Guyana Times International

CPL 2015

“I am ready for the challenge�

INTERNATIONAL THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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...Christopher Barnwell

Page 45

You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 244

week ending may 24, 2015

PPP ups pressure on GECOM - begins countrywide protests for total recount

See stories inside

Recount our votes! Former president Donald Ramotar and other PPP/C members and supporters protesting in front of GECOM's head office on Thursday.

President Granger unveils Cabinet ...Nagamootoo sworn in as PM Page 2

4th of July Fireworks in New York City set for East River again Page 43

2 NEWS

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

President Granger unveils Cabinet … Nagamootoo sworn in as PM, several Ministries merged, renamed

By Alexis Rodney

V

eteran politician Moses Nagamootoo was on Wednesday sworn in as Prime Minister and First Vice President of the David Granger-led Administration.

His swearing in preceded the official appointment of some 15 other Cabinet Ministers as part of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition Government. Nagamootoo is now tasked with the chairmanship of the Cabinet. In his capacity, he will hold a liaison and supervisory role of the entire Cabinet to work around the legislative agenda.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo after his swearing in related that in his capacity, he would be moving headon into the clean-up of the city.

“Let’s see how we could send a message to the Guyanese people that elections are behind us, and we have to now work together,” he said.

PM Nagamootoo pointed out that being Leader of the House in the National Assembly would keep him busy, “but I will pay special attention within my ministerial outfit, to Information and Constitutional reform, those are two big areas because we had promised the Guyanese people that we will have constitutional reform, so I will pay special attention to that area.”

Cabinet Members soon after the swearing in ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency

Nagamootoo was born in the village of Whim, Corentyne Berbice (East BerbiceCorentyne). He worked as a Teacher and Journalist, and later became a lawyer. He was elected to Parliament in 1992 as a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) MP and subsequently served as Information Minister and Local Government Minister.

He remained in Cabinet under the presidencies of Cheddi Jagan, Samuel Hinds, Janet Jagan and Bharrat Jagdeo. He resigned as Minister in 2000 but remained an MP until 2011, when he resigned from the PPP, having first joined in 1964.

Other Ministers

Meanwhile, also taking the oath of office before the Head of State were Basil Williams as Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General; Amna Ally as Social Cohesion Minister and Carl Greenidge as Foreign Affairs Minister. Ronald Bulkan has been appointed Minister of Communities, which is an amalgamation of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development as well as Housing and Water Ministry.

Besides, AFC’s Cathy Hughes was appointed Tourism Minister. Former Budget Director in the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, Winston Jordan has been appointed Finance

Minister, while Drs George Norton and Karen Cummings have been appointed Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Public Health respectively.

Following them were Volda Lawrence and Simona Broomes who were appointed Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, which will replace the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.

Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Nicolette Henry have been sworn in as Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Education respectively.

Guyana Times International was told that both sport and culture will fall under the

Education Ministry.

Additionally, AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson and APNU’s Annette Ferguson have been appointed Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure respectively.

The President is soon expected to swear in four other Ministers. These include: Khemraj Ramjattan as Minister of National Security, which has replaced the Ministry of Home Affairs; Noel Holder as Agriculture Minister; Sydney Allicock, Minister of Indigenous Peoples and Dominic Gaskin, Minister of Investment and Business.

Reduce and rename

Meanwhile, in addition to reducing the number of Ministries, President Granger has renamed and merged several others. The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has been renamed the Indigenous Peoples Affairs Ministry while the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has been renamed the Ministry of Communities. This Ministry will envelop Housing, Water and Local Government, while the Ministry of Business is expected to be responsible for internal trade, information and communication technology.

A number of Ministers of continued on page 12

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Significant’ oil find in Guyana …US oil giant Exxon Mobil confirms

D

ays after announcing its discovery of hydrocarbons, oil and gas giant ExxonMobil is now reporting the discovery of oil-bearing rock in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.

The United Statesbased oil company said the Liza-1 well has encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oilbearing sandstone reservoirs.

The well is the first on the 6.6-million acre Stabroek Block and has been drilled to 17,825 feet. It was drilled by ExxonMobil local subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. ExxonMobil’s President, Stephen Greenlee said he was encouraged by the results of the first well on the Stabroek Block.

He assured that over the coming months the company will work to determine the commercial viability of the discovered resource as well as evaluate other resource potential on the block.

The well was spud on March 5, 2015. According to him, the well data will be analysed in the com-

The Deepwater Champion exploration ship which is currently digging the well

ing months to better determine the full resource potential.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd has a 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent

interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest.

Former Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud had said that any discovery of oil

would be a significant boost to Guyana’s economy.

The oil company has made headway amid the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, where the latter remains adamant

that the area where the US company is drilling is within its territory.

In early March, the oil and gas company, one of the largest in the world, was warned by the Spanish-speaking country to refrain from going

ahead with its planned exploratory drilling activity, on a concession awarded by Guyana offshore its Essequibo Coast. Guyana, however, requested that Venezuela not interfere in its development activities.

Venezuela has repeatedly laid claim to the area being explored, ignoring an 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, which was declared as the full and final settlement of the boundary between the two South American nations. With Venezuela’s obdurate insistence on its position, Guyana is considering judicial settlement of the boundary.

The multibillion-dollar oil exploration project, which is expected to be executed over 10 years, got underway early last month. Guyana has been receiving sustained international attention from huge companies, especially in the oil sector, after the US Geological Survey said in 2000 that the GuyanaSuriname Basin has the second largest unexplored oil potential in the world after Greenland.

President Granger unveils Cabinet

4 views

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Happy 49th Independence Anniversary Guyana

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EDITORIAL

Unanswered questions

S

hrouded in controversy, the 2015 elections results were announced last Saturday placing the APNU+AFC coalition in the seat of government. The new government is beginning to take shape with the appointment of ministers and other top government officials.

The general situation in Georgetown and its environs seems to be getting back to some sense of normalcy. Georgetown literally ground to a halt during the week of elections. School children, especially those sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Exams, were affected.

Businesses also took a beating as there was a feeling that there would have been a breakout of violence in the commercial areas of the City and other areas. Except the unrest in Sophia, there was general peace and quietude around the country.

Guyanese want to move on with their lives without being fearful that they would be attacked. However, while the country may be gradually returning to normalcy, this does not mean that the many critical issues which were brought to the fore by the political parties, and which no doubt had an impact on the outcome of the elections should be ignored.

The task of running the State must go on but there are numerous questions which GECOM still has to answer to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, especially the ordinary citizens who had a passion to vote for a government of their choice.

It is now public knowledge that the leaders and supporters of the PPP/C feel that they were cheated out of office. Whether this is true or not, GECOM has an obligation to ensure that all such concerns are addressed fully. One cannot dismiss these allegations easily as such approach would have a negative impact in relation to the level of confidence persons place in the elections machinery and governance systems as a whole.

From the evidence gathered so far, it looks as if the PPP/C has a strong case for an elections petition to challenge the results. The party has every right to take the matter to the courts to determine whether these elections truly reflected the will of the people.

An election is about the will of the people. It’s an exercise of their freedom to choose their government and representatives.

To dismiss the importance and significance of these alleged cases of fraud is to disregard the sanctity of the democratic rights of the citizens.

The PPP/C is alleging that after the counting and the transfer of Statements of Poll to the DROs, and then on to GECOM, something happened that might have altered the results in favour of the coalition. One must note also that it was the Chief Elections Officer who told the nation during a live press conference that fake Statements of Poll were detected.

There were a number of questions being raised about the entire elections process. GECOM has merely provided vague statements in response to the concerns of PPP/C and other key stakeholders. No one really told the nation how many of these fake SOPs were found, for which box and which division and whether the votes for political parties corresponded with the authentic SOPs. The discovery of even one fake Statement of Poll should have triggered a forensic audit immediately that involved all parties, including the Observers. There should have been an inquiry immediately to find out how and by whom these fraudulent SOPs were introduced within the architecture of GECOM. Given the issues raised in relation to the elections results, many persons are still of the view that GECOM should not have allowed a declaration of the results to go ahead without comprehensively discounting that these fake SOPs had no influence on the outcome.

In addition to the PPP/C moving to the courts to determine if the elections were a reflection of the will of the people, the party must also register its strong objection to the performance of the international community and the Observers Groups tasked with overseeing the process.

From what we gather they were more concerned about GECOM releasing the results early as against ensuring the integrity of the elections and securing the democratic rights of citizens. That said, we believe that GECOM is faced with a huge challenge of regaining public confidence in the work it does.

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, Guyana will be celebrating its 49th Independence Anniversary. The newly-elected Government has planned a series of events to observe the occasion, including honouring our leaders who fought for Independence.

New study outlines recommendations for improving regional airline industry

B

ASSETERRE, St Kitts – A study on air transportation in the Caribbean is recommending a major re-think of the regional airline industry and the establishment of a CARICOM Airlines Association to identify opportunities to reduce costs, create greater synergies and earn more revenue.

The study, commissioned by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), is also proposing the creation of an Air Transport Reform Authority to address longerterm strategic issues at the regional level.

“As a broad framework of analysis I think the authors of the report have done a fairly good job,” said St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

He told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that there was need for more clarification on the proposed Air Transport Reform Authority because “it falls neither within the regulatory category where you have CASUS that is doing a coordinating work among all regulatory bodies and then the issue in relation to laying out authoritative guidelines for airlines where those airlines have their own shareholders, you can’t do it in that authoritative manner.

“That’s why I am suggesting that body will have to be more an advisory one, but you already have the CARICOM Transportation Commission so that this work can feed into that for us to get certain kinds of policy results, including finalising a multi-lateral air services agreement for this new period over the one which has been signed in the late 1990’s,” said Gonsalves, who has responsibility for Aviation in the quasi-Cabinet of CARICOM leaders.

The study, entitled “Making Air Transport Work Better for the Caribbean” was presented during the 45th CDB Board of

Governors meeting that ends here on Thursday.

Among the main recommendations is for greater cooperation among regional governments and carriers and with other foreign airlines and a harmonising of administrative and regulatory policy and operations.

The study looked at the history and present make-up of the regional air transportation industry and, in particular, the performance of the state-owned airlines including the Trinidad-owned Caribbean Airlines; Air Jamaica; the Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT; Suriname Airways; Bahamasair; and Cayman Airways.

The study covers all 15-member of the regional integration grouping as well as Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands and was carried out between the last quarter of 2014 and March this year.

It was undertaken against the background of airlines continuing to suffer losses and shareholder governments, already under tight budgetary constraints, having to provide subsidies.

It found that regional airlines were consistently recording losses with the aggregate of accumulated deficits for Caribbean Airlines (CAL), LIAT and Bahamas Air (BA) estimated at one billion US dollars.

Specifically, the study recommended a double-pronged approach if a turnaround is to be achieved. The first is for the airlines to set up a ‘quick wins” CARICOM-centric Airlines Association to share best practice and identify cost reduction and revenue enhancement opportunities that could be pursued jointly. The second is the establishment of a highlevel Air Transport Reform Authority to address the longer-term structural, institutional and industrial barriers.

The Authority would consist of proven aviation professionals, accountable to the region’s taxpayers.

The aim of the new aviation policy would be to craft a safe, efficient and reliable regional air transport sector, which operates at a reasonable cost level, is compliant with international safety norms and standards, and follows global industry best practices as much as possible.

The Authority would also review the aviation network and connectivity needs of the region as a whole, with a view to integrating network schedules using all the available assets - including the smaller aircraft of the third tier carriers.

The study cited a number of reasons for continuing losses within the regional airline industry including market share; operational costs; fuel costs; inadequate Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems as well as industrial relations issues.

It also noted competition from foreign airlines which serve the region; high taxes and charges compared to basic fares.

Regarding the use of hubs, the study recommended the greater use of 'hubbing' to lower unit costs and increase connectivity, indicating that there was no shortage of airports in terms of numbers, but there were clear limitations in relation to the ability of airports across the region to handle larger aircraft and/or to handle more frequent take-offs and landings.

The creation of hub or minihub operations has been limited due either to a lack of connecting potential or, in cases where there has been connecting potential, incumbent airlines have not shown the inclination to create consistent inter-lining activity to increase the number of transit passengers, the study noted. (CMC)

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

East Coast teen Exxon Mobil oil find: Granger says setup of Sovereign Wealth Fund now crucial who attempted suicide recovering

By Alexis Rodney

R

elatives and friends of an eighteen-yearold lad who had ingested a dangerous substance on May 11 last had prayed in earnest for his miraculous recovery; and, to God be the glory, their prayers have been answered!

The lad has made a dramatic recovery.

Rameshwar Samaroo of Hope Estate, East Coast Demerara, who had ingested an undetermined quantity of gramoxone while on his father’s farm at Hope Backdam, has recovered favourably and was, on Monday, discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

He is now happily reunited with his parents, Dasraj and Vidya Samaroo, and siblings: Navin, Bissoondai and Basmattie.

Family members, which had spent sleepless nights during Rameshwar’s period of hospitalisation at the GPHC following the ordeal, are overjoyed and are giving thanks to God and the

doctors and staff at the GPHC for making his recovery possible.

They had been in deep anguish as they huddled around his hospital bed and feared the worst, having been told that gramoxone has no antidote.

I n i t i a l l y , Rameshwar was vomiting up a black substance and was weak, listless and unable to speak, eat or drink. He was being fed intra-veinously. But as prayers continued to go up for him, the doctors acted through ‘divine inspiration’ and worked round the clock.

Within a few days, doctors began seeing visible signs of recovery. He was able to sit up in bed and begin communicating with persons around him, and gradually began taking fluids and a bland diet.

By the end of the week, he was doing better, and was discharged, but he would be carefully monitored for the first 21 days of the date of his ingesting the poisonous substance.

W

ith exploration company Exxon Mobil announcing that it has discovered oil during its drilling in the Stabroek Offshore Guyana, President David Granger said it becomes even more important for his administration to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) A SWF is defined as pools of money derived from a country’s reserves, which are set aside for investment purposes that will benefit the country’s economy and citizens. The funding for a Sovereign Wealth Fund comes from Central Bank reserves that accumulate as a result of budget and trade surpluses, and even from revenue generated from the exports of natural resources. The types of acceptable investments included in each SWF vary from country to country; countries with liquidity concerns limit investments to only very liquid public debt instruments. Some countries have created SWFs in diversifying their revenue streams. For example, the United Arab Emirates relies on oil exports for its wealth.

Therefore, it devotes a portion of its reserves to an SWF that invests in other types of assets that can act as a shield against oil-related risk.

Reacting to the United States (US) oil firm’s announcement, President Granger said he was elated and vowed that the disposal of any natural resource will go towards benefitting the people of Guyana. He reminded that before assuming the office, he had

President David Granger

announced the creation of a SWF which would see that surpluses from exportation of all minerals be paid into that fund so that “children will not have to live in poverty; that no matter what happens to the resources of the country, there will always be wealth to look after their education”.

Exxon Mobil announced on Wednesday that the Liza-1 well has encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs. The well, which began its exploratory activity in early March this year, is first on 6.6 million acre Stabroek Block, and drilled to 17,825 feet by Exxon Mobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. Exxon Mobil’s President Stephen Greenlee said he is encouraged by the results of the first well on the Stabroek Block.

He assured that over the coming

months the company will work to determine the commercial viability of the discovered resource as well as evaluate other resource potential on the block. According to him, the well data will be analysed in the coming months to better determine the full resource potential.

The project is expected to be executed over a 10-year period and has been divided into three sections, including two phases in each section which lasts for one to two years. The scope of operations include a drillship with approximately 200 crew and contractors; helicopter support with two from Ogle, including a utility and a Search and Rescue at all times; four support vessels and two shore bases, running from Georgetown and Trinidad; and a waste treatment facility at the John Fernandes Site at Houston, Greater Georgetown. The total area allotted to Exxon covers 26,806 square kilometres.

Guyana has been receiving sustained international attention from huge companies, especially in the oil sector. The US Geological Survey said in 2000, that the Guyana-Suriname Basin has the second largest unexplored oil potential in the world after Greenland. Guyana first struck oil in the 1980s in the Takutu Basin, and there is much optimism that oil will be found in commercial quantities. ExxonMobil has joined other investors such as CGX Energy, Repsol, Anadarko Guyana Co, and Nabi Oil and Gas in exploring oil in Guyana’s offshore Atlantic basin.

6

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Several questions which GECOM must answer

Dear Editor, Growing up, it was almost impossible to escape the blathering noises about the ‘rigged elections’ in the 1980s and before. Many times, conveniently, those seemingly redundant avowals began to sink in as pure hogwash.

The reason was simple. I did not exist in that epoch, why be bothered by such confabulations. However, things took a melancholic turn.

History repeated itself.

The famous Karl Marx warnings came alive: “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.”

Never in my wildest imagination had I envisioned that the generation of this era would have to bear witness of the evils of rigging. The dreadful elections of 2015 evoked sentimentalities of a lost system of justice, where philosophies promoting ideas such as free and fairness were sacrificed.

The gains for such heinous acts will not aid the nation’s healing process in the already delicate and feeble Guyana.

Perhaps an investigation into such evils still dawdles in the embryonic stage, but it must be pursued.

Joe Stalin’s words, though penetrating, come to mind: “It doesn’t matter who votes, it matters who counts the votes.” The biggest

antagonist in this façade downheartedly is the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); the entrusted legitimate referee of this nation’s democracy.

GECOM refusal to follow to the explicit rulings of People’s Representation Act on recounting procedures sets a dangerous precedence. Such actions bring deep resentment which will lead to further polarization of the people of Guyana.

The perception of cheating breeds contempt.

GECOM destroyed every iota of trust conferred upon them. The 200,000 plus of people who spoke through ballots may never forgive the current leadership of GECOM. An overhaul is inevitable to regain the element of trust.

There is no other way.

From the Chairman, Commissioners, Secretariat Staff, Returning Officers and their subsets must be replaced!

Inefficiency, nepotism, poor management tactics, fake Statement of Polls and denial of recount are some of the contributing factors that lead to GECOM’s ship to sink. What is the purpose of the recounting guidelines if it cannot be upheld when necessary?

The Standard

Operating Procedures must be reviewed by an independent body; thereby leading to a new setup at GECOM. It is regrettable the stint of the relatively new CEO is marred with this controversy.

Armed with an abundance of experience in election management, how could the CEO become trapped in this disgraceful occurrence?

Did he trust the wrong set of people? Under his watchful eyes, such devious evil acts of rigging relive.

The Guyanese public demand answers!

Whether it was one fake SOP or 50 discovered, no doubt, the integrity of the process has been compromised. Brushing it aside as having no significant impact on the election results is dotish.

The issue is not the result, but the authenticity of the mechanism adopted to capture, tabulate and transmit the voter’s intent. The action of a former CEO of GT&T sets a professional standard worthy of emulating. When it was discovered that financial irregularities slipped under his watch, he bowed out. GECOM officials should follow suit.

I am truly disappointed with GECOM. Disappointed New York-based Guyanese

New Govt must be accountable for implementing changes promised Dear Editor, Help and Shelter extends congratulations to President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and the APNU-AFC coalition government on their elections success.

As Guyana prepares for a new government, we at Help and Shelter remain steadfast in our mission to contribute to bringing about a society where attitudes to the use of violence and practices of violence have been transformed.

We continue to believe that the culture of tolerance of violence can be changed through education; that everyone is a unique and valuable person; in the equal rights of all human beings and that no one has the right to be violent to another

human being.

We also remain steadfast in our commitment to work to build respect for the rights of women, children, youth and men to live free from violence and the threat of violence, and to assist women, children, youth and men to develop alternative ways of handling power, resolving conflict and widening options for survivors of gender-based violence.

The task of securing a regime change having been achieved, the new government must be held to account for implementing all the changes promised during the elections campaign.

We sincerely hope that ministerial and other appointments will be guided by the overrid-

ing need for competency, integrity, transparency and full accountability.

We also fervently hope that all Guyanese, irrespective of their age, gender, race, political allegiance, etc. will be prepared to work toward promoting greater unity in order that our country can fulfill its enormous potential.

Help and Shelter looks forward to working with the new government in relation to the reduction of violence in all its forms, services for victims of domestic and sexual violence, child abuse and trafficking in persons and the effective implementation (and where necessary amendment) of all relevant laws and regulations.

Help and Shelter

The newly-elected administration will need to deliver results

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the newly-elected officials of Guyana. You truly deserve to celebrate your accomplishment.

We all sing “Dear land of Guyana” and I truly believe that no matter how far away you roam, creek water and labba will draw you back to “O beautiful Guyana”, so I celebrate with you!

The people have spoken, though by a small margin, but they have spoken for a change. This change is not only for a new administration. It is for a new culture within the administration.

The people need to know, without any doubt, that they have strong leaders. Leaders whose agenda represents the best interests of the people and the country. We need leaders who value people.

The timing is right.

It’s a time when this newly elected administration can leverage the skills, talents and resources available both locally and internationally to truly move Guyana into the 21st century.

Of the many things that are at the top of the agenda, I think first, you will need to win over those who are still doubtful and will be apprehensive. The margin of victory clearly proves that there’s a great divide amongst the people.

Guyana is a diverse nation that lacks unity.

Over the past few days the international press corps have seen this division and they have reported on it to a great degree. The new administration need to work to change this image.

Guyana is a nation of six peoples/races. It’s time to see people for who they are and not the texture of their hair or the colour of their skin. Let’s build a nation where everyone truly feels like a Guyanese. It is possible.

Then, we need an administration which is disciplined and professional in their operations. Any appointed Minister who shows lack of respect for citizens and abuse of power doesn’t deserve to be a representative of the Government and must not be allowed.

Any representative whose conduct is unbecoming of an elected official doesn’t deserve to represent the people of Guyana.

The people of Guyana deserve better. It is my strong belief that if there is a culture of respect, discipline and professionalism, amongst other qualities and character traits, at the top of the pyramid, it will cascade down to the bottom.

It will take time, but it must be done.

The next five years is where the real victory lies. The citizens of Guyana will need to be patient for change to come but, they must see evidence. The newly elected administration will need to deliver results.

To the people of Guyana, everyone, be humble and gracious.

Think about this: Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison and when he was elevated to his destiny, he was humbled and forgiving.

One People, One Nation, One Destiny!

A Patriot

Political leaders must work towards achieving national unity Dear Editor, The newly-elected President of the Guyana has made an excellent move for national unity when he invited his predecessor Donald Ramotar to join his unity government.

In his speech at the swearing in ceremony President David Granger extended the olive branch in his quest for national and racial unity.

Several attempts were made in the past for coalition governments, but it seems as if Granger’s call last Saturday is most sincere. The former Army Brigadier will be leading for the first time ever a multinational, inclusionary government – A

Partnership for National Unity (APNU) plus Alliance For Change (AFC).

The APNU/AFC coalition narrowly defeated the PPP/C which was in power for 23 years.

It was a keenly contested election and he opposition forces led by Granger and Moses Nagamootoo of the AFC, who was a former PPP/C strongman.

Granger said, “Let us now put the past behind us and live in unity and banish poverty, ignorance, fear and hatred.” President Granger emphasized that he will encourage lawmakers to be faithful to their office and said that his administration will strive to re-

store democracy.

He appealed to Guyanese that the damage to the nation should not push them to allow hate to fester within their hearts, but serve as another driving force for all to be more determined to refashion the country.

The diaspora has been monitoring the campaign and the delay in declaring the election results via the numerous media in modern day technology, especially Facebook.

An inauguration ceremony is slated for May 26, the 49th anniversary of Guyana’s Independence, at the National Stadium.

Oscar Ramjeet

Concerns in the APNU/AFC camp Dear Editor, Reliable sources suggest that the political partners in the APNU/ AFC coalition are becoming increasingly concerned that they are being sidelined by the major partner, the PNC, in the aftermath of the May 11 elections.

Since the elections and the swearing in of President David

Grainger, there has been no meeting of the Executive of the APNU faction of the APNU/AFC coalition to discuss issues relative to the running of the government.

The APNU partners, it is understood, are even more concerned that the process of selection of Cabinet members and members of other positions in the new govern-

ment has begun without them even being privy or part of the discussions surrounding these discussions and decisions.

The parties, sources say, are concerned that this is not a good sign for the future of the coalition if the PNC will continue to operate in this manner.

Michael Brown

news 7

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

GECOM awaiting parties before gazetting election results

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he Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) is yet to publish the results of Elections 2015 in the Official Gazette despite having declared the final results of these elections last Saturday.

From all indications the results will not be ‘Gazetted’ before another week, or more, has passed.

This does not sit well with the nowopposition Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) which is desirous of obtaining copies of the Statements of Polls (SOPs) as well as the tally sheets used

by GECOM to arrive at final result it declared last Saturday.

However, GECOM Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, says it is the fault of the political parties that the information is yet to be published. He explained that the law requires the PPP/C and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance for Change (AFC) to submit certain information before the results of Elections 2015 is gazetted.

The relevant legis-

GECOM Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield

lation in this regard is Section 99 (a) – (d) of the Representation of the People Act. The provision reads: “As soon as possible, but not later than fifteen days after election days the Commission shall publicly declare the results of the election and shall cause to be published in the Gazette a notification thereof, specifying… the number of votes cast for each list of candidates; the number of rejected ballot papers; the number of seats allocated to each list of candidates; and the names of persons who, as a result of the election, have be-

come members of the National Assembly.”

According to Lowenfield, the final criteria can only be satisfied once the political parties which won seats in the National Assembly furnish him with the names of the persons who will serve as their MPs. The APNU + AFC coalition won 33 of the National Assembly’s 65 seats while the PPP/C Party won 32. Of the 33 seats which went to the coalition the 12 will go to the AFC, as per the Cummingsburg Accord – the agreement which established the coalition.

On Wednesday,

6,000 kilogrammes of marijuana found on fishing boat traveling to Guyana from Jamaica

T

he Hague, Netherlands The Dutch navy seized six tonnes of cannabis hidden on a fishing boat while patrolling the Caribbean, the defence ministry said on Thursday, describing it as “the biggest haul to date”.

“The Dutch navy found 6,000 kilogrammes of cannabis during a routine check on the fishing boat Caribbean Soul,” it said in a statement issued in The Hague.

The cannabis was

Politically appointed Ambassadors will get the bootGreenidge

discovered late last week after a US Coast Guard plane spotted the boat as it sailed from Jamaica to Guyana.

It was intercepted by the Dutch ship Zeeland, stationed to patrol the area which includes parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands — Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten.

Twelve crew members were arrested and taken to Ponce in Puerto Rico and handed over to US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

officials, the statement said.

Drug seizures, usually cocaine, regularly take place in the Caribbean Sea. Until last week the largest drug haul by the Dutch navy was in 2008, when it snatched 4,2 tonnes of cocaine in the region, Dutch media reported.

More than 10 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the area in 2013 as a result of international collaboration, Dutch news agency ANP said.

(Business Standard)

Alliance for Change (AFC) General Secretary, David Patterson, said the AFC is still deliberating on who will fill its seats. He said though, that the process should be completed in less than 14 days.

Five days after Elections Day GECOM declared that the coalition won 207, 200 votes, while the PPP/C won 202, 669. These results gave the coalition 33 seats and the PPP/C 32. The PPP/C has argued that several anomalies bring into question the integrity of Elections 2015 and have vowed to take the matter to court.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge

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he first order of business for newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge will be to ensure the posting of Ambassadors to the designated countries where Guyana has Embassies or Consulates. But many of these said Heads of Mission will most likely be heading home as they have been identified as "political appointees."

Minister Greenidge was reported as telling an online news agency, Demerara waves, that a significant number of the persons chosen to represent the country outside were handpicked

by the previous People's Progressive Party (PPP) Administration and this must be addressed.

Greenidge explained that, "Quite a number of appointees are not career diplomats," and also never served in a capacity that would afford them the Foreign Service experience. As such, Greenidge said a great number of these persons "will definitely have to be pulled back."

President David Granger told the media after swearing in his ministers that Greendige who is usually a finance person and being well rounded in that field, will be bringing his economic expertise to establish greater "economic diplomacy."

Greenidge said, in this light, he would be seeking to address certain aspects that would allow for economic growth through foreign cohesiveness.

In the meantime, the Minister said that the necessary procedures will go ahead to select those persons who have served and built their careers into the area of Foreign Service.

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PPP demands GECOM provide documents on results

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ome six days after the Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) declared A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) as the winner of the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is requesting the final figures of the results.

Leader of the PPP/C Donald Ramotar has sent a letter through his lawyer to Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield requesting “the results in respect to each Ballot Box of the votes cast, both valid and invalid, at those elections” and “a copy of every Statement of Poll that was used in the tabulation of the declared results”.

The letter, dated May 20, was sent by former Attorney General and

Legal Affairs Minister, Attorney Anil Nandlall and was addressed to Lowenfield.

According to Nandlall, Ramotar wrote the Chief Elelctions Officers on May 18, requesting this information but got no response, hence he sought the intervention of his Attorney.

“To date, you have failed, omitted and/or refused to comply with my client’s aforesaid requests. In the circumstances, I am instructed to demand, as I hereby do, that you comply with my client’s requests forthwith. I sincerely hope that I do not have to resort to legal proceedings to compel you to do so,” Nandlall said in the legal document.

Following the May 11 polls, it was revealed that the election

Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Attorney Anil Nandiall

was a close contest between the two main political parties with the APNU+AFC coalition leading the race.

However, five days after Guyanese cast their ballots, GECOM finally announced that the coalition won the presidency with a 4500 lead over its immediate opponent, the former ruling party.

GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

The announcement was delayed after the PPP/C requested several recounts. The PPP/C had initially made a request for a recount to be done in Regions One, Two and Eight, which was done; but subsequently asked for a recount in sections of all 10 regions, claiming that they were cheated of votes. This request was also denied by GECOM, however, the Commission then agreed

to recount 22 ballot boxes from Region Four.

Moments before the swearing in ceremony held at Parliament Buildings on Saturday last, Lowenfield revealed that the final results, which were approved by the Commission.

The APNU+AFC coalition picked up a total of 207,200 votes, with the PPP/C running close behind with 202,694 votes for General Elections.

On the other hand, the coalition also led the way in the Regional Elections with a total of 205,001 votes, that is, 2733 more votes than the PPP/C. Meanwhile, the National Election results for the smaller parties are as follows: The United Force (TUF) party came in third with 1080 votes; while the United Republican

Party (UR) secured 432 votes putting them in the fourth spot. The Independent Party (IP) came in fifth with 344 votes; while the National Independent Party (NIP) acquired 262 votes from the National Elections. As it relates to the Regional Elections, TUF secured 1314 votes while the URP got 1283 votes. Additionally, the Healing The National Theocracy Party (HTNTP) manage to acquire 294 and the Organisation for Victory of the People’s Party (OVPP) got 418 votes.

Based on these figures, the winning party secured 33 seats in the National Assembly while the PPP/C acquired a total of 32 seats, putting the former ruling party on the Opposite side of the House in more than 20 years.

Taxi driver stabbed on Camp Street

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right daylight does not seem to be a concern for criminals anymore as a taxi driver was brutally attacked by two men on Camp Street Wednesday around midday.

Taxi driver Shawn Straker spoke to the Guyana Times International hours after the incident took place outside TVG (Channel 28) at Camp and Quamina Streets.

He informed this publication that one of the men followed him from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) building as he had stopped to conduct some business.

The victim, who now bears several stab wounds

Shawn Straker

around his back, said that the first assailant confronted him in front of St Margaret’s Primary School about speakers that he had supposedly knocked over when he exited GRA. Straker said the man was quite disrespectful and aggressive, pulling at his shirt and pushing his hands in his face.

However, he was emphatic as he stated that he did not know anything about any speakers or the man confronting him.

Straker said he then subsequently ignored the man and continued down Camp Street to where his car was parked in front of the television station, but he was followed. The assailant, who was this time accompanied by another person on a bicycle, approached him. He said that the first assailant pointed to him and said, “Look he de heh, look he de heh, leh we do wa we got to do.” Straker said he then ran up to him and stabbed him multiple times with a screw driver, while the second assailant acted as a look-out.

The attacked man said that he tried to fight back but was caught between

two vehicles, which made it difficult to manoeuvre.

However, he caught sight of a glass bottle near him and was about to pick it up to use in his defence, when the men made a run for it.

However Straker said that he was not going to allow this, so he got into his car and pursued them down Quamina Street.

During the chase, he realised that he was bleeding profusely and getting quite dizzy, so he had to give it up and go to the hospital where he was treated and released.

Probe launched

He then reported the matter to the Police Station and an investigation was immediately launched. Straker said that his attackers took nothing from him, as he had nothing on him to lose. However, he was quite insistent in his need to locate and identify who the assailants were. He came to Channel 28 where he was assisted with footage to help the Police with their investigation.

This is the latest in a string of robberies and attacks that have occurred along Camp Street. This has become quite worrying for businessmen and patrons of businesses along the street. Observers have stated that the presence of these businesses and GRA may be the reason behind the increasing interest from criminals.

The Police have indicated that in their duty to protect and serve Guyana, they will be taking into consideration the attraction the upper side of Camp Street poses to criminal masterminds.

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Police transfers await International Conference appointment of Security Minister Centre to be renamed in

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lthough Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud has initiated a massive reshuffle in the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force, the transfers are placed on hold awaiting the appointment of the National Security Minister, which is expected to be done today (Thursday).

This was in accordance with what was said by President David Granger, who had earlier stated that the transfers will not take effect unless the Security Minister is briefed on the reasons for the reshuffling. “I have said to the Commissioner of Police that I do not want these high level changes take place unless the incoming Minister has an opportunity to be briefed on them as to the reasons for it”.

Once it is done this way, it will not look as if the transfers were done for reasons unknown to him or the Security Minister, the President added.

Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan was pinpointed to be the subject minister but will be confirmed when he takes the oath before President Granger at the Ministry of Presidency.

More so, the President would have met Persaud

honour of first President

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Commissioner Seelall Persaud

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

and discussions were held which resulted in the appointment of Brain Joseph as head of the Presidential Guard Service. However, the reshuffling of senior Police ranks has raised eyebrows, especially with the removal of incumbent Crime Chief, Leslie James with his deputy Wendell Blanhum.

Although Blanhum is well qualified and severed 16 years in the Criminal Investigation Department, some thought that he is still not ready for the position. However, the top cop has the authority to make changes within the Guyana Police Force.

The announcements were made on Monday following a meeting with His Excellency David Granger and Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud. James was informed and is assisting with the smooth tran-

sition. James, Guyana Times International was told, will be attached to the Office of the Commissioner of Police but his duties were not immediately known.

Apart from the removal of James as Crime Chief, some other transfers were announced in B Division (Berbice) as well as C (East Coast Demerara), D (West Bank Demerara/East Bank Essequibo) and E (Linden/Kwakwani) Divisions.

Presently, Christopher Griffith who commands C Division is expected to be interchanged with D Division, which will also see Marlon Chapman being reassigned. Calvin Brutus who heads the E Division is expected to take up a position in B Division. In addition, there are expected to be some minor changes in the Traffic Department at Headquarters.

RK Sharma resigns as GT&T’s CEO

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fter serving the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited with professionalism and integrity for over two years; Chief Executive Officer, Radha Krishna Sharma has tendered his resignation with effect from June 18, 2015.

In a telephone interview with Guyana Times International, the incumbent CEO explained that that the time has come for him to take a hiatus from the corporate world while sighting other interests.

He reiterated that his resignation might have come as a surprise to all but maintains that “it’s nothing more than wanting to take a break”.

Sharma worked with Barclay Bank in the 1980’s and severed as Chief Executive Officer of Demerara Bank and Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry, and Director of National Competitiveness Strategy Unit, Ministry of Tourism for 22 years.

He then took over the reins of GT&T from Retired Major General, Joseph Singh as CEO for the telecommunication giant.

In a release issued, the telephone company

GT&T’s CEO Radha Krishna Sharma

stated that over the last two years, the company benefited greatly from Sharma’s leadership and thanked him for his many contributions during a period of organisational transformation.

“He served GT&T with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity and we extend warm wishes for his future success”, the release stated.

Meanwhile, moments after tendering his resignation, the company named Chief Financial Officer Justin Nedd as the company’s Interim CEO. Nedd has served as CFO since 2013 and has an extensive background in finance, administration, and information technology, including previous roles with GT&T. In addition, the re-

lease stated that Nedd has made a strong mark and earned the trust and support of his colleagues.

“He rapidly assumed significant responsibilities and has shown an ability to get things done. We are pleased to entrust him with the interim CEO role and are confident in his ability to lead GT&T forward”.

Nedd stated that he is thrilled to take on this expanded role at a truly exciting time at GT&T. He disclosed that the company is innovating for customers across all aspects of the business, and intends to lead the way in a new, more competitive environment.

“From our new blazing fast broadband speeds, to customer service upgrades, to better mobile plans and devices, GT&T is on the move. We are, and will be, continually providing more value and greater capabilities to our customers,” Nedd added.

Despite the announcement, Sharma will continue to serve as CEO through the middle of June and will assist with the transition while Nedd continues to serve as CFO upon assuming the Interim CEO position.

he Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) will be renamed the “Arthur Chung Convention Centre”.

Guyana’s newly-elected Eighth Executive President, retired Brigadier David Granger announced this on Wednesday during a conference with the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of State Agencies at the GICC, Liliendaal Greater Georgetown.

Guyana’s First President Arthur Chung, who served from 1970 to 1980, does not have any significant monument or historic landmark named in his honour in the country he determinedly served.

According to Granger, persons of various countries all over the world, particularly the United States of America, remember and honour their first Presidents but the trend seems to be lacking in Guyana.

“Sometimes we tend to forget who our first President was … I would like the first President in this country to be remembered,” he stated.

Granger explained that Arthur Chung was the first person of Chinese descent to govern a nonAsian country and therefore renaming the GICC in his honour would be the least this country can do to pay tribute.

“I do this because this is the 45th anniversary year of becoming a Republic and Mr Chung was the first person of Chinese descent who was President in a non-Asian country and it was historic…,” he noted.

Chung was born at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara.

Former President Arthur Chung

When Guyana became a republic in 1970, Chung made world history when the National Assembly elected him as the country’s first President.

He took office on March 17.

Ten years later, a constitutional revision transformed the presidency into an executive position and Forbes Burnham succeeded Chung as President on October 6, 1980.

On June 23, 2008, Chung died at his home.

His body was subsequently laid to rest at the Seven Ponds.

The GICC, which was funded by a grant provided by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, was constructed at a cost of approximately US$8 million. It has a main conference hall with a seating capacity of 372, five smaller conference rooms, a business centre and a restaurant.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

President outlines plans for efficient public service

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uyana’s newest President, retired Brigadier David Granger, during his first meeting with the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Agencies, made it clear that he will be aiming to create an “unbribable” public service sector in the country.

Granger, at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), on Wednesday, made this point as he laid down his expectations to the various agency heads concerning the type of public service sector he wants to create.

He did not hesitate to make it clear that his Administration would not tolerate an inefficient and distorted public service, noting that public servants must set out to ensure the country becomes “bribery free”. “I would like to have an unbribable public service…No foreigner, no miner, no businessman should feel, if he needs to get something done, he needs to put his hand in his pocket to give them (public servants) a raise,” Granger demanded.

He explained that, in his view, the public service is the engine of the executive and therefore, a corrupt public service reflects on the nature of the Government and its executives.

In working towards creating an “unbribable” public service sector, Granger said, foremost, public servants need to be paid better.

He explained that an underpaid person would most likely find alternative means of earning money to support them-

work,” he said. Granger said he envisioned persons who work as public servants would actually be interested and engaged in serving their country, rather than just getting a job. Therefore, before a person was accepted within the public service, he/she would be

pointed as a Permanent Secretary, and his or her subordinates know more about how the Ministry is run than he or she,” he said, asserting that his Administration will not tolerate advancement based on political preference.

Further, Granger was

about is that when political Ministers enter offices … public servants should forget who they voted for and work with tuition and dedication to ensure that the Ministry succeeds … Whoever comes into office as your political Minister, the public servant must be

A section of the gathering at the GICC on Wednesday

selves and their families.

Therefore, a more attractive salary would help eliminate the urge for one to accept a bribe and would be the first step towards creating better public service and, by extension, a better country.

Career public service

Additionally, he said better pay would attract better individuals –more career-driven individuals to work in the Public Sector. “If you pay the public servants badly, you will not get good

required to meet several criteria.

In fact, he declared that all public servants must possess intelligence, integrity and impartiality in order to effectively serve the Guyanese public. On that note, Granger was adamant that career officials be selected via a proper merit system.

Political preference

“It doesn’t serve the purpose of good administration for a politician to be elected, selected or ap-

firm in his announcement that public servants must not try to be politicians and politicians cannot be public servants.

“We cannot function properly if politicians become public servants…

Public servants must not try to be politicians,” he contended. Granger explained, as happened before, when politicians become public servants (and vice versa), it leads to catastrophe because the politicians/public servants would tilt towards pleasing their associates rather than attending to the needs of the country.

Moreover, Granger said he was not the least interested in which political party the public servants voted for, noting that in the professional atmosphere he seeks to create, there will be no room for divisions among workers.

“I don’t care who you voted for last week Monday … What I care

prepared to work without reservation,” he underscored.

He also pointed out that it was the duty of the public servant to answer to the Minister and provide impartial and expert advice. However, whether or not that advice is accepted, Granger maintained that the public servant was obliged to execute whatever decision was made.

In addition, Granger reminded the gathering that in order to establish an efficient public service, its agencies must have roots in all areas of Guyana. He lamented the fact that many areas in Guyana, like the hinterland areas, are completely alien to many who reside on the coastline, and vice versa.

He noted that in some areas, persons live for days without any contact with the bustling world outside their communities. “There is no news-

paper, no television, no cell-phone, no radio…It’s like it’s a new country,” he described.

Granger stated that in some instances, persons have to travel afar just to visit a public service outlet to render the necessary assistance they need. “You shouldn’t have to pay Gy$5000 to travel all the way to another village to collect a pension of Gy$13,500 and then be told that it is not in yet,” he related the sad reality.

In the same breath, Granger said he intended to guide the Public Sector towards ensuring they respond promptly to people and circumstances outside of Georgetown.

“It is important to have an efficient public service … It is essential to create the environment so citizens can enjoy a good life,” he noted.

In attendance were Amerindian Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary (PS) Nigel Dharamlall; Local Government PS Collin Croal; Natural Resources PS Joslyn McKenzie; and Office of the President PS Omar Sharif. Heads of State Agencies included Guyana Sugar Corporation (CEO) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Raj Singh; Guyana Energy Agency CEO Dr Mahender Sharma; Guyana Water Incorporated CEO Shaik Baksh; Head of E-Governance Project Alexei Ramotar; Head of the National Industrial and Commercial and Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington; National Drainage and Irrigation Authority CEO Lionel Wordsworth, and Guyana Power and Light (GPL) CEO Bharat Dindyal.

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Mechanic killed in East Coast accident

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mechanic was on Tuesday evening killed after colliding with a minibus while riding his motorbike along the Lusignan Public Road, East Coast Demerara, around 19:45h.

Ovido Kirton, also called “Coveman”, 58, of Lot 15 Lusignan West, died while receiving medical treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital about 21:00h.

According to information received, while on his motorcycle, Kirton made a sudden dash across the road and into the path of a minibus heading to Georgetown.

Some time after the collision, the well-known mechanic was reportedly picked up and rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently died. The driver of the minibus is in Police custody, assisting with the investigation.

When Guyana Times International visited the Kirton home on Wednesday, family members were seen making arrangements for the wake.

Andrea Kirton, the eldest daughter of the dead man, told this publication that on the night of the accident, she was at home when she heard a loud crashing sound.

As she looked out, she saw a motorcycle on the roadway and a man lying on the ground, and soon after she realised the man was her father.

She noted that her father left earlier in the afternoon and, at the time of the accident, was returning home. The

Ovido Kirton

grieving young woman added that as she rushed to the scene, her father was bleeding from his ears and nostrils. He also sustained broken arms and legs and had a gash to his head which might have been an indication of a fatal head injury.

The woman added that it took a while for her father to be picked up off of the roadway and rushed to the hospital. “Persons were just standing around, and it was a taxi boy who come and hurry them to take him to the hospital,” she noted.

At the medical institution, she was told that her father had severe head injuries. After some time, the family received the devastating news of his death.

Andrea recalled her father’s love for his motorcycle – that was his passion, she added.

Kirton leaves to mourn his wife and three children. Police are continuing their investigation.

“I have nothing to hide” – Kumar

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irector of Sports, Neil Kumar has spoken out publically, disclosing that all paperwork and financial records of the National Sports Commission (NSC) are in order.

Kumar was responding to claims in a Guyana Chronicle article dated May 19 that he controls all the paper and financial records.

“We have a Chairman of Commission and an accounts department. I don’t keep financial paperwork, they can check with them, because I have nothing to hide,” Kumar noted.

Meanwhile, Kumar revealed that the break in to his office happened about two months ago, contrary to the Guyana Chronicle report, and the matter was reported and an investigation was car-

Neil Kumar

ried out at the NSC office on Homestretch Avenue.

Kumar also stressed that as Director of Sport, he had the right to give out gear as he so wished and never did it “willy nilly”.

Kumar also stressed that all information can be verified, reiterating that he has nothing to hide.

Mahdia pit cave-in: 9 bodies recovered; search on for 1 other

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ome five days after a mining pit caved in at Mowasi Backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) burying 10 miners, a total of nine bodies have been recovered and the search for the last one continues. This was confirmed to the Guyana Times International by a source close to the owner of the camp, Imran Khan.

Sunday’s incident claimed 10 lives and injured seven others.

The survivors include Sheldon Adams, Andrew Lazarus, Henry Xavier, Regan Greene, Alex Greene, Shawn Xavier, and an unidentified man.

Following the incident, an intense search was conducted, and five bodies were initially retrieved on Monday and flown to Georgetown the next morning. They were taken to the Lyken Funeral Parlour, where only three were identified. A fourth body was identified on Wednesday.

Those identified thus far are Bobby Brian Errol Brittlebank of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden; 17-year-old Raymond August of Dartmouth, Essequibo; Michael Moore Gardener, 26, of Better Hope, East Coast

The search for the 10th body continues

Dead: Raymond August

Demerara; and 21-yearold Orlando Richmond of Kurukabaru, North Pakaraimas, Region Eight.

Meanwhile, during searches conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, four more bodies were pulled from the mud – two on each day. This newspaper was made to understand that the four bodies are at Mahdia, awaiting identification. One of the men was recognised as Jason Trotman of Grove, East Bank Demerara; however, a relative was yet to confirm his identity. The source confirmed that the search will continue throughout Wednesday night into Thursday.

Speaking to this publication, the cous-

in of Richmond, Cellest Clario, said that she went to identify the 21-year-old’s body at the Lyken Funeral Parlour on Wednesday after she received a call about the incident that morning.

The woman said that she saw the incident on the news but had no idea it was the same mining camp that her cousin was working at. Clario told this publication that Richmond left his North Pakaraimas home since he was 15 to work as miner. She recalled that December was the last time she spoke to her younger cousin.

At the parlour, the woman noted that there were two unidentified bodies that were badly damaged. “I coulda barely recognise Orlando, but I identified him because of his hair… I know he had plait hair,” Clairo remarked. However, she disclosed that along with Richmond, she has two other relatives who were working at the same camp.

According to information received, about 17 men were in the pit working when the walls came crashing down. The area had been experiencing extensive rainfall over

the last few days, resulting in the earth becoming moist and loose. A relative of one of the miners who lost his life told this newspaper that the incident was caused as a result of bad management by the operators since they had adopted “bad practices”. According to the man, who requested anonymity, there was heavy equipment on the edge of the pit while the men were working down below. The weight, he added, compounded by the “wet conditions”, caused the walls to give away and tumbled onto the workers.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had disclosed that the operation at Mowasi Backdam was illegal and the owner, Imran Khan of Grove, East Bank Demerara, had breached several aspects of the Mining Rules and Regulations.

According to the Commission, it was made aware of the illegal operations since August 2013, but Khan had obtained an injunction from the High Court barring the GGMC from taking any action against him and his mining activities.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Authorities to take tough action against land grabbers T he newly-elected A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government has reiterated its call against the sudden upsurge of land grabbing activities in the country.

Standing firmly by its side is the management of the Ogle Airport which is threatening to use law enforcement intervention into the situation. A statement from the Airport explained that residents have begun squatting on Airport lands and were warned that legal action will be taken by management, if necessary, to bring this to an end.

The statement noted that the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority have been notified of the development, and legal actions will be taken where necessary.

“Ogle Airport Security will apprehend, and hand over to the Guyana Police Force, any person found unlawfully entering the Airport,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, APNU/ AFC Executive Member Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, during an interview with this publication, reiterat-

A crowd of residents turned out to mark their territories on abandoned Guysuco lands

ed the Government’s call against the widespread squatting, cautioning residents to desist from engaging in such unlawful activities.

Roopnaraine could not comment on what the current administration intends to do to address this issue, but he assured the general public that the Government will ensure that everyone will, during the course of time, be provided with land; therefore, there is no need for any conduct of this kind. He strongly condemned “this type of aggressive behaviour” as he asked the embittered residents to give the Government adequate time to settle-in before it sets out to address those pressing issues.

Since David Granger, the Leader of the

APNU+AFC coalition, has been announced to be Guyana’s new President, citizens particularly along the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara turned out in large numbers and hastily rushed to abandoned GuySuCo lands to start squatting.

The land grabbers have already declared their reluctance to stop, claiming that the Government, particularly the new President, promised to represent the rights of the poor people.

This newspaper recently visited some areas along the East Coast of Demerara where defiant residents maintained that they will not retreat from marking their territories on unoccupied lands because they are determined to hold

Granger to his word.

According to the residents, they expect Granger to allow them to have the lands, in keeping with his promise to provide for the poor people of the nation. “I need it. We all need lands. I live at renting home and I can’t afford it because I have two children and they go to school. The expense alone is just too much. Granger said vote for a change. He promised we better, so now we need it and he got to give we. We not moving from here,” Devi Raghubir said.

Thus far, residents estimate that approximately 500-1000 individuals have already began squatting on the GuySuCo lands which stretch from Vryheid’s Lust to Chateau Margot.

President Granger unveils... from page 2

State are also expected to be appointed over a period of time to help orient new persons for eventual full-fledged ministerial appointments. Speaking following the swearing in ceremony, the President stressed that his Cabinet is one team and was absolutely sure that each member would work towards the betterment of Guyana.

“We are one team and we are committed to ensuring that Guyana becomes a less divided country and a less poor country and I am confident that the Ministers that were sworn in today will give their support to me as President and Prime Minister Nagamottoo and will continue to work towards ensuring that the people of Guyana have a good life”, Granger told the gathering at his office.

He said he hopes that the Indigenous People’s Ministry would now focus on having proper roads and marketing strategies to help sell the produce of Amerindians outside their communities. The President said the renamed Ministry would continue to focus on land rights and community issues.

Meanwhile, also being sworn in was Retired

Army Colonel Joseph Harmon as the Minister of State of the Ministry of the Presidency.

The President related that Harmon’s official position will be that of Minister of State with duties combined with the office of the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS). He explained that the difference will be that this position will now be a political appointment.

This change is in line with the whole thrust of the new Administration, of bringing stronger cooperation and coordination among the different agencies and partners of the Government and the regions, the President explained.

He further explained that the role of the Cabinet Secretary will now be separate.

Under the previous Administration, the roles of the HPS and the Cabinet Secretary were carried out by one individual, Dr Roger Luncheon.

The President said that he expects that the Cabinet Secretary will be a public servant post. He reminded all though that under the Cummingsburg Accord, this position can go to the Alliance for Change (AFC).

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Senior Canadian politician congratulates PM Moses Nagamootoo

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PM Moses Nagamootoo and Dr Alvin Curling in Canada in April

enior Canadian politician and former envoy to The Dominican Republic, Dr Alvin Curling has written to congratulate Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

“It is with great honour that I extend the heartiest congratulations to you and your election as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Guyana,” Dr Curling, a Jamaican born Canadian politician wrote, according to a release by the coalition.

“The greatest honour that can be bestowed upon anyone is to be elected by the people to represent their interest and serve the nation. This achievement culminates some 50 years of selfless commitment and dedication to Guyana’s political development. The Republic of Guyana has chosen well,” added Dr Curling who served as a member of the Ontario Parliament for over 20 years.

Dr Curling served as Canadian envoy to The Dominican Republic from 2005 to 2006. He was also Speaker of the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario until 2005.

“You have demonstrated over the years as a person of strong belief in the goodness and dignity of all human races and for that and that alone stand you tall among mankind.

The people have chosen well,” Dr Curling wrote.

“I want to wish you and President David Granger my very best as you lead a new Cabinet and a new Government into a renewed path of governing in a land yearning for a unified Government,” Curling concluded.

Nagamootoo thanked Dr Curling for his warm greetings and confidence and said that he looks forward to working with the Jamaican/Canadian in furthering the interest of Guyana and the Guyanese people on the regional and international stage. Dr Curling had hosted a private meeting at his residence with Nagamootoo on his recent visit to Canada during the election campaign. Nagamootoo is expected to be formally sworn in as Prime Minister shortly.

New Govt planning ‘big bash’ for Independence

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uyana’s 49th Independence Anniversary celebration is expected to take on a whole new form this year with a symbolic wreath-laying ceremony at the historical Independent Arch on Brickdam, Georgetown and then later a cultural show, which will coincide with the inauguration of President David Granger.

President Granger will be among the group of Guyanese who will lay some eight wreaths in memory of those who fought for Guyana’s Independence.

This year’s anniversary celebrations are expected to be very different from the usual activities held to commemorate Guyana’s freedom from the United Kingdom. Granger has appointed an event management team including retired Colonel Laurie London of the Guyana Defence Force and Bobby Vieira to oversee the activities.

At a press conference on Tuesday in the boardroom of the Culture Ministry, Vieira related that the usual flag raising ceremony held during the night of the 25th has been moved forward to the early morning of May 26th. According to Vieira, the most significant event of that morning will be the laying of eight wreaths. The President has selected this to use as his first major ceremonial event as President, paying tribute to those who had struggled for independence. A number of agencies, organisations

The Independence Arch at Brickdam, Georgetown

and persons will be laying wreaths at the base of the arch. They include representatives from the Trades Union movement, representatives of women and youth, and the political parties that were part of the struggle for Independence. According to him, “It will be both ceremonial and emotional.”

He stated that because the President’s whole “thrust” is to make independence something for Guyanese to remember, he has requested that the entire Georgetown be cleaned up. The area is currently being cleaned through the concerted effort of the Mayor and City Council, BK International and Ming’s Service Limited, free of cost.

There are three events scheduled to take place on Tuesday May 26.

These include the formal wreath laying and flag

raising ceremony at the Independence Arch, to be attended by President Granger and members of the diplomatic corps during the morning hours.

The event will also see the participation of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a military guard of honour reeling of a general salute upon the arrival of the President.

The Head of State will deliver a speech to the nation after which he will leave.

Following the independence activity, President Granger will be inaugurated at the Guyana National Stadium. There, Ministers of his Cabinet will also be officially named. The Inauguration is expected to see the participation of some Caribbean Heads of State and will include a cultural presentation, prior to the official ceremony.

Guyanese are being encouraged to assemble themselves early at the site so as to secure their seats at the stadium which has an approximate capacity of 16,000. Vieira assured that the stadium will be filled because of the many Guyanese who have an interest in the symbolic event. He related that a stage will also be set up on the stadium’s tarmac where a video screen will be erected for those who would not be allowed to move farther in.

Later in the evening, President Granger will make brief remarks to guests at the private inaugural reception scheduled for 20:00h at the Pegasus Hotel. The programme is still being tailored, but will involve some aspects of military guard of honour, paratroop jumps and entertainment from various sectors.

McCoy relates sordid details of E-Day attack

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ormer Press and Publicity Officer to the President and Central Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Kwame McCoy has been discharged from hospital.

McCoy was recently released from the Woodlands Hospital where he was being treated following injuries he sustained on Election Day at the hands of supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) following an incident at the St Sidwell’s Primary School.

During an interview with Guyana Times International, he related the abuse he suffered at the hands of supporters of the new APNU/AFC. From video footage seen, it would appear that McCoy was safely escorted from the scene, but it was actually only up to a point, he related. He said the brutal attack came after the vehicle had driven off and lost the attention of the media.

“They put me in the vehicle, in the back seat in the middle, with two Police Officers at the side and they drove off. Three buildings down the road, they recognised that Mr Granger and I believe Mr Harmon were still at the back of the vehicle.

So they stopped three buildings away from St Sidwell’s School to put them off of the vehicle. As soon as they put them off of the vehicle, someone threw a missile through the back window of the open back pickup and it catch me in the right side of my face,” he clarified.

The attack resulted in McCoy undergoing surgery and he is now slowly recovering, both physically and mentally from the horrific incident.

On Election Day, hundreds of supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition attempted to barge into the St Sidwell’s Primary School after they learnt that McCoy had entered the premises as ballots were being cast.

McCoy had gone to the sta-

Kwame McCoy sustained severe injuries from the attacks on Election Day

tion as a candidate of the then ruling party to observe the voting process. This is allowed under election regulations.

When Guyana Times International arrived on the scene, there was chaos as scores of residents swarmed the vicinity of the primary school.

Due to their aggression, Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff decided to close the gates to the school, deny-

ing them entry. This move triggered more aggression as the residents started protesting and yelling out threats.

Some 15 minutes into the episode, then Presidential Candidate of the APNU+AFC coalition David Granger and APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon arrived on the scene. Instantaneously, the agitated residents halted their aggression against McCoy and rushed to Granger’s aid as he made his way to the polling station. Granger determinedly entered the building, had a discussion with the GECOM staff present there and, once again determinedly exited the premises into the arms of his supporters who flocked at his side begging him to assist them in getting rid of the PPP/C politician.

Granger then proceeded to get on top of a Police pickup to address the crowd, pleading with them to end their commotion and allow McCoy to walk away unharmed.

However, as McCoy exited

the building, some people were still trying to attack him which forced a group of persons to form a human barricade to prevent the aggressive mob.

Mc Coy was seen safely entering the Police vehicle.

Therefore, when the PPP/C almost immediately issued a statement condemning the brutal act, thousands of Guyanese believed it was a little white lie being peddled by the administration as an election gimmick to gain support.

Until now, not many are aware of what happened after McCoy drove off in the Police pickup.

To date, no one has been charged in connection with the incident and there has been on official statement from the Police in connection to what took place after McCoy left the polling station.

Additionally, no one from the APNU/AFC Administration has since registered their commiseration or condemned the vile act of their supporters.

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Harmon says increase in public PPP/C begins countrywide servants’ pay high on agenda protests for total recount

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cting Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Joseph Harmon said that high on the agenda of the new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government is a higher salary scale for public servants, and it will materialise.

“We believe that (for) a quality public service, you have to pay better. They (the public service workers) must be properly rewarded for their work.”

He said it was the coalition’s opinion that better pay would result in less corruption which would enable the country to become better.

“The increases in the 100-day plan, is a commitment which we gave to all the people who provide public service, which we will provide to get a proper public service.”

Money which was previously placed in the Consolidated Fund will furnish the salary increases, according to Harmon.

He was at the time speaking during an inter-

view with the National Communications Network on Monday, Government Information Agency (GINA) reported. He said, “We believe there is still a high level of corruption, and if we are able to reduce that, we can find the money to pay. Our economists have looked at the situation very carefully and said to us that we are capable of finding the money for paying these people.”

Asked about the Public Procurement Commission, Harmon said this unit will be established as soon as possible.

“There is no reason why the Public Procurement Commission cannot be established. We are respectful of our Constitution and the ‘no objection’ (as obtained previously) is not what we support.”

LGEs

There are also plans to conduct long overdue Local Government Elections (LGEs) according to the acting HPS. “We will announce a date.

We had protested in front of Parliament and we will

name a date, we believe that is an essential plank of our local democracy, which will ensure that a more informed electorate will come forward to vote for a party.”

During its campaign, the APNU/AFC touted its Ministerial Code of Conduct, and this Harmon said will be used to hold Government Ministers accountable for their actions.

“We believe that if you are a Minister, there must be some kind of code,” he observed, “which monitors the conduct which should be above board, which conforms with international best practices that say to the people that you are committed to serving them and not yourself.

All of the APNU/AFC MPs will subscribe to the code.”

Other issues such as the Berbice Bridge toll, the reduction of the President’s pension and the return of the television station to the people of Linden, will be sorted over the coming weeks, he said.

Govt urges state media to give equitable access to all parties

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he state media was on Monday directed to cover everyone and do not be biased to the Government.

The instruction was given by a former journalist Catherine Hughes; Imran Khan, Communications Consultant for the Alliance For Change (AFC); and Mark Archer, Head of the Communications team of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), during a meeting with the top managers of the Guyana Chronicle, National Communications Network (NCN) and the Government Information Agency (GINA). The directive is for the entities to give equitable and fair access to all and to remain balanced and fair in its reports and programmes.

The trio met with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCN Molly Hassan, Head of GINA Neaz Subhan, General Manager of the Guyana Chronicle Michael Gordon, and Chronicle Editor Mark Ramotar, informing them that their mandate now is to provide fair and equitable access to every party and stakeholder, without favour or partiality to anyone.

Speaking to the Guyana Times International, the AFC’s Communications

Cathy Hughes

Officer, Imran Khan, related that the new administration thought it fitting to have discussions with the head of the agencies. He noted that through the discussions, the management and employees of all of the three agencies were informed that the Government had no plans to “witch hunt” anyone and will not engage in any acts of firing or the victimising of any person. “We asked them to be professional, fair and balanced in their reporting, and that they should not pander to any one side,” Khan said.

Meanwhile, CEO of NCN Molly Hassan, in a telephone interview with this publication, said that the meeting was civil, with no cause for concern. She said that the meeting was based on the fact that the new Government wishes to see equal and equitable access to state media re-

main paramount, while ensuring that fair, balanced and unbiased reporting emanate from the body. Hassan said that she was further instructed to ensure that the reports and programmes were not in favour of any one person or party but that it remains balance and fair.

“They were very open in terms of their views on the fact that some of the stories they would like to see should not be slanted in any way; it should not favour any political party. They did say equal access to airtime remains paramount,” the CEO said.

Hassan further related that all staff were reassured of their positions at the agency and no action of termination was taken. “We continue business as per normal…they have assured that there will be no termination…the staff have been assured of that,” Hassan said.

The use of state media had been a pressing topic of discussion by the then (APNU+AFC) Opposition on their campaign trail, blasting NCN and the Guyana Chronicle for shutting them out. The coalition had promised to ensure that the state media does not become the public relations tool for the Government, but that it will represent all stakeholders.

of ballots

The protest headed by former Minister within the Agriculture Ministry and PPP/C representative Alli Baksh in front of GECOM Office at Bush Lot in Region Two

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he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) in its quest to get a total recount of votes conducted a peaceful protest on Wednesday in front of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) offices in Bush Lot, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and in Fort Wellington, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The protests follow a statement by for-

representative, the protest was to renew the call for a total recount of individual ballots of all 2299 polling stations throughout Guyana, as well as the resignation of GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally. “ … Is there something to hide??? If we want a total recount, why not grant us?? In 2011, recount was granted to the Opposition why can’t GECOM satisfy our

Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

The Party also cited the fact that fake Statements of Poll (SoPs) were found as grounds for a recount.

The PPP/C, which is maintaining that it won the election, is also contending that several of its requests to GECOM for copies of SoPs and Tally Sheets which were

Part of the protest in Region Five

mer President Donald Ramotar that the Party will seek recourse via the options made available under the country’s Constitution, as the Party called on citizens to be vigilant.

In Region Two, the protest was headed by former Minister Alli Baksh and attracted over 50 PPP/C supporters from within the region. Despite the rain, the staunch supporters armed themselves with placards which read, “Surujbally Must Go”, “We demand fairness”, “They steal our votes and give to APNU”, “Cheated but not defeated” among other slogans.

The protest in Region Two, which started about 14:00h, lasted for almost six hours.

According to Baksh, who is also the PPP/C

request?” one supporter asked.

Over in Region Five, about 150 supporters were on the picket line, calling for a recount.

The PPP/C, in a statement on Tuesday, called on Dr Surujbally to resign, saying, prior to the May 11 General and Regional Elections, it raised concerns both publicly and privately with the GECOM Chairman, Commission and Secretariat; the advance assessment teams of the United Nations, Commonwealth and the Carter Center; the diplomatic community, and subsequently with the International Observer Missions with regard to the partiality of the GECOM machinery. The PPP/C had queried the recruitment of polling staff connected to the A

used to tabulate the results of these elections and a breakdown of the results from each Polling Division or Ballot Box were rejected.

The protesters reiterated these demands, as the Party maintained that the results declared

by GECOM for the May 11 General and Regional Elections did not accurately reflect the will of the people.

The protesters have vowed to continue their action until GECOM agrees to a total recount of the ballots cast.

On Saturday, supporters of the PPP/C picketed in the Black Bush Polder area, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) simultaneously with supporters at Rose Hall Town in another part of the region.

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Ministers of the New Government

Daivd Granger President of Guyana

Khemraj Ramjattan Minister of National Security

David Patterson Minister of Public Infrastructure

Volda Lawrence, Minister of Social Protection

Simona Broomes Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection

Moses Nagamootoo Prime Minister and First vice-President

Joseph Harmon Minister of State

Winston Jordan Minister of Finance

Dr Rupert Roopnaraine Minister of Education

Annette Ferguson Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure

Dr George Norton Minister of Public Health

Sydney Allicock Minister of Indigenous People

Dominic Gaskin, Minister of Investment & Business

Ronald Bulkan Minister of Communities

Catherine Hughes Minister of Tourism

Dr Karen Cummings Minister within the Ministry of Public Health

Basil Williams Attorney General, Minister of Legal Affairs

Nicolette Henry Minister within the Ministry of Education

Carl Greenidge Minister of Foreign Affairs

Noel Holder Minister of Agriculture

Amna Ally Minister of Social Cohesion

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PPP/C Election Night victims Family members blame hospital officials for death of young mother attacked, robbed again

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he nightmare continued for the Khublall family who were brutally attacked when the community of C Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was transformed into a warzone on Election Night.

Just when the family thought they were on the road to recovery from that horrific incident, bandits broke into their residence at 588 Section C Field, Sophia, on Tuesday, May 19 at around 01:00h, ransacked the home, brutally attacked the occupants, and escaped with millions of dollars worth in items.

According to Narine Khublall, the breadwinner of the family of four, following the traumatic experience on Election Night, the family – his wife Poonadai and his two children – went to stay by relatives in Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

During that time, Khublall’s nephew Shaan Ramrattan and his friend Leon Rampersaud were staying at the home in Sophia.

This publication understands that when Rampersaud heard the bandits attempting to break the doors with crowbars, he immediately called Khublall to inform him of what was transpiring.

Khublall then contacted the Police who promptly responded, causing the six bandits to flee, leaving the valuables behind.

However, according to reports, the Police instructed the two occupants of the home to go to the police station and give their statements and it was during that period, when they were away from the house, that the bandits assumingly returned and carted off the

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Poonadai Khublall

Narine Khublall

items.

The family, who were too traumatised to say much, explained that Ramrattan was badly beaten and could have died if the Police had not intervened in a timely manner.

“They had him tied up like an iguana; you know how they does tie them up right. They had a cloth around he neck, choking he. He couldn’t breathe and plus they had a knife by he neck and they de going and slit he throat when the Police show up,” Poonadai explained, telling this publication what her nephew related to her.

The family is now in a state of despair as they desperately try to cope and recover from the series of unfortunate events that are casting a black shadow on their lives.

“I feel, when I come and see my place this morning, it was not my place. That night I feel like the world was falling down on me. Now this happened. I thank God I wasn’t here. But me nephew. They beat he up bad…they could have killed him,” a weeping Poonadai related.

On Election Night,

angry Sophia residents stormed the Khublall’s home, attempting to light it ablaze. At the time, although almost two dozen Police Officers were on the scene, they could have hardly contained the raucous crowd.

On the night of the ordeal, the house was in utter confusion and millions of dollars in valuables were being taken away. In addition, the family stood by and watched their neighbours burn their minibus into ruins.

Narine Khublall, a Pastor in the area, explained that his family would normally do charity work for the community, host Sunday school sessions for the children, distribute free items and help the residents in any way they can and yet the very same residents who turned against them to cause terror upon their lives.

“It’s not a political thing like they try to make out. They just malicious and they want rob we. After all we do, we does help them, anybody want lil help, we does always help them. Now look what they do to we,” he vented off.

Yonette Grey

he Grey family of Somerset and Berks in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) is calling on the general public to assist them in burying the 20-year-old mother, Yonette Grey, who succumbed moments after she delivered a bouncing baby girl at the Suddie Public Hospital.

The family was expecting to conduct the funeral service for the deceased on Wednesday, but was told that the post mortem has been delayed. According to the mother-in-law of the dead woman, Nellie Grey, she has to take care of the baby in addition to offsetting all funeral expenses. She explained she is not in a financial position to do so, and the family is contemplating asking the Government to bury the young Grey.

Nellie Grey said that it is her desire to give her

Nellie Grey and the new born

daughter-in-law a decent burial. She further noted that the deceased’s parents live in Wakapoa, an Amerindian community in Region Two, and do not have a lot of finances.

Yonette Grey, 20 of Somerset and Berks in Region Two, died on May 10 after delivering her first child at the Suddie Public Hospital.

She was 36 weeks pregnant when she was admitted at the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital for vomiting and severe abdominal cramps. She was later rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where she underwent a C-section and the baby’s life was saved. The mother of one was later airdashed to Georgetown Public Hospital where she succumbed moments

after. Grey’s in-laws are contending that if she was given the right attention at Oscar Joseph Hospital in Charity, then chances are that her life would have been saved.

Nellie Grey told the media that her daughter- in law was transported to Suddie hours after her admittance.

The mother-in-law attributed the long delay of the ambulance to her daughter in law experiencing seizures. Even in the ambulance, there was no oxygen to help Grey’s condition. The deceased was married some nine months to her son Cliffton Simon Grey.

Anyone who wishes to contribute to the family can contact Nellie Grey on her mobile 5926809998.

Blanhum replaces Leslie James as Guyana’s Crime Chief

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e n i o r Superintendent of Police Wendell Blanhum has ascended to the office of Crime Chief, taking over from Leslie James who was posted to the position following the appointment of the then Crime Chief Seelall Persaud as acting Police Commissioner in 2013.

The change took immediate effect on Monday following a meeting with His Excellency David Granger and Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud. James was attached to the Office of Persaud.

His duties were immediately known. Guyana Times International also understands that following the appointment of Brian Joseph as head of the presidential guards, there will be some shifting around in B Division (Berbice) as well as C, D and E Divisions (East Coast Demerara, West Bank Demerara/East Bank Essequibo, Linden/ Kwakwani) respectively.

P r e s e n t l y , Christopher Griffith who commands C Division is expected to be inter-

Senior Superintendent of Police Wendell Blanhum

changed with D Division which will also see Marlon Chapman being reassigned. Calvin Brutus who heads E Division is expected to take up a position in B Division.

In addition, there are expected to be some minor changes in the Traffic Department at Headquarters.

M e a n w h i l e , Blanhum has 16 years experience in the Criminal Investigative Department. He would have been awarded the best student in the CID induction course and topped the Investigators

Course.

He also completed the Standard Officers Cadet Course. Blanhum also completed the Crime Prevention Policing Course in Republic of Korea; Organised Crimes for the Americas course in Guatemala; Policing and Management Course in Colombia; Intelligence led Policing Course in Trinidad and Tobago; the Federal Bureau of Investigation Course; the Evaluation workshop Organsied Crimes in Cuba and the Law Enforcement Leadership course in El Salvador.

His academics include a Degree in Public Management where he graduated with Credit; Post Graduate Diploma in Development Studies and he is presently studying for his Commonwealth Masters Degree in Public Administration which is expected to be completed in August.

He has held the post of Detective Divisional Officer C and A Divisions and Deputy Crime Chief.

His accomplishments include a number of high profile investigations.

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No formal invitation extended to No decision yet on Claudette Singh as Speaker PPP/C to join “unity movement”

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resident David Granger has subtly confirmed that the new administration is contemplating the appointment of the former Justice of Appeal, Claudette Singh, as Speaker of the House.

However, no definite decision has been made.

When asked by media operatives on Wednesday about the possibility of Justice Singh, who is currently the Guyana Police Force Legal Advisor, being the next Speaker of the National Assembly, Granger said there are several nominations.

“I’m not aware that there is a shortlist that can be made public at this time…if one of the parties nominated her, she must be given an opportunity to indicate that she’s willing to serve and, to my mind, that hasn’t happened as yet,” he stated.

Under the Cummingsburg Accord, the Speaker has to come from civil society.

Reports indicated that Singh, along with former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, are being touted for the position.

With less than 14 days before the 11th

Claudette Singh

Parliament is slated to be convened, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Executive Member Dr Rupert Roopnaraine told this newspaper on Tuesday, that the coalition has several persons in mind who are qualified to be appointed as Speaker. Senior members of the coalition are in the process of reviewing their profiles to determine who will best fit the position. Roopnaraine explained that the new Government is putting much effort into ensuring that the person selected commands the respect of both sides of

the House: the APNU/ AFC Government and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition.

Former Speaker Raphael Trotman, who presided over the 10th Parliament, had explained that the coalition decided to chose someone from civil society to ensure he/she is impartial when presiding over the National Assembly.

But Ramkarran, who presided over the Eighth and Ninth Parliaments, said that if the coalition was attempting to send a message to the public that it was not interested in dominating the Parliament, it really did not matter from which grouping the Speaker was selected from because it is the duty of the Speaker to maintain the balance. “It is not difficult; the rules are there and you just implement them,” he stated.

Ramkarran was previously asked by this newspaper whether he would consider returning to the 11th Parliament as Speaker, to which he stated that the chances of that occurring are highly unlikely. “I have no expectation that I would be asked to be Speaker or anything else,” he said.

–Ramotar

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ormer President Donald Ramotar said his People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has received no formal invitation from President David Granger to join his unity movement.

He said any attempt by the Guyanese leader to suggest that the PPP/C has scoffed at inclusionary governance would be disingenuous.

Speaking during an interview on Monday morning, Granger said that he was particularly disappointed that the former President has not yet shown any indication that he wished to take up the olive branch which he had extended to him on Saturday, during his swearing-in ceremony at the Parliament Building.

“There has been no indication of acceptance.

I have seen an article in the papers which says that there will be no acceptance … I am disappointed not surprised … this is a moment that Guyana has been waiting for. It is a moment that we should regard as the start of a process of building national unity; as a process of creating inclusionary democracy and rejecting the winner-takes-all gover-

nance,” the newly elected President said.

Granger noted that this was a missed opportunity for the PPP/C leader which may never come again, noting that this was the chance for Ramotar to show the people of Guyana that he was serious about the good of the country.

“It is missed opportunity. It may not come again … What happened in 2011 and 2015 is that the people have changed.

It shows that the people have stopped thinking race and started thinking about the issues. It would be a good opportunity for the PPP and former President Ramotar to send a message to his supporters that we want Guyana to move forward and we are prepared to join this movement of national unity rather than stay on the sidelines and criticise and complain …

Guyana has turned the corner. It will be better government … we are not in the business of winner takes all and locking people out. I would like a government of all the people and that is why I would like to ask former President Ramotar to reconsider his position,” Granger said.

Discussions

In his invited comment, Ramotar explained that President Granger never had any discussions with him or any senior member of the PPP/C about forming an inclusionary government.

Reports indicated that Ramotar did indeed engage Granger but the conversation was about the provocation being directed at PPP/C supporters and nothing about him joining the “unity train”.

In the meantime, Granger noted that he was humbled that the majority of the Guyanese people have chosen him to lead the country, noting that he intended to do so to the best of his ability.

“I now have the support of the majority of the population to do the things that they wanted done and that is why I am here. That’s why they elected me. It’s a feeling of great responsibility and I expect to discharge that responsibility and as I said at my inauguration I will be a good president…. I have been to all of the regions here in Guyana and I have a good idea of what the people want,” he said.

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APNU/AFC allocation of ministerial responsibilities:

Ramotar still to decide if he will be MP

Harmon, Nagamootoo share … says discussions ongoing on MP positions powers in Assembly

BY DEVINA SAMAROO

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Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

By Michael Younge

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resident David Granger’s decision to create a new Government Ministry headed by retired Colonel Joseph Harmon could see the sharing of powers by him and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in the Legislature and Executive as a whole.

Nagamootoo, according to the Cummingsburg Accord which was signed by the Alliance For Change and A Partnership for National Unity ahead of the coalition agreement, was expected to look after the domestic affairs of the

country while chairing the Cabinet. He was also expected to make recommendations for ministerial appointments while providing organisational structures for Ministries to be approved by President Granger.

Additionally, the Prime Minister elect was slated to appoint heads of agencies and non-constitutional commissions with the required and agreed democratic mechanisms of consultation and appointment; and domestic security.

Nagamootoo, who is still to be sworn in, was also expected to be continued on page 21

ormer President Donald Ramotar who headed the List of Candidates for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at the recent General and Regional Elections is still to decide whether or not he will be a Member of Parliament (MP) in 11th Parliament.

During an interview with Guyana Times International on Monday, the former President explained that the PPP/C is still discussing which of its candidates will be best positioned in Parliament to assist in the policy and decision-making process of the country. Asked specifically if he will be going to Parliament, Ramotar said “We still have to decide on that.

You will know in time.

The party is still discussing who will be the Members of Parliament, among other things.”

Following his defeat at the 1992 polls, the late former President Demond Hoyte had returned to Parliament, however former PPP/C President Bharrat Jagdeo after demitting

Former President Donald Ramotar

office opted not to return as a legislator. There have been talks that Ramotar may follow this route.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said recently that the party should allow new and vibrant faces to lead the way and let the aged and experienced be the guidance for those upcoming souls with a clear vision to take the country forward.

Asked about which candidates have the potential to be the new faces to represent the party in Parliament, Ramotar again explained that those discussions were still ongoing.

Some new and youth-

ful faces had appeared on the PPP/C’s List of Candidates. Possible options for MPs include Clinton Urling, Africo Selman, Charles Ramson Jr, Mahender Sharma, Romel Roopnarine and Alexei Ramotar.

Some long serving members of the PPP/C expected to return as MPs include former General Secretary Clement Rohee, former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall and former Chip Chief Gail Teixeira.

The PPP/C after serving 23 years as the ruling Administration, lost the battle for ex-

ecutive power to the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition in the General and Regional Elections 2015. As a result, the PPP/C lost executive power and returned as the minority party in Parliament with 32 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has been touted as the person who will be in charge of the Home Affairs Ministry while it is expected that AFC Cathy Hughes will hold responsibility for Tourism. It is also expected that Amna Ally, who served in the 10th Parliament as Shadow Education Minister, will transition to hold that portfolio. Nigel Hughes and Basil Williams, Guyana Times understands, are being considered to become the next Attorney General.

Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Executive Member of APNU, is reportedly being considered for the position of one of the three Vice Presidents and Natural Resources and Environment Minister.

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Bandits grab Gy$32M in AML/CFT Bill blocked by Annandale home invasion APNU, AFC in Opposition …up for early passage in new Govt

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The house where the robbery took place

wo gunmen on Tuesday morning carted off some Gy$32 million in cash in a brazen robbery at a businessman’s premises in Courbane Park, Annandale, East Coast Demerara.

According to Police, about 11:00h Tuesday, two men, one of whom was armed with a firearm, entered the premises of a businessman at Courbane Park, and held up the housekeeper Nandrani Manick, 59, of Mon Repos, ECD and handyman Ulric Fingall, 20.

The housekeeper and

handyman were reportedly tied up and the perpetrators ransacked the home and took Gy$15 million and US$85,000 before making good their escape. When Guyana Times International visited the crime scene on Tuesday afternoon, there was a large presence of security men who were all armed, guarding the gates and the building.

Upon enquiry, this publication was told that the businessman was not at home and was expected to be gone for a short while. However, a relative who spoke to this publication under conditions

of anonymity said that the housekeeper and the handyman were the only two persons present at home when the incident occurred. As such, he related that the two are in custody assisting Police with the investigations.

The relative said that while investigations are still ongoing into the matter, it would appear to be an inside job and Police were looking at all possible angles. This publication understands that the businessman is an exporter of fresh vegetables to the United States of America and several other countries.

he newly-elected A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change ( APNU+AFC) Government has promised to pass and implement a new AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) Bill when the 11th Parliament opens in about two weeks’ time.

This assurance was given by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS)-designate, Joseph Harmon who was on the Opposition benches in the 10th Parliament when they blocked the very legislation from being passed.

The then Opposition had argued for what they called a stronger bill and pushed for a series of amendments – some of which were deemed unnecessary by the international regulatory bodies. However, Harmon disclosed that the country will, within the 11th Parliament, join the rest of the countries that have passed and implemented the AML/CFT Bill. This Bill was at the level of a Special Select Committee, ready to facilitate amendments put forward by the new administration, when it was in the Opposition.

These amendments had

to do with strengthening the enforcement of the Bill, so as to make it more relevant.

“I can say that that (the passage of the AML Bill) is a priority for us,” Harmon said. He said that this was one matter in which the new Administration will test the truthfulness and the positions of the now Opposition, to see if they really want the Bill to pass.

“We will put it back on the front burner, and we will let the Guyanese people see that we are going to push aggressively for it,” Harmon said. “We have always said that we wanted anti-money laundering legislation that was wholesome, that dealt with the mechanisms for enforcement, and we have those things already in the draft before the Special Select Committee. So it is just a matter of getting back there, getting the arguments finished very quickly and getting it (the Bill) before the floor,” he explained.

Passage of the internationally-required legislation, emanating out of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), a body that is responsible for monitoring the operations of legislation of this type throughout

Caribbean, is to achieve effective implementation of and compliance with international recommendations on the prevention and control of money laundering and the combating of the financing of terrorism.

Petition

In addition to blocking the Bill, the then Opposition parliamentary parties used their one-seat majority in the National Assembly to block the presentation of a petition from the Private Sector Commission of Guyana which had sought to call on them to give support to the anti-money laundering legislation in the interest of avoiding economic hardship and financial blacklisting.

The petition, which would have been presented by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Manzoor Nadir, was surprisingly described as “offensive”, “vexatious”, “malicious” and “inaccurate” by then APNU Member of Parliament Carl Greenidge. Greenidge had argued staunchly that the correct procedures were not followed by the petitioners or Nadir as far as the standing orders had allowed for its presentation to the National Assembly.

Police awaiting DPP advice on MFK murder file

Harmon, Nagamootoo share powers in...

C from page 20

the Government’s Chief Legislator in Parliament and be fully in charge of the Government’s business. This means that he would also take full responsibility for the legislation to be piloted by the Office of the President (OP) and act on the President’s behalf as his most senior representative in Parliament.

However, Granger on Monday announced that Harmon would be the Minister-in-Charge of the affairs of the Office of the President which would be renamed Ministry of the Presidency.

President Granger also confirmed that Harmon would act as the Minister of State in Parliament and will function under his direction and instruction.

“Some departments will continue, some will remain, but the most important thing is that we ensure there is no disruption, simple. Comrade Harmon will be doing the job that Dr Luncheon did, with some exceptions, he won’t be doing NIS (National Insurance

Scheme), but as far as OP is concerned, he is Minister-in-Charge,” Granger is quoted as saying.

Additionally, Harmon will be responsible for acting on behalf of the President himself as far Granger’s ministerial portfolios are concerned in the Legislature. This means that he could announce policy positions of the Head of Government, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, while also making parliamentary statements on Granger’s responsibility as far as the appointment of Constitutional Agencies and Commissions with the required and agreed democratic mechanisms of consultation and appointment.

So far, President Granger has made all of the announcements of who he has confirmed in various ministerial posting and not Nagamootoo, who should have done so after making recommendations and consultations with the President.

When contacted on

Tuesday, the representative of the coalition list, Dr Harold Lutchman, said that the President can divide the powers where he sees it fit. He presumes that’s what the coalition will be doing over the next few days.

Another top executive of the coalition, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, said that he is unsure of how the powers will be divided. “I am not entirely sure what the Prime Ministerial portfolio will be,” he admitted. He said the Prime Minister will be responsible for a number of things, but he is unsure of what those things will be, citing that he is certain the Prime Minister will be responsible for government information. Roopnaraine did say for Harmon, in Parliament he will be representing particular areas like defence, citizenship, immigration and public service.

When asked who will be senior, he suggested that Nagamootoo will remain senior in the National Assembly.

rime Chief Leslie James on Wednesday said that the Guyana Police Force is awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, pertaining to the murder of MFK Trading boss, Mohamed Khan, in which a remanded prisoner has implicated a retired senior officer and a serving member of the force. The senior officer stated that a file was submitted to the DPP and they are seeking advice on how to proceed.

He said that the Tactical Services Unit Sergeant David Lindo and retired Assistant Commissioner, Steve Merai, both of whom were arrested for questioning last week, were released after statements were taken and a confrontation was held with Lennox “Two Colours” Wayne at the Criminal Investigations Department.

Wayne is at present on remand for murdering Lusignan cosmetologist Ashmini Harriram last year. He began his revelation in prison, after which he was taken to CID Headquarters and gave a detailed statement to sleuths of a plan in which he was the contracted hit man to “bump off” Mohamed Khan, following a row over the sale of his Hadfield Street property.

He had claimed that on August 9 last year, one month after the first execution attempt, he received a telephone call from the police sergeant who informed him that Khan was seen at his lawyer’s office on Hadfield Street among other revelations highlighting a detailed plan to murder Khan.

The remains of Mohamed Khan were found on September 23, 2014

Mohamed Khan was killed last September

aback of Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara. Khan had gone missing following a trip from Venezuela to Guyana to conduct business.

DNA results have confirmed that the remains were that of the businessman.

The skull, which was wrapped in a plastic bag, was located several feet from the body which was in an advanced state of decomposition.

Khan, who had fled to neighbouring Venezuela after selling his business place on Hadfield Street, had talked about death threats he received on numerous occasions.

Khan, 54, had escaped execution in July, 2014, at La Grange, West Bank Demerara, when a man shot him in his abdomen shortly after he returned to Guyana on a brief holiday.

He was last heard from on August 21, 2014.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sophia stabbing: Wanted teen might have confessed murder to friends

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h i v a n a n d Roopnarine of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), who is wanted for the murder of 17-year-old Alissa McPherson, contacted two of his friends moments after the stabbing incident, telling them that he had done “something wrong.”

Information reaching this newspaper revealed that the wanted 21-year-old man told his close friends that he had stabbed the young woman after seeing her with an ex-boyfriend at a dance in Sophia on April 19.

The young man was described as a quiet individual who took care of McPherson. He reportedly offset all the expenses for the teenager’s school, and paid for her to sit seven subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) examination.

“After he get the call from a friend who tell him that Alissa was dancing with someone at Sophia, he went and when he reached he saw it was her

Alissa McPherson

ex… an argument started and he (the suspect) claimed he didn’t know what went into him but he stabbed the teen,” an anonymous friend told this publication.

After he committed the act, he reportedly went home, packed a haversack and left the village.

The friend stated that there are rumours that Roopnarine had absconded to Venezuela, Brazil and Mahdia but did not di-

vulge his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Denise McPherson, the dead teen’s mother, is holding out that the fugitive has been in contact with his immediate family and friends. In a recent telephone interview with this newspaper, she called on the Guyana Police Force to apprehend the young man, noting that justice must be served.

Days after the teenager was murdered, the suspect was seen boarding a bus in Soesdyke, EBD en route to Mahdia. He had already taken off his long hair that he was sporting.

On the night in question, Alissa McPherson, of Cappies Place, ‘C’ Field Sophia, Georgetown went to a party with a few relatives, and someone informed the suspect that she was having an affair with another man.

Roopnarine subsequently arrived and an argument ensued between the couple. It was further reported that he took the young woman into a corner where he stabbed her

about her body.

McPherson was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she succumbed around 07:30h on April 19 while receiving treatment. Guyana Times International was made to understand that the couple was having problems, and prior to the incident, the teenager caught the suspect with another woman at his mother’s home.

This newspaper was also informed that a torn photograph of the couple was found in the teenager’s handbag. A postmortem examination conducted on the teen’s body revealed that she was stabbed at least 41 times.

McPherson reportedly sustained stab wounds to her eyes, chest, hands, neck and abdomen among others. She suffered a punctured lung and her uterus was severely damaged as a result. The cause of death was given as haemorrhaging and shock due to multiple stab wounds.

Guyana’s youths hold Granger to campaign promises

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he majority of the youth population of Guyana appears to be extremely ecstatic following the announcement that the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition will form the next Government of Guyana.

But with all pomp and celebrations aside, the youth population has unanimously, through various means, reminded its new President David Granger, of the many promises he made on the campaign trail for a better Guyana.

Granger had promised to govern the country in such a way that all Guyanese are provided with equal rights that will see them advancing themselves, and thus advancing the economy.

Social media is exploding with congratulatory comments for the new Government, but is also loaded with warning comments that the “Granger Administration” has an unyielding duty to fulfil. One young person, who currently pursues his studies in business management, congratulated the APNU/AFC for winning, noting that he would hold them fully responsible for the state of the country thereafter.

Another, speaking under the condition of

Guyana’s Eight Executive President David Granger

anonymity, explained that he was excited to see what a change in the Government will do for Guyana. However, though sceptical of the uncertainty ahead, he said he would give the next Administration six months to prove to the nation that they made the right choice.

“If families can finally walk on the streets without fear of being robbed or killed; if we can finally live in peace; if a new Government changes anything; that Sophia incident is not the change I was expecting, but I shall wait and see what this new Government brings,” he noted.

Live up to standards “We

can

see

that

you’ve won the election.

Now understand that you’ve set a standard and a goal, and you’ve made promises. The public have voted you in because they have faith in you and put their trust in you. You better live up to that standard and fulfil all the promises you made; no slacking off.

Bring us the change you promised,” an energetic student declared.

Granger, during his campaign trail, promised to fix the flaws of the country without giving many details on how he intended to do so.

Granger explained that he was unsure of the condition of the treasury and therefore could not pronounce on a detailed plan. Nonetheless, he

has constantly assured that he has a vision for change and repeatedly promised Guyana to deliver such a change.

Though statistics are not yet available, independent observers claim that a significant portion of the voting population consisted of young people who voted for the APNU/AFC coalition.

These observers believe that the coalition succeeded in reaching out to this section of the electorate and convinced them that it was time for a change.

Young people are currently looking to the APNU/AFC to deliver upon the promises it made, warning that if it did not, then the coalition must go.

Surujbally must go – PPP/C

Former President Donald Ramotar

GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally

mid its continued charges that the recent General and Regional Elections were rigged, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has called on Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally to resign and has also told party supporters to “remain mobilised for further action.”

In a statement, the party said prior to the May 11 General and Regional Elections, it raised concerns both publicly and privately with the GECOM Chairman, Commission and Secretariat, the advance assessment teams of the UN, Commonwealth and the Carter Centre, the diplomatic community, and subsequently with the International Observer Missions with regard to the partiality of the GECOM machinery.

According to the PPP, the recruitment of polling staff connected to the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition was known and it consistently raised its concerns publicly months before and during the recruitment and training periods. “Fears were also expressed about the removal of the foreign IT Specialist at a critical time just two weeks before the election and the denial of requests for public disclosures of GECOM Election Day staff. This lack of transparency and willingness to enhance public trust and confidence by GECOM in the face of blatant infiltration of the machinery by known APNU/AFC activists is an indictment.”

The PPP/C said its positions were supported with conclusive evidence that a number of irregularities were carried out on Election Day and the period immediately thereafter, par-

ticularly multiple voting, and the creation of fraudulent and fictitious SOP’s, to such an extent, that any government formed on the basis of declared results (without a recount) would not reflect the will of the people of Guyana.

“Our positions remain the same today in the face of the refusal of GECOM to conduct the recount of a close-finish race the PPP/C considers the APNU-AFC Government as de facto coming in on fraudulent elections. These events, not surprising, have contributed to the loss of confidence in the GECOM machinery and more particularly its Chairman, Dr Surujbally.

The PPP/C calls for the immediate resignation of Dr Surujbally as Chairman.”

The PPP/C said it has collected and will continue to collect further evidence to file an elections petition. “The PPP/C also condemns the wide scale provocations currently being meted out to its supporters by the APNU/ AFC supporters. We are aware of the many acts of the APNU+AFC coalition even at this early stage events of provocation, discrimination, and persecution are taking place. The PPP/C has established a hotline number for the public to call in and report such incidences.”

Furthermore, the party called on the international and diplomatic communities to condemn such acts. “The PPP/C wishes to assure victims of Election Day violence that it will actively pursue compensation for loss of vehicles and property. The party urges its supporters to remain mobilised for further action and committed to the defence of democracy in Guyana.

The PPP/C will continue to update the country on our evolving position.”

A

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2 women remanded on Business community wants partnership with new Govt narcotics charges

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wo women were, on Monday, remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on charges of trafficking narcotics.

Vanessa Harper, a 30-year-old mother of two who resides in Plaisance, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on May 15, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri, she was found to be in possession of 5.576 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. According to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor, Oswald Messiah, the defendant made arrangements with an unknown individual who promised her US$5000 to transport the substance to the United States (US), and gave her an advance of US$1000. She was also given US$300 to assist with accommodation expenses while in the US. It was disclosed that, on the day in question, the defendant was carrying two suitcases on her way to board a flight destined for the US. While she was being processed by CANU Officers the illicit drug was found concealed in

Accused drug trafficker Nanda Ali

the top covers of her two suitcases. The woman was then arrested and taken into custody, after which an investigation was carried out and the defendant later charged.

Harper has no previous convictions nor does she have any pending matters in court. The prosecution objected to bail as the details put forward by the woman’s defence does not support any special reasons.

Nanda Ali, the 39-year-old proprietor of a beer garden on 12 Caribbean Park Annandale, also pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that, on May 15 at the CJIA in Timehri, she was found to be in possession of 6.182 kilograms of co-

caine for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the Police Prosecutor Messiah, on the day in question, the woman was on her way to board a flight bound for Trinidad where she would take a connecting flight to the US. During a search conducted on her person by ranks of CANU, the illicit substance was found concealed in the top covers of her two suitcases. The woman was then arrested, taken into custody and charged.

According to the prosecutor, investigations have revealed that the woman had also made arrangements with unknown persons in the US to traffic the drugs to the United States for the payment of US$5000.

Ali’s legal representative, Peter Hugh, made an application for reasonable bail stating that the matter would most likely be transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where there is a backlog of matters and his client would have to wait a long time for her trial to commence. Bail was refused for both defendants and the matters were transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for May 25.

J

oining hands in welcoming the Leader of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition David Granger as Guyana’s Eight Executive President, the local business community noted that it looks forward to the forging of strong partnerships with the new Government so that the nation can continue to flourish and prosper.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), after ruling the country for 23 years, has developed the country to such an extent that businesses even in the most remote areas have been successful.

Under the PPP/C, Guyana has experienced consecutive years of economic growth which significantly benefited the business community and in return, the Guyanese people.

With a change in Government, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have come forth to congratulate the APNU+AFC coalition on their long awaited achievement and signalled their expectations for sustained cooperation between the govern-

Ramesh Persaud

ing Administration and the business community so that development can continue.

The PSC in a statement lauded the coalition for making “a united country” the focus of their campaign and, for promising an inclusionary government which ensures the needs of all the people are met.

“The Private Sector Commission, on this historic occasion, extends warm congratulations to the new President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency David Arthur Granger, and his new Government,” the statement read.

It continued to indicate its expectation of the new Government to encourage Private Sector investment and support as it continues to strive for creation of jobs and the

overall development of Guyana.

The GCCI, also in a press release, congratulated the new Government while too, noting its expectation of unyielding partnerships that are critical to the nation’s economic future.

The GCCI went further to remind the new Government that there is a “magnitude” of work ahead.

“A win by less than 10,000 votes is a clear indication that there is a significant constituency that needs to be convinced of the new Government’s good intentions… The vitriol spewed all over social media by both sides of the divide during the election season, shows clearly that there is a lot of work to be done,” GCCI said.

The organisation also acknowledged the coalition’s willingness to work with the PPP/C Opposition to ensure Guyana’s future is secured and urged the PPP/C Executives to do the same.

“The coalition has already indicated that it is willing to work with the Opposition but it is also for the Opposition to play the responsible role in Parliament expected in a functioning democracy,” the release noted.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

SASOD calls for Granger urges OP staff to “work together for the good of the nation” acceptance from society

O

N

President David Granger meeting with staff of the Office of the President

ewly-elected President David Granger has urged staffers of the Office of the President (OP) to put behind them the acrimony and antipathy of the elections campaign and work together for the good of the nation.

He made the remarks during a meeting with staff of the Office of the President on his first day at his office. Addressing the staffers at the Presidential Complex, Granger reminded employees that the entity is a very important branch of the public service and the hub of Government; hence it is very important that it functions efficiently. “You’re all professionals, and I am not

going to enquire into your political leads, I am not going to enquire into your business leads, I don’t know if you belong to the lodge, I don’t want to know if you put your head in a turban, (or) burn candles at night.

When you come in to work, I want you to understand you’re serving the people of Guyana without fear or favour, affection or ill will,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) quoted the Head of State as saying.

He reminded them of the oath he took on May 16 when he became President saying, “I am not being sworn in as leader of APNU/ AFC, I am being sworn in as President of the

Cooperative Republic of Guyana. If I could have a public conscience, or public vision, or public sense of vision, I would expect all of you to have that vision”. He pointed to the fact that while everyone is biased, the degree of their professionalism is determined by their ability to suppress that bias.

In whatever field persons work, the first thing is professionalism, President Granger reiterated, noting that their Office of the President jobs are determined by their expertise. He explained that professionalism also is based on a sense of solidarity and, “We’re all working here together, we’re not working at daggers drawn…

so in any group of professionals there has to be a sense of solidarity. If you don’t possess that solidarity, well then, we will fail in our duty.”

Staffers were also reminded that, “Parties come, (and) parties go,” and asked that all stakeholders put behind them all of the acrimony and antipathy of the past week or the past years. “I would like us to look forward to a Guyana which is respectful of all of the people”. Today’s meeting was one of several that President Granger had on his schedule as part of the transitioning phase of taking the reins of Government, and ensuring the smooth continuity of the Administration of the nation.

n Sunday (May 17), the world celebrated a step forward for persons in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, as exactly 25 years ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declassified samesex attraction as a mental disorder.

The acceptance of the LGBT community as a part of society at large was franchised in 1990 when the WHO accepted that gays, homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender are not mentally unstable but simply different.

Through this single yet mammoth leap, an International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) was conceived in 2004 to celebrate the LGBT community and encourage acceptance and understanding.

Guyana Times International spoke with Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) Advocacy and Communications Officer Schemel Patrick on Saturday and the significance of the day was explained in detail. She stated that on this day, the LGBT community is highlighted – their struggles, their progress on being accepted as part of society – and more importantly, their diversity is celebrated.

She said the day is about “sharing information, encouraging persons to amplify their voices and celebrate themselves”.

Patrick does not agree that WHO’s declassification exactly brought much change to the LGBT community.

However, she stated that the LGBT community has become more open within the last decade and society has become more understanding and accepting of them – in part.

The Communications Officer said that these subtle changes from society have been realised through continued sensitisation and education that the LGBT community is made up of individuals like everyone else.

Patrick said society needed to understand that homosexuals and transgenders have feelings, hurt as everyone else and also get depressed when society choose to turn its back on them – as anyone else would.

Thus, Patrick said the struggle continued, emphasising on the particular struggle of transgenders. She told this publication that society notices someone who is transgender but not someone who may be bisexual or even homosexual. This, she said, is due to their “visibility”, detailing that they are discriminated against when it comes to healthcare, education and their employment.

Preparatory work commences to mount legal challenge of elections results

T

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is moving to the High Court within the legally prescribed timeframe to mount an elections petition challenging the results declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Saturday after Guyana went to the polls on May 11th to elect a new Government.

The Party, which is the oldest political entity in Guyana, is maintaining that it was cheated out of another term in office because of electoral rigging of votes cast by thousands of Guyanese and inaccuracies in the tabulation of final results by the local electoral body.

When contacted on Sunday, former President and now Opposition Leader Donald Ramotar confirmed that the PPP/C was taking active steps to institute legal proceedings against the Commission and all oth-

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

er necessary agencies with responsibility for the conduct and declaration of elections results in Guyana.

Ramotar said that the proceedings would commence as soon as the Party has completed all of the necessary preparatory work to have the matter filed, heard and tried.

The petition is likely to be presented by former

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall in the courts.

When contacted, Nandlall would only say that work has commenced and the Party will do all that is legally necessary to ensure that recourse is had and justice is served.

He would not divulge details about the grounds

for the court action or the quantum of evidence that the Party would have accumulated thus far, to support its accusations against GECOM. Nandlall explained that the next few days were critical for the Party and referred all other questions about the PPP/C action plan to its General Secretary, Clement Rohee and the

Party’s Executive en bloc.

Ramotar even though handing over responsibility for the state and citizenry to incoming President David Granger had maintained that he was never defeated at the polls, but was rather cheated.

In his last address to the nation as Head of State and President on Saturday, the Guyanese politician explained that his Party had requested that GECOM conducted a final count before declaring the elections results because of concerns his Party had about the accuracy of several Statements of Polls.

Ramotar said that the election results “were shrouded in controversy” as he appealed to thousands of Guyanese who voted for the PPP/C to remain calm in the face of widespread provocation “associated with triumphalism”.

The PPP/C has accused the A Partnership for National Unity/

Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), along with the election body of colluding on Polling Day, resulting in the Party’s failure to secure higher numbers.

He said while the Party has been illegally removed from office, it will remain steadfast in its commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy.

New phase

Ramotar, who is also an Executive Member of the PPP/C, said that Granger and the leadership of APNU/AFC coalition must ensure the preservation of peace, respect and protection for all citizens over the next few years regardless of their race, creed or political affiliation.

“As we enter into a new phase of our country’s political life, the PPP/C will continue to strive for a strong democracy, a cohesive society and a better Guyana,” he said in a statement to the media.

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PPP/C proud of its record …and will continue to work for all – Irfaan Ali

By Michael Younge

P

eople’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Member Irfaan Ali says the Party will continue the struggle to better the lives of thousands of Guyanese, explaining that it is not broken, but strengthened to work harder to ensure that progress continues in Guyana following the declaration of the May 11 elections results on Saturday by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Ali speaking with the Guyana Times International on Sunday during an exclusive interview said that his Party has always worked in the interest of the Guyanese people and would continue to do so even as it takes on a new role in the governance of the country now.

“Today we enter a new era in the history of our country,” Ali said, stating that “our Party’s resolve remains stronger now than any other time because of the support shown by thousands of Guyanese who rallied with us”.

He said that as he reviewed the “venom on many social media sites” against the supporters and leaders of the PPP/C, he was further emboldened to defend his party and to work harder for the

people of Guyana.

“As it relates to our leaders and contributions to modern-day Guyana, the evidence is before us,” he said during the interview.

The PPP/C executive encouraged all of the party’s supporters and well-wishers to stay focused and remain calm during this period of disappointment admitting that the leadership of the party was hurt and shared their pain but was not broken or demotivated.

“Let us recommit to work tirelessly for our Party, hold our heads high…You must know that you have served your Party well,” Ali said, as he spoke directly to the thousands who wanted no change in Government.

“You leaders are proud of all of you … we will be with you in the forefront of the struggle that lies ahead …

Our leadership has decided on a course of action and we will pursue those to the end,” he said.

He called on all Guyanese to work with the PPP/C over the next few years with the aim of creating higher levels of internal inclusiveness and zeal.

Ali said, “We welcome each of you to join us in working in the interest of the people … Together we will in the

Bidding adieu

PPP/C Executive Member Irfaan Ali

coming days, we will reach out to our supporters and all Guyana …We are with you, side by side”.

Ali’s comments come at a time when there is increasing worry in the society especially in PPP/C strongholds about their future under the new Government being led by President David Granger.

They also come on the

TT Prime Minister congratulates Granger T

rinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has sent best wishes to the newly-elected President of Guyana, Brigadier (retired) David Granger.

In a statement sent from the Office of the Prime Minister, PersadBissessar congratulated Granger for winning the hotly-contested May 11 General and Regional Elections in Guyana.

The Prime Minister, who is known for her strict and no-nonsense approach – firing more than a dozen of her Ministers, in her letter said “On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend sincerest congratulations to the new President on the victory of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU and AFC) under his stewardship in the recently-concluded and keenly-contested General Elections held in Guyana on Monday,

Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar

May 11, 2015.”

She told Granger that his victory was a clear indication that the Guyanese people were committed to seeing unity and togetherness in the country. “The electoral success of the alliance signifies the commitment of the people of Guyana to work together in the interest of the country, and is a clear indication of the confidence that the people of Guyana have in the vision for the future

News and Home Affairs Minister designate Khemraj Ramjattan seem to believe that he and other leaders would want to tamper with or destroy public records.

“This has never been our approach in dealing with the public interest and business.

All records of the sector I have responsibility for are available and with the leaders of the various sectors,” he said, as he pointed out the desperate attempt to profile and create stereotypes against leading members of the former Donald Ramotar administration.

which the APNU and AFC articulated,” she said in the letter.

The TT Prime Minister said that she had no doubts that the newly-elected President will be able to put Guyana on a path of growth and development even as she reaffirmed her Government’s commitment to working with Guyana.

“As Mr Granger embarks on his tenure as President, I am confident that under his leadership, Guyana will continue on its path to further development and prosperity, and I look forward to working with him towards the pursuit of our bilateral and regional interests. Permit me to reaffirm the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to further strengthening the bonds of friendship which have traditionally existed between our two countries,” Prime Minister PersadBissessar added.

heels of reports of APNU/AFC supporters verbally assaulting and abusing supporters of the PPP/C and its sympathisers.

Meanwhile, the former Housing and Water Minister, who also held responsibility for the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry, said that he read of an “imagined incident” where the Kaieteur

Ali, who perhaps was one of the best performing, bright and young leaders of the PPP/C, thanked the staff of the Ministries he led, admitting that he had distinct pleasure in working with them and benefiting from their unwavering support and hunger to develop Guyana.

“I am proud of my record and that of the PPP/C. Personally and collectively, we held dear the Oath of Office, at a later date I plan on outlining the accomplishments of the PPP/C Government. It is important that the people of Guyana know of our record. In the coming days, this will be released,” a very relaxed and confident Ali reported.

26 NEWS

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

URP continues to question Pineapple harvesting GECOM’s credibility commences in Region 2

T

he United Republican Party’s (URP) Presidential Candidate Vishnu Bandhu, has reinforced his party’s position that the 2015 General and Regional Elections were seriously flawed and represents a lucid distrust in the democratic process of the country.

In a statement last Saturday, only hours before the swearing in of Guyana’s new President David Granger, who is the Leader of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, the URP objected to the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) decision to move forth with the declaration of a new President when numerous questions still linger with regards to the integrity of the election process.

“I am already on record as having questioned the credibility of the preliminary count provided by GECOM because of the discrepancy concerning the national and regional votes recorded for the URP,” Bandhu reiterated.

The minor political party explained that on Thursday, May 14, it was invited by GECOM to witness a recount of the ballots in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), however, when an official arrived at the time GECOM instructed her to, the ballots were already recounted and she was handed a document with the numbers tabulated.

“She was told that these numbers would be transferred to a Statement of Poll (SoP) later,” Bandhu explained.

He also explained that the URP was only granted permission for their scrutineers in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Region Four (Demerara- Mahaica) to scruti-

By: Indrawattie Natram

F

Vishnu Bandhu

nise the voting process.

“We were thus effectively denied the right of all political parties to scrutinise the voting process,” Bandhu vented, noting that he is firmly convinced that there are severe problems with the system administered by GECOM. “I am very sceptical about the integrity of GECOM’s count that has been announced. The URP does not think it won this election, but it wants to reaffirm faith in the democratic process in our beloved nation,” he said.

This has been the position taken by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which strongly believes that some of GECOM’s staff colluded with APNU/AFC to rig the election so that they can rid the PPP/C, after 23 years, from office just so that they can gain executive power.

armers living within the Amerindian sandy communities of Mainstay/Whyaka and Capoey have begun the harvesting of pineapples. According to farmers from both areas, they commenced harvesting some two weeks ago and despite the varying weather conditions, they managed to receive bumper harvest.

Farmers can be seen along the roadways of the Essequibo Coast selling their pineapples, with prices ranging from Gy$250-$300 a pineapple. According to a farmer from Capoey, she produces just enough organic pineapples to sell to her customers within Region Two. She would usually sell at the road head of Capoey and as the vehicles pass persons would stop and support her. She brings out approximately 100 pineap-

ples on a daily basis, and by noon all would usually be sold.

Pineapple farming within the region has been the main source of income for persons living in those Amerindian communities. Over the years, the planting, growth, cultivation and marketing of the tasty fruit has paved the way for community development, advanced educational possibilities, tourism enhancement, and hence a better life for residents through its prosperous returns.

A few pineapple farmers from Mainstay gave a whole new dimension through which pineapple farming and its benefits can be assessed.

According to Telma Williams, who usually sells at Anna Regina, the reaping season commenced and was carried out despite the inclement weather. This process will continue until

the latter part of July this year.

The 52-year-old farmer, who developed her passion for pineapple farming over 33 years ago, said through the sales of the fruit she managed to maintain her household and also provided for her children’s schooling.

Another farmer, Zina Allen, has also testified that pineapple farming is what she does to provide for her family. She added she usually plants more than five acres in pineapple.

The village of Mainstay/Whyaka has hundreds of acres of the tropical fruit under cultivation.

The community had a pineapple factory which had a guaranteed market in Europe. However, over the years the factory has been out of operation and farmers are forced to sell their produce locally.

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

27

28 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

OP to be Selection of Opposition MPs: Make way for “new blood” – Hinds renamed Ministry

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ormer Prime Minister of Guyana and longstanding member of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Samuel Hinds has recommended that his party allow new and vibrant faces to lead the administration and let the aged and experienced be the guidance for those upcoming souls with a clear vision to take the country forward.

In a telephone interview with this publication on Sunday, Hinds said he believes the time is ripe for the young people to become the leaders of the country.

“It’s time to start bring in some new blood,” Hinds stated.

After continuously serving as Prime Minister of Guyana under the PPP/C since it took office in 1992, Hinds stepped down from the position to make way for Elisabeth Harper to take over.

However, after 23 dedicated years of building the nation, the PPP/C lost the General and Regional Election 2015, paving way for the leadership of the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, with David Granger as the new President and his running mate Moses

of the Presidency

P

Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

Nagamootoo as the new Prime Minister.

The PPP/C opposition gained 32 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly and is expected to, very soon, announce who will be the Members of Parliament representing their party in the policy and decision making of the country.

New and youthful appearances on the PPP/C’s List of Candidates and possible options for the Member of Parliament positions are Clinton Urling, Roshini Boodhoo, Mahendar Sharma, Romel Roopnarine, Kwame McCoy, Alexei Ramotar and Charles Ramson.

Hinds said he strongly believes the new faces can significantly contribute to the development of

Roshini Boodhoo

Clinton Urling

the country.

Asked whether he will be returning as a PPP/C MP, Hinds said he is unsure of the position the party will take.

However, he noted that if he is asked, he will willingly serve his party in whatever way he can, although, still recommending that the young people be given a chance to shine.

Hinds said for now, he will focus on reflecting on his past years.

“I just want to spend it quietly and peacefully,” he noted.

Asked what would be his message to the PPP/C supporters who are inevitably in a state of despair over the party’s lost, Hinds encouraged them to “cry for a while but not for too long.”

He noted that, despite not holding executive pow-

er, his party will continue to work for the betterment of Guyana.

“There will be another election soon in which we will be competing…

We have been in the government benches and now we are in the opposition benches. Wherever we are, we are working for people and country,” Hinds calmly assured.

Samuel Archibald Anthony Hinds is a representative of the Civic Component of the PPP/C. He is Guyana’s longest serving Prime Minister and also briefly served as President of Guyana in 1997, making him a veteran in the National Assembly.

Hinds, an outstanding individual, was awarded Guyana’s highest national award, the Order of Excellence in 2011.

resident David Granger has proposed to designate the Office of the President (OP) as the Ministry of the Presidency. This was told to staffers at the Presidential Complex on Monday when the new President met with them for the first time.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) bulletin, Granger stated that the new Ministry will be headed by Lieutenant Colonel Retired Joseph Harmon, and explained that when Harmon enters the National Assembly, he will be designated the Minister of State, so he will be Head, or the Minister-inCharge of the Ministry of the Presidency.

The President said that from time to time, other Ministers will be appointed in the Ministry, “but Mr Harmon will be the person who will be exercising the ministerial function under my directions of this Ministry… Some departments will continue, some will remain, but most important thing is that we ensure there is no disruption, simple. Comrade Harmon will be doing the job that Dr Luncheon did, with some exceptions. He won’t be doing NIS (National

Lieutenant Colonel Retired Joseph Harmon

Insurance Scheme), but as far as OP is concerned, he is Minister-in-Charge.”

Meanwhile, Harmon expressed his gratitude at the appointment, saying that the A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration intends to be service oriented. “We are the servants of the people, and the people are excited and expectant, and if you understand this, this is what they are looking for. I have met with some of the staff already and indicated that there is no witch hunt. Government has to be continued, we expect that you will serve to deliver this. We will provide a quality of service that all Ministries must emulate; that would be the envy of the Caribbean.”

feature 29

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Dmitri Allicock

A

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 flavour of time passed.

For the travellers of British Guiana in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these now 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.

For passengers arriving by steamers, public transportation would have included British Guiana railways, steamships, horse and carriages plus the tramways of Georgetown.

On the Dec 27, 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

The Demerara Ice House, British Guiana (n.d.)

The Tower Hotel ad 1909

Royal Albert Hotel ad 1909

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 The lineage of famous teacher and composer of national songs of Guyana, Valerie Rodway(1919-1970) can be traced back to the original owner. Rodway’s mother, Jane Elizabeth (nee Fraser), was born in Corentyne, Berbice, and was 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 accoutrements 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 racecourse and 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 -- 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.

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

H i s t o r i c a l advertisement not only peaks the curiosity but also tells a vivid story of our 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)

30 travel & tourism

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A great experience in the heart of the jungle

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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)

A morning tour on the river

Arriving in a canoe at Carahaa Landing camp (Photo by Jay Seedy)

Relaxing under one of the benabs at the camp (Photo by Jay Seedy)

Beautiful sunset on the Burro Burro River

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

T

he territory under Dutch control,which would become British Guiana then independent Guyana, first began growing sugar around the mid-1600s but not on a large scale. The first sugar exports to Holland occurred in 1661.

However, it would not be until the late 1700s that it became an important crop, and large scale sugar production began.

According to Tim Merrill, (ed. “Guyana: A Country Study”, Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1992), by 1800 there were an estimated 380 sugar estates along the coast.

This low-lying, narrow strip of fertile land rests between the Atlantic Ocean, the savannahs and dense and sparsely inhabited rainforests of the interior.

It has been the early Dutch and

Transporting cane mid-20th century

West Africa. After the British were ceded the colony in 1814 and slaves were later emancipated, the labour shortage and subsequent decline in agriculture led to the arrival of indentured labourers from Portugal, China, the Caribbean

indentureship ended,and their descendants, fought for better working and living conditions.

In 1976, some 10 years after the country became independent, the then socialist PNC government nationalised the sugar industry and

costs.

However, the lack of quality administration, properly maintained technology, further labour shortages and global market circumstances led to a steeper decline in the industry’s fortunes.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the advance of technology, the sugar industry has seen the rapid modernization of several of its sugar estates. The industry continues to provide employment mostly for the indentured Indians’ descendants who choose to remain working in the industry.

Some 300 years after sugar cultivation began, the sugar industry remains an important contributor to the economy, said to be responsible for approximately 40 per cent of agricultural production

According to the GuySuCo website, the company operates five sugar estates and eight factories (Map from guysuco.com)

and 20 per cent of the country’s annual revenue in the new millennium.

Guyana’s sugar is famed as the “golden brown Demerara sugar” and is exported to many

countries including those of the European Union (EU), to the United States of America, and several Caricom countries.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

The Enmore sugar packaging plant was commissioned May 9, 2011

Most of GuySuCo’s sugarcane is transported by punts to its factories on waterways rather than by road or rail

British construction of infrastructure for sugar cultivation that has shaped the current land use along the coast. This includes levees or “dams”, sluices and waterways for drainage, irrigation and transport.

To supply the labour required for sugar cultivation, Dutch plantation owners at first imported slaves from

and India to work on the sugar plantations.

These circumstances helped create the multi-ethnic society of independent Guyana today.

By the mid-1900s, the sugar industry was wracked with strikes and unrest as sugar workers, mainly Indians who stayed to work on the sugar plantations after

formed the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) comprising the private estates of Tate and Lyle, Jessels Holdings and Bookers.

By the 1980s, with the reduction of a labour force as many Indians emigrated to avoid PNC dictatorship, the sugar industry turned to semimechanism to increase production and lower

Demerara, Land of Trenches (n.d.) (Photo credit- Edward Boyer)

32 feature

By IsahakBasir, CCH

D

artmouth is a village located in Region Two on the Essequibo Coast. From 1640 to 1850, Dartmouth had no drainage system or sea defence. The area was a no man’s land and was first occupied by former slaves who could not find relief in the existing sugar plantations.

While the ruling plantocracy was able to enact laws restricting freed people to occupy and cultivate lands in creeks or rivers, these laws were never exercised in Dartmouth.

This was because of Dartmouth plot’s triangular shape, 800 acres of forested land, which was not in early colonial con-

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

trol but became a haven for people who fought against slavery.

Nearby villages, Bounty Hall and Perth, collectively, were mathematical experiments to change the flow of canals to suit the gravity pull of the seacoast tide, which has a strange phenomenon of ebbing at low tide between the Essequibo River and the Waini River in the northwest district. The British occupancy did not learn from this exercise and made a similar mistake in 1923, when they dug the Somerset Pramage canal in the opposite direction of the tide’s gravity pull.

In 1908, a trail was discovered through the savannah south-west of Dartmouth by three

Double koker at Dartmouth

landowners of Charity, which was then made into a road to Charity that linksPomeroon and the northwest district.

Dartmouth is entirely agricultural, where mangoes and coconuts dominate, while rice, pig rearing and other crops follow. Dartmouth was also a “rescue raft” for

Basir (standing) interviewing residents on the history of the village

displeased Indian sugar workers who were unceremoniously forced to leave their logies on existing sugar estates with the collapse of indentureship. The “Jahangese” renamed Dartmouth with a Hindi name “LudgeJaa” meaning “turning back”. The remaining offspring of indentured Indians should never forget the compassion of Dartmouth.

Like a few other villages, Dartmouth has its pathfinders - the first veterinary surgeon and statesman Dr. P. A. Reid.

The Andamantadors, some of whom excelled in the medical field, included the first regional chairman of Region Two, Mr. Kenneth Hopkinson who hails from Dartmouth also.

Other historical families

included the Brummels, Cummings, Peters, Bostons, Daymons, Gens and Persauds.

By 1961, Dartmouth’s landscape changed rapidly with expansions of other facilities, and,

public road bridges were replaced with concrete structures. With the exception of Queenstown, Dartmouth overruns the market with Buxton spice, the most delicious mango in Region Two. The most recent spokesman for the village is CarnolDaymon, who is a proud-speaking Member of Parliament (MP). Along with other village amenities, the MP saw the Neighbourhood Democratic Council office functional, new Peace Corps Volunteer tutors, a fully functioning Information and Communication Technology Computer Lab for the secondary

Huge pots used to cook for slaves

from 1992, there were further developments that are admirable.This village has secondary and primary schools, a health centre, community building, well-paved streets, farm- to- market road, modern hotel and many entertainment spots. Two main wooden

school and a well-kept environment.

The glory of Dartmouth, where two concrete bridges signal its presence, comes into brightness every Friday afternoon until Sunday night. (Photos by Marco Basir) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

8th of May Secondary School and St Barnabas Anglican Church

feature 33

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Home at last!

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By Anu Dev

“Home is where you go to find solace from the ever changing chaos, to find love within the confines of a heartless world, and to be reminded that no matter how far you wander, there will always be something waiting when you return.” – Kendal Rob

W

ell the semester is finally over! I’ve packed my things, put them away in storage and locked up my dorm room for the summer. I realised that I’m somewhat of a pack rat- who else would save old, used up pens because they’re reminders of courses completed?

As the plane lifted off from the Piarco runway last Tuesday night and I saw the lights of Port-ofSpain spread out below me, I felt like I had finally snapped shut a new chapter- my second year of Med School. It was a relief, to be honest. As the plane climbed higher and higher, I felt like all of my worries and anxieties of the past semester were falling away as I was being whisked away towards home.

At every level it feels like that exam is the hardest exam I’ll ever have to write- that’s how I felt writing SSEE, writing CSEC and then CAPE. And invariably I’ll look back and think, “Why was I complaining back then? I’d definitely prefer to take back CAPE Unit 2 Pure Math and Physics on the same day again than these 2nd year final exams!”

But as my dad likes to remind me, “This too shall pass.” And it does, and I end up surviving another exam and can return home for the holidays.

And it’s been amazing being home, reunited with my family! It’s nice settling into old routines and waking up in my own bed. There really is no place quite like home!

And now I’m home, it seems like the MayJune rains are here. Ordinarily I would have to be making the journey to QC and the rains usually make that quite a damp, dreary, smelly and quite miserable ordeal that would have me shaking my fist and railing against the stormy sky. But this time around, safely ensconced in bed, I can borrow a line from Frozen and say, “The cold never bothered me anyway.”

But my return home hasn’t completely been the restful and relaxing lazy-days I was looking forward to. I had been scheduled to return to vote – and looking forward to exercising my franchise in what I’d already figured was a critical one.

But then fate, in the form of Caribbean Airlines, intervened when they arbitrarily switched me to the day after.

The past couple of days has been focused more on our elections that I had anticipated. I had (naively) expected that the votes would soon be tallied, a result announced and a Government sworn in relatively soon, not the long, drawn-out saga that has played out. I would’ve hoped that after all the drama with past elections, systems would be in placed to speed up a more transparent process.

The GECOM press conferences proved to be pure theatre…complete with dramatic tension and conflicts. As I finish this piece I’ve been staring at the TV screen for the last hour – waiting for the final announcement to be made as to who’ll form the next government. My deadline’s past…so I’ll just say: Good luck to the next administration. Life goes on…

he St. Barnabas Special School has consistently endeavoured to help children with learning disabilities, equipping them with the necessary academic tools for a bright future.

The school was established in 1887 as a gift from a J. Roberts Rea. It began with an enrolment of 312 children, catering for both the primary and post-primary divisions.

There were also a patrol unit, scouts and guides, and a young brigade unit attached to the school.

In 1985, the school was changed from an all-age school to a ‘special’ school for students who suffered a learning disability. The idea for a special school to cater for the needs of slow learners arose out of a concern by the education

St. Barnabas Special School on Regent Street in Georgetown

child is treated as an individual and works at his own pace. Educators can then measure the child’s success as he or she goes along. The children do not have to compete or work under the strain of (external) examination.

At the end of the course,

were only three.

“We are grateful to the Ministry of Education for this. The ministry has also aided us in completing the home economics department and gave us money to purchase items for our children to have the practical ex-

The school's headmistress Rebecca Persaud (left) enjoying a light moment with some of the teachers

ministry for the relatively large number of students who were passing through the school system without mastering basic reading and writing skills. This is a problem not only in Guyana, but in all parts of the world – including developed countries.

Due to the social environment, (psychological, and in some cases physical factors), such students cannot cope with the pace of the normal school system.

Inevitably, they experience continuous failure, frustration and disappointment, and either drop out of school to become unemployed and street sellers, or simply drift through school until it is time to leave.

This project (school) is an attempt to reverse this trend and o give students an opportunity to experience success, to learn at their own rate, and improve their sense of self.

Additionally, this project was an attempt to make school life attractive and meaningful by providing stimulating activities, and by working in small groups. Each

which will be for a threeyear period, a few of the students have been able to re-enter the normal stream of the secondary school to write external examinations, while others have pursued studies at vocational centres; the remaining have been assisted to gain meaningful employment, including self-employment.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, headmistress Rebecca Persaud stated that the school has come a long way since its conception. It now has an IT lab with 15 computers, when previously there

perience of the subject.

There are currently five teachers who are trained to work effectively with the children. The ministry sends these students to us. They are interviewed first and then sent to us. We offer classes up to Form Three, and, when the children are ready, after evaluation, they are sent off to mainstream secondary school or to the Guyana Technical Institute or Carnegie School of Home Economics or other similar institutions,” she outlined.

Persaud noted that the children are more

inclined to learn when using technological equipment, such as the computers. This, she pointed out, is now one strategy to teach the children, which has resulted in students’ excelling academically. The headmistress hopes that more technological materials to aid the learning process for the students can be donated to the school.

The school teaches nine subjects: Writing, Pastoral Care (Health and Family Life education), Visual Arts, English A, Mathematics, Home Economics, IT, Sports (indoor and outdoor), Craft.

“We are thankful to the businesses, NGOs and parents who have been supporting us throughout the years.

We are also thankful for the huge support from the Ministry of Education. We have many success stories of students who have gone on to excel in their studies and careers; this we are proud of. We continue to excel and are determined to help our children on the path to success,” Persaud declared.

For more information on how you can contribute to the school’s projects/activities please call 226-2061.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

The school's Home Economics department

34 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Lung cancer vaccine developed by Cuba heads to US N EW YORK, USA - Cuba has attracted worldwide medical attention for developing and manufacturing a breakthrough lung cancer vaccine, and that treatment will reach the United States very soon.

With improved relations between the two countries, Cuba has allowed American scientists to study and explore the Caribbean communist states’ medical achievements, particularly the lung cancer vaccine Cimavax.

Lung cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in Cuba, and Cimavax was developed by the island’s Centre for Molecular Immunology to help treat the often fatal disease.

The treatment works

by stimulating the immune system to attack the tumour, making the immune system more efficient in fighting the cancer.

The vaccine creates a protein that causes the immune system to attack the epidermal growth factor (EGF) hormone, which helps tumours grow. This “starves” the tumour and prevents it from growing.

“The Cimavax vaccine induces [an] immune response,” Dr Kelvin Lee, of the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, told ABC News. “The tumour is being starved.”

Cimavax has been available to Cuban citizens since 2011. Lung cancer patients are administered one shot every month, free of charge,

A Cuban health officer presents CimaVax EGF, used in the treatment of lung cancer.

at a cost of $1 per shot to the Cuban government.

Studies have shown that the vaccine can extend the lives of lung cancer patients from four to six months.

Cimavax is also said to have great potential to be tested on other forms of cancer, including breast, prostate, and

colon cancers.

The opening up of Cuba to American researchers was part of an agreement between Cuba’s Centre for Molecular Immunology and New York’s Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The deal was mediated by New York governor Andrew Cuomo

when he visited Havana in April on a trade mission. It involves allowing American researchers to take Cimavax and all relevant documentation to the US to apply for FDA approval.

According to Roswell Park CEO Candace Johnson: “The chance to evaluate a vaccine like this is a very exciting prospect.”

The scientists are hoping to get FDA approval for the first phase of their study in six to eight months.

The agreement also involves Cuba receiving healthcare software from Infor, a company based in Manhattan.

As to the development of such a breakthrough treatment by a country where the average person earns $20 a

month, the limitation of resources is thought to have encouraged Cubans to be more resourceful.

“They’ve had to do more with less,” Johnson told Wired. “They’ve had to be even more innovative with how they approach things. For over 40 years, they have had a preeminent immunology community,” she added.

Havana also puts a high priority on health care and medical research. A dengue outbreak in 1981 affected an estimated 350,000 people, prompting the government to set up The Biological Front to focus on medical research.

The Biological Front has produced locally available vaccines for hepatitis B and meningitis B, among others.

(Caribbean 360)

British Virgin Islands Premier denies plan to cut civil service

S

T THOMAS, British Virgin Islands – Premier Dr. Orlando Smith has described as “an outright lie” Opposition claims that his National Democratic Party (NDP) administration had agreed with the United Kingdom government to send home civil servants.

He issued a statement on Tuesday categorically denying any

such plan, in response to claims made the previous night by chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Julian Fraser.

“A story in Platinum News [yesterday] morning carried the leader of the Virgin Islands Party saying that I, Dr. Orlando Smith, had agreed with the United Kingdom to cut the civil service. This is an outright lie and certainly

not reflective of a government that has increased the size of the civil service during the past three and a half years, and has put more people to work, especially young people, than before,” Smith declared.

“Let me state categorically that I have had no correspondence nor entered into any discussion with the United Kingdom government re-

Premier Dr. Orlando Smith said he had no correspondence nor entered into any discussion with the United Kingdom government regarding the civil service “at any time”.

garding our civil service at any time.”

Fraser made the allegation on Monday night at the launch of one of the VIP’s candidates for the June 8, 2015 election in the British Overseas Territory.

He claimed that Smith had called the

election quickly so that he could put the retrenchment plan in action after the polls.

“Now he couldn’t cut the service before elections because he knows that he would never get re-elected. So here is the little trick – just call a quick election and then

come back, hopefully, and do the dirty work,” Fraser charged.

However, in his statement, Premier Smith suggested that Fraser’s allegation was an election ploy and expressed concern that he would implicate the British government in such a claim.

“I know that the VIP is desperate to win this election at any cost, but I did not think that their vicious lies would come from a man who wants to lead this country and would involve the British Government,” he said.

Fraser has promised that if his VIP wins the election, far from cutting the public service, the administration would ensure workers were paid the increments owed them for 2011.

St Lucia probes authenticity of tourist visas held by Cubans

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A S T R I E S , St Lucia – Government has launched an investigation into reports that 38 Cubans caught trying to sail to the United States had St. Lucia tourist visas.

The Dr. Kenny Anthony administration said it needed to find out the origin of the visas since Cubans do not require them to enter the Caribbean island.

A May 15 Associated Press report, which was also picked up by other media outlets, stated that the group of Cubans was among 100 who had been intercepted by the Coast Guard near the US Virgin Islands in late April, and the Cuba government had initially not allowed them back

because they had legally left the country and obtained tourist visas to St. Lucia.

However, in a brief statement issued on Tuesday, the St. Lucia government said: “An investigation has been launched into the matter to determine how the alleged visas appeared in the passports of the Cuban nationals, since Cuban nationals do not require tourist visas to visit St. Lucia. The Government of St. Lucia is in touch with the Cuban and American authorities on this matter.”

The country’s opposition United Workers’ Party (UWP) had also expressed concern about the visa report.

It demanded an ex-

planation from the government. “Who were these visas issued to and for what reasons? For what period in time were the visas issued? Who issued these visas on behalf of the Government of St Lucia?” the UWP questioned in a statement.

“The United Workers Party wants further explanation to the reasons why St Lucia visas, for the second time in recent months, seem to result in embarrassment for this country and . . . demands a full and detailed explanation and investigation from the Dr. Kenny Anthony administration.”

The migrants in question were allowed back into Cuba on Sunday.

(Caribbean 360)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

St Kitts Governor General retires early at Prime Minister’s request

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ASSETERRE, St Kitts – A new Governor General was sworn in on Tuesday after the new administration admitted that Sir Edmund Lawrence’s retirement took effect two weeks early at Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris’ request.

Samuel Weymouth Tapley Seaton Q.C, who had acted as Sir Edmund’s deputy, is now Acting Governor General, replacing the official that government announced had retired on May 14 even though his May 31 retirement date had previously been approved.

Sir Edmund held the post for just over two years.

The Harris administration said in a statement issued on Tuesday: “Her Majesty The Queen had previously given her consent and approval since 13th March, 2015 to Sir Edmund’s request to retire effective 31st May, 2015. However, as of today’s date 19th May, 2015 the Palace has now informed Sir Edmund that on a formal request from the Prime Minister, Dr. The Honourable Timothy Harris, the retirement date has been brought slightly forward to 14th May, 2015.”

Sir Edmund had initially refused to swear in Harris after Team Unity – a coalition of the Concerned Citizens’

Resident Judge Her Ladyship Justice Marlene Carter (far right) administers the oath of office to Acting Governor General Seaton in the presence of Cabinet members (left to right) Attorney General Vincent Byron and Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris.

Movement, the People’s Action Movement, and the People’s Labour Party – won the

February 16, 2015 general elections. He said he could not do so until he had a hard copy of the

election results from the supervisor of elections, Wingrove George. The swearing in subsequent-

ly took place.

Sir Edmund was also absent from the May 14 sitting of Parliament – the first following Team Unity’s election victory – because he had requested and was granted leave from May 12 to 17, the prime minister said.

Seaton attended in his place and delivered the Throne Speech.

The opposition St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) boycotted the opening, levelling several allegations against the government, including that Attorney General Vincent Byron had manipulated the circumstances that led to Sir Edmund’s absence from Parliament.

(Caribbean 360)

Study finds global warming fueling fewer but stronger hurricanes

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ASHINGTON, United States – A new study published in Nature Climate Change has found that warmer sea surface temperatures are pushing some hurricanes to be more intense even though there are fewer storms overall.

Researchers NamYoung Kang and James Elsner of the Florida State University came to that conclusion after examining how warmer ocean temperatures have affected the relationship

between frequency and intensity of hurricanes.

“We’re seeing fewer hurricanes, but the ones

we do see are more intense,” professor of geography at Florida State University and coau-

T&T PM says deputy DPP showed bias

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rinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar claimed last Tuesday, that deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan HonorePaul showed bias in the release she issued last week and her lawyers intend to file a complaint against her with the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JSLC).

In a brief interview with the Express at the St Augustine Freeman Road Community Centre, Persad-Bissessar said her lawyers have indicated to her that Honore-Paul should step aside as it pertains to the Emailgate investigations.

“My lawyers have told me that the deputy DPP in her media release trespassed against the constitutional remit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Integrity Commission,” said Persad-Bissessar.

“Secondly my lawyers have told me that she

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar

has demonstrated bias and thirdly they have advised that we would call upon her to recuse herself from these investigations. My lawyers have also told me that they intend to write to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission to make a complaint,” added the Prime Minister.

Last week PersadBissessar had said that she felt happy and vindicated as Honore-Paul’s release had authenticated a letter from the United States Justice Department which stat-

ed that moc.liamg@nana does not exist and therefore the emails were fake.

Reminded of this, Persad-Bissessar said: “She (Honore-Paul) authenticated the letter that’s one part but then all these other comments that she made.”

DPP Roger Gaspard has already recused himself from the Emailgate probe as he was named in the alleged emails.

As for the legal action taken by People’s National Movement (PNM) Senator Faris Al-Rawi with respect to her Facebook posts, the Prime Minister said it is in the hands of her lawyers.

The Prime Minister conducted a number of “whistle-stops” throughout the country on Tuesday as activists in 39 constituencies held meetings to mobilise for the People’s Partnership grand fifth anniversary celebrations at Constantine Park, Macoya this Sunday.

(Trinidad Express)

thor Elsner told the Washington Post. “When one comes, all hell can break loose.”

The reason for this is that while warmer oceans provide more energy for hurricanes to utilize, it also creates an unfavourable mid and upper-level atmosphere for the storms.

Colorado State University research scientist Phil Klotzbach,

in his forecast for this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, predicted below average activity, citing cooler than average Atlantic ocean temperatures, and an El Niño event, which generates upper level winds that disrupt storm formation.

He is predicting seven named storms, three hurricanes, and one major hurricane during the season which runs from

June 1 to November 30.

The first named storm of the season formed off the United States East Coast on May 7, making landfall in South Carolina four days later.

The storm’s fierce winds and rough waves caused some damage at beaches on the southeastern coast. It also caused flooding along some coastal areas.

(Caribbean 360)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

This week's Crossword

This week's Puzzle

see solution on page 47

Post election…

…land rush ver the weekend, sections of the East Coast and East Bank were transformed into a replay of the famous “land rush” that was common in the American “Wild West” – during the period when they were expanding westwards. “Go west, young man!!” was the cry.

As must be familiar to Guyanese aficionados of “western” movies, the settlers-to-be would be poised on their covered wagons, waiting for the signal to race to a plot of land which they would demarcate.

The phrase, “put down stakes” entered the English language and was performatively explained in the aforementioned locales in the last couple of days. One question on everyone’s mind was, “Who gave the signal for the land rush?”

One answer may be that with the change of the government, after a campaign that in effect lasted the last three and a half years, many have come to actually believe the former Opposition’s hyperbole on the illegitimacy of the actions of the former government.

So even though the PPP/C government gave out over 100,000 house lots – in a population that hasn’t grown for the last 30 years – we evidently still have a hunger for land. So where’s this coming from?

Is it just greed as some say? After all, it’s been said – with more than a dollop of truth – that “Guyanese too like freeness!!” But even though that may be the case…this Eyewitness believes it’s part of the supersized expectations the new Government has created – and which they’re going to have a whole lot of problem, fulfilling.

Even before the elections – and indeed for decades now, the PNC – and then the PNCR and then PNC-R1G and then APNU – have been claiming that African “ancestral land” will be returned when they get into power. Great Expectations. As recently as last year, the APNU supported villagers from Plaisance and Good Hope who squatted on some GuySuco lands – NOT ancestral lands.

But the matter’s become more interesting. With his eye on garnering the 11% Indian votes to deliver unto APNU, Nagamootoo announced the day before the elections that sugar workers (code for the Indian poor and powerless) would also be given lands not used by the sugar industry.

With all of these “land carrots” dangled in front of the expectant electorate, can we really be surprised they took matters into their own hands?

But this should be an object lesson for the APNU/ AFC. They haven’t only made wild promises on land… from increases in salaries to bringing down the price of cars so that every home’ll have one (and maybe two!) the masses are salivating.

Hope they’re not disappointed!! Payback can be a bitch!! …candid comments Say what you want about David Hinds, he doesn’t back off from telling “it” the way he sees “it”. And for the just completed elections just won by APNU/ AFC, he declared it “would be dishonest if we did not recognize the particular role played by the African Guyanese section of the electorate.”

And this Eyewitness agrees with him completely.

As he’s written in this space, he thinks APNU/AFC’s victory is TOTALLY due to the vote of the African Guyanese.

So your Eyewitness wants to big up Hinds for his courage. What courage, you ask? Well, look how those folks (who just happened to be Indians) were denounced as “racists” for pointing out that this was the way African Guyanese had voted in every election since 1964!!

But David Hinds is courageous enough to defy those who haven’t seen the light and willing to be called “racist”.

Hinds also vouched for the African Guyanese not seeing Brother Moses Nagamootoo as a “token”.

Imagine that!

And it’s not even day 3!! …power vacuum This Eyewitness wonders why President Granger’s not naming Moses Nagamootoo as the PM right away. He knows the man can be sworn in as a PM before he’s anointed MP. What gives?

O

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

S

ometimes, when Dionne Hammiel wants the attention of her rambunctious kindergarten class, she stands on the table.

Other times, she lowers her voice to a whisper, making her instructions a very important secret that every child strains to hear.

The hushed message at John Burroughs Education Campus, U.S.A., in the District was routine on a recent day: “We need to go to the bathroom, drink some water, come back, and pick out our books to read.”

Nevertheless, the children were instantly alight, excited about the next step in their kindergarten adventure.

Hammiel, with her infectious enthusiasm and outstanding results, is known for the towering expectations she sets for the small children in her class and the deeply analytical approach she brings to her own practice and the skills each child is developing.

“She creates an environment in her class where they really want to do well,” said her principal, Aqueelha James.

“Her students want to see her energy, and they really, really work very hard.”

The result? “The children who leave her are not on the first-grade level,” James said. “They are beyond that.”

Hammiel, 37, is the daughter of a schoolteacher, as well as the cousin and niece and granddaughter of a family full of schoolteachers. Her approach is also close to home: “I look at my students as my own kids,” she said.

The Guyana native moved to the District when she was 11, went to Orr Elementary and eventually graduated from Wilson High School.

She majored in human development and family studies at Pennsylvania State University, then started her career as a social worker at a local day-care centre. She became a teacher at a Head Start centre and found her niche in early childhood education.

She has been teaching at John Burroughs in the Brookland neighbourhood for nearly 15 years.

Kindergarten has become more academically rigorous in the past

decade, and Hammiel keeps a “data wall” at home tracking her students’ performance. She sets goals for each child and celebrates their progress. She holds their parents to high standards, too, giving them clear directions for what she expects the children to do during spring break.

She said she loves teaching kindergarten because the children are “sponges.”

“The more you give them, the more they will take,” Hammiel said.

“They want to please you, and every day there is the joy of seeing their success.”

She teaches lessons in creative ways to appeal to different learning styles.

When the children were having trouble with vowels, she wrote a song they could sing using their hands, with each finger representing a vowel. Now when they are writing, she sees them taking a break to look at their hands before returning to the page.

When introducing a word, she reads it in a sentence, shows a picture

Demerara Gold: A show you do not want to miss Ingrid Griffith performing her onewoman show "Demerara Gold."

By Jihan Ramroop

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y next week Ingrid Griffith will be in the United Kingdom performing her self-written, one-woman show, "Demerara Gold." But on Friday, May 15, emotions flickered across Griffith's face as she moved from light to dark in Brooklyn College's Woody Tanger Auditorium.

In one hour and fifteen minutes, Ingrid Griffith manages to make her story of her family’s move from Guyana to America ours. We feel the tears

and heartbreak as her parents leave her and her sister, Dawn, with their grandmothers in Guyana. We wait with them as they finally get U.S. Visas to go to New York. Using a wooden chair as her only prop, Griffith dares us to imagine the characters and life she sees and beckons us to laugh and cry as she tells her tale.

As Griffith moves her story along, there is an understanding and imagination that accompanies each of the characters she plays. From being her mother one minute, to her father the

next, Griffith defies expectations of any constraints such rapid character transitions can make.

What makes the play especially captivating is the transformative quality Griffith's performance brings, not only to her younger self growing up, but also to the audience as well.

Griffith does not stop there however. She introduces and addresses universal issues with subtlety and sympathy.

By the end Griffith reveals the meaning of the play's title, which has been under the surface all along. We understand the one-of-a-kind quality Guyana gold has and that each individual can embody.

Ingrid Griffith's next U.S. performance will be at the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York's South Oxford Space on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m., in Brooklyn, NY. For tickets to the London performances in May, the Brooklyn performance in June and for more information about "Demerara Gold" go to: http://www.demeraragoldtheshow.com

or acts out the meaning.

And she is always looking for challenging words to share.

James, the principal, said she was sceptical when she saw that Hammiel’s lesson plan early in the year included “array,” “linear” and “circular.” However, later she heard the children using the words when discussing the line they had formed in the hallway.

“From the outside, you think, ‘These are kindergartners,’ ” James said. “But they rise to the occasion.”

“The moon, that’s where I set the bar,” Hammiel said. “When they leave me, they go out there and shine.”

About the award

The Washington Post has honoured teaching excellence in the Washington DC region for three decades, with more than 500 men and women winning the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award for their work in the classroom, creativity and contribution to the improvement of education.

The awards are named for Agnes Meyer,

US-based Guyanese educator Dionne Hammiel

wife of Eugene Meyer, who purchased The Post in 1933. She was a staunch supporter and defender of public education and believed in the motto that still guides the awards: “Quality education is essential to the well-being of our society, and good teachers are the foundation of our educational system.”

The Post also honours the region’s principals with the Distinguished Educational Leadership Awards, recognizing those who go beyond the

day-to-day demands of their position to create an exceptional educational environment.

The teachers are examples of what works in the classrooms, such as tutoring high school freshman at risk of failing, recruiting students for AP classes who didn’t consider themselves advanced-course material, and writing songs to help kindergartners master vowels. Winners in both categories receive a US$1,000 cash award.

(Washington Post)

38 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Barbados, Grenada win gold at Chelsea Flower Show L

ONDON, England – Barbados and Grenada have copped prestigious gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The Barbados Horticultural Society (BHS) impressed the judges to take the gold – the 17th in 28 appearances at the show – with its 20 ft by 20 ft ‘Gully Adventure’ display which recreated a Barbadian gully using foliage and blooms grown by members and supporters across the island and featured recorded sounds of whistling frogs and crickets.

The Grenada-Cathy John exhibit entitled ‘Pure Grenada’s Rainforest’ brought Grenada to life with a scale representation of the mountainous rainforest and volcanic crater lake at the heart of the island.

In a move away from the traditional emphasis on magnificent tropical flowers, this year’s Barbados display mainly comprised the wide variety of plants and vines that can be found in a gully, including: Bearded Fig Tree vines, Golden Pothus vines, Dracaenas, Schefflera, Philodendrums, Alocasia, Aralias, Monstera, Strelitzia, Crotons, Bromeliads,

The 2015 Chelsea Gold Team amidst the winning ‘Gully Adventure’ display.

Anthurium leaves, several species of Ferns and a number of tall Palms. A stunning selection of Orchids, Ginger Lilies, Heliconias, Anthuriums and Ornamental Bananas was also arranged in key locations.

“A gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show is the most prestigious accolade in the horticultural world and the Barbados team worked extremely hard to get this one!” a release from the BHS said.

“The tremendous ongoing success of Barbados at the Chelsea Flower Show is very much the result of a great collective effort, whereby many people willingly share their skills and resources.”

In addition to the 17 gold medals won over the years, Barbados has taken one Silver and 10 Silver-gilt.

Meanwhile, Grenada’s exhibit emphasized the rich rainforest ferns and flora typical of Grenada’s Grand Etang National Park.

The greenery and spices were grown in Grenada by members of the Chelsea team and arranged to John’s design experts.

“Our exhibit promotes Grenada’s extraordinary biodiversity, and showcases the different spices that thrive at different levels of vegetation,” John said.

“We’re delighted that the exhibit, with its bold scale representation and use of Grenada’s famous spices, has been awarded a Gold Medal here in London. My personal inspiration for the Pure Grenada’s Rainforest design comes from my love and respect for the cool, calm serenity of the rainforest and the vital role it plays in the life of my island home. In addition to providing visitors with a treat for all the senses, the rainforest is the source of our precious water, upon which we all depend.” (Caribbean 360)

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A

“case of visual and verbal imagery engaged in dialogue” is the description of Stanley Greaves’ AA, recent series of 24 paintings, which were exhibited at Castellani House last year.

A mirror of the literary mind viewed from Greaves’ prospective, the series proves a complex one as described by the artist: “The paintings showed the evolution of visual language where visual complexity, illustrative mode in the earlier series was shunned in favour of presenting a single dramatic moment or image as symbolic interpretation.”

In a drive to connect with his surroundings by committing visual memory and experience of colours, textures, shapes and forms in images created in his paintings and sculptures, Greaves

"Miners' Parade" (2013)

sought to “create paintings based on reading novels to deepen” his experiences.

According to Greaves, novels written by Sir Wilson Harris, a Guyanese author, have “provided [him] with a link to understanding the nature of the impact of the landscape on life forms and its impact on [his] own way of seeing/sensing the place of things/events in [his] work and by extension in [his] cosmos”.

The series was accomplished by reading novels and in reacting to “text painting until the end”. While reading, Greaves would make notes about possible themes, themes that presented him with an image (but not a complete composition) which would develop as he painted.

A semi-abstract approach was thus

feature 39

where “intuition provided direction and drive”.

“I [would] begin with an image, which as it developed, provided clues for composing the rest…,” Greaves explained.

Work on “Dialogue with Wilson Harris” originated in the 1960s, however, intensive work was not done until 2011 while reading the several novels and relating events, which allowed for the completion of the series in 2014.

Very talented in several areas, Greaves studied art in the Working Peoples’ Art Class led by E R Burrowes, after which Greaves taught for a few years at the Sacred Heart Primary and St Stanislaus Secondary Schools.

Artist Stanley Greaves Greaves later left to study art at utilised moving away from “detailed the University of Newcastle-on-Tyne, planning to a more organic” style where he graduated with a BA (Hons) in Art and a Diploma in Art Education.

Greaves also attended Howard University where he gained a MFA and helped design the first Arts and Craft Syllabus for the Caribbean Exam Council.

Notably, the artist is known for his work across several art disciplines where he has won prizes nationally, regionally and internationally. Not to mention, his poems where he has linked poetry to art just as he linked literature to art in Dialogue with Wilson Harris.

(Guyana Times "Palace of the Peacock"(2013) "Oudin's Stratagem" (2012) Sunday Magazine)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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uyana Defence Force Officer Cadet, Britany van Lange was recently awarded a certificate of appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Britany received her appointment from the US Embassy's Georgetown senior defense official,

LCDR Robert Novotny in a small ceremony held April 20 at Base Camp Stephenson, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

She will join her older brother Errol, who is currently enrolled at West Point in the class of 2016.

Born Nov 17, 1996, Britany has excelled academically and in swim-

Britany in action

ming and music. A science major, she attended Bishops’ High School until 2013 when she earned 11 subjects at CXC examinations. She is currently a senior at Queen’s College where she has completed Unit 1 CAPE, again successfully earning five subjects.

Britany has quite an impressive swimming record.

In 2010, she was one of two swimmers who represented Guyana at the 10th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Dubai. At the 2011 School Swimming Championship, Britany won the 50-meterbutterfly, the 50, and 100-meter free style races.

Her most outstanding achievements came in 2012 when she earned 12 gold medals and a bronze, breaking three Goodwill records at the Carifta Swimming Championships in the

Britany van Lange

Bahamas. That same year, at age 15 and the youngest member on the Guyana team, Britany represented Guyana at the 2012 London Olympics.

Unfortunately, she did not make it to the semifinals.

The United States Military Academy serves to prepare students, known as the Corps of Cadets, for service in

the United States Army.

The mission of West Point is to educate, train and inspire the Corps so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character, committed to the values of duty, honour, and country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to their nation.

West Point provides a superb four-year ed-

ucation, which focuses on the leadership development of the Corps of Cadets, all underwritten by adherence to a code of honour. Ethical and moral development is emphasized, as is selfless service to one’s country.

The academic program grants a Bachelor of Science degree with a curriculum that grades cadets’ performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics. Cadets are required to adhere to the Cadet Honour Code, which states that “a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”

Britany will graduate from Queen’s College at the end of this school year and will be heading to New York subsequently. (http://guyanesegirlsrock.com)

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2015 – Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

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eventy years ago, UNESCO’s founders voiced a simple conviction: just as ignorance of each other’s ways and lives exacerbated mistrust and misunderstanding between peoples, the search for peace calls for mutual knowledge of cultures and peoples to be strengthened, so as to promote a better understanding of each other.

Cultural diversity is our shared heritage and the greatest opportunity before humanity. It holds

the promise of renewal and dynamism, and an engine of innovation and development. It is also an invitation to dia-

More aggressive businessfriendly reforms needed –CDB president renews call for Global Partnerships

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resident of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr. Warren Smith, is urging regional governments to set aggressive timelines for implementing reforms that create more “businessfriendly” environments.

Speaking at the official opening of the 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the CDB in Basseterre, St. Kitts, Dr. Smith said fiscal rules, backed by tough legislation, must become the norm rather than the exception, adding that the building of fiscal buffers should also become an integral component of every national sustainability strategy.

In his overview of the CDB performance over the past year, Dr. Smith noted that the

Dr. Warren Smith

CDB had continued its own internal reforms to aid BMCs address longstanding social and economic challenges. Among them, modernisation and strengthening of the Bank’s governance framework were key areas for reform.

“Such institutional arrangements are already a pre-condition for access to certain types of continued on page 43

logue, discovery and cooperation. In a diverse world, the destruction of cultures is a crime, and uniformity is a deadend: our aim must be to enhance, in one movement, the diversity that enriches us and the human rights that bring us together.

This indivisible link between cultural diversity and human rights was recalled with the adoption in 2001, just after the destruction of the Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. This text provides us with a compass for living together in a globalised world, confirming that respect for cultural diversity and respect for human rights are inseparable.

Today again, cultural diversity is under attack by violent extremists who lay waste to the heritage and persecute minorities. These crimes

confirm still further our conviction that the enemies of human dignity will always seek to destroy cultural diversity, because it is the symbol of free thought and the infinite creativity of the human being. It is this link that we must defend. We must respond to all those who seek to proscribe difference and the plurality of ideas, opinions and beliefs by protecting freedom through the wealth of our cultures and creative expressions.

This is what the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development means.

It is an opportunity to unleash the creative potential of our differ-

Irina Bokova

ent languages and traditions – and to ensure that these differences enrich and strengthen us, instead of dividing us.

The words of UNESCO’s Constitution, drafted 70 years ago, have not aged a day: dialogue can vanquish all misunderstanding and open up an infinite horizon of possibilities for peace and development.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

Burt Award for Caribbean Literature winner

By Petamber Persaud

(Extract of an interview with Imam Baksh, Georgetown, Guyana, May 2015, just after he received first prize in the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature.

The Burt Award is a recent literary award.It is designed to benefit literature in the Caribbean by hosting writers’ workshops, handsomely rewarding the best writing for young adults in the region. It also provides new material for readers and educators, and work for publishers, booksellers and educators.The award ensures manuscripts are published by Caribbean publishers, and books printed in the thousands are distributed in the Caribbean and wider society.)

PP Congratulations on winning the 2015 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature. The manuscript you submitted, “Children of the Spider” was shortlisted and eventually adjusted the winner.

The trip to collect your prize in Trinidad was a short one – taking everything related to that

event into account like your local preparation, air flight from Guyana to Trinidad, and the actual ceremony but your journey, your writing journey on way to winning such a rich and prestigious prize was much longer. Let’s talk about beginnings -where did it all start?

IB Well, the first time I tried to write a novel, I was ten.

PP That’s going a long way back, even for you - a young man.

IB Yes. But I don’t think I got very far. You see, in those days, I was a lot more interested in reading than writing.

But I kept coming back to the idea of writing, I like the process, I enjoy the process. And during my university days [UG] when I was about 21-22,

I had it in my head that I can do this seriously. So I started writing stories, which I sent off to magazines. I did not have success for a long time because I was a raw, young writer, developing a skill, but it was important to begin the process, to be in the process, to take the process seriously, even to receive the rejection slips/emails. Then final-

Imam Baksh, second place winner Diana McCauley, from Jamaica, and Lynn Joseph of Trinidad and Tobago who copped third prize, with their awards (Photo: codecan.org)

ly, around 2005- 6, I got a couple accepted in small presses, anthologies.

Just about then, I had a couple accepted in The Guyana Annual magazine, of which you were [are] editor, and that was encouraging. But these were still short stories.

And in my computer, I was writing notes – ideas for stories; I have about twenty ideas/outlines for novels, which I have built

up over the last twenty years.

PP Which is good groundwork.

IB Yes. I have an idea, which should be a novel or a short story, but I only feel like I have time to write a short story.

Last year, [March 2014], you called me, inviting me to the Burt Award writing for young adult workshop which I attended. The workshop was facilitated by several persons but mostly by Mr Richard Scrimger…

PP Who was fun; making learning fun, making writing fun. It was inspiring…

IB Yes. The first day, we talked about how to write a good opening, among other things. And the first day, he gave us homework to write an opening, which we had to share the following day. I wrote about a girl hiding with a knife – I had no idea why she was hiding and why she had a knife, who she was; who she was hiding from etc. this opening received good reaction from the other participants. I built the story on that which eventually evolved into the novel.

It took months to answer all those questions – where should the girl come from, what she was doing here, whom should she meet first, would she be helped or hindered, … it took months for me to form something out of nothing…it took months while going through your daily tasks like brushing your teeth and going “aaah…ahha… uumm” -you know.

PP Let’s quicken the pace, as Richard [Scrimger] would say….

Imam Baksh

IB Yes but this is important to the process of writing. My personality is such that I don’t work well without a deadline.

The deadline for the Burt Award was late October.

So late August, I said that I would settle down and finish this novel. So I wrote for two months.

PP So your submission “Children of the Spider” was birthed at the workshop?

IB The exact opening scene in the novel is the exact scene I wrote for homework at the workshop, all I did was to clean up the text etc…

PP Richard would be tickled over this.

IB I told him, and he was.

PP A m a z i n g … amazing the process of writing -- and you have to do it to know.Earlier you talked about reading and how essential it is to read? Two issues: what type of literature you were interested in, and, did your reading influence your writing?

IB I was always attracted to stories that explored things….(to be continued) Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

4th of July Fireworks in New York City set for East River again

Star of the week

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orn and raised in Industry, on the East Coast of Demerara, Alicia Kirton attended Cummings Lodge Secondary School and attained her tertiary education at Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). She loves to challenge herself, and chases after anything that would give her the opportunity for self-development. After successfully graduating as a teacher from CPCE, Kirton was placed at Ketley Primary School. There, she has been the Grade One class teacher for two years. The loving teacher views her profession as a “blessing” and a chance to “wake up every day to mould the minds of children, to be a role model, and to provide them with opportunities”. Always fond of the pageantry world as well, Kirton, while studying at CPCE, participated in the Miss CPCE pageant, in which she was second runner up. Given the platform via pageantry, Kirton has highlighted numerous social issues. The one that she hopes to always have a spotlight on is child street beggars. Kirton believes that people in leadership positions and humanitarian groups should take their responsibilities seriously and target people in need. Concerning the pageantry world, one of Kirton’s greatest achievements in life was participating in the Miss Guyana Universe 2014 pageant. One of the many things the beauty said she learnt during her journey vying for the crown was to be courageous. Not winning the crown did not mean she lost. Kirton said she “found” herself, and loves the woman she has become because of the experience she gained in the pageant. Her advice to youths is to believe in themselves, look for the positives and never turn down an opportunity for self-development. A determined individual, Kirton hopes to compete in the next Miss India Guyana pageant. A desire to develop herself academically, Kirton plans to pursue a degree in education and hopes to one day build her own school, which will cater to the needs of children suffering from learning disabilities. Other than pageantry, Kirton enjoys swimming. On weekends, she would unplug from her day-to-day routine and “float free from any worries and discomfort”.

More aggressive business...

from page 41

financing…and are likely to become a standard precondition for access to all development financing.

Should this prove to be the case, CDB will be in a very favourable position,” he said.

Also in an assessment of the CDB’s operational performance and some of internal reforms undertaken over the past four years, he said CDB worked hard to maintain a strong presence in BMCs. “Approvals grew by US$770 million, lower than had been anticipated. This was mainly attributable to our inability to engage in policy-based lending because we had reached our lending limit for this product,” Dr. Smith told the Governors and delegates.

Despite these challenges, the Bank exceeded target approvals of US$320 million for the concessionary window by some US$28 million.

“This is a testament

to our BMCs’ resolve to maintain their social programmes and to provide adequate social safety nets to the most disadvantaged groups in the society”, Dr. Smith added.

He also reiterated a call for the forging of a new Global Partnership.

According to Dr. Smith, if the shared vision is the eradication of extreme poverty, then the Caribbean context must be objectively examined.

Uniformly ambitious, rather than piecemeal solutions need to be embraced, he suggested.

In 2013 at the Bank’s 43rd Annual Meeting in Castries, St. Lucia, he had appealed for a broad-based “Compact of Co-Operation” between Caribbean countries and the wider international community to deal with the issue of sovereign indebtedness in the region.

He noted that, at the time, he had asked for a re-examination of the

strongly-held view that middle-income countries, like those in the Region, did not qualify for debt relief.

“In 2014, I raised the issue of debt again in Jamaica at a High Level Caribbean Forum sponsored by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In that forum, I challenged the large multilateral institutions to use their balance sheets creatively, as CDB had done in St. Kitts and Nevis in 2011, to address this country’s debt problem. Borrowing member countries that adhere strictly to adjustment programmes supported by the IMF and other financial institutions would be ideal candidates for such support.”

Dr. Smith said he was putting the issue on the table again at this meeting. “The sentiments expressed in St. Lucia and in Jamaica remain just as relevant today, and are in urgent need of a solution,” he added.

Fireworks light up the sky above the Brooklyn Bridge during Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show, Friday, July 4, 2014, in New York

ccording to a release from the Mayor’s office, the 39th annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks will once again ignite the skyline over New York City from the East River with the nation's largest Independence Day pyrotechnic display.

The show will begin at approximately 9:20 PM on the Fourth of July from 2 locations on the East River in Midtown and within the South Street Seaport historic district.

Brave, the theme of this year's show, will

fire more than 40,000 pyrotechnic shells during a 25-minute synchronized display. Designed in collaboration with PyroSpectaculars by Souza, the show will be fired from four barges positioned between 23rd and 37th Streets in Midtown and from one double-barge positioned below the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Last year, we brought Macy's incredible fireworks back to the East River - and this year, with barges up and down the river, even more New Yorkers will be able

to take part," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "This celebration will light up the sky for millions in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. There's no question: this will be a dynamite 4th of July for New Yorkers across the city."

For more information on the 39th annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks, please visit www.macys.com/fireworks.

Macy's Fireworks are seen by more than 3 million spectators and millions of viewers nationwide.

44 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Mayor Green reminds staff of their duty to city, country G eorgetown Mayor Hamilton Green recently met with senior officers of the City Council and reminded them of their duty to the capital city and ultimately to the country as a whole.

In a statement, Customer Care Officer Debra Lewis said the Chief Citizen observed that the restoration of Georgetown to its former glory is in focus, and hence workers have to be prepared to work assiduously.

He said the programme at hand requires collaborative effort, which will allow for the

Rehab works underway at the Independence Arch in Georgetown

involvement of citizens, workers, and the private sector.

“His Worship the Mayor stated that there is a new dispensation, thus there is need for the Council to reposition and refocus the use of resources, because citizens’ expectations are high. Therefore, officers have to move with alacrity, since there is no time for folly. Council must be more responsive to the needs of the citizenry.

“Workers were encouraged to be disciplined, since acts of indiscipline would not be tolerated. Corruption at every level and in all its

forms would be stamped out.

According to the Mayor, the Municipality will make optimum use of both material and human resources,” Ms Lewis said in the statement.

She said Mayor Green, expressing concern about functionality, asserted that there must be a clear distinction between administration and policy-makers, and that councillors must not involve themselves in administrative issues.

“He emphasised that there will be no place for mediocrity, cronies, and square pegs in round holes,” Ms Lewis said.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“I am ready for the challenge” …Christopher Barnwell speaks on his preparations for the upcoming CPL tournament

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reparations for the Limacol Caribbean Premier League 2015 are in full swing, and one player is looking to take the tournament by storm this year, and also help his franchise cop the title for the first time.

In the face of inclem-

In a wide-ranging interview with Guyana Times’ Avenash Ramzan on Wednesday, the bighitting batsman and lively medium-pacer spoke of his preparations, the Guyana Amazon Warriors combination, his runner-up jinx and working with

Carl Hooper has joined the Guyana Amazon Warriors team as coach

ent weather, Guyana Amazon Warriors’ allrounder Christopher Barnwell has been doing his bit in personal training as he looks to be in top condition for the highly anticipated showpiece, starting next month.

Carl Hooper for the first time.

Below is a full text of the interview: Avenash Ramzan (AR): Due to the current inclement weather, not much cricket is being played…the Amazon Warriors training camp

is also yet to start. As a cricketer, how have you been able to keep fit and ready for Limacol CPL 2015?

Christopher Barnwell (CB): Well, I just go the gym in the mornings. I train at Buddy’s Gym and in the afternoon I try to get a hit at the club here [Demerara Cricket Club], but for the past couple of days we’ve been using the LBI [indoor] facility, so some work is still being done.

AR: So you’re working along with the Guyana Jaguars team at the moment?

CB: Yea, the guys are training, because we have a contract with the Jaguars so we have to go out there and put in some work at LBI. AR: Are you satisfied with the level of fitness you’re at right now, just a month before the start of the tournament?

CB: Well, I’m now actually recovering from a hamstring injury I picked up a few weeks back, but I’m feeling much better. I played some T20 matches over the past couple of weeks and it was good for

me, so I think I’m getting there.

AR: You came into the CPL as one of the players with the ability to muscle the ball, but you have not been able to really light up the CPL as yet.

Is that a concern for you knowing that there a lot of expectations from fans and the team?

CB: I think I haven’t been getting much opportunity to bat really. Most of the times the job was done by the top order, by Simmo [Lendl Simmons] and [Martin] Guptill and the rest of players, so my job was not much. I think once I get the opportunity I will produce, and I’ve proven over the years in T20 cricket that once I get the opportunity to bat a certain amount of overs I’m capable of doing some damage.

AR: So you’re saying if the need arise, you would bat up the order?

CB: Yea, obviously I would want to give myself a chance, I don’t want to always be looked at as a big-hitter and just come in and finish off the innings. I think I’m a much more capable batsman who can come and

Denesh Ramdin hugs Christopher Barnwell after he hit the winning runs, a straight six in the last CPL tournament. (CPL T20 Ltd.2014)

bat in the top five and put my team in a good position. I’ve shown it at the club level and the Inter-county level where I’ve scored a lot of hundreds in T20 cricket, so I think it’s just about getting the opportunity to showcase my talent and

I will produce the goods.

AR: You have been on the losing end on both occasions in the final, first against Jamaica Tallawahs in 2013 and Barbados Tridents last year. How difficult is that for a player, knowcontinued on page 47

46 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Barbados unemployment at 12.3% in 2014

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ridgetown, B a r b a d o s Statistics derived from the Continuous Household Labour Force Survey indicated that the rate of unemployment for 2014 in Barbados stood at 12.3 per cent.

The unemployment rate among males stood at 11.8 per cent and 12.8 per cent among females.

In the review period, the number of persons employed totalled 124 800 – of whom 63 500 were males and 61 300 were females. The total number of unemployed persons stood at 17 500, that is, 8 500 males and 9 000 females. In total, the number of persons in the labour force stood at 142 300.

The number of persons not actively looking for work, hence excluded from the labour force, was 80 400 persons.

The Labour Force participation rate stood at 63.9 per cent, with participation among males at 67.7 per cent and 60.4 per cent among females.

In 2014, the Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector generated jobs for the largest number of persons, employing 21 200 persons, while the Accommodation and Food Services Sector employed 15 400 persons. The Construction, Mining and Quarrying Sector generated employment for 12 000 persons and the Manufacturing Sector generated employment for 9 500 persons.

Employment in the Public Administration and Defence Sector reached 8 700 persons, while the Administrative and Support Service Sector and the Education Sector each generated

employment for 7 200 persons.

The Other Groups Sector, which include the Information and Communications, Activities of Extraterritorial Organisations & Bodies, Real Estate & Arts, Entertainment and Recreation industries, employed 7 000 persons, while 6 600 worked in the Human Health and Social Work Sector.

The Transportation and Storage Sector and the Finance and Insurance Sector each generated employment for 5 700 persons.

Employment in the Activities of Households as Employers Sector stood at 5 000 persons.

The employment generated in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Sector was 4 200 persons.

During the review period, employment recorded in the Other Services Sector stood at 3 500 persons, while employment levels in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Sector stood at 3 400 persons.

The Electric, Gas, Steam, Water and Air Conditioning Supply Sector generated jobs for 2 400 persons. (BGIS)

Drone monitoring of Jamaica’s fishing territory moves closer

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ingston, Jamaica - Jamaica has moved closer to monitoring its territorial waters and fishing jurisdiction with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), popularly called drones.

The agriculture ministry, in a release last Thursday, said that having tested the protocols for the safe and efficient deployment of the drones, it will now work with the Ministry of National Security to identify and deploy drones with longer endurance in order to increase the country’s reach and law enforcement within the country’s maritime jurisdiction.

Agriculture Minister Derrick Kellier, speaking at Thursday’s closing ceremony for the drone pilot project at his ministry, said that with the completion of the last test flight at Pedro Cays on April 23, the way has been cleared for the deployment of the drones to better monitor Jamaica’s marine space and detect and deter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the island’s fishing territory.

The drone project, Kellier said, was launched in an effort to cauterize the long-standing problem of poachers in Jamaican waters.

Agriculture Minister Derrick Kellier

“This illegal activity simply cannot be tolerated,” Minister Kellier said, while urging local fishers to be vigilant in protecting Jamaica’s territorial waters and not to engage in any transactions with foreign poachers.

He also reiterated that the deployment of drones was only one aspect of the ministry’s strategy to increase monitoring and management of the fishing industry and cited plans for stiffer fines for illegal fishing, as well as a new Fisheries Bill.

With funding and sponsorship from Rainforest Seafoods

Limited, the Fisheries Management and Development Fund, and the Jamaica UAV, the drone pilot project was conducted by a task force, under the leadership of the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The taskforce involved stakeholders from the Ministry of National Security, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Marine Police, Jamaica UAV, Fisheries Management and Development Fund and Rainforest Seafoods Limited.

(Jamaica Observer)

Venezuela’s parliament boss blasts report of drug trafficking

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ARACAS – Venezuela’s powerful parliamentary chief, Diosdado Cabello, on Tuesday slammed a Wall Street Journal report that U.S. authorities are investigating him and other senior officials for possible cocaine trafficking and money laundering.

“It would never occur to us to get involved in something that would hurt young people,” he said in a speech to the Socialist-controlled National Assembly.

“Those who today accuse me today of drug trafficking should present one piece of evidence, just one,” he told the assembly, which chanted “We’re all Diosdado” and pushed a motion to support Cabello, lauding him as a “hero of the fatherland.”

Citing more than 12 people familiar with the probes, the newspaper on Monday said federal prosecutors in New York and Miami and a Drug Enforcement Administration unit were gathering evidence from former cocaine traffickers, Venezuelan mil-

Diosdado Cabello

itary defectors and people once close to top Venezuelan government officials.

Venezuelan opposition leaders and U.S. officials have made accusations for years of money laundering and drug trafficking against the governments of President Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez.

The country’s leading opposition figures has pushed for an investigation following the report.

“These are grave accusations which suggest that our country has become a bridge for drug trafficking,” said opposition leader Henrique

Capriles.

Officials from the South American nation frame the accusations as part of a wider campaign led by the United States to end the OPEC country’s 16 years of socialism.

“This is not a campaign against me, it’s a campaign against the entire fatherland,” stressed Cabello, the second-highest ranking official in the ruling Socialist Party.

Spanish newspaper ABC reported in January that a former member of Cabello’s security detail had fled Venezuela and had told U.S. authorities that he was involved in a drug ring.

Cabello filed a defamation suit last month against 22 people linked to three media outlets for having republished information from that story and hinted on Tuesday more lawsuits will follow.

“I’ve told those who reproduced the stories and all the stories that have come out: see you in the courts,” he said. “I won’t give up, not today, not tomorrow.” (Reuters)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Mosquito-borne virus Zika Guyana’s Independence fighters threatens Caribbean to be honoured on May 26

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I N G S T O N , Jamaica – The Ministry of Health has warned Jamaicans to take necessary precautions in light of the mosquito-borne Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, that could spread to the island.

The warning comes after meetings at the World Health Assembly now taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, and subsequent to a warning issued by the Pan American Health Organization, the ministry said in a release Tuesday.

Permanent Secretary Dr Kevin Harvey is urging persons to take the necessary precautions to rid their surroundings of places mosquitoes could breed.

Dr Harvey is current-

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Permanent Secretary Dr Kevin Harvey

ly attending the WHA along with Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, Acting Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr Melody Ennis, and Senior Medical Officer at the May Pen Hospital, Dr Bradley Edwards.

“The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the Zika virus is gener-

ally found in and around places where people inhabit. Persons are urged to search for and destroy mosquito breeding sites by getting rid of old tyres and containers in which water can settle, punching holes in tins before disposing, and covering large drums, barrels and tanks holding water, “ he explained. (Jamaica Observer)

“I am ready for the...

from page 45

ing that you’re so close, but yet so far?

CB: It’s always difficult. For me, it’s becoming a habit, because I also played in a couple of Caribbean T20 finals for Guyana and we lost there too to Trinidad, and also in a couple of 50-over finals. It’s kinda following me, but I hope this year we can go one step further and win the tournament. For the past two seasons we’ve been playing consistent cricket, we have been playing as a team, gelling together well and supporting each other, but it’s just that final hurdle that let us down. I think we had a great chance last time against Barbados Tridents, but unfortunately the rain came and played a part and that was something that was out of our control.

AR: You mentioned going one step further and winning the title this year. Looking at the squad, what would give the Guyana Amazon Warriors the edge over the other franchises?

CB: I think when the captain, manager and coach went to the auction, they knew what they wanted and they bought players they think are suitable to the conditions in the Caribbean. If you look, they went for most of the Sri Lankan players and Brad Hodge [of Australia].

They bought players they think would suit the pitches down here where you have to work the ball a bit more. We have some experience in [Tillekaratne] Dilshan, he played a couple of games with us before.

There is Thisara Perera, a very good player playing in the IPL, and Brad Hodge, who we know has been doing his thing all over the world in T20 cricket.

And there is one of the greatest bowlers in the world in Lasith Malinga, so I think we have a very good, balanced team with some very good local players as well. It’s now just a matter of going out there and produce.

AR: Obviously, you

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

would back the Amazon Warriors to win the title, but who would you say is the team to beat?

CB: All the teams have quality players, they have overseas players; it’s just a matter of us going out there and sticking to the basics- that’s what we’ve been doing for the past two years, going out and playing good cricket. I think once we put up a total we have the bowlers to defend it, and once we bowl first we can restrict teams and our batters can chase it down.

So it’s not a matter of us taking any team lightly, we just have to go and play good cricket. T20 cricket is a very funny game- one day one batsman can come and take it away from you and one bowler can come and bowl a brilliant spell so we don’t want to underestimate anybody.

AR: Finally, the previous two seasons you would have worked with Roger Harper as the Head Coach, now there is a new coach in Carl Hooper. I’m sure you’re looking forward to working with him this season.

CB: Obviously, we did well under coach Harper; we didn’t win the final two years but that’s how life goes. We have a new coach now and I’m looking forward to working with him.

He’s someone who played cricket at the highest level, so he knows what he’s about.

This is also an opportunity to learn more because different coaches come with different strategies and different plans, so I think in that sense I will be able to learn something different from him.

he Independence Eve customary flagraising will now take the form of a wreath laying ceremony to honour those who have been deemed instrumental in the fight for Guyana’s Independence. This was announced Tuesday by Bobby Vieira, who, along with Col. Larry London, was appointed by the Head of State to plan this grand event.

This Remembrance Observance will be conducted at the Independence Arch, Brickdam, as explained during a press briefing at the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport Main Street office and in the presence of Permanent Secretary Alfred King.

Vieira explained that this event, which will commence at 8:00hrs is part of the President’s objective of paying homage to the valiant men and women who have struggled for Guyana’s Independence.

Following the President’s arrival at the dais, there will be two minutes of silence, followed by a military reveille, and the laying of eight wreaths. These wreaths, Vieira said, will be laid by the Head of State and representatives of the Trade Union Movement, and also from women,

Former President Cheddi Jagan

Former President L.F.S Burnham

youth and political parties. Wreaths will be laid each for such honourees as Former Presidents L.F.S Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, and Peter D’Aguiar.

The laying of the wreaths will be followed by a speech from the President, then there will be the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead and the Presidential Standard, as this will be reintroduced. A universal prayer by a young child, followed by the reciting of the National Pledge, then a mass choir performance of “My Native Land,” and the customary meet and greet.

Tents will be set up across Brickdam in line with the Girl Guides pavilion, and these will provide seating for the invited guests, who are expected to include the

Heads of State of several Caribbean countries.

The Ministry of Health and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) compounds will provide parking for the guests.

To facilitate this event, there is an on-going cleanup activity in the vicinity of the arch. There is also the restoration of the Independence Arch, currently being done with assistance from the Mayor and City Council, the Guyana Prison Service, BK International, Harris Paints and Cummings Electronics. These works are being voluntarily done.

The remembrance ceremony is part of a threeepisode event set for what is expected to be a grand 49th Independence Day celebration.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

I was on my knees for 28 minutes: George Clooney

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omorrowland” star George Clooney has revealed the 2014 proposal to wife Amal Clooney was “completely unexpected” by his human rights lawyer partner.

“When I asked her, you know, we’d never talked about it…. There wasn’t like a, ‘Maybe we should get married’ [conversation]. I dropped it on her!,” he said.

The 54-year-old actor popped the question at home, and had even “cued up a playlist” of some of his aunt Rosemary Clooney’s songs, reported E!Online.

“I asked her, and she just kept saying, ‘Oh my, God,’ and ‘Wow,’ and we just sat there,” he said.

“And finally, I just said, ‘Listen, I’m 53 at the time, or 52 at the time, I think (he proposed prior to his birthday last year, so he was indeed 52). I

said, ‘I’ve been on my knee for about 28 minutes so I gotta get an answer out of this because I’m gonna throw a hip out!,” he said.

“I might not be able to stand back up,” he added jokingly. (Indian Express)

Relationships in 40s worth sustaining: Gwyneth Paltrow

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scar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow feels that being in a relationship in 40s is quite sustainable.

The 42-year-old “Iron Man” actress, who separated from music band Coldplay co-founder Chris Martin last year after 10 years of marriage, is currently dat-

ing “Glee” producer Brad Falchuk, reported E! Online.

“If I’m in a relationship at this point in my life, it’s got to be a relationship worth sustaining, you know what I mean? I don’t have the time or inclination,” Paltrow said. (Indian Express)

Ashton Kutcher slams media for posting photos of his daughter

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ollywood star Ashton Kutcher, who tries to keep his daughter Wyatt’s identity private, has slammed media outlets for publishing paparazzi photos of him and her.

Some magazines had posted pictures of Kutcher, 37, carrying his daughter in his arms with a clear view of the baby’s face.

Some other media outlets, however, posted the same photos with Wyatt’s face blurred, reported Aceshowbiz.

“Why is it so hard for publications to respect that I would like the identity of my child kept private for safety reasons? Pls honour that,” the “Two and a Half Men” alum tweeted.

While expressing the difference between the position of his daughter and

self, he replied to a fan’s comment, “I may have chosen this business but my daughter didn’t.”

Kutcher and fiancee Mila Kunis welcomed Wyatt in October, last year.

(Indian Express)

Sofia Vergara wants to have kids with Joe Manganiello

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ctress Sofia Vergara says she wants to have children with partner Joe Manganiello.

The 42-year-old actress, who has a son with her high-school sweetheart

Joe Gonzalez, said she would to like to have an early baby, reported E!Online.

“Joe is younger than me. He’s 38.

He’s never had kids. How am I going to say no? I tell him if we’re going to do this, we have to do it, like, now, because I don’t want to be 50 with a baby,” she said Vergara said life has never been better since she met Manganiello last year.

“I finally realized that relationships don’t need to be so much work.

Ever since we met, it’s been so easy.

I’m very suspicious. I’m like, ‘It’s not normal that we’ve been together for nine months and we haven’t had a big fight or anything,'” she added. (Indian Express)

Kendall, Kylie Jenner booed at Billboard Music Awards Never had a sexual relationship which took place at the

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isters Kendall and Kylie Jenner got a cold welcome by some audience members at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, when they

arrived on stage to introduce their brother-in-law Kanye West.

The two reality stars looked stunning in black outfits at the function

MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17.

Amid the loud cheer, some people could be heard booing the Jenner sisters while Kylie described the rapper as a “great artist, a friend, an inspiration, a brother, and now a doctor,” reported Us magazine.

The young stars, however, seemed to be unfazed by the noise as they completed their duty without any mishap. (Indian Express)

Cannes 2015: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Eva Longoria ignore ‘No Selfie’ rule on red carpet

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ishwarya Rai Bachchan shares a special friendship with fellow L’Oreal Paris ambassador Eva Longoria. The ladies have been walking the red carpet together at the Cannes Film Festival for the past 10 years.

Both Aishwarya and Eva had a ball posing for the photogs on Sunday (May 17), when they graced the Cannes red carpet together at the screening of Hollywood film, ‘Carol’. The Bollywood actress and the former ‘Desperate Housewives’ ignored the Cannes no-selfie rule and got together for a picture.

Talking of her co-ambassador, Aishwarya Rai reminisced about the time they spent together at the film gala.

“Eva and I became friends in Cannes, L’Oréal Paris brought us together. Cannes is the queen of all festivals and there is an incredible surge of

with a woman: Cate Blanchett

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ctress Cate Blanchett, who is gaining acclaim for lesbian romance “Carol”, has said that her words regarding past relationships with women were taken out of context.

The Oscar-winning actress, however, hopes that there will be day when people no longer need to publicly discuss their sexuality, Reported the Guardian.

“Carol”, based on Patricia Highsmith’s ‘The Price of Salt’, is directed by Todd Haynes, is about the affair between a married mother and a shop assistant in early 1950s New York.

At a press conference for the film, Blanchett was asked about an interview where she seemed to have admitted to bisexual relationships.

“From memory, the conversation ran: ‘Have you had relationships with

women?’ And I said: ‘Yes, many times.

Do you mean have I had sexual relationships with women? Then the answer is no.’ But that obviously didn’t make it,” Blanchett said. (Indian Express)

Leonardo DiCaprio outbids Paris Hilton for expensive bag

energy that thrives here,” Aishwarya, 41, said in a statement.

Eva Longoria also shared a picture along with Aishwarya on social networking site Twitter. She also posted about her 10-year celebration at Cannes this year. (Indian Express)

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ollywood star L e o n a r d o DiCaprio outbid socialite Paris Hilton for a handbag worth more than USD 10,000 at the InterContinental

Carlton Cannes.

DiCaprio, 40, bought the designer purse for his mother, Irmelin, reported People magazine.

The actor and Hilton stayed for the entire

event, catching speeches, a musical performance by hip-hop artist Mos Def, a decadent dinner spread and all of the auctions.

“Paris was great. She bid on many things, and Leo did too,” a source said. “Both her and Leo were so active during the entire auction. It was really nice to see.”

Sporting a suit and his signature scruff, DiCaprio “was laughing and enjoying himself with his friends,” the onlooker says.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Vivek Oberoi names his daughter Ameyaa Nirvana

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ctor Vivek Oberoi and wife Priyanka Alva Oberoi have named their baby daughter Ameyaa Nirvana.

The “Krrish 3″ star, who welcomed his second child in April, is also a proud father of two-year-old son Vivaan Veer Oberoi.

Vivek tied the knot with Priyanka, daughter of Karnataka minister Jeevaraj Alva, in Bangalore on October 29, 2010.

Vivek will be next seen in Yash Raj Productions’ “Bank Chor”.

(Indian Express)

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Salman Khan wants to go to Dubai, seeks Bombay High Court’s permission

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ollywood actor Salman Khan, out on bail after being convicted in 2002 hitand-run accident case, on Wednesday moved the Bombay High Court seeking permission to travel to Dubai for a show later this month.

On May 6, Salman

Cannes 2015: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s dropdead gorgeous look

was convicted by the sessions court here of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ and sentenced to five years in jail.

On May 8, the High Court granted him bail and suspended his sentence pending the hearing and disposal of his

appeal against the conviction.

The High Court had also said that the actor would need to seek the court’s permission every time he wants to leave the country.

Salman’s application, filed on Wednesday, says that he wants to travel to Dubai for a show on May 29. A vacation bench of the High Court is likely to hear it next week.

A man was killed and four others were wounded when Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser ran over them while they were asleep on a pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002. (Indian Express)

ishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is the ambassador of international cosmetic brand, L’Oreal Paris, created quite a stir with her latest fashion pick at the ongoing 68th Cannes Film Festival.

Aishwarya Rai, who completes 14 years at the French Riviera with her current visit, was an absolute stunner at a photo call for her upcoming film, ‘Jazbaa’.

Aishwarya Rai was styled in a rich oxblood colour strapless Oscar de la Renta gown with a full-layered skirt. Deep coloured lips and wearing her tresses in beautiful waves, we must say that Aishwarya not only surprised us with her pick, but also left us highly impressed.

We love the deeper

than wine colour on the former beauty queen.

With regard to accessories, Aishwarya kept it simple with drop earrings and delicate rings with a single bangle.

Aishwarya Rai was seen with her ‘Jazbaa’ director Sanjay Gupta at Cannes. Ash, who had

I’m experiencing withdrawal symptoms after 'ABCD2': Shraddha Kapoor

Farhan Akhtar to make film on amputee athlete Arunima Sinha’s life

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hraddha Kapoor was so used to the rigorous shooting schedules of her upcoming film “ABCD2″ that now the actress says she is experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Shraddha, 26, who learnt multiple dance forms for the Remo D’Souzadirected film, said the whole shooting

D

irector-actor Farhan Akhtar has offered to give the struggle of Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to climb Mount Everest, a big screen treatment.

“Farhan had come to meet me at my place here on May 18 and proposed to make a film on my life highlighting my struggle. I have accepted the offer,” Arunima told PTI. She was a national level volleyball player who was pushed from a running train by thieves in 2011 while resisting their attack. As a result one of her legs had to be amputated below the knee.

“Farhan is very excited about this project of making the film on my life and will direct it himself. He has contacted me on twitter on April 20, but that time I was in Australia. Now we got the chance to discuss the project,” she said.

Farhan told Arunima that he had read her book “Born again on the Mountain” and it had taken him to her world of struggle and he decided to make a film on it.

“Farhan said he wanted to make the film on her so that people could know about my struggle and get mo-

tivated just like his movie ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ through which life of a great athlete was presented before the world.”

Arunima said she would take royalty for the film but not spend it on social welfare as she wanted to open a free sports academy for the poor and differently-abled persons.

She said that the outline of the film will be finalised in Mumbai on May 25 when she releases the Marathi edition of her book.

Sinha had boarded the Padmavat Express train at Lucknow for Delhi on 11 April 2011, to take an examination to join the CISF but was pushed out of a general coach of the train by thieves wanting to snatch her bag and gold chain.

She was treated in AII India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

It was that time she resolved to climb Mount Everest, as she was inspired by cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who had successfully battled cancer.

On May 21, 2013, Arunima climed Mount Everest and became the first female amputee to do so. (Indian Express)

taken a sabbatical post the birth of her daughter Aaradhya, will be making her comeback to cinema with ‘Jazbaa’. The film, which will see her playing a lawyer, also stars Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher and Jackie Shroff among others. (Indian Express)

experience was an addiction for her.

“Ever since we started shooting for the film, it has been an amazing journey. Each day would be one full of fun, learning new styles, improving fitness and rehearsing vigorously.

“I miss everything about the shootthe people, the crew, the dancers, the awesome music, our fun rehearsals, the all new level of agility we developed and the extensive dance sequences. It is like an addiction for which I am now experiencing withdrawal symptoms, which will take some time to wear off!

I can’t wait for the film to release,” she said.

Disney’s “ABCD2″, the sequel of the 2013’s film of the same name, also stars Varun Dhawan, Prabhudheva, Lauren Gottlieb, Raghav Juyal and Dharmesh Yelande.

The movie hits theatres on June 19.

(Indian Express)

Ayushmann Khurrana likes to take it slow on career front

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yushmann Khurrana, who made a successful Bollywood debut with “Vicky Donor” in 2012, doesn’t want to go on a film-signing spree.

After the success of his “unusual Yash Raj Films’ movie without gloss and chiffon saris” titled “Dum Laga Ke Haisha”, which followed three duds including Rohan Sippy’s “Nautanki Saala!”, Ayushmann has two more films in hand. And he is okay with that.

“I’ve been always very careful about scripts, but you can’t predict (which one will work). My next two films (‘Agra Ka Daabra’ and untitled Yash Raj Films’ movie) are very important,” Ayushmann, who is reteaming with his “Vicky Donor” team — producer John Abraham and director Shoojit Sircar — for “Agra Ka Daabra”, told IANS. “I don’t know which one I’ll be filming first. The shooting is expected to be in winter and it will release next year,” he added.

The father of two, who is also a singer, says he likes to be selective.

“I take it slow. I’ve always been very

selective. I am also doing gigs and coming out with a single. I am composing something very fresh. I like to take it easy. Personal life is not a botheration in my film or music career.

“My family is in Chandigarh. I travel a lot,” said the actor, who will also co-host IIFA Rocks, an exclusive music extravaganza, with Parineeti Chopra in June in Kuala Lumpur. (Indian Express)

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Bolt sprinting to secure legacy K INGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt says his main focus for the remainder of his sprinting career is to secure a legacy as the greatest athlete of alltime.

Bolt’s disclosure comes ahead of his eagerly anticipated showdown with world-leading American Justin Gatlin and Jamaica’s perennial sub10 sprinter Asafa Powell.

The sprint superstar says his primary focus now is his place in history as he prepares to hang-up his spike in 2017.

“In the past, we (coach Glen Mills) have sometimes focused on the clock and getting records. Other times, it has been on medals. Now it’s all about

Usain Bolt wants to become the greatest athlete of all time

securing my legacy,” said Bolt in a Jamaica Olympics interview posted Sunday on the website www.teamja.org.

“Someone may come along

one day and break one of my records, but to beat my legacy, they have to beat my whole body of work. So the more I can win, the greater that gets, and

the harder it will be to overshadow. That’s what’s getting me out of bed now.”

In August, Bolt is returning to the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, China, where he sped to a sprint double world record 9.69 and 19.30 seconds, respectively, at the 2008 Olympics.

There is mounting anticipation over his potential clash with his main rival Gatlin, who ran the fastest 100 metres of his life and the quickest in the world this year at 9.74 seconds in Doha on Friday.

The global sprint icon says he has no intention of slowing down.

“I’m already the greatest sprinter of all-time, but if I continue to win gold, I could be the greatest athlete of all-

time,” said Bolt.

“Legacy is the main word in my life now, and that means if I’m five metres ahead with 10 to go, I won’t be slowing down and beating my chest. I’ll be pushing to get the best time I can, every time.”

Apart from the World Championships in Beijing in August, Bolt’s schedule also includes the Rio Olympics 2016 and the London World Championships in 2017 before calling it a day.

“The plan in that time is three golds in Beijing; three in Rio to make a triple-triple; and then one London, as I’ll only be doing the 100 metres,” said Bolt.

“In short, I’m aiming for continued greatness.” (CMC)

Passion, confidence ultimate for Windies, says Sir Curtly

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ONDON, England – West Indies bowling consultant Sir Curtly Ambrose says his major aim with the Caribbean side is to help them return to playing with the passion and self-belief, that characterised winning teams of the past. The legendary fast bowler, who grabbed 405 wickets in 98 Tests, said the current Windies players possessed the skills set for international cricket but needed to add confidence and consistency to their game, if they were to break out of their losing slump.

“The level of respect the guys have for me it makes my job a little easier but I’ve got to get them to play with some passion and keep believing in themselves because when you’ve been losing for so many years it can be difficult to pick yourself up,” Sir Curtly told

TalkSport Radio in a live studio interview here where he was promoting his new autobiography, Time To Talk.

“I intend to bring that passion and self-belief that we can win games and that to me is more important because they have the skills and you have seen that from time to time, but the consistency isn’t there and that’s what I’ve been trying to get them to do.”

West Indies are coming off an impressive showing against England, where they managed a 1-1 draw in the three-Test series earlier this month.

They displayed plenty fight to draw the opening Test in Antigua when they seemed set for defeat and then produced a sterling display in the final Test at Bridgetown, to pull off a shock five-wicket victory inside three days.

Legendary West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose

In-between, they lost the second Test in Grenada by nine wickets.

Sir Curtly said he had been impressing on the team all along, the importance of playing together in order to get positive results.

“I joined the team a year ago and that’s one of the things I have been preaching to the guys. When you look at the lineup we don’t have any real superstars like before so I’ve said to the guys that team unity is going to make us better,” Sir Curtly explained.

“We all have to play together as a team and forget about big name players. I’ve tried to drill into the guys that we are better than we are showing and one of the things I keep saying is that we maybe number eight on the ICC rankings list, England are number three but because a team is ranked higher than you, doesn’t mean they are the better team.

“It means they are more consistent, they win more games and they win more series so hence they go up the ladder. We can compete.”

West Indies are preparing to face Australia in a two-Test series starting next month in the Caribbean. (CMC)

ICC set to dispense with batting powerplay in ODIs

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Anil Kumble

he International Cricket Council (ICC) looks set to make a string of changes to the rules of the 50-overs game to redress the balance between bat and ball in favour of the fielding team.

After a World Cup of record scores by individuals and teams earlier this year, the ICC’s Cricket Committee has recommended the batting powerplay be removed and two other

tweaks to rules which currently restrict the fielding team.

Under the recommendations, fielding teams would no longer have an obligation to have two stationary fielders in catching positions in the first 10 overs of an innings.

The committee, chaired by former India captain Anil Kumble, also recommended the fielding captain be able to place five fielders out-

side the 27-metre circle rather than the existing four for the last 10 overs of the innings.

“The committee acknowledged the attractive and attacking brand of cricket that was played during the tournament,” said an ICC statement.

“It also felt that there were times towards the end of an ODI innings that bowlers and fielding captains appeared to have limited defensive options available to them.

“The committee was very encouraged by some of the attacking captaincy displayed during the World Cup, and believes these changes will allow fielding captains greater freedom to both attack and defend when required.”

Batsmen like South Africa’s AB de Villiers and Australia’s Glenn Maxwell lit up the World Cup with an incredible continued on page 51

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Chanderpaul looking for final Jeffrey suffers broken collar hurrah against Aussies bone in freak accident

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est Indies ace batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul is looking forward to suiting up against Australia in the upcoming two-match Test series as his illustrious career draws to a close.

The veteran of 164 Test matches, the most by a West Indian, has not enjoyed the best of times recently, scoring just 92 in the six innings against England a few weeks ago, but he is determined to rebound against the visiting Aussies.

The Australians will travel to the Caribbean for two Test matches, the first of which is set for June 3-7 in Roseau in Dominica, while the second match is fixed for June 11-15 in Kingston, Jamaica.

Guyana Times International Sport was reliably informed that Chanderpaul has indicated an avid interest in playing the two Tests, a desire he would have communicated to newly-appointed West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons.

This publication was told that Chanderpaul and Simmons had a meeting following the conclusion of the England series, and from

– could be sidelined for the rest of 2015

By Avenash Ramzan

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Shivnarine Chanderpaul is just 86 runs shy of surpassing Brian Lara as the Caribbean’s leading runscorer in Test cricket

all indications it was very cordial.

Once selected, Chanderpaul said he would use the series to thank the Caribbean people for their support over the past 21 years he has been playing international cricket.

Chanderpaul’s former teammate, the Barbados opener Philo Wallace, recently said that Chanderpaul should be given a place in the side for the five home

Tests – three against England and two against Australia – and then properly honoured by the West Indies Cricket Board for his service to the regional game.

C u r r e n t l y , Chanderpaul is just 86 runs shy of overtaking Brian Lara as the Caribbean’s leading runscorer in Test cricket.

He has amassed 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37 with 30 hundreds and 66 fifties.

eam Coco’s champion rider Raynauth Jeffrey will be off his saddle for an indefinite period after he broke his left collar bone in an accident on Monday night.

Jeffrey was doing his usual afternoon training on the East Coast Demerara Public Road, and it was on his return journey to his home in Annandale that he encountered the mishap.

The 20-year-old Team Coco’s rider related to Guyana Times International Sport on Tuesday that he stopped to visit some relatives at Nonpareil, and it was during his ride out of the village that he struck a dog which had sprinted across the main access road.

Jeffrey stated that upon hitting the animal, he was tossed several feet through the air, landing on his left side and breaking his left collar bone in the process.

“I was going at a reasonable pace and this dog just run across the road. The braking distance was too short, so I couldn’t avoid the colli-

Raynauth Jeffrey is one of the country’s leading cyclists

sion,” Jeffrey said.

The cyclist, who won the 2013 “Ride for Life” Five-Stage, also stated that had it not been for his helmet, he might have suffered severe head injuries. The helmet was broken in three places, Jeffrey related.

Immediately after the accident, Jeffrey was rushed to a medical institution where it was discovered that the collar bone was broken.

Jeffrey was due to travel to the United States of America on Tuesday afternoon to compete in several races, but will now use the trip to seek additional medical attention.

The injury means

the talented rider will not be able to defend the Guyana Cycling Federation’s National Time Trial road race he won last year, and will definitely miss the upcoming Independence Three-Stage and possibly the “Ride for Life” Five-Stage.

Jeffrey said, “From the look of things, I might be out for the rest of the year.”

This is a major setback for the rider, who earlier this year returned from vacation in the United States of America and was just about reaching full throttle in terms of his preparations to participate in local events.

“I was really feeling good recently, because I was getting back into the groove. It was a bit hard at first coming from North America and getting back accustomed to the climate here, but up to Monday I was riding well and getting back to top condition,” a disappointed Jeffrey said.

Jeffrey is considered one of the leading cyclists in Guyana, having enjoyed tremendous success since joining the sports a few years ago.

ICC set Simmons, Harbhajan and Pollard put Mumbai into IPL final to... from page 50

rate of scoring, particularly in the last few overs of their innings.

The batting powerplay which allowed the fielding team to have only three players outside the 27-metre circle for five overs only contributed to the inflated scoring.

The statement said the ICC would not impose a limit on the size of bats but would reiterate that boundaries must be set at the maximum size at international venues.

Among other recommendations were that all no-balls in limited overs cricket be followed by a free hit for the batsman, rather than, as now, just for no-balls where the bowler has overstepped the mark.

The committee also urged match referees to consider suspensions rather than fines for bowlers who repeatedly abused dismissed batsmen with a “send-off,” or for physical contact between opposing players.

The committee’s recommendations will be considered by the ICC board during its annual conference in Barbados in June. (Reuters)

M

Harbhajan Singh

UMBAI, India – A powerful half-century from opener Lendl Simmons and an influential innings of 41 from his Trinidadian colleague Kieron Pollard lifted Mumbai Indians (MI) to a 25-run win over Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.

Simmons slammed a top score of 65 from 51 balls while Pollard hit a 17-ball 41 to push Mumbai to a competitive 187 for six from 20 overs at the Wankhede Stadium.

However, after an encouraging start to the chase the Super Kings

batting collapsed and they were all out for 162 in 19 overs as Mumbai qualified for their third IPL final.

Simmons continued his good run of form picking up three boundaries and hitting five sixes while sharing a solid 90run opening stand of 90 with Parthiv Patel who scored 35.

However CSK, inspired by another Trinidad and Tobago player, Dwayne Bravo, managed to claw their way back into the game as MI lost four wickets for 39 runs in six overs.

Bravo grabbed three of those frontline wickets to finish with figures of three for 40 from four

overs including three wides in the last over which cost him 16 runs.

But Bravo’s threewicket haul also brought him to a significant milestone – his 100th IPL wicket.

The Pollard assault came when it was most needed with Mumbai Indians at 139 for four in the 17th over.

Maintaining his cool throughout, Pollard picked his opportunities to score, hitting five sixes and a four, an innings which aided MI to 187.

CSK lost West Indies opener Dwayne Smith in

the fourth ball of the innings amid controversial circumstances.

Smith was given lbw by umpire Richard Illingworth to a delivery from Lasith Malinga which replays showed struck him well outside the leg side.

However, Faf de Plessis with a top score of 45 attempted to keep CSK within sight of the target and featured in a 46-run stand with Mike Hussey for the second wicket and a 40-run partnership with Suresh Raina for the third wicket.

Kieron Pollard

But Harbhajan Singh’s dismissals of Suresh Raina for 25 and MS Dhoni off consecutive deliveries in the 11th over helped Mumbai make the decisive surge.

Bravo scored two fours and a six on his way to 20 as he tried to script a recovery but was run-out in the 15th over to leave CSK with dashed hopes.

CSK have another chance to qualify for the final as they will play the winner of the Rajasthan Royals-Royal Challengers Bangalore game. (CMC)

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Windies snatch series win Haynes has big expectations from despite batting slump CPL 3rd edition

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The CPL enters its 3rd edition

r i d g e t o w n (Barbados) Batting legend Desmond Haynes has backed this year's Caribbean Premier League to be played between June 20 to July 26, to be one of the best ever.

The 59-year-old, who serves as ambassador for the Barbados Tridents, said that with the quality of overseas players and the well-balanced nature of the six franchises, the tournament could prove to be the stand-out edition, reports CMC. "I believe this could be the best CPL because looking at the teams I find that the teams are well balanced and all the teams are very competitive," Haynes said on Monday.

"With those big stars coming to be a part of CPL I think it is good for the competition. Over

the last couple of years, CPL has been very good in having some very balanced sides but as you know, cricket is played on the day.

"But looking at the teams on paper, you would think that this CPL will be the best one of the three."

South Africa's Jacques Kallis heads the list of overseas stars coming for the third edition of the CPL, with Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga, England's Kevin Pietersen and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi also set to feature.

Despite the influx of stars, Haynes says he did not expect any one team to dominate the tournament, as success would also be down to team unity.

"All the teams are very competitive. You may look at one or two

teams that do have some big names but a lot of the teams have good units and play together," he pointed out.

"Take the Tridents for example, if it is one thing you can say about us is that we always play together, we gel well and everybody likes the leader.

"Polly (Kieron Pollard) has an influence on the team which makes everybody happy to be around him. And we've got the senior players that don't matter what you ask of them, these guys are willing to do it for the team."

Tridents are the defending champions after beating Guyana Amazon Warriors in a highly charged final in St. Kitts last August.

The two teams will feature in the curtainraiser at Kensington Oval, the first of four matches that are expected to draw sell-out crowds.

Tridents will also take on 2013 champions Jamaica Tallawahs, last year's semi-finalist Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and new franchise, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

The CPL features six franchises -- Tridents, Jamaica Tallawahs, T&T Red Steel, St Lucia Zouks, Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots - competing in 33 matches. (CMC)

West Indies Women claimed a 3-1 series win in Colombo

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olombo, Sri Lanka – West Indies Women were bailed out by their bowlers as they overcame a batting collapse to beat Sri Lanka Women by 31 runs in the final OneDay International and clinch the fourmatch series here yesterday. Opting to bat first at the R Premadasa Stadium, West Indies Women stumbled and stuttered from the outset, and required a brave 46 from Britney Cooper to get up to 156 all out off 47.3 overs.

Left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera (3-17) and seamer Sripali Weerakkody (3-37) both picked up three wickets apiece.

In reply, Sri Lanka suffered a collapse of their own, crashing to 125 all out in the 46th over, with teenaged offspinner Hayley Matthews snatching a career-best three for seven from three overs and two balls.

Pacer Tremayne Smartt (2-28) and off-spinner Anisa Mohammed (2-23) supported.

Eshani Kaushalya top-scored with 30 and Nipuni Hansika got 21 but the hosts lost their last seven wickets for 58 runs after coasting at 67 for three in the 25th over at one stage.

The victory gave West Indies a 3-1 win in the series and more importantly, saw them pick up another two ICC Championship points, following a similar win on Monday.

West Indies Women started poor-

ly, losing Kycia Knight for eight with the score on 16 in the third over but recovered slightly through a 28-run, second-wicket stand between opener Matthews and Stafanie Taylor.

Matthews, the gutsy 17-year-old Barbadian, hit 24 off 23 balls with three fours while Taylor made just eight. Both fell within the space of four deliveries with the score on 44 and when the usually dependable Deandra Dottin perished for 13 and captain Merissa Aguilleira, 12, West Indies Women were reeling at 82 for five in the 20th over.

Cooper stepped up to rally the innings, hammering four fours and two sixes off 65 deliveries before being eighth out in the 35th over.

Smartt then knocked over Yasoda Mendis (13) and Prasadani Weerakkody (10) as Sri Lanka Women slumped to 34 for three in the 15th over, in reply.

Hansika and Shashikala Siriwardene (16) staged a recovery with a 33-run, fourth-wicket stand but Mohammed and Matthews went to work on the middle and lower order, to hand West Indies Women a convincing victory.

This was despite Kaushalya’s knock which came from 50 deliveries with three fours, before she was run-out in the 40th over with the hosts already sliding. (CMC)

FIH, Pan American hockey heads push for astro-turf pitch for Guyana

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he presidents of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Pan American Hockey Federation on Tuesday paid courtesy calls on the Guyana Olympic Association and the Ministry of Sport, seeking to ensure Guyana comes in line with other federations around the world to have an artificial pitch for the sport.

Leandro Negre, president of the FIH and Alberto `Coco’ Budeisky president of the Pan American Hockey Federation met with Guyana Olympic Association president JumanYassin and a representative of the Ministry of Sport as well as president of the Guyana Hockey Board Philip Fernandes to discuss plans for taking Guyana’s hockey forward.

The two presidents also had the opportunity to meet some of the country’s leading male and female players as well as a group of young promising players at the Georgetown Cricket Club, ground on Tuesday.

According to Fernandes, this is the first time that any FIH or Pan American Hockey

International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre (with black suit and blue tie) strikes a pose with young local hockey players at the GCC ground on Tuesday. At Negre’s right is Pan American Hockey Federation president Alberto `Coco’ Budeisky.

Federation’s president has visited Guyana. Fernandes noted that the last time an official of the Pan American Federation visited Guyana was some 20 years ago.

Interacting with members of the media, Budeisky said he is very happy to be in Guyana and his main reason for being here is the fact that his Federation is pushing the authorities for Guyana to have an artificial pitch.

“You in Guyana are mak-

ing big efforts in trying to take the sport forward and we want to help in that regard,” the Pan American president stated.

Negre, a former national player for Spain said he is also happy to be in Guyana and, like Budeisky, he too would like Guyana to get an artificial pitch.

While interacting with the youth players at the GCC’s mini artificial pitch, Negre said he is very happy to see so many youths are involved in

the sport.

Asked what is the main purpose for his visit, Negre said, “We’re here to find a piece of land to construct an artificial pitch so that Guyana can come on stream with the rest of the world.”

Budeisky said while he met with the GOA and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sport, he is unaware of who really is the Minister of Sport, but would like to meet with him.

He said he understands that the country is going through a transition period and meeting the Minister of Sport would not be possible during this visit.

“I want Guyana to get a piece of land and we at the Pan American level will assist with funding for the pitch,” Budeisky stated, adding “Guyana has been performing and they (players) do need a pitch to move the sport forward”.

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Ahye, Campbell-Brown sweep sprints in Beijing Jamaican Schillonie Calvert, in 11.42.

Only last Sunday, Ahye finished third in the 100m in the Shanghai Diamond League, clocking 11.13 to finish behind winner Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria.

In the 200 metres yesterday, Jamaican Veronica CampbellBrown returned to winning ways when she clinched the 200 metres in 22.68 seconds.

The former World champion, who turned 33 last Friday, finished ahead of American Kaylin Whitney in 23.06 and Calvert who returned for her second bronze of the day, in a time of 23.12.

Campbell-Brown finished fourth in the 100m in Shanghai. (CMC) Trinidadian MichelleLee Ahye

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EIJNG, China – Caribbean athletes took centre stage as they swept both the women’s sprints at the IAAF World Challenge meet here yesterday. In the marquee 100 metres, Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye raced to 11.05 seconds to take victory, ahead of American Charonda Williams in 11.28, and

Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown

Hamilton staying at Mercedes until 2018 M O N A C O – Double Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has agreed a new three-year contract that will keep him at Mercedes until the end of 2018, the team announced yesterday.

Although no financial details were given, media reports have suggested the Briton is in line for a bumper pay packet amounting to more than $40 million (£26 million) a year.

“Mercedes is my home and I couldn’t be happier to be staying here for another three years,” the 30-year-old Briton said in a statement that ended any talk of a move to rivals Ferrari in the near future.

Hamilton, who has a 20-point lead over team mate Nico Rosberg in the current championship after five races, is already one of the highest earners in the sport along with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Fernando Alonso.

German driver Rosberg, who is chasing a third successive Monaco Grand Prix win this weekend, agreed his own multi-year contract extension last July.

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton’s new deal ends months of uncertainty about the driver’s future, with speculation swirling since the middle of last year and increasing despite repeated assurances that all was on track.

The champion has dispensed with the services of a manager and has been conducting much of the negotiations, and reading through contracts, himself.

VERY PROUD The Briton, who won his first title with McLaren in 2008, has been backed by Mercedes

since his teenage years and all of his 36 grand prix wins have been with the German manufacturer’s engines.

Fifteen of those victories, including 11 last year, have been for the Mercedes works team.

“Mercedes-Benz began supporting me in 1998 so I am very proud that this contract means I will mark 20 years with Mercedes in 2018,” he said.

Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said continuity was a key factor in delivering success.

(Reuters)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 24, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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