrepreneurs that will build this country. But Kayman Sankar's company's downward trajectory in the last decade, just before his passing, demonstrates what is forgotten by most: the inherent risks in entrepreneurship can sometimes bring even the giants down.

All it takes is "guts" to succeed!

legal corner

New rules for Debt Collection cases coming soon

By Richard Kistnen, Esq.

L

ast week, Chief Judge of the New York State Courts, Judge Lippman, announced that he is proposing new rules and procedures for consumer credit lawsuits that would place a greater burden on creditors to operate fairly in the courts.

Over 100,000 cases are filed each year in the courts of the State of New York that are of the “consumer credit/ debt collection� type. If you spend a day inside of the Civil Court, you will notice that many of the individuals who are being sued have not responded and do not respond to those cases.

While some people, admittedly, simply choose not to respond to lawsuits, a good number of people are never properly served. Moreover, many people have no idea about who is suing them or what the law-

suit may be about.

The new rules and procedures are aimed at curbing practices that appear to be rampant and widespread in debt collection cases (and are similar to nefarious practices also identified in the mortgage foreclosure context). Many of these consumer credit/ debt collection lawsuits are filed with an affidavit of service that does not comport with service rules. Moreover, many of the complaints filed in these cases are devoid of any proof that the creditor is, in fact, a bona fide creditor, or that a legally enforceable debt exists.

Under the proposed rules and procedures, the courts will mail a notice to a defendant notifying them that a lawsuit has been commenced against them (similar to the postcards used in Landlord-Tenant cases).

The plaintiff-creditor will have to attach documents that show chain

of ownership of the debt, as well as a sworn statement that the statute of limitations on collection of that debt has not expired.

The rules are available for viewing at the following website: http://www.nycourts.gov/rules/ comments/PDF/ ConsumeCreditPCPackage.pdf, and will be open to public comment until May 30, 2014. The rules are expected to be approved and in effect by the summer.

If you or someone you know has been served with lawsuit papers, or have questions, including questions about debt collection or bankruptcy, please contact the Law Office of Richard Kistnen, (718) 738-2324, www.kistnenlaw.com. I am also pleased to announce that I will now start having part-time office hours (Monday evenings, Thursdays and Fridays in Manhattan!)

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history

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Dmitri Allicock

T

he steamer service in Guyana dates back to the early 19th century when the colonial government contracted a few privatelyowned steamers to provide transportation for commuters and for shipping of produce. The first official documentation of a steamer service can be traced to the establishment of a Local Steamer Navigation Company, which appears to have been founded in 1825.

The transportation route was soon extended to the island of Leguan when Lady Flora Hastings was contracted on 12 August 1841.

Entered Hugh Sproston into 1840 Demerara to manage the interests of a London ship owner with whom he had worked when he was only 15 years old.

Five years later he established his own business, originally as a merchant. The pressing need for a regular steamer service caught his atten-

where the Sprostons of Wrenbury lived.) He was one of the most prominent personalities of the latter half of 1800s in British Guiana. His shipping business became synonymous with the glory days of growth and the foundational development of Guyana.

During the early years of operating a steamer service, many of the flat-bottomed vessels were damaged and had to be repaired in the United States, as there existed no dry dock faThe steamer Canje Pheasant shortly after its launching (British Guiana)

Sproston’s Dry Dock (1867)

This company commenced operations in 1826 with the Cambria, an immigrant ship, which was purchased for the sum of $50,000.

A few years later, the colonial authorities on 24 August 1828 established a steamer service across the Demerara River. In 1838, ten years later, operations were expanded as the steamer Royal Victoria commenced operations between Georgetown, Essequibo and Berbice.

tion and a few years later he established Sprostons Limited.

Born in Gibraltar, in the year 1819, Hugh Sproston became an export merchant and ship owner, based in London. His ships were: Berbice built in 1859; Georgetown (1873); Lady Longden (1876); Princess (1876); Guiana (1879); Charlestown (1880); Sproston Wood (1881); (Cuyuni) 1883.

(Sproston Wood was the name of the house

cilities in British Guiana for repairs and making vessels seaworthy.

At the request of Hugh Sproston, a team of British and American engineers surveyed several areas in Guyana, capable of holding ships 200 feet long with an estimated weight of 800 tons. An area at Charlestown was selected but the early efforts left Sproston close to ruin, as the Cofferdam erected to protect the docks gave way,

Berbice River Steamer destroying everything.

Nevertheless, Sproston persevered, and on 26 October 1867 His Excellency Governor Hincks and his wife declared Sproston dry dock opened. It was christened by Mrs. Hincks as she loosed a silken cord to which a bottle of wine was attached against the iron gates at the opening ceremony with 1859 Steamer Berbice decked out in flags.

During the 1870s and 1880s, Sproston did much to improve ferry services throughout Guyana. The period of 1878 represents a watershed in the history of steamer operations in Guyana as Sproston operated a daily ferry service to Essequibo.

On 11 December 1878, The Sproston Creole, the first steamer built by Sproston’s dry dock in Guiana, commenced operations. Other steamers such as Amy (1886), Horatio (1886), and the

New Amsterdam (1887) bolstered ferry services in the country.

Other steamers operated by Sproston under exclusive contract from the government included Eluza, Malali and the launches Gertie, Elfreda and Piranah. Steamers were divided into two sections, first and second class. Tickets for first class during the 1880s cost $2.00, while the second class cost 48 cents.

Sproston, born 19 July 1819, died on 24 June 1907 in the US. Sproston’s Company Ltd continued with success after his death. However, it later experienced a decline. One hypothesis for this is the establishment of the Transport and Harbours Department in 1919. The actions of the Harbour Board and the new regulations soon gave way to the government asserting control of the transportation network that it had contracted to Sproston to operate. This was done under the guidance of the Colonial Steamer Services.

In 1922, the Colonial Steamer Service became the Government Steamer Service.

It was later amalgamated with the Demerara Railway to form the Colonial Transportation Department and marked

the end of that era of steamers in Guyana.

Bigger and better steamers continued to dominate British Guiana’s landscape for the first half of the 1900s.

The legendary R H Carr ran the Georgetown to Upper Demerara route.

The R H Carr was built in 1927 in the UK. Under steam power, she made her way across the Atlantic Ocean to British Guiana and was operated as steamship before being converted to diesel in the 1950s by the then owner Sprostons Ltd. Of note also are the tough and legendary ships and ferries such as the Oranjestaad, Lady Northcote, Powis, Canje Pheasant, Pomeroon, Barima, Lady Berbice, Mazaruni, Makouria, Torani, Lukanani, just to name a few, which connected the lives of Guyanese and transported cargo in British Guiana.

As technology advanced, steamers were replaced by diesel and gas engines, and roads.

Travel across Guyana augmented with bridges across rivers. However, stories of our rich heritage were carried by those steamers on the many waters of Guyana and so we should make every effort to learn about it.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Water Street, British Guiana

47

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Passages… T …in South Africa Almost unnoticed, South Africa celebrated 20 years of post-apartheid politics by returning the ANC for another term in office. It’s retained its democratic credentials, a feat that has challenged most other African ex-colonies. Truth is, the latter condition’s not necessarily a blot on Africa but rather one on the imperialist countries that sat in Europe and drew arbitrary lines across Africa to demarcate “countries”.

And now those same countries and their successors gloat about “Africa not being able to govern itself”. We wonder how they would’ve fared if they’d been forced to create “nations” out of a multitude of tribes that were ethnically and geographically distinct and separate. The fate of Yugoslavia suggests itself. But South Africa has held together, notwithstanding those challenges – compounded by the inhuman premises of the apartheid regime.

Not that South Africa doesn’t have problems – political and otherwise. We can see this by the slipping percentage of the votes the ANC’s been able to garner – 62 per cent this time, as opposed to 66 per cent five years ago. The biggest challenge is how to satisfy the legitimate economic aspirations of the long-suppressed black population – without tanking the economy. For a party with impeccable leftist credentials, the ANC has suffered a crisis in confidence both from within and without as it attempted to work within the confines of the dominant capitalist neo-liberal paradigm.

That paradigm has seen the minority whites continuing to own “the commanding heights of the economy”, while the vast swathes of African people’s continue to eke out a precarious existence. More radical approaches to the promise of “equality” are answered by pointing to next door Zimbabwe. There, a farmland redistribution scheme from white to black ownership resulted in the collapse of that economy – along with the exodus of the highly-skilled whites.

One of the responses to the growing inequality in South Africa has been an alarming spurt in criminal behaviour: South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. The gap between the expectations and the reality has precipitated a struggle within the ANC itself. And now that President Zuma won’t be able to run again…this struggle will certainly manifest itself into a fight over “succession”.

The struggle, however, will be more about how much longer can the aspirations of the majority be denied. After 20 years, it’s clear that the promised “rising tide” hasn’t raised all ships. The black ships have even ran aground.

Be that as it may, it’s in the interest of every country on earth to ensure that the magnanimous gesture of Mandela, to let whites keep what they had, was not in vain. …in India The largest democratic elections in the world ended Monday morning (our time) but the results as to how the eligible 815 million voters cast their ballots won’t be out until Friday. But every exit poll in the country is indicating that the Government of the Congress party – at the helm for the past decade – is in for a solid thrashing by the BJP, led by the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The only question is by what margin would Congress be ousted.

In anticipation of the BJP victory, the Indian stock exchange has broken a historic ceiling – reflecting the business community’s appreciation of the developmental focus of Modi. The fractured nature of Indian politics – split along regional, caste and religious lines – ensures that the BJP will at best command a slight majority in the Lok Sabha (Parliament). But this will be a massive turnaround of the status quo that depended on accommodation of regional parties, which further polarised the vote.

It appears that two of the BRICS will be strengthened. …at City Hall The PPP has called for an Interim Management Committee to be put in place to end the farce that is being orchestrated by Hamilton Green. Could some names be floated, please??

he truths we need to confirm are ugly and the nastiness of these truths created deep wounds that still affect our country. While knowing the truth will not give us back the time we have lost, the truth will allow us to remove the distrust that so deeply divide our country today.

Times Notebook is pleased to see the number of people who have volunteered to give testimony at the Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI). Guyanese of all walks of life are coming forward, without fear or favour. In spite of the boycott declaration by APNU/PNC, Guyanese are not afraid to come forward.

Ms Karen DeSouza is not a friend of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, and her party is today an important part of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). But she was not afraid to speak out and tell the CoI and Guyana what she knows. The Reverend Rueben Gilbert did not back down, even though the People’s National Congress (PNC) lawyer tried his utmost to discredit him. But Reverend Gilbert stood his ground and Times Notebook was proud of the patriotism on display so far at the Rodney CoI. It is unfortunate that under the guise of watching out for the interest of the PNC, Mr Basil Williams is seeking to intimidate the CoI and the citizens that have come out to tell what they felt and what they know. The strategy of discrediting volunteers who have come forward to tell what they know and to discredit the Commissioners will not work.

The truth will be told

The truth will be told and the nation will move on. It is time APNU/PNC accept that this is a nation that simply wants to know the truth and they ought to be part of a noble initiative. Their effort to block and to diminish the work of the Rodney CoI can only further discredit the PNC. The position of the Alliance For Change (AFC) is disappointing.

Their lack of support of the Rodney CoI demonstrates the dysfunctional thinking of the AFC leadership. If the AFC had any serious interest

Time to move on, let Walter Rodney rest in peace (Part Two)

We did wrong in our nation and this CoI is not about where our fingers are pointed, but finally for us to forgive and move on as a nation – as One People, One Nation, One Destiny

in the welfare of Guyana and our people, it would give its total support to the CoI. We know that Mr Moses Nagamootoo of the AFC spent many years writing and speechifying about the death of Dr Walter Rodney and who was responsible for his assassination. Will he now come out and speak the truth of what he knows or would he now come out and say all those years of writing and speechifying about Rodney’s death were made-up stories?

The reluctance of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) lead-

ership is stupefying.

How can Dr Rupert Roopnaraine now be silent? Times Notebook understands that he has changed his mind and will now testify. This is the right thing for him to do. He must bring himself again to that moment when he found out about Rodney’s death and he must explain why he was so sure shortly after Rodney’s death that the PNC was responsible.

Milestone moment

The Rodney CoI is a milestone moment for Guyana. It is one of the few times that we have a chance to tell the truth

and to help heal the deep, deep wounds that have brought ruin to our beautiful country.

It is a moment in our history when we can embrace each other in forgiveness and reject pointing our fingers at each other. We did wrong in our nation and this CoI is not about where our fingers are pointed, but finally for us to forgive and move on as a nation – as One People, One Nation, One Destiny.

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

48

Bollywood

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Preity Zinta's controversial love life

P

reity Zinta may well be out of the Bollywood scenario of late.

The actress was last seen in her home production ‘Ishkq in Paris’.

However, it seems that things are now looking up for the actress. She recently made a revelation that she is involved in a romantic relationship. However, she refused to give a name to the mystery man. The actress-turned-entrepreneur was reported to have said, "Tired of personal life being played out in the tabloids."

Zinta had been in an elaborate relationship with Ness Wadia for a steady five years. Ness being a businessman, came up in a partnership with Zinta.

The two became co-owners of Kings XI Punjab team. The inseparable couple was reportedly seen avoiding each other. In 2009, the IPL matches saw Preity and Ness reportedly cheering from two different sides of the stadium. Later the duo tried to maintain a ‘friendly’ relationship.

The actress has also been infamously linked to Yuvraj Singh. It all began when Preity became the coowner of Kings XI Punjab. The first season saw the cricketer as the cap-

S

uperstar Shah Rukh Khan has graced the cover of a special edition of Forbes Middle East, and he was in Dubai to launch it.

The magazine has rated him the first in its 'Top Indian Leaders in Arab World' list, said a statement.

"Forbes Middle-East made me feel special with their special edition cover story on my work in entertainment.

Off to Dubai for the launch. Thank you all," the co-owner of Indian Premier League franchise and Red Chillies Entertainments, posted on Twitter Tuesday.

The event included a glamorous gala dinner and awards ceremony Tuesday in the Godolphin Ballroom, Jumeirah Emirates Towers. (TOI)

tain. At that time things were reportedly on the rocks between Preity and Ness. Reportedly that is when Preity and Yuvraj came together. The actress has been caught several times hugging Yuvraj. (TOI)

W

ith the way things are going, Kajol can replace Yami Gautam as the new face of 'Fair & Lovely'. The dusky beauty, who was recently spotted at an event looking very fair, has reportedly undergone skin melanin surgery to get a fairer complexion.

A Saharasamay report stated that the actress was present at the launch event of ‘Mighty Raju Rio Calling’ trailer. She was looking lovely in a yellow top, which she teamed with a black floral printed skirt. The actress turned several heads as she was looking quiet fair.

Kajol was honoured with the title of 'Mighty Mom' by the filmmakers. (TOI)

Famous Bollywood celebs that battled illnesses and diseases

A

mitabh Bachchan- He's the Shahenshah of Bollywood and an actor par excellence. His larger than life persona and charisma combined with that baritone voice, has wooed fans over decades now. But very few know that the actor suffers from a terrible disease called Myasthenia gravis.

The occurrence of this disease is 3–30 cases per million per year. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigue. Big B has been suffering from it for the past 30 years! The actor has also been suffering from other health issues and underwent two abdominal surgeries. The actor revealed to his fans that he was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, caused by a blood transfusion following a near-fatal accident while shooting for ‘Coolie’ in 1982.

Manisha Koirala- Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012.

The 42-year-old star got treated in New York and ever since her diagnosis, she has been very brave about it. This year on May 2, she celebrated one year of being cancer free with her friends and colleagues.

Her strength and will power have inspired many. In an interview, the actress spoke about her illness, "I didn't care about my health before, but now I take a lot of care of my health. But there is always a fear whether the cancer will come back, so I now know how to deal with it." Manisha received a lot of support from the industry and was posting pictures during her treatment.

Salman Khan-The troubled yet ‘Dabangg’ actor of Bollywood was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and is being treated for it. Also known as prosopalgia, Trigeminal neuralgia is a neuropathic disorder characterised by episodes of intense pain in the face, originating from the trigeminal nerve. It is known to be one of the most painful human conditions. The pain also spreads to the jaw and cheek and this disease is commonly called 'the suicide disease'. The actor has flown to the U.S. a few times to take treatment for this disease and has been suffering from it for seven years. (TOI)

‘I am jealous of Ranbir Kapoor’-Saqib Saleem

A

ctor Saqib Saleem says he is jealous of emerging star Ranbir Kapoor and attributes his meteoric rise in Bollywood to his ability to be both a star and an actor.

Saqib, who has starred in four films since making his Bollywood debut in 2011 with ‘Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge’, feels Ranbir's film resume is to die for as it consists of commercial as well as off-beat movies.

"I am jealous of Ranbir Kapoor and his filmography. On one hand, he does a ‘Barfi!’ and on the other ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’. He is the perfect combination of a star and actor," Saqib said in an interview.

The 25-year-old actor also showered praise on his contemporaries like Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and National award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao. (TOI)

Katrina Kaif’s house-hunt continues

K Sanjay Dutt still misses his mother S

anjay Dutt was said to be very close to his mother Nargis Dutt. It was Nargis' dream to see Sanjay as a successful Bollywood actor, however she could not live till that day. Nargis died due to cancer and it took the actor a lot of time to get out from the shock.

"I miss my mother all the time. As I remember her each time, everything comes to me in flashes," Sanjay Dutt had stated. The actor credits his mother for making him the man that he is.

(TOI)

atrina Kaif, who's staying in Bandra, has been looking for a new home for a while now. The actress, who is said to have checked a couple of places and was also reportedly keen on acquiring a bungalow, is believed to have liked a sea-facing five bedroom apartment along Bandra's Carter Road.

However, she's still far from finalising the

deal.

A source said, "There are certain aspects about the place that Katrina isn't too sure of. Once

those are clear, she will consider going ahead.

Otherwise, search is on for an appropriate place.” (TOI)

Hollywood

49

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Hugh Jackman treated for skin cancer again

G

eorge Clooney wooed Amal Alamuddin by emailing her flirty messages, including a message that said ‘The world's hottest man should meet the hottest human rights lawyer.’

The 'Up In The Air' actor met his lawyer fiancée through a mutual friend at a fundraising event, where she did not exhibit much interest in the actor, the Mirror reported.

A friend of the couple said that initially, Alamuddin was playing very hard to get which intrigued the actor even more and he started pur-

H

ugh Jackman has had another skin cancer removed from his face, posting a post-op photo in an effort urging fans to wear sunscreen.

The 'X-Men' star shared a photo of his bandaged face on Instagram, revealing that he had been treated for baselcell carcinoma, News.com.au reported.

The 45-year-old actor was first treated for the common form of skin cancer in November, after his wife DeborraLee Furness encouraged him to get a "mark" checked. (TOI)

suing her through emails, and that finally when they started talking, there was no going back for them. Now,

the 53-year-old actor is looking for house in Richmond, South West London, to stay close to his fiancée. (TOI)

Leonardo DiCaprio loves art

L

eonardo DiCaprio seems to be a fan of art. The actor, who recently checked out surfer paintings

by Raymond Pettibon, visited Randalls Island for a VIP preview of the Frieze Art Fair.

DiCaprio was seen perusing booths with director Spike Jonze, while sporting his signature newsboy cap, reported showbizspy.com.

Celebrities Michael Stipe, Michael Bloomberg, Uma Thurman, Kim Gordon and Beastie Boy were also spotted at the art fair.

Designers Marc Jacobs and Raf Simons were seen lunching at a temporary outpost of Bushwick's Roberta's.

(TOI)

A

ctress Sharon Stone, who plays a sensual role in her upcoming film ‘Fading Gigolo’, says not just Hollywood, everybody is obsessed

Holly Madison- Reality TV star and model Holly Madison got her breasts insured for $1 million with Lloyd's of London in 2011. Speaking to People magazine, she said that she took out the policy to protect herself in her Las Vegas production, ‘Peepshow’. She said that she had heard about others getting their body parts insured, so she thought of getting insurance for her assets too.

with sex.

The actress was recently questioned about Hollywood's obsession with sex and she said there's no point in people trying to pretend they don't like intimacy, said a statement.

"I don't think that Hollywood is obsessed with sex. I think that it's ridiculous to pretend that everyone isn't obsessed with sex. Isn't it every 20 seconds that we think about sex?" Stone asked.

"If we didn't have sex, there wouldn't be a future. I think there is a reason that we are obsessed with sex, it's creativity. It's the way that god made it," she added. (TOI)

Bruce Willis wants to be a stay-at-home dad

B

ruce Willis has confessed he would like to be a stay-at-home dad.

The 59-year-old actor's wife Emma Heming gave birth to their second daughter Evelyn, a sister for two-yearold Mabel, last week and the former model is delighted her spouse is such a hands-on parent.

Speaking before she gave birth to Evelyn, Emma told Britain's HELLO! MAGAZINE: ''Luckily, Bruce decided to take some time off to help with Mabel during my pregnancy. He's a very hands-on-dad and secretly I think he'd like to be a stay-at-home dad.”

She added, “I'm so grateful to have such a dedicated dad for our child…

He's a family man. He loves being a dad.''

Emma and Bruce both feel ''grate-

M

adonna- The pop diva got her breasts insured for $2 million. Her decision to get her breasts insured, considering that she has not got any silicon implants, shocked her fans across the globe.

There were rumours that Madonna first wanted to ensure her assets for $12 million, but was only given $2 million.

Tina Turner-The 75-year-old singer-cum-actress, who is also the oldest person to be on the front cover of Vogue Magazine, made headlines when she got her sexy legs insured for $3.2 million. If that was not enough, Tina got her breasts insured for $790,000. Though this price is a quarter of the cost of her leg insurance, the lovely singer felt the need to get her breasts insured just like her long legs. In fact, Tina has been termed as the most successful female rock artist, winning eight Grammys and selling more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history. (TOI) Dolly PartonSinger-cumactress Dolly Rebecca Parton was known for her 42-inch bustline. And it seems the singer knew its worth and hence shocked her fans when she insured her assets for $600,000.

Ashton Kutcher takes Russian lessons

A ful'' he is able to spend so much time with their children as he was working so hard when his other offsprings-grown-up children Rumer, Scout and Tallulah, his kids from his marriage to ex-wife Demi Moore---were young.

(TOI)

ctor Ashton Kutcher is learning Russian as he wants his first child with actress Mila Kunis to be bilingual.

After months of hiding her pregnancy, the ‘Black Swan’ actress opened up about her unborn child in an interview on a U.S. talk show, revealing she and fiancé Kutcher have already planned the birthing process and picked a name for their child.

She also confessed the couple wants the child to speak both Russian and English, in honour of Kunis' mother tongue, reports contactmusic.com. (TOI)

50

Sport

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Berbice snatch four-run win in low-scoring thriller

By Rajiv Bisnauth

P

ulling off a sensational lastgasp win from the clutches of defeat, a spirited Berbice snatched a four-run win over Demerara in the opening round in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-county one-day tournament on Tuesday.

After a forgettable batting display by their batsmen, the Berbicians pulled off a coup as they successfully defended a small target of 143.

Arif Chan was the hero for Berbice as the off-spinner struck four crucial blows in the hosts’ chase.

Chan, who later earned the man of the match award had Daniel Basdeo bowled off an inside edge as the last man dismissed to secure an incredible come-from-behind win for the visitors.

The mainstays of Demerara’s innings were Ramnarine Chatura, who made 42 from 88 balls and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 40 from 118 balls.

The pair showed resolute spirit and added 62 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure the impact of the early loss was minimized before being separated. Demerara were

Berbice players celebrate the last wicket of Daniel Basdeo

just 17 runs away from the win when both were removed.

The right-hander, Chatura, struck four fours and a six, while Chanderpaul, who was dropped on 28 hit four boundaries.

However, that proved to be the only partnership of note in Demerara’s innings, as the other batsmen paid the price for being impatient.

The hard-hitting Brian Sattuar made a 23-ball 24 with four sixes before he was dismissed.

After that Ronaldo Renee (0), Rudolph Singh (4) and Sherfane Rutherford (5) were removed in the space of 20 balls.

From a position of 121-5, Demerara were eventually bowled out

for 138 in 46 overs, losing Chatura, Malcolm Hubbard (0), Kemol Savory (9), Steven Sankar (0) and Baldeo in the process.

Sharaz Ramcharran (2-22), Balchand Baldeo (2-24) David Latchaya (1-9) and Parmanand Ramdhan (1-22) were the other successful bowlers for Berbice.

While the Demerara batsmen couldn’t get the measure of the Wales wicket, which offered some assistance for both the pacers and spinners throughout the match, the Berbicians suffered the same faith during their turn at the wicket.

The Demerara bowlers bowled a disciplined line and length and choked the Berbice bats-

men with left-arm seamer Daniel Basdeo finishing with 3-34, while fellow pacer Sherfane Rutherford 2-22, spinners Steven Sankar 2-19

Singh went for six in the first over, caught at the wicket off Kevin Paul.

They recovered somewhat from the early loss and fellow opener

Hetmyer caught at the wicket for 19.

Soon after Sherfane Rutherford accounted for Baldeo (26) and Sharaz Ramcharran (9).

Spinners Malcolm Hubbard and Steven Sankar then tightened the noose by removing Hakeem Hinds (4), Ashkay Homraj (0) and Arif Chan (1), to leave the Berbicians reeling at 87-7.

P a r m a n a n d Ramdhan, who top scored with 33 (3x4s, 2x6s), showed some resistance at the bottom, sharing 27 runs with David Latchaya (20) before adding 10 and 20 runs respectively with Niall Smith (3) and

Arif Chan collects the man of the match trophy from match referee Grantley Culbard (Photos: Rajiv Bisnauth)

and Malcolm Hubbard 2-32 to rock the Berbice batting line-up. Kevin Paul also chipped in with a wicket, while conceding 29 runs.

Berbice lost the toss and were put in to bat, but had lost wickets regularly during their innings, which never really gathered much momentum.

Berbice suffered an early setback as Martin

Balchan Baldeo joined hands with Shimron Hetmyer to put on a solid 45-run partnership for the second wicket, the only meaningful partnership in the innings.

Having taken a couple of overs to settle down, the duo played with a lot of responsibility for 52 balls before Daniel Basdeo produced the desired breakthrough when he had

Grisean Grant (2 not out), when the visitors’ innings folded in 39.1 overs.

Meanwhile, the President’s XI defeated Essequibo by 45 runs under the DuckworthLewis method. Set a revised target of 224 to win after the President’s XI had made 214 all out off 38 overs, Essequibo were bowled out for 179 in 35.3 overs.

‘I had no choice but to quit,’ says Sammy

D

arren Sammy says his decision to quit Test cricket came after he realised he was no longer part of the future plans of the West Indies team, in the game’s longer version.

The Windward Islands all-rounder, who was axed as captain last Friday after nearly four years in charge, said he “had no choice” but to retire after speaking to West Indies selectors and hearing the opinions of the team and its management.

“It was something I thought about after I discussed with the selectors. After listening to the management and teams’ views about the way they needed to move to the next level in Test cricket, I understood that my role wasn’t needed as captain or player. This was the way forward,” Sammy said in Delhi, India.

“Now West Indies cricket is at a new dispensation. It has a new force and direction and I am no longer required to play a role in Tests. I had no choice but to retire from Test cricket.”

Sammy sent shockwaves throughout the Caribbean when he announced

Darren Sammy

his retirement from Tests late last Friday. The decision came just hours after the West Indies Cricket Board axed him as captain in favour of wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

He remains Twenty20 captain and available for selection to the one-day team.

The 30-year-old, who is currently involved in his second season in the Indian Premier League where he turns out for Sunrisers Hyderabad, dismissed suggestions his involvement in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament had influenced his retirement. (TOI)

SPort

51

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese riflemen capture 64 individual awards at WIFSC

G

uyana’s rifle shooters bagged 64 of the individual prizes up for grabs at the just concluded West Indies Fullbore Shooting championships (WIFSC) at the Twickenham Park ranges in Jamaica.

Guyana’s leading marksman, Lennox Braithwaite, led the podium appearance after he retained the regional individual title for a third consecutive year, following his successes in Guyana in 2012 and Barbados last year.

Braithwaite also secured the overall aggregate on days one and two, as well as the overall short- range aggregate in the ‘X’ Class.

He also won the prestigious Wogart Trophy being the leading scorer in the Short Range Team match in piloting Guyana to victory.

US-based Guyanese, Sigmund Douglas, was second overall in ‘O’ Class with a grand aggregate of 358 and 17 V-bulls, edging out compatriot Leo Romalho, who had 358 and 15 V-bulls. The winner

The local riflemen pose with their plaques, medals and trophies at the awards ceremony on Saturday evening in Jamaica

was Karen Anderson of Jamaica with an overall score of (361.13).

Debutant Sherwin Felicien (342.13) was second in the Tyro (Beginners Class), finishing behind Jamaican Dwayne Forde (351.18).

Ransford Goodluck was the top shooter overall at the 1000-yard range, Terrance Stuart won the ‘O’ Class event number two at the 600yard range, John Fraser

won the ‘O’ Class at 900 yards- (event number three), while Felicien won the Tyro at that range.

Goodluck also had the Highest Possible Score (HPS) in the Milex Cup, the long range team match over 900 and 1000 yards. Ryan Sampson won (event number six) ‘O’ Class over 500 yards, while Mahendra Persaud and Dylan Fields secured

two second places and Peter Persaud one.

Canadian Serge Bissonnette won the Individual Grand Aggregate with 384. 23, edging out Braithwaite 383.24, but Braithwaite was crowned the regional champion.

The other shooters in the top eight of the overall Grand Aggregate were Norris Gomez of Trinidad and Tobago with 381.28; David

Rickman of Jamaica, 377.21; Alpar Katona of Canada, 376.18; Wayne McNair of Jamaica, 375.17; Ransford Goodluck 374.28; and Michael Perez of Trinidad and Tobago 371.20.

Meanwhile, seven Guyanese were named in a 16-member West Indies team to prepare for international competition. They are Braithwaite, Mahendra

Persaud, Ransford Goodluck, Douglas, Dylan Fields, Sigmund Douglas and ACP retired Paul Slowe as manager. The captain is Major retired John Nelson of Jamaica.

Meanwhile, the Guyana team returned home Sunday evening and during their journey to the CJIA, Timehri, they were accommodated in first class as guests of Fly Jamaica.

Chattergoon, Permaul spur Albion into final

C

enturies from Guyana’s opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon and former Berbice Under-19 all-rounder Veerapen Permaul, spearheaded Albion Community Centre to a huge victory over Port Mourant in their semi-final of the 2013 Ramcharitar Construction Service first-division 50-over knockout competition in Berbice.

In the match played at Port Mourant, Albion Community Centre won the toss, batted first and benefitted from a 79run opening stand between Chattergoon and Guyana Under-15 batsman Adrian Sukhwa, who made 23. Permaul, the younger brother of Test spinner Veerasammy Permaul, came in and together he and Chattergoon put on another 137 for the second wicket before Chattergoon was dismissed for 103, which included 14 fours.

Permaul continued, losing Guyana’s wicketkeeper/batsman Anthony Bramble for five at 245-3, but he found a good partner in leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and together they featured in an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 71 to see Albion to 316-3 in their 50

overs, at which point Sukhdeo was bowled for 51 (6x4s). One run later, Mohabir was run out for 34 and Warriors were suddenly 89-2.

They got no respite as medium-pacer Kurt Griffith ripped through the middle-order, pick-

Sewnarine Chattergoon

Veerapen Permaul

overs. Permaul ended on 101 not out (10x4s) and Bishoo 38 not out.

When Port Mourant replied, they were faced with an all-spin attack and could manage only 204 in 43.5 overs, despite an enterprising 62 (3x4s, 3x6s) from Tony McKenzie and 42 from Nicholas Cameron.

Bowling for Albion, West Indies Under-19 left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took 4-44 from 10 overs.

Permaul, coming back with his off-spin, took 2-20 from five overs, and another off-spinner, Asif Ali, 2-34 from 6.5 overs. Albion won by 112 runs.

Meanwhile, Police also advanced to the final after defeating Young Warriors at the latter’s home ground in Cumberland.

In the match, which was reduced to 35 overs

a side because of a late start due to preparation moisture, Police asked to take first strike reached a more than healthy 241-9 in 35 overs.

The innings was built on a quickfire 56 from just 22 balls from all-rounder Michael Newland. Chipping in were Kwesi Mickle with 30, Phelbert Willburgh 26 and Rocky Hutson 20.

Bowling for Young Warriors, former Berbice Under-19 offspinning all-rounder Kevin Ramdeen took 3-50 from seven overs and former Berbice Under-19 pacer Suresh Dhanai 2-48 from five overs.

When Young Warriors replied, their openers Sasenarine Sukhdeo and Vishal Mohabir put on 88 for the first wicket in 16.2

ing up four consecutive wickets to see them fall to 119-6. Videsh Singh, who made a half-century in the previous round, and Rudolph Baker tried to repair the damage, but after they had put on 36 they both fell in quick succession-

Singh for 56 (6x4s) and Baker for 10.

Young Warriors eventually fell for 174 in 31.3 overs to lose by 69 runs. Bowling for Police, Griffith took 4-37 from seven overs and offspinner Albert Sinclair 3-25 from 6.3 overs.

52

Sport

WEEK ENDING May 18, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guinness Street Football

East Coast leg kicks off Saturday

Flashback! The victorious Plaisance players pose with their trophy, cheque and officials of Banks DIH Limited and the Petra Organisation (Avenash Ramzan file photo)

D

efending champions Plaisance will put their title on the line from Saturday when the East Coast leg of the Guinness Greatest in the Streets football competition kicks off at the Haslington Market Square tarmac, East Coast Demerara.

Sixteen teams are down to compete for top honours with the winner advancing to the national playoff to compete against the other nationwide zone champions, to decide who will represent Guyana at the Guinness Caribbean Street Challenge later this year in Trinidad.

All the teams will be in action on Saturday afternoon with the first whistle set to be blown at 18:00h.

The boys from Plaisance will start things off when they take on Nabaclis in the opening game, followed

by Buxton ‘B’ against

Beterverwagting ‘B’ from 18:30h. At 19:00h, Buxton ‘A’ will trade skills with Melanie ‘B’, with Melanie ‘A’ set to face Mahaica at 19:30h, after which there will be a break.

The action will resume at 20:00h with Vryheid’s Lust tackling Victoria Church Yard United, followed by Paradise against Ann’s Grove Punters half an hour later.

Match seven of the night will involve Ann’s Grove Young Warriors and Beterverwagting ‘A’ from 21:00h , while the final game will bring together Golden Grove Superstars and Victoria Eagles at 21:30h.

The winners from the opening night will progress to the quarterfinals on May 21. The semi-finals are also slated for the same night, while the final and thirdplace playoff will take place on May 24. All the

games will be staged at the Haslington Market Square tarmac.

Troy Mendonca, one of the co-directors of the Petra Organisation which is partnering with Banks DIH Limited to stage the local tournament, said three keenly contested nights of street football are envisaged.

Mendonca said the organisers are expecting the same level of support from the East Coast fans, who came out in their numbers last year to cheer on their favourite street team.

At the 2013 final, Plaisance edged Victoria Church Yard United 2-1, with skipper Warren Gilkes blasting in both goals to finish the tournament with six. Kearon Simon had scored for Victoria Church Yard United.

Plaisance had received Gy$400,000 for their efforts.

Players could face sanctions for participating in Independence Day Cup

By Rajiv Bisnauth

P

layers who take part in the unofficial Independence Cup T20 competition may face possible sanctions, after the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) confirmed its decision not to give its approval to the event.

The local governing body deemed the tournament “unauthorised and unapproved”, and is also claiming that the tournament does not fall on the list of “approved cricket for Guyana” as endorsed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

As a consequence, players are likely to face hefty sanctions including bans, according to a spokesman from the GCB on Sunday.

Apart from the players, clubs, associations, venues and officials can also face penalties, the spokesman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said.

The competition, which is a collaborative effort of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association, is slated to be held on May 25 at the Albion Community Centre ground, with proceeds from the event going towards charitable organisations, such as cricket clubs, orphanages, schools and healthrelated activities, among others.

However, on Wednesday last the GCB, in a release signed by president Drubahadur, is contending that authority for approving cricket,

Christopher Barnwell

Veerasammy Permaul

not on the pre-approved list, is the West Indies Cricket Board, who may delegate such authority to the Guyana Cricket Board.

The release further stated that the Berbice Cricket Board is not authorised to approve cricket not listed on the WICB list of approved cricket.

The Organising Committee for the Independence Cup T20 competition has however assured the general public that they will go ahead with plans to host the tournament.

The Organising Committee considers the GCB’s action as bullyism, adding that it’s “another vindictive and callous” move by the local governing body.

“We consider this another vindictive and callous act from the GCB. This is nothing but sheer bullyism, especially since the tournament was hosted two years before and they had no issue with the GCB nor the WICB,” the member said.

action by the GCB sets a dangerous precedent for the game.

“Players looked forward to be part of exhilarating one-day event and now for the GCB decided[sic] to deprive them of a once- in- a- lifetime opportunity is not good for the game,” the cricketer said.

The competition includes the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) who are scheduled to face the East Coast Jaguars after Berbice ‘A’ would have battled Berbice ‘B’, with the two winners facing off in the final under lights.

Players such as Veerasammy Permaul, Royston Crandon, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Rajiv Ivan, Shimron Hetmyer, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Jonathan Foo, Kevin Ramdeen, Keon Joseph and Raun Johnson will be in the Berbice teams, while Demerara’s teams will have the likes of Christopher Barnwell, Trevon Griffith, Zaheer Mohamed, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, among others.

Dangerous precedent

Meanwhile, a former Test cricketer who spoke on anonymity said the

Atwell has what it takes to become a world champion, says Blake

L

ocal boxing coach Sebert Blake is adamant that once world title contender Clive “The Punisher” Atwell does his research, he could wrest the World Boxing Council’s Featherweight title from Mexican Jhonny Gonzalez on May 24.

The two are set to square off in Mexico in what Atwell has described as the “biggest fight of my life.”

Based on their records, the 32-year-old Gonzalez is the overwhelming favourite with 63 fights, 55 of which have resulted in victories with 47 knockouts and eight defeats. The 25-year-old Atwell, on the other hand, is at the starting block of what is shaping up to be a fantastic career.

After 13 fights, he is yet to taste defeat, blaz-

ing to 12 victories and a draw, all of which have taken place in Guyana on the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s Friday Night Fight card.

Blake, in an invited comment on Wednesday, pointed out that while he is a bit skeptical about the timing of Atwell facing such an opponent, he is positive the Guyanese will give a good account of himself.

“Atwell is a good fighter and I’m sure the people around him will try as much as possible to come up with a proper plan to get past Gonzalez. I think once he sticks to that plan, and most importantly, does his research on his opponent, I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t do well,” Blake opined.

Blake, who was the coach in Atwell’s corner at the Caribbean

Sebert Blake

Championship in Trinidad in 2004 and the World Championship in Chicago in 2007, admitted that he would have preferred the Guyanese to have a few more bouts under his belt before he took such an important fight.

He argued however, that the opportunity is a great one for Atwell to capture glory, not only for himself, but an entire country.

“He’s a determined

guy; the kind of guy who would give 110 percent, so I have no doubt he will give of his best,” Blake asserted.

Vote of confidence

Days after the fight was announced, veteran trainer Maurice “Bizzy” Boyce, with over 40 years experience in the business, said he believes the young Atwell has the ability to overcome Gonzalez.

“Atwell has the charisma and determination

and he also has a good team. Atwell has what it takes to be world champion,” Boyce said during an invited comment last month.

Boyce was firm in his view that records will be inconsequential on fight night, as the winner will have to be the one exhibiting superior skills and thinking.

In backing his point, Boyce recalled that in 2002 former WBC Cruiserweight title holder, Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaite, defied the superior record of Italy’s Vincenzo Cantatore, knocking him out in round 10.

Prior to that contest, Braithwaite was unbeaten after 17 fights with 12 knockouts, while Cantatore was resting on 27 wins and two losses.

Atwell unfazed

Atwell himself is un-

fazed by the huge task ahead.

He said during a recent interview, “If I can condition the mind and the body, I don’t see myself getting into any problems. I just need to do the basics. Boxing is basics, and using the mind to do the basics effectively.”

The classy fighter, who has been a revelation since turning pro in January 2010 after losing just four of his 76 fights as an amateur, said he is not at all intimidated by Gonzalez’s outstanding record.

“I’m not intimidated because it’s boxing; I come to win, you come to win! We both have two hands; we both have to fight according to the rules and regulations, so there is nothing intimidating about my opponent,” Atwell boasted.

Sport

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Limacol CPL partners with WICB to fund regional First Class contracts – will contribute US$360,000 annually towards professionalisation of regional cricket

T

he West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced on Tuesday that a critical funding component for the professionalisation of First Class cricket will be provided by the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which will contribute US$360,000 towards annual retainer contracts for First Class players.

Following the last board meeting in March, the WICB announced the approval of a 19-point plan for the complete professionalisation of First Class cricket in the Caribbean, starting with the next season of regional cricket.

As part of the plan, 15 players in each of the six territories will be contracted on a full-time, year-round basis. This will allow 90 First Class players to be annually contracted, joining those contracted under the WICB’s Annual Retainer Contracts.

“The professionalisation of First Class cricket in the Caribbean is long overdue and finally we have taken a firm decision to realise this.

It will be a most costly venture but one which is absolutely necessary for West Indies cricket to move forward. We are exceedingly grateful to the Limacol CPL for this

significant commitment towards the funding of these annual First Class contracts,” WICB CEO Michael Murihead said.

Limacol CPL CEO, Damien O’Donohoe, praised the development.

“A fundamental part of Limacol CPL is securing the future of cricket in the Caribbean by cre-

ating a platform for the next generation of stars to showcase their talent to a global audience.

Our partners at WICB are working towards getting West Indies cricket back to the top across all forms of the game and we at Limacol CPL will endeavour to play our part in that mission.

The WICB approached us with this new vision, and following discussions

with President (Dave) Cameron and Director of Cricket, Richard Pybus, we didn’t hesitate to embrace it,” he said.

West Indies Players Association (WIPA) President and CEO Wavell Hinds, was also positive about the development.

“WIPA welcomes the contribution of the Limacol CPL to this programme, and we have

also played a pivotal role in the process of bringing the professionalisation of the first class game in the region closer to reality. Our members voted unanimously at our last AGM to support the initiative, and agreed to take the steps asked of them to make it happen.

We see it as a great opportunity for a broader base of our membership to earn a living from the game,” said Hinds.

Under the new Professional First Class structure, the contracts will see players being part of a First Class Franchise system, the details of which will be made public shortly. (WICB Media)

Grenada’s Kirani James holds off Mathieu to win ‘fun’ 200m

G

renadian star Kirani James won the 200 metres in a photo finish at the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo Sunday, and said he will now turn his attention to his opening Diamond League 400 metres contest in Eugene in two weeks time.

The reigning Olympic

400 metres champion, who said before the race that he was out to have fun in the halflap, clocked 20.63 to finish in a dead heat with Bahamian Michael Mathieu.

James looked the winner when he led off the curve but was caught on the line by the fastfinishing Mathieu. While

the results screen initially showed both runners as clocking 20.63, the results were later revised to show Mathieu finishing second in 20.64.

“First or second doesn’t really matter. As long as I come out here and I finish the race healthy, then I’m happy with that,” said James.

“It’s a fun run, it’s not to

try to run a world lead or rank or anything like that.” James intends to take his next outing more seriously, however.

He faces nemesis and world champion American LaShawn Merritt at the Prefontaine Classic, on May 31.

“I’m going to go back home and rest up a

bit after this race and train,” he said.

In the women’s 200m, reigning women’s world junior sprint queen Bahamian Anthonique Strachan clocked 22.82 seconds to give the Caribbean another victory at the meet.

The 20-year-old, who won gold in the 100 and 200 metres in Barcelona

two years ago, finished ahead of Amantle Montsho in 23.25 seconds, while American Deedee Trotter was third in 23.29 seconds.

American Justin Gatlin, meanwhile, won the 100 metres in 10.02 seconds--the fastest ever 100m time recorded running into a wind stronger than -2.0m/s. (CMC)

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