Guyana Times International

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 222

Guyana welcomes President Obama’s decision on Cuba

week ending December 21, 2014

Husain: It’s an honour to be named Miss World Page 8 Caribbean

Page 3

Guyana's President Donald Ramotar

US' President Barack Obama

Cuba's President Raul Castro

TT investors impressed with Guyana’s agri potential Page 23

Miss Guyana World Rafieya Husain

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NEWS

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GPL rolls out US$42M infrastructure project …Chairman calls for realisation of Amaila Falls Project

By Erica Williams

B

erbice and Demerara are expected to receive efficient power supply with the commissioning of the Guyana Power and Light Company’s (GPL) Infrastructural Development Project (IDP) on Wednesday.

The US$42 million project funded by the Import-Export Bank of China (EXIM Bank) and the Government of Guyana was commissioned at the power company’s Mandela Avenue, North Ruimveldt Substation.

It marked the end of five years of hard work and the majority of the funding for the project came from the EXIM Bank.

GPL Chief Executive Officer (GPL) Bharat Dindyal explained that the project is part of a wider development plan by the company.

“The development of a transmission master plan to serve all load centres in Berbice and Demerara through one grid has been the pursuit of the national utility for over 50 years.”

Dindyal explained that since GPL’s estab-

GPL Chairman Winston Brassington

lishment in 1999, an annual submission of a development plan was required. This plan, he said paved the way for the Infrastructural Development Project.

The project was described as the blue print for development in Guyana as it focuses on efficient delivery of power to Guyanese customers.

It allows for the delivery of power to new load centres in Regions Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) and Region Four (DemeraraMahaica).

A transmission link has also been established from Demerara

to Berbice. This was done for the supply of adequate power to the Berbice area from Georgetown.

Under the project, several sub-stations have been built or repaired, including the Sophia Sub-Station.

Sub-stations have been built at Good Hope and Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, among other locations.

GPL Chairman Winston Brassington said in addition to the linkage from Berbice to Demerara, there is also a 69KVA line that runs to Essequibo from Skeldon, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Brassington said the new project boasts a number of modern features, and on that note, he called for the realisation of the Amaila Falls Project.

Despite the growth GPL has experienced over the years, Brassington said “the Amaila Falls Project is very important to us and we call for it to become a reality”.

GPL’s customer base has increased from 127,000 in 2008 to 175,000 today.

Revenue has increased by approximately 50 per cent over the past four years, the Chairman said.

“Revenue from sales in 2008 was over Gy$12 billion with 268 gigawatts of power consumed. Presently, we do Gy$30.6 billion in revenue and 416 gigawatts of power consumed,” Brassington disclosed.

The Amaila Falls Project is an initiative that the Government wants to come on stream as it is expected to save taxpayers some Gy$1 billion annually in subsidy to GPL. President Donald Ramotar has repeatedly said that this money can do wonders if it is channeled into the further of Guyana.

Nevertheless, funding for the project was voted down by members of the Opposition in the National Assembly, using their one-seat majority.

Brassington; however, admitted that GPL still needs to do more to ensure efficiency in power supply to consumers.

He added that the company will be looking to have a brand new distribution system for 2015.

Guyana welcomes President Obama’s decision on Cuba T

he Government of Guyana said it has welcomed the decision announced by President Barack Obama to normalise diplomatic and economic ties with the Republic of Cuba.

“The Government of Guyana views this as a progressive step towards the development of constructive relations between the United States of America and Cuba which will redound to the benefit of these two countries and the hemisphere as whole,” the Administration said in a statement. “The Government wishes to congratulate President Obama on this brave and just decision and hopes that these actions will lead to an early end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade which the United States of America has pursued for the last 54 years against the Cuban people. It is our hope that

the measures announced will be implemented without any hindrance.

We congratulate and salute President Raul Castro on the headways made which were no doubt occasioned by his continued willingness to dialogue with President Barack Obama.”

The Donald Ramotar Administration also acknowledged the critical role played by Pope Francis and the Vatican and the Government of Canada in facilitating the discussions between the United States of America and Cuba which have resulted in this promising end. “The Government of Guyana will continue to stand in solidarity with the Government and people of Cuba in pursuit of the removal of the blockade even as we salute the nation of Cuba for their unwavering strength against this unjust policy.”

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A view of the Lake Mainstay Resort, Guyana

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EDITORIAL

A reason to celebrate

N

ot often local pageants produce outstanding contestants, and for this reason, Guyanese generally look at them for the fun of it. But in recent years, things have changed somewhat, first with Alana Seebaran winning the Miss India Worldwide Pageant, making every Guyanese proud as she finally brought home a crown for Guyana.

This is after many years of Guyana sending contestants to various pageants, but mainly the Miss World and Miss Universe contests, with no success, except in 1967. In that year, Shakira Baksh came close to striking gold, placing third in the Miss World Pageant in London, and subsequently creating a name for herself as a fashion icon and international model.

Some 47 years after, in the same pageant, in the famous City, a girl from the bustling town of Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast shot to fame by securing a place in the top 10. Even though the beautiful and well-spoken Rafieya Husain did not win, she managed to win the hearts of many, not only in Guyana, but throughout the world.

From the online media reports and blogs, Guyanese viewed the achievement of stardom, naturally with Husain, but for followers around the world, it was more an accomplishment for Guyana, the only English-speaking country on the South American continent. The recognition is significant to Guyana mainly because of two reasons.

The first being it is a shot in the arm for the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry which has been vigorously promoting Guyana as a premier tourist destination through the programme, “Destination Guyana”.

With the Homecoming Guyana initiative in 2015, Guyana can find a good Ambassador in Husain in not only promoting the initiative, but also promoting Guyana as a tourist destination to the world. This aside, being Miss World Caribbean, young, lovely and possessing charm, grace and an intelligent mind, coupled with her new found fame, the Tourism Ministry should at least consider widening its distinguished Ambassadors’ list.

Secondly, the other reason has to do with the name of the country, since many abroad still do not know that Guyana exists and that it is on the South American continent, much less being aware that it shares a common history with many countries in the Anglo-phone Caribbean.

Guyana on many occasions has been confused with Ghana, a country on the vast African continent, and only recently, in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, US Republican Congressman Darrel Issa, not once but thrice confused Guyana for Guinea, a West African country affected by the virus.

At least by now, more people who did not know of Guyana have been made aware through Husain as the pageant is followed by millions worldwide. While Guyana is known for producing some of the best cricketers in the world and some very fine diplomats. We do not enjoy the popularity as Jamaica, which is known internationally as the Land of Reggae Music or Barbados identified globally as a premier tourist destination.

But Guyanese on the whole are proud of their identity even though their country is not as popular as they would want it to be. The claim cannot be dismissed that the low international profile of some countries has affected their nationals in a number of ways. One example that quickly comes to mind is professional wrestler and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) show stopper Kofi Kingston, a Ghanaian by birth, but had to be billed as a Jamaican as not many Americans could have identified with someone from Ghana.

Luckily for Guyana, no one has been placed in a ‘Kingston situation’ and it is for this reason that every Guyanese, irrespective of which side they sit on the political divide, should celebrate the achievement of Husain. The good news has no doubt brought some refreshing air to the crime and mundane and sometimes empty politics which on a daily basis dominate media coverage.

PAHO reports decline in babies born with HIV in the Caribbean – Guyana leading the way with zero cases

T

he number of babies born with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean declined by 78 per cent between 2001 and 2013, according to a new report from the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Last week, it was revealed that Guyana has been able to keep the situation at bay, eradicating every instance of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV. At the launching of the Guyana Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) acceleration framework and campaign to improve maternal health recently, the UNAIDS representative said Motherto-Child Transmission of HIV was not a reality in Guyana.

The report, “Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis in the Americas”, takes stock of progress in the region’s countries toward the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Using data from PAHO, UNICEF and UNAIDS, the report estimates that 10,700 babies were born with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2001. By 2013, the number had declined 78 per cent to just over 2300, representing around five per cent of all babies born in the region to mothers with HIV. The countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean have set the collective goal of reducing that proportion to less than two per cent by 2015.

So far, nine countries and territories have reached that goal: Anguilla, Barbados, Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the United States.

“Ensuring that all children

in the Americas are born HIVfree is possible, and countries have already made progress toward that goal,” said Massimo Ghidinelli, Chief of PAHO/ WHO’s HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Hepatitis Unit. “We need a final push to ensure that 100 per cent of pregnant women have access to sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment, which can save their lives and reduce the chances of transmitting the virus to their babies.”

In 2013, 87 per cent of the 11 million women who gave birth in Latin America and the Caribbean attended at least four prenatal visits, a benchmark for adequate prenatal care. An estimated 74 per cent had access to HIV testing and counselling – up from 62 per cent in 2010 – and 93 per cent of HIV-positive mothers-to-be received antiretroviral treatment, a significant increase over the 59 per cent who received treatment in 2010 and only two percentage points short of the target for 2015.

“The region of the Americas has strong health systems, and many women are accessing prenatal care not just once but four times,” said Chewe Luo, UNICEF’s top expert on HIV. She cited the integration of HIV testing into health systems as another success story in the Americas, but said gaps remain in providing prenatal services for adolescent girls.

Congenital syphilis

The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean made more modest progress toward the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of syphilis, which can be prevented through early detection and treatment of affected women. Fifteen out of a total of 50

countries and territories in the region have achieved the goal of no more than one in 2000 babies being born with syphilis, the target set for 2015.

Among women who received prenatal care in reporting countries, more than 80 per cent were tested for syphilis. This level of coverage has been stable since 2011 but falls short of the target coverage rate of 95 per cent. Very few countries report data on the number of pregnant women who have syphilis and are receiving treatment. Among the countries that do, the proportion varies from 13 per cent to 100 per cent, with seven countries and territories reporting that 95 per cent or more of pregnant women with syphilis received treatment in 2013.

The report notes that further progress in reducing mother-to-child transmission of syphilis will require improvements in early access to prenatal care, increased use of rapid syphilis testing – a simple procedure that can be performed on site – and better follow-up for women who test positive.

Ghidinelli said PAHO/ WHO will redouble its efforts to mobilise resources to help countries eliminate mother-tochild transmission of HIV and syphilis.

The report “Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis in the Americas” was presented last week during a panel discussion organised by PAHO/WHO as part of a series of activities for World AIDS Day. In addition to PAHO/ WHO and UNICEF experts, representatives of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) also participated.

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Historic! Cuba, US renew diplomatic ties

In a public sign of the thaw to come: President Barack Obama shakes hands with Cuban President Raul Castro at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela in 2013 (AP Photo)

I

n a historic thaw of a relationship chilled since the early days of the Cold War, the United States announced plans Wednesday to restore diplomatic and economic ties with the communist island of Cuba.

The changes came with the abrupt release of an American Government contractor, Alan Gross, who had been imprisoned in Cuba for five years. He stood when his plane cleared

Cuban airspace and stepped off in the United States to hugs on the tarmac.

At the same time, the United States released three Cubans jailed for 15 years on spying charges, and Cuba released a US spy held there for two decades.

Cuba agreed to release Gross, 65, on humanitarian grounds, a senior Obama administration official said.

Gross went on a hunger

strike earlier this year, and his wife said this month that he was “literally wasting away” in confinement.

In a dramatic flight to freedom, he was escorted by his wife, Judy; three members of Congress and the Secret Service.

Gross stepped off the plane late Wednesday morning at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.

He thanked Obama for helping secure his

freedom, and he voiced support for the re-opening of diplomatic ties.

“To me, Cubanos, or at least most of them, are incredibly kind, generous and talented. It pains me to see them treated so unjustly as a consequence of two Governments’ mutually belligerent policies.”

From the plane, Gross called his sister and daughters and told them he was free. On the plane were bowls of popcorn, a snack he had missed during his captivity, and a corned beef sandwich with mustard on rye, plus latkes and applesauce.

“Today is the first day of Hanukkah,” Gross

Alan Gross

Fidel Castro and Raul Castro have guided their nation for 50-plus years

said, “and I guess so far it’s the best Hanukkah that I’ll be celebrating for a long time.”

Judy Gross said earlier this month that her husband had lost more than 100 pounds and gone mostly blind in one eye. She has been critical of the Obama administration’s handling of the ordeal. Gross has refused most visitors, although he did meet with two US senators in November.

Gross was working as a contractor for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which works to promote democracy in Cuba,

when he was detained in 2009. His family has said he was working to expand Internet access for Cuba’s small Jewish community.

Gross was sentenced in 2011 to 15 years in prison for undermining Cuba. Castro called him a spy.

Senior US officials took pains to say that Gross was not being released as part of a direct swap. Separately, senior US officials said that the three Cubans were being released in exchange for what U.S. officials described as an “intelligence asset.”

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PM Modi’s visit to Guyana will help boost relations between the two countries

Dear Editor, I read (in Guyana Times) that the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will visit South America sometime in the New Year, and is likely to visit Suriname and Guyana to expand bilateral relations. Such a visit to our country should be encouraged as it will result in huge dividends.

Guyana is a strategically important nation for India because of its location in South America, which has been the focus of India’s attention in recent years for trade. And India should be among Guyana’s priorities because of India’s influential role in the global arena, and because of

the large amount of assistance she provides Guyana.

A Modi visit will be an opportunity for our nation to engage the leader of the world’s largest democracy and one of Guyana’s most important international partners, as well as an aid donor that would prove to be critical for our future well being, especially so that India is expected to be the next economic powerhouse for the next two decades.

Such a visit by Prime Minister Modi will also boost cultural relations with Guyana; much of Guyana’s culture originated in India and that was brought by indentured labourers between

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

1838 and 1917.

Modi visited Fiji last month for a day and delivered a long list of goodies to that nation.

He signed several memoranda of understanding.

He also visited Burma and announced a pack-

age of goodies, including a hydo power plant that would be built on grant from India.

In Fiji, Modi committed US$5 million to be distributed as grants to small businesses. And he also announced a multimillion dollar energy project that would meet the needs of that nation.

He met with leaders of Pacific mini-states and also announced a package of assistance for them from India. And he pledged to host an IndiaPacific summit (of leaders of small states) in Delhi next year.

A Modi visit will go a long way in strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and in romping

up the amount of assistance given to Guyana.

His presence will strengthen Guyana’s global relations and political clout. His visit will help to improve understanding and relations between the IndoGuyanese diaspora and the Indian diaspora, especially in England, US and Canada.

His visit could lead to a partnership between the private sectors of both countries. Indian companies could pour money into the Guyanese economy. There could be agreements and exchange between academic institutions in Guyana and India.

There could also be an increase in scholarships

and cultural exchange – a goal we lobbied for as diaspora-based Guyanese in the US whenever we meet Indian Prime Ministers and Ministers of Government.

India wants to strengthen its relations with South American nations. Guyana could serve as a hub for stronger Indian engagement with South America and the Caribbean, especially that we are a member of UNASUR and Caricom.

Mr Modi has been eager to visit countries where large numbers of Indians are settled. He would only be too happy to make the journey to Guyana.

Vishnu Bisram

Suspension of E-Government project disappointing Dear Editor, It is both disturbing and disappointing to read that the fibre-optic cable component of the E-Government Project has been suspended since November 2013 due to faulty instillation that now requires remedial works

(Guyana Times, December 12).

Why only now are we made aware of this? And who would be held accountable for the flop? This revelation by the Project Manager Alexi Ramotar also comes as a huge surprise to those keenly fol-

lowing the progress of the project.

In January 2014, President Donald Ramotar assured that the project was experiencing minor challenges and that “we have pushed it back, the handing over to August 2014. However, we ex-

pect all the parts to be finished by April 2014, we are on track for that and the April to August period is where we will be doing a lot of testing, and optimisation of the network and so forth. These are very standard things that happen in telecoms.”

Correspondingly, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds reassured in February of this year that the “E-Government Project unit is aiming for an April 2014 completion date. However, this has been extended for August 2014”, and “additional de-

lays stemmed from difficulty of procuring piles, adverse weather conditions, and the provision of electrical access to the sites.

By no stretch of the imagination can these delays be considered extensive.”

Now we are being told that the complications surrounding the project aren’t so subtle.

That aside, this represents a severe blow to our private sector and Guyana’s global competitiveness profile. Projects and initiatives like these should ideally be left to the private sector to under-

take.

Digicel has for years expressed an interest in a fibre optic cable and it was only until October this year that the company was informed that its application for a submarine cable was approved.

Government should only intervene if a gap or vacuum exists. And if the Government does commit to such projects, hire professionals with the requisite competence and experience to successfully execute the job.

Clinton Urling

We all bear responsibility for the way things are

Dear Editor, It must now be absolutely clear to all our fellow Guyanese that our political culture is being developed along lines that will see us forever mired in controversy and a spirit of con-cooperation and non-compromise.

This is further exacerbated by other players on the national spectrum who should have been the instruments of inculcating some measure of sanity into our debates and decisions.

These include the bar, human rights and other associations in society, the media, and other functionaries who should be at least objective and all-inclusive in their utterances.

Instead, we find that most of these are always consistent with their posture of antagonism and condemna-

tion.

Further, we should not delude ourselves into believing that this culture would end with any change in the political structure.

The way forward towards the advancement of the affairs of our country must surely lie in much self-examination of our individual stances and actions in each of the events being played out nationally.

This necessitates that we should all understand and appreciate that we are all human beings, with all of us having some amount of goodness, with none of us perfect, and with all of us subject of the strains of daily life, especially in such a divided state in which we find ourselves, expressly because of this vast divide which we have created in our beloved country.

I appeal to all our people, however, they are involved and in whatever they are now occupied, to realise that our salvation as a people lies in the fact that we all bear responsibility for the way things are, and we all need to conduct this self-examination and deal with one another empathically, more compassionately and with a large dose of brotherliness in our actions.

This would prove not so problematic if we regard our nation as one large family, as it virtually is, and deal with one another as we would with members of our own household – with a spirit of empathy, compassion and earnest desire to create real peace, justice, equality and national unity in our nation.

Roy Paul

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

President Ramotar dismisses call for recall of prorogation powers

P

resident Donald Ramotar has dismissed calls made

by Alliance For Change (AFC) Chairman Nigel Hughes for his prorogation powers to be taken out of the Constitution.

President Ramotar asserted that Hughes and other members of the political Opposition are using the Constitution, “the best within the Caribbean”, as a tool to rig the elections.

At a recent forum discussing the effects of prorogation on Guyana, Hughes called on all Guyanese to begin some form of political agitation to have the prorogation clause removed from the country’s Constitution.

His contention was that it lends much to an “unfair and dictatorial stance by any one Head of State”. Hughes, who was speaking to a small gathering on the “political consequences of prorogation of Parliament”, said the freedom to prorogue Parliament at any time has severe consequences.

The President had

President Donald Ramotar

suspended Parliament on November 10, after the combined Opposition threatened to proceed with a NoConfidence Motion against his Government at the first post-recess sitting of the National Assembly. He said his actions were aimed at preserving the 10th Parliament and giving the parties an opportunity to engage in talks on matters that failed to gain adequate parliamentary consideration.

After the Opposition spurned his invitation,

Ramotar said he would dissolve Parliament and set a date for elections.

In response to Hughes’ accusations, the President reiterated that prorogation was a tool available in all of the Commonwealth countries’ Constitutions. He noted that Guyana has never abused that constitutional power, as has been done by several other countries.

Ramotar said Guyana has the most advanced Constitution within the region. This,

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes

he noted, was confirmed by international representatives who were present during the last constitutional reform.

Under Article 70 of Guyana’s Constitution, the President has the power to bring the sittings of Parliament to cessation, without any explanation. The power vested in the President could see him recalling Parliament and proroguing it as often as he sees fit.

“The reality of this power vested in the President under Article 70 of the Constitution

is as you have now a minority Government, traditionally associated with one oriented cultural ethnic group which is exercising absolute power without even having to go to Parliament to be subject to some form of scrutiny,” Hughes said The AFC Chairman gave a historic review of the prorogation of Parliament, which was a legacy of British rule and was never struck from the Constitution becoming instead vested in the executive President.

“Overlooking the handing of such power to an Executive President, it means that the Head of State would have no justification of his prorogation of Parliament” Even at the review of the Constitution in 2001, that section was again overlooked, Hughes pointed out, noting that Guyana needs to act on having this kind of power taken away from the President.

“It is my hope that we don’t wait for the 31 of December to start serious political action agitation,” Hughes warned. He argued that something being constitutional does not make it a just, right, or acceptable law.

“Whether or not the powers exercised by the President to prorogue Parliament are technically permitted under Article 70, it cannot be allowed to continue, because we live in a multiracial society in which one section totally dominates the political, social and economic spheres,” he added.

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Husain: It’s an honour to be named Miss World Caribbean

T

he reality of placing in the top 10 in the recently concluded Miss World Pageant in London is still sinking in for Miss Guyana World Rafieya Husain, who will also be performing duties as

Miss World Caribbean for another year.

The Guyanese beauty, who hails from Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), plans to use her reign as Miss World Caribbean

to continue being an advocate against domestic violence, not only in Guyana but throughout the Caribbean.

In a telephone interview with the beauty queen from her hotel room in London, she

Guyana’s Rafieya Husain along with the other winners of the Miss World’s “Beauty With A Purpose” competition including Miss World winner Rolene Strauss after the pageant

noted that the new title has opened many doors for her and she intends to use every experience to her advantage in promoting Guyana, the Caribbean and to an extent the world.

Husain said it was indeed an honour to have been named Miss World Caribbean which gives her the platform to promote her fellow Guyanese and other delegates in the future.

Apart from spreading awareness on domestic violence, she will also be focusing on her studies in New York, where she is third year business management student.

Husain is expected to return to Guyana after the holidays to officially open an outreach shelter in February. At present, she intends to spend some extra time in London before travelling back to New York with her family.

In addition to the

shelter, she will be working with her charity group to open a safe house for victims of domestic violence in the near future. She did not divulge any other information with respect to its location.

However, on the night of the pageant, Husain admitted that she was nervous but recalled her chorographer’s word: “Make sure you get your four counts while you are in front of the camera.”

This, she noted has definitely helped her to stay focus and not to be carried away.

She recalled being on stage when the announcement started for the top 25 delegates and as soon she heard “Miss Guyana”, she felt as if a load had come off her shoulders since she was very confident in ending Guyana’s 43 years drought in international pageantry.

“I was very satisfied at that stage, but when they call the top 10, I was extremely shocked that the judges saw potential in me.”

After that she was deafened by the screams from the Guyanese who were supporting her in her quest for the crown.

“This made me proud to be representing Guyana and to place in the top 10 was a dream come through, not only that it will put Guyana once again on the international stage, but will make room for other delegates to follow.”

Congratulatory messages

Ever since social media has been popping with congratulatory messages and the beauty is very much thankful for the continuous support as she embarked on another year to fulfill her duties as Miss World Caribbean.

But the competition

that put the icing on the cake was the Beauty with a Purpose Project where she tied with Miss Brazil, Miss Kenya, Miss Indonesia and Miss Indian for top honours.

She said her project on domestic violence was her main reason for entering in the Miss World Pageant.

She noted that domestic violence does not only affect Guyanese, but the world as a whole.

While in Guyana preparing for the Miss Guyana World Contest, she selected domestic violence as her platform, and noted that her grandfather, the late Shafeek Khan, a former Regional Executive Officer, was a special person. Actually, the shelter to help victims of domestic violence has been named in honour of him.

After winning the pageant as a representative of Region Two, she started a campaign where she visited schools around Guyana distributing booklets and educating children about domestic violence.

She thought that by educating them at an early age, children will grow to shun the scourge, noting that anyone can become a victim.

“I may be a beauty queen, but I don’t consider it as that, but rather as Ambassador for Guyana…. Even an Ambassador for Guyana can be a victim of domestic violence,” she added.

Meanwhile, as she prepares to leave her friends in London, Husain said that she will cherish the moments they spent together. She said she will definitely remember touring London with her fellow delegates, participating in various competitions in sport fitness, beach beauty and others.

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana’s Education Ministry denounces attack on Pakistan school

T

he Education Ministry has denounced the fatal attack on a school in Pakistan, calling it “horrendous”.

In a statement released hours after the school was attacked on Tuesday, the Ministry expressed its sadness over the unnecessary and violent deaths of so many innocent children, teachers and other staff members of the school.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand extended sympathy to all the grieving families and loved ones, as well as the Government and the people of Pakistan.

“Every child has the right to education and every effort should be made to help children avail themselves of educational opportunities.

“This right to education should never be interfered with, least of all through violence

A boy is carried from the scene in Pakistan

and intimidation,” the Ministry underscored in the statement.

On Tuesday morning, gunmen from the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) group stormed a military-run school in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least 141 people of which 132 were children from Grades One to 10.

While an additional 121 students and three staff members were wounded during the attack. Some 1099 students and staff were registered at the school.

The attack began when the gunmen entered the school and started shooting at random.

Army commandos

quickly arrived at the scene and started exchanging fire with the gunmen. Students wearing green school uniforms could be seen fleeing the area on Pakistani television.

Vulnerability

Meanwhile, Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they

killed over a hundred children because their parents helped the US to take down a group that was protecting Al Qaeda.

TTP Commander Jihad Yar Wazir told a reporter from the Daily Beast that the group was ready for a long war against the “US puppet state of Pakistan”.

“We are just displaced, but we are still in positions to attack wherever we want,” Yar Wazir said.

Yar Wazir justified the killings as fitting retribution. “The parents of the army school are army soldiers and they are behind the massive killing of our kids and indiscriminate bombing in North and South Waziristan,” which are the TTP strongholds.

“To hurt them at their safe haven and homes – such an attack is perfect revenge,” he stated.

Yar Wazir says the TTP has a long list of attacks that it will carry out in Pakistan against the security forces, whose efforts to crush the group are supported by the United States.

The regions where it is strong have served as a refuge for al Qaeda, which is the main American target.

This violent attack underscores the vulnerability of Pakistani schools, which was dramatically exposed in the attack two years ago on Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl shot in the head by a Taliban gunman outside her school in the Swat Valley for daring to speak up about girls’ rights.

She survived, became a Nobel Prize laureate and global advocate for girls’ education, but out of security concerns has never returned to Pakistan.

Haiti's PM, Laurent Guyana cops 17 distinctions at Royal Music Academy exams Lamothe resigns

P

O R T - A U PRINCE, HAITI: Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has resigned less than a week after President Michel Martelly had received a report from an 11-member presidential commission established to help deal with Haiti’s worsening political crisis.

The Commission had also recommended the resignation of the members of the Electoral Council.

Haiti has seen several violent street demonstrations led by opposition figures in recent weeks and in a nationwide radio and television broadcast on Saturday night, Lamothe said “I am leaving the post of prime minister this evening with a feeling of accomplishment”.

Martelly said earlier that he had accepted the commission’s findings, and would meet government officials on Monday

to discuss them.

In addition, the commission also wants several people detained arbitrarily to be released. In the report, the Commission is also calling for a truce by the opposition, noting that the truce is necessary to achieve a political agreement for the country’s long-delayed local and legislative elections to occur.

“The deterioration of the political and social environment requires several calming measures and recovery before Christmas. It is therefore imperative to find a political compromise before January, 12,” the report stated, calling on the public and opposition parties to do their part, including ending calls for Martelly’s resignation.

“Respect the constitutional legitimacy of the President of the Republic,” it added.

(Caribbean News Now)

G

uyana has copped 17 distinctions at the Royal Academy of Music exams this year. This is according to Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony.

At the Choral Song Award ceremony Monday, Minister Anthony indicated that Guyana’s students have great potential as all of the 25 students of the National School of Music who wrote the exams passed – 21 with exceptional grades.

Andrew Tyndall, the administrator of the National School of Music, told this publication that the students wrote the Royal Schools of Music exams (Grades One to Five) on November 1 at The Bishops’ High School.

Topping the performers was Kollesha Edwards, who wrote the Grade Five exam and achieved 97 per cent.

Tyndall said that the

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

top student has been with the school since she started the Grade One level of the programme.

He explained that she has learnt much regarding music composition and the arranging of music.

Musical landscape

In 2011, the National School of Music, at Brickdam and Old College Road, Georgetown, was launched. The school houses five classrooms, a performance auditorium, a library to boast a comprehensive repertoire of

Guyanese music and a specialised storage room to accommodate musical instruments and related equipment.

The main objective of the school is to provide a range of services, knowledge and skills for young talented Guyanese interested in various forms of music and musical instruments.

The highest grade of music study the school offers is Grade Eight, where advanced musical composition is practised so students have the skills to become mu-

sic conductors or compose their own music or even analyse music.

The administrator noted that the school makes a host of musical instruments available to students for learning their use.

However, it was advisable for students to have their own instruments to ensure greater success as music is a subject that requires much practice.

Minister Anthony informed that the music school also supports the revitalisation of steel pan music in the school system by providing teachers.

This initiative has seen great success with an increasing number of schools competing in the Mash Steel Pan competition. Dr Anthony explained that there will now be a separate competition for the schools because of the number of school bands entered for the next competition.

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Queens Atlantic Investments hosts Christmas Tree light up

T

he Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII) Group of Companies Tuesday evening hosted a Christmas Tree light up in the compound of the entity’s headquarters, Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Scores of persons from all of the companies witnessed the light up, which was spiced up with lively carol singing and greetings.

Executive Assistant Lisa Ahmad said the event will now be an annual exercise with the aim of keeping the Christmas spirit alive within the companies.

She noted that employees had always wanted to embark on the venture, but was waiting on the right time to

Staff members of the Queens Atlantic Group of Companies singing Christmas carols at the Christmas Tree light-up

do so.

General Manager of Global Printing and Graphics Inc Trevor Bassoo, in his remarks, noted that the company saw the Christmas Tree light-up as fitting, as it brings the spirit of the

season to the working environment.

Bassoo said that the initiative was inspired by all levels of staff across the entire group of companies, and was made possible with support from management.

The programme was chaired by Michael Younge, Editor of the Evening News.

QAII is an investment group consisting of media, health, pharmaceutical and other companies.

It was incorporated in Guyana in 1999 and is run by a board of directors. The company’s aim is to effectively develop by improving the standard of goods or services produced by each of these companies.

Emphasis is placed on creating jobs for local individuals as well as to be less independent on foreign corporations for products such as drugs and other medicines, printed material and hardware items that can be produced locally to the same standards as those currently imported.

With strong business ethics and integrity coupled with quality standard, consumers are assured of exemplary products and services.

Barbados selected to pilot diabetes reversal study

B

RIDGETOWN, BARBADOS: Barbados has been selected to pilot a diabetes reversal study based on the use of a nutrition-specific diet as a means of reversing glucose intolerance in persons living with Type 2 diabetes.

The study, which is set to commence during the week of January 25, 2015, will focus on Barbadians between the ages of 20 and 70 who were diagnosed within the last six years.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Joy St John, speaking at the launch of the Diabetes Reversal, said diabetes remained a significant public health challenge in the country despite the efforts of the Diabetes Association of Barbados and the

Diabetes Foundation of Barbados over the years.

“Diabetes has a prevalence rate in the adult population in excess of 18 per cent, and current evidence indicates that the prevalence has increased over the last five to six years by two percentage points.”

The Chief Medical Officer was pleased that this new study focused on nutrition, and she revealed that “in Barbados, nutrition is one of the most challenging areas associated with risk for the development of non-communicable diseases”.

“The Barbadian diet is frequently too high in salt, sugar and fat; with a high percentage of calories coming from carbohydrate sources.

Furthermore, fruit and

vegetable consumption, although showing some slight improvement, remains low. It is believed that these factors may be contributing to the heavy chronic disease burden, including diabetes, hypertension and some cancers,” she said.

Officials here say that one of the main drivers of the high prevalence of diabetes in Barbados was the level of obesity in the population, with an estimated two-thirds of all adult Barbadians and 30 per cent of boys and girls attending secondary schools either overweight and/or obese.

The Diabetes Reversal Study will be funded by the Virgin Unite Group, which is a non-profit organisation founded by Sir Richard Branson. (CMC)

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Whale buried at Kitty foreshore such as the National Wildlife Management Committee, but the plan failed when the equipment procured was unable to lift the whale.

Approximately, three excavators attempted to remove the whale, but when this proved to be difficult, the local authorities based on the advice of the experts resorted to the onsite burial. Representatives from the University of Guyana, the Guyana Coast Guard, Iwokrama International Centre for

L

Rainforest Conservation, Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) were among those present during the burial.

The whale was discovered dead on the shore near the Kitty Seawall at 05:30h Tuesday after first being spotted by fisherman Bridgelall Tiwaree on Saturday night entangled in his net approximately four miles off the coast parallel to the Mahaicony River mouth.

Photo showing a section of the whale where a skin sample was taken

ocal authorities have estimated that approximately 15,000 persons from across Guyana journeyed to the Kitty foreshore at different intervals to have glimpse of the sperm whale that washed ashore.

Of the 15,000, it was said, approximately 5000 witnessed the burial of the 42-foot whale late Tuesday night.

Updating this publication on the situation, National Wildlife Management Committee Member Annette Arjoon said persons journeyed by foot, car, bus and even truck to get a look of the mammal before it was buried. She recalled that

a 65-year-old man rode from Houston to Kitty to see the whale, because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he reportedly said.

“I never thought I would have gotten a chance to see a whale,” Arjoon said as she echoed the sentiments expressed by the elderly man.

Reports also indicate that persons even travelled from Berbice and Linden.

Based on the advice of experts from the Caribbean, Venezuela, Suriname and Canada, a decision was taken to take skin samples from the mammal before burying it 22 feet down, a short distance away from where it was beached.

The whale was also punctured to prevent an explosion as it putrefies.

Arjoon, who had played an integral role in the lead up to the discovery of the whale, said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); the Royal Ontario Museum (Canada); and experts from around the region had advised that the whale be buried in a remote area and the skeleton subsequently retrieved for educational purposes.

This was the initial intention of the Public Works, Transport and Hydraulics Ministry and supporting non-Government Organisations

A multitude of persons flocking around the mammal late Tuesday afternoon, hours after its discovery

Man gets 83 years for killing girlfriend A

Sophia man was sentenced to 83 years imprisonment on Wednesday after he was found guilty of strangling his 23-yearold girlfriend, Shoala Gilgeous, to death in 2012.

Paul Anthony Lo Hing was convicted of the August 6, 2012 murder of Gilgeous, during a heated argument at their Block E South Sophia, Georgetown home.

State Counsel Teshana Lake and Narissa Leander prosecuted the matter and called six witnesses to testify against Lo Hing.

The witnesses included the brother of the deceased, Alain, who testified via SKYPE that on the day in question, he received a phone call from the accused, informing him that his sister was unconscious and he should go check on her.

The brother of the deceased, who currently resides in Trinidad, related that at the time he was living with the mother of his children next door to his sister and would usually wit-

ness regular fighting between the couple.

His testimony was supported by the testimony of his partner, Monica Charles. She also told the court that on the day in question, there was a heated argument between the couple.

The deceased’s sister, Alana, also took the stand and said that on the day in question, Lo Hing called and told her to go check on her sister as she was unconscious.

Gilgeous’s body was discovered around 17:30h on the day in question. Her niece had testified that she was the one who discovered her aunt lying on the ground.

Lo Hing was represented by Attorney Keavon Bess during the trial, his second for the murder of his girlfriend after a hung jury was the result of his first in July.

The accused was found guilty this time when the 12 membermixed jury returned a unanimous verdict.

The presiding Judge, Justice Navindra Singh began sentencing with

a base sentence of 60 years and added 10 more for the cruelty that was meted out to the deceased. Another 10 years were added for the fact that Lo Hing intended to harm the young woman

and six more were added since the matter was a domestic violence case.

However, the Judge took off three years for the time that Lo Hing spent in prison and sentenced the man to 83 years im-

prisonment.

According to reports, the couple was together for about 10 months, but Gilgeous moved in with the accused six months before her death.

Relatives claim that it

was after the couple began living together that the relationship became abusive and the woman was constantly at the Police station filing reports against the accused.

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Second bandit in Montrose Supermarket raid ID’d as UG student

T

he second bandit killed on Monday during the robbery of a Montrose, East Coast Demerara supermarket has been identified as a popular socialite and a student of the University of Guyana.

Police on Tuesday disclosed that the gunman was identified as 24-year-old Mahendra Sukull called “Vicky”, of Ramtahal Street, Prashad Nagar,

Georgetown.

According to reports, three armed men arrived in a dark-coloured vehicle around 19:00h and parked in an unlit street adjacent to the supermarket. They then entered the Lahago Supercentre, holding the owner, Latchmie Baburam, and three other female staffers, including her daughter, at gunpoint.

One of the employees

related that the men began asking for cash and hitting the 52-year-old businesswoman; when her daughter went to her aid, she was gunbutted to the head.

Baburam was then shot in her left leg.

During the ordeal, a silent alarm was triggered and alerted ranks at nearby police stations. Upon arrival at the scene, Police came under gunfire. They

Rebuilding of One Mile Primary:

Committee says money well spent

Rebuild Our Future Committee Chair Maurice Butters and Committee members Alishaw Barker (centre) and Debbie Evelyn at the press briefing on Saturday

M

embers of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) Rebuild Our Future Committee said monies garnered since its establishment in 2012 were satisfactorily spent, as it continues to be involved in community development projects.

The Committee said a total of Gy$6.5 million was garnered towards the establishment of the “Rebuild our Future Programme” following the July 2012 protests which saw the torching of several prominent buildings in Linden, including the One-Mile Primary School.

Committee Chairman Maurice Butters speaking at a press briefing on Saturday, said the body was not only tasked with rebuilding the school, but also establishing research centres in Linden and construction of the July 18 Martyrs Monument Park, among other projects.

Work on the region’s television station is about 60 per cent complete.

He disclosed that a total of Gy$97,795 remains from the sum that was collected by the Committee from publicspirited citizens across Guyana and the diaspora, towards the rebuild-

ing effort.

In a release, the Committee said it has a responsibility to society to account to citizens for its performance and how the monies accrued are being spent.

“Having experienced public officials failing to account, this Committee has taken a deliberate position to be different and vow that appropriate audited accounts shall be provided for public scrutiny,” it stated.

Butters, along with other members, including Debbie Evelyn (Secretary) and Alishaw Barker in an effort to update the public on progress of the works of the Committee, said it has been engaged in several community enhancement projects. “… we believe in accountability. When we took the oath of office in 2012, that was one of our foremost outlines, to be accountable to the people of the region….We have fulfilled our obligation to have our accounts audited,” Butters said.

He added: “There has been the establishment of reading and research centres, two of which have been completed as we set a goal for 10 to be placed in different locations of the region. These centres will contribute immensely

to a more informed society… are outfitted with computers, books and an area for basic needs training. We have begun work in Christianburg and have already identified two other locations.

These projects are being funded by kind-hearted persons, both locally and overseas…”

According to members of the Committee, persons who volunteered technical services were given a stipend, paid from the monies which were accumulated.

The project moved at a snail’s pace before it went to a standstill. Government took a decision to rebuild the school to the tune of Gy$165 million and the Committee has decided to utilise some of the funds towards the technological enhancement of the school after it is completed.

It also intends on utilising the sections where the self-help reconstruction had commenced, for the establishment of a research centre for One-Mile Primary School students.

Some 95 per cent of the persons who were involved in the self-help effort are employed on the reconstruction of the school, the Committee said.

Dead bandit: Excop Warren Blue

Dead bandit: Mahendra “Vicky” Sukull

returned fire fatally shooting Sukull in the process while the other bandit, wanted man Warren Blue, a former Policeman, went into hiding. After a few minutes, he emerged from a cupboard and opened fire on the Police ranks.

He too was killed during the shootout.

The injured businesswoman was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was admitted. She is currently in a stable condition. While at the hospital on Monday evening, Baburam’s husband, Hemat, told reporters that he was unsure as to what transpired since he was

at the back shop at the time of the robbery.

The man said that his daughter called and informed him about the incident and he rushed to the scene.

Police recovered two unlicensed .32 Taurus pistols and five live rounds along with a number of .32 spent shells. The bodies of the two bandits are at the Lyken Funeral Parlour.

There was reportedly a third gunman; however, he successfully managed to escape from the scene.

Troubled

Sukull was a Computer Science student at the tertiary educational insti-

tute. Reports indicated that the young man had a troubled childhood. According to an associate of the family, Sukull’s mother committed suicide when he was just 13 years old.

He and his mother were living alone at the time.

The associate opined that the young man, though living with relatives, never had any proper guidance. Sukull was known by many and was a regular partygoer. On his social network profile, there were several photos of him at various events and with popular promoters.

On the other hand, Blue was wanted by the Police for the September 2012 shooting of Agricola, Greater Georgetown teen Shaquille Grant.

He had been on the run since then.

This robbery comes on the heels of the armed invasion of Sterling Products Limited last week when 10 men reportedly stormed the business, killing security guard Wilfred Stewart and wounding a chemist in the process.

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Government baffled by Granger’s injunction

Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Chief Counsel Ashton Chase during a discussion following the court proceedings on Monday at the High Court

By Erica Williams

C

hief Justice (ag) Ian Chang on Monday granted the Government seven days to file an affidavitin-answer following the move by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to the courts over what it terms unauthorised spending by the Government.

APNU is accusing the members of the

Government of spending billions of dollars that were disapproved in the National Budget earlier this year.

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall; Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman were the defendants in the matter brought to the court on behalf of Opposition Leader David Granger.

Following the inChambers proceedings, Nandlall said he was baffled by APNU’s move to the courts.

Nandlall was not sure what the issue was since funding through the national budget has been cut and legally restored in the past. He noted that past restorations have been approved by the Opposition.

“Those were monies that were restored by

the Minister of Finance pursuant to a ruling of the Honourable Chief Justice, the very judge before whom this matter is being held,” Nandlall said in response to the Opposition’s claims of Gy$4.5 billion of unapproved funds being spent up to June, following this year’s budget.

He further explained that in the ruling, the Chief Justice pointed to the Constitutional provisions which allowed Singh to restore the monies that were removed unlawfully and unconstitutionally from the budget.

“So I don’t know what the issue is, but the identical thing was done in 2012 when monies were excised from the budget. Those monies were restored and the very Opposition Leader and Opposition Parties in the National Assembly supported the Government’s restoration on all of the monies.”

This sequence of events repeated itself during 2013, while in 2014, some of the monies were restored with the Opposition’s approval.

Minister Nandlall then reiterated his un-

certainty about the cause for the current court matter. He sought to point out the lack of merit in the Opposition’s case by stating that “the restoration of monies is supported by the Constitution, the Chief Justice judgment sanctioned it and the Opposition also support-

or any further spending by the Finance Minister or other Ministers of Government until the conclusion of the matter.

But, Nandlall and Chief Counsel Ashton Chase, who represented Singh, asked for the matter to be inter-partes. They then filed for leave to bring forth an

Attorney-at-Law Basil Williams

Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman

ed it in the past.”

In the past, Chang had ruled that the Opposition has no right to cut the Government’s budget.

Nevertheless, Attorney-at-Law, Basil Williams, an executive of APNU, filled for an ex parte application for an interim/ conservatory order to stay all spending and/

affidavit-in- answer.

This request was granted and they were given seven days to produce and submit the document, while Williams was given five days to respond if necessary.

The matter will return to the Chief Justice’s Chambers on December 29 for reports, and a date will be fixed for arguments.

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Gy$11B cement factory opens in Berbice

By Andrew Carmichael

C

aricom Cement Company Inc on Saturday commissioned its new Gy$11 billion cement plant at Everton, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

The new facility will allow the company to produce 500,000 metric tonnes of cement annually. This is double the requirement for Guyana.

Chairman of the company, Dr Joshua Safeek speaking with this publication said the plant is a gift from Berbice to the rest of Caricom.

The facility, the first complete cement plant in Guyana was built

by Guyanese and employs in excess of 250 persons from Berbice, Georgetown, Essequibo and Suriname.

“Caricom Cement Company Inc has been in operation for the past four years and during that period we were bagging cement under the brand names West Indies Cement and Titan Cement,” the company said in a release.

It added: “The main purpose of the cement plant is to make cement affordable to all Guyanese, taking into consideration the construction boom that our country is undergoing at this time.”

The plant was built in three phases and started in August 2010 at the abundant old bauxite plant (Bermine), which was developed in phase one.

The first part of the current operations saw a bagging system being purchased and in-

The Gy$11 billion cement plant at Everton, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) that was commissioned on Saturday

stalled at the Everton plant. Phase two saw a Portland plant being added to the system while the machinery was being built for phase three, which commenced in December 2013 with the installation of the new plant.

The plant was then

upgraded with a kiln and cooling system and a grinding capacity of 50 per cent.

The kiln will be working at 1700 degrees before the cement is sent to the cooling system.

Meanwhile, Dr Safeek said the company was able to take advan-

tage of the billions of dollars which Government has been investing in the education system.

“There are a lot of youngsters who are being trained at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute and GuySuCo Training School and at the end; many of them

don’t get jobs. We were able to find jobs for many of them by the transferring of technology from engineers and chemist.”

Meanwhile, the facility will add greatly to the development of Berbice and moreso the East Bank where most of the employees are from.

“When we started operations, there it was a depressed community with jobs only being available at GuySuCo, which is seasonal. We inject about Gy1$ billion annually into Berbice.

You know in a few years what that will do for the community?”

Meanwhile, the Everton plant is to start operating on a 24-hour basis as from next year.

This, the Chairman said will require the services of about a 100 more employers

AHI debunks Kaieteur News article on equity rangement of the US$27 million in debt financing for the Hotel Project, jointly announced the names of the investor.

“The opportunity, therefore, for a local investor or investors to participate in the ownership of equity in the

A

An aerial view of the Marriott hotel under construction in Kingston

tlantic Hotel Inc (AHI) on Monday debunked another report by the Kaieteur News, this time under the caption “Locals want Gy$8M Marriott equity,” in its Thursday December 11, edition.

According to AHI, the information peddled in the article is “untrue and completely misrepresents the facts.” According to the Kaieteur News article, NICIL has turned down a ground of local investors who had demonstrated an interest in participating in the project.

“The publication of this article itself serves to emphasise the deliberate policy of Kaieteur News to ignore the facts which have already been published in the media, including in its own newspaper, on the process of selecting the investor, and the announcement of the arrangements already in place many months ago.

It underlines the abso-

lute failure of Kaieteur News to publish objectively and truthfully and the newspaper’s determination to continue to publish miss-information on the investment in this project,” AHI said as it lashed out at the newspaper.

It was pointed out that since 2009, when the hotel project was first envisaged, Government advertised for partners to design and implement the project. With Marriott announcing its decision to operate the hotel in 2010, AHI published both internationally and locally, a series of advertisements, on 12 separate occasions, between January and March 2012, setting out the terms and conditions for an investor or investors calling for expressions of interest to participate in AHI’s Marriott Hotel Project Private Equity.

The advertisements were also placed with all of the Government’s embassies and consulates.

“The advertisements invited bids for one or more participants to invest in 67 per cent of AHI’s equity in the Marriott Hotel Project for an amount of US$8 million with the Government of Guyana, through NICIL, owning 33 per cent of AHI’s equity from an investment of US$4 million.”

The information contained in the advertisements was made available to the National Assembly by the Finance Minister in a detailed response to questions submitted by the Opposition parties in March of 2012. On that occasion, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh undertook to provide Parliament with a closed door presentation of the Feasibility Study, independently conducted in 2010 by HVS Consulting and Valuation.

However in May, 2014, AHI and Republic Bank Limited, responsible for concluding the ar-

Marriott Hotel Project has been in the public domain, in fact, since 2009 without the submission of a single serious proposal from a local investor.”

According to AHI, nothing has changed since then, positing

that it had not received a single serious professionally documented proposal from any source, local or otherwise, in response to its advertisements up until an agreement was entered into with the current investor.

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Guyanese tourists in India entertained by “Pavita Rishta” stars

A

group of Guyanese tourists in India were recently entertained by stars from the soap serial “Pavita Rishta”. The group also used the opportunity while in India to honour Guyana-born bhajan singer Nandanie Saran who has made India her home.

The group of 32 tourists spent over two weeks experiencing the rich culture and diversity of India, the land of their ancestors. They said they learnt a lot about India from the trip.

The group comprising Hindus, Muslims and Christians took a bath in the cold water of the holy Ganges and witnessed the beautiful aartee at Haridwar. They also visited the majestic Akshardham with its splendid architecture; Jama Masjid; Taj Mahal; Gandhi’s Memorial; Christian churches; and Lake Pichola. A trip to Bollywood was also on the agenda.

They performed sewa to a group of underprivileged giving them food and money. They were given time to go shopping and enjoy the bar-

Nandini Sharan receives an award from tour director Ramesh Kalicharran for her contribution in preserving the legacy of her late husband Hari Omsharan, also in photo is Dilip Sirwani, Geeta Bisram and Mumbai film director and producer Ajay Sharma

gains of traditional Indian clothing worn at special events.

The group dropped in to see the legendary actor Manoj Kumar who is not too well but who still decided to welcome them at his home in Mumbai.

Tour organiser Ramesh Kalicharran, formerly of Essequibo, presented Manoj Kumar

with a plaque on behalf of the group and other Guyanese fans.

At a farewell reception, the tourists had the good fortune to meet with Arjune, Purvi and Abha of the popular Indian soap opera “Pavita Rishta”. Actress Varsha Usgaonkar, who was accompanied by her husband, Ajay Sharma

(film producer & director) rendered a few songs. The movie, “Super Nanny” in which she appeared was released the following day.

Also at the farewell ceremony was Guyanaborn Mandeni Sharan (wife of the late Shri Hari Om Sharan) who was presented with a Kali Bharat Yatra citation

by Guyanese Nandanie Singh of Florida. She was honoured for preserving the legacy of her husband, who was considered a bhajan samrat.

The dancer Simiran, who appeared in Bollywood films, also performed for the tourists.

Another surprise was organised with Pandit Ashook Sharma conduct-

ing a renewal of marriage vows (after 23 years) between Geeta Bisram and Vinod Bisram at Jaipur Palace. Geeta and Vinod are from the popular Angels Caribbean Band that perform regularly in Guyana. Geeta entertained crowds everywhere on the trip including at the famous Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh and at the Jaipur Palace.

Some in the group were lucky to meet Indian cricketers at the Country Inn Suites in Delhi.

Popular singer Geeta Bisram expressed her gratitude to Kali: “I was accompanied by my husband Vinod Bisram and my mother Sainwantie Narine. Vinod and I couldn’t help but to say thanks to Uncle Kali several times”.

The rest of the group also expressed gratitude to tour organiser Ramesh Kalicharran, for facilitating the tour that provided them with a lifetime of memories. They said the tour was beyond expectation with delicious meals, fantastic hotels, first class transport, and magnificent monuments.

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Berbice chopping incident…

‘Mother-in-law’ succumbs to injuries T

h i r t y - s e v en-year-old Nelawattie Isaacs who was brutally chopped about her body allegedly by her daughter’s reputed husband recently succumbed to her injuries after battling for her life in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

She died at approximately 22:00h on Tuesday. On December 13, Isaacs was brutally chopped to her head and face. Her 19-year-old daughter Serojnie Isaacs was also chopped about her body and remains a patient at the same hospital.

Around 19:30h on the said night, Ian Swarswattie, 29, allegedly armed with a cutlass, attacked his mother-in-law, who was in the kitchen, and dealt her several chops, he then turned his weapon on his re-

puted wife, who was nearby. A relative of the victims recalled Swarswattie entered their Whim Village, Corentyne home in a rage and started firing chops at his mother-in-law, and as they called out for help the man took his cutlass and chopped his reputed wife about her face and foot.

According to Cavite Banda, sister of Nelawattie, who witnessed the attack the man entered the home holding a cutlass. She said when she saw him she knew something was about to happen and she froze, it was not until he fired the first chop, she ran for help.

Binda stated that her sister and niece were sitting close to each other in kitchen, and at one point Serojnie was shielding her mother from the wrath of the blade. In tears, Binda told this

Dead: Nelawattie Isaacs

publication that as Swarswattie chopped at his reputed wife, he shouted to her; “That is wah you want”.

Premeditated?

“He just walk in and start chopping, and Serojnie was sitting next to her mother it happened so quickly, this man come with the intention of killing them.” After she called out for help, Binda said, her uncle and father held on to Swarswattie and constrained him until the Police arrived.

Hospitalised: Serojnie Isaacs

Both victims were rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital, then to the New Amsterdam Hospital and were then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

She explained that her niece and Swarswattie have been living together for the past four years at his Bush Lot Village Home. She said the relationship has been a rocky one as he would physically abuse Serojnie on many occasions. The most recent

being two weeks ago when he beat her about her body with a bicycle bar. That was the final straw for Serojnie as she decided to put an end to the abusive relationship.

“Serojnie and he live for four year; he uses to beat her badly, and ill-treat her.

She had talked to me, she tell me ‘Aunty, me fed up with he, I don’t want to live with he no more’.”

Binda explained Serojnie left for her mother’s.

However, the move angered Swarswattie who blamed her mother for Serojnie not taking him back. She related, he even threatened to kill her before.

Charged

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old fisherman was refused bail when he made his first court appearance on December 15 before Magistrate Rabindranauth

Singh at the Whim Magistrate Court.

Swarswattie was charged with two counts of attempted murder. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated on December 11, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Serojnie and Nelawattie Isaacs with the intent to commit murder. He was represented by Attorney Rodwell Jagmohan, who stated his client has a fixed place of abode, and was a fisherman who owned his own fishing equipment.

Police Prosecutor Phillip Sheriff objected to bail based on the nature and gravity of the offence. He told the court that both the victims are hospitalised and one was still in critical condition. Bail was refused. Swarswattie was remanded to prison and made another Court appearance on Wednesday.

Millions of young people out of decent work … because of lack of tertiary education

Y

outh with postsecondary education living in middle and low-income countries have a much higher chance of finding a decent job than those with only secondary or primary education, said a new ILO publication “Is education the solution to decent work for youth in developing economies?”

Building on the results of school-to-work transition surveys conducted in 28 countries worldwide in 2012-2013, the study highlights that having the highest level of education “serves as a fairly dependable guarantee” towards securing a formal job.

On average, eight in 10 (83 per cent) young people with post-secondary education were in non-vulnerable employment in the 27 lowto-upper middle income countries examined.

The “guarantee” was slightly less prominent among low-income countries, but still 75 per cent of young workers with university degrees managed to find a paid job.

Completing secondary education is not enough to ensure that youth in low-income countries achieve better labour market outcomes.

Only four in 10 young secondary-school graduates were engaged in

non-vulnerable employment, compared to seven in 10 in lower and middle-income countries.

More worrisome is that among the low-income countries in the study, one in four young people has no education at all. In some countries, the share of uneducated young people is as high as one-half.

“Increasing the level of education of the emerging workforce in developing countries will not in itself ensure the absorption of higher skilled workers into nonvulnerable jobs,” warned Theo Sparreboom, author of the study.

“Yet, it is clear that continuing to push forth undereducated, underskilled youth into the labour market is a nowin situation, both for the young person who remains destined for a ‘hand-to-mouth existence’ based on vulnerable employment, and for the economy which gains little in terms of boosting its labour productivity potential,” he added.

The study also points out that the nature of “skills mismatch” varies a lot between advanced and low-income economies. In advanced economies, “mismatch” often refers to “over-education”, that is, the difficulty to absorb higher skilled young people who then take up jobs

for which they are overqualified.

On the contrary, in low-income economies, the main concern remains the “under-education” of young workers who have no option but to take vulnerable jobs in the informal economy. The lack of education is largely fuelled by poverty, since youth do not attend school because they cannot afford the costs or because they need to work to help their families. The lack of education feeds the perpetuation of poverty across generations, as unskilled workers earn lower wages and are unable to fund the schooling of their children.

“The report confirms the role of education in shaping labour market outcomes of young people. It also highlights the need for more investments in quality education, from primary through academic levels,” said Azita Berar Awad, Director of the Employment Policy Department of the ILO. The study is part of the Work4Youth project, a five-year partnership between the ILO Youth Employment Programme and The MasterCard Foundation that aims to promote decent work opportunities for young men and women through knowledge and action.

news

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Glenn Lall duty free scam: Couple allegedly involved could face charges in the U.S.

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he US-based remigrant couple, Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan caught up in the Guyana tax fraud case involving Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall may face charges in the United States if the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) there finds out that funds for the two Lexus SUVs were transferred to their accounts to facilitate the purchase of the vehicles.

Such a probe has be-

come necessary since, according to documentation submitted by the couple to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for the tax exemption, Naroontandeo was a cleaner in the U.S. while his wife was a housewife. It is unclear how with their incomes they would have been able to raise over US$186,000 to purchase two brand new Lexus SUVs. And since Gharbassi does not have a licence

Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall

to drive either in the U.S. or Guyana, it would appear that if the money was the Brijnanans’ one of the Lexuses was being purchase as a “spare”.

The Brijananans on their application form indicated that they were returning with two 2013 Lexus Suburban L57 and listed the engine number along with the other prerequisites. One of the requirements for being allowed the duty free concession on import of vehicles is that the ve-

hicle had to be owned for at least six months prior to the application.

On the application the engine numbers for the vehicles were listed as JTJHY7AX7D4100270 a n d JTJHY7AX6D4094851 with the registration dates in the State of New York being September 25, 2012 and March 3, 2013 correspondingly.

However on the Bill of Laden for the products, the engine numbers were listed as

JTJHY7AX6D4096745 a n d JTJHY7AX6D4094851 respectively. This clearly indicates that one of the serial numbers did not correspond with the serial number on the application.

Reports are that Lall or his wife, or both in some cases, reportedly owned, or used to own, four properties in Liberty Avenue, Lefferts Boulevard, Hollis and Sutter Avenue in New York.

Raw food business takes off in Mandeville

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ANDEVILLE, JAMAICA: Any entrepreneur would be pleased.

Just nine months in, Yahya El, proprietior of Mandeville-based raw or 'live' food business Fancy Fruits, says there is a growing customer base.

However, encouraging though that is, he says the focus of his venture, which came about because of his own "spiritual awaken-

ing" is more than to swiftly make a profit.

El, who was named Marcus St John Reece at birth, told the Jamaican media that he has been a vegetarian for over 14 years.

His name change and his transformation to a'fruitarian' (eating only fruits, vegetables and nuts) and using the dehydration method in preparing meals, as opposed

to cooking, followed a visit to the Sun Pyramid during a vacation in Mexico in 2006.

"Something just (came) alive in me," he said of the impact of the trip to Mexico. He told how ideas started coming to him and he developed a different outlook on life.

"It wasn't about material (things) anymore.

It was just really caring about humans (and) how

mi can contribute," said El. Fancy Fruits, described as a "health-staurant", is the platform from which he now strives to make that contribution.

For customers interested in having meals done based on their blood type he said that service is offered.

On a recent visit to Fancy Fruits location on 33 Ward Avenue in

Mandeville, El was in the process of making a Chikungunya (ChikV) remedy for a client using the herbs astragalus, neem and cat's claw. He later claimed his mix had proven effective.

"Mother Nature give us everything," he said.

"What's killing us as a people is that we want everything done fast. This whole establishment is not about fast and it's not

about mass production.

It's about sacredness, it's about quality, substance," El told the Jamaican Media.

El said that some of the items that are served at Fancy Fruits can take up to 12 hours in the preparation to "wake up the enzymes and minerals" and that often keeps him busy after the business is closed to the public. (Jamaica Observer)

City strike called off, workers to get pay hike

The Bourda and Stabroek markets as well as the Municipal Abattoir are back in operation from today after the GLGOU salary increases were approved

By Royden James

G

overnment on Tuesday took steps to ease the plight of the vendors affected by the closure of the Bourda and Stabroek Markets.

An Extraordinary Meeting was held Tuesday evening of officials of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and the Labour Ministry, and a decision was taken to effect the wages and salary increase for the striking workers.

On Monday, the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU) withdrew the services of its members, because the M&CC had refused to accept the recommendations of the Council’s finance personnel and training committees, with respect to improved benefits and working conditions for the Union’s workers.

This was done under a collective bargaining agreement that the Union had accepted.

Efforts by the acting Town Clerk, Carol Sooba to address the issue saw a “round robin” attempt being made to the Council to at least approve the City Council workers’ benefits.

Five Councillors signed on to the agreement, but several others, including the Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase Green refused or otherwise abstained.

However, controversies abounded because of alleged misrepresentation and discrepancies on the agreed amount in terms of the increases for Union workers.

Prior to Tuesday evening’s meeting, Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul and Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker met with vendors of the Stabroek and the Bourda Markets and also with

the acting Town Clerk and sought to bring resolution to the impasse.

Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle also engaged the Union and the Council on the issue.

Government’s main interest lay in its concern for the many vendors, who were unable to access their stalls in the markets on Monday and part of Tuesday.

It was, however, reported that the Clerk of Market did facilitate a number of the vendors, who had perishables, and they were able to access their produce.

Dr Gopaul shed light on the issue of the blame game and rights of the workers. He emphatically declared that these workers should not have been treated with such gross negligence. In affirming his support and commitment to rectify the ongoing impasse, the Minister placed the blame squarely on City Hall, for not ensuring that the workers’ interests were looked after, in the first place.

He also explained that, as the City Hall workers take the strike action, their interest must be protected “They have an obligation to ensure that vendors conduct their business, without any loss, in terms of both the sale and in goods.”

Dr Gopaul made mention of his awareness that some vendors

dealt with perishables, and he committed himself to facilitate appro-

priate and immediate action as he believed that the vendors were

suffering unjustly because of the selfish nature of City Hall.

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Caribbean Airlines working to make Piarco more hub-friendly – steps being taken to speed-up connections for Guyanese

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fficials of C a r i b b e a n Airlines said that it is working to make the Piarco Airport more hub-friendly to assist the thousands of Guyanese who suffer humiliation and other forms of harassment while in-transiting there.

At a reception in New York last week Carl Stuart, for many years Station Manager of Caribbean Airlines (CAL/ BWIA) at CJIA, Timehri, was introduced to travel agents at a CAL sponsored holiday reception at the Hampton Inn, JFK. Stuart is now stationed in New York as Sales Director. Stuart, who has been with CAL (BWIA) for over 20 years, and who also worked with Guyana Airways, is now CAL’s travel agent liaison for the greater New York area.

The honours was done by Senior Manager for Sales Valerie Murphy Rahman, who is based at CAL’s Piarco headquar-

ters, Trinidad. She flew in especially for the introductory honours because of the important role Stuart will play in sales the New York area and for his enormous contributions in Guyana.

The Sales Manager of CAL for the New York metro area is Nazie Mohammed, who is based in Toronto. Mohammed will be handing over most of his New York responsibilities to Stuart.

Mohammed, who is well known in the New York area among the large number of Guyanese travel agents, did the honours of introducing Valerie MurphyRahman, who spoke briefly about efforts to improve CAL’s service to Guyana and to help Guyanese travellers who are stranded in Guyana and New York as a result of problems with flights by other airlines.

Murphy-Rahman gave an update on CAL’s service. She noted that Guyana is an important

Sales Director (New York) Carl Stuart and other Caribbean Airlines officials at the reception

market and that CAL is taking measures to improve its product. She thanked travel agents for working with the airline patiently over the years to sell CAL/BWIA. She appealed to the agents to continue to sell CAL. She promised that 2015 will be an exciting year with many changes.

“We would like you to know that we will keep you informed with ev-

erything that is happening. We have four to five non-stop flights a week to Guyana, and we have non-stop flights to Jamaica and Grenada.”

She told the agents: “We are always here to serve you. When there are problems with other carriers with regards to Guyana, we assist. We work with you to help stranded passengers.”

Murphy-Rahman

also addressed the issue of Guyanese being in-transit in Piarco, Trinidad. She said she is aware of complaints from Guyanese passengers about having to get off the plane at Piarco, going through security checks and re-boarding.

She said that is a requirement of the Government and not CAL. “CAL has nothing to do with that. The pub-

lic needs to know that it is not the airline’s rule but it is part of the security administration at Piarco”.

She said Caribbean Airlines is currently in talks with airport authorities in an effort to make Trinidad more “hub-friendly” for passengers travelling to and from Guyana whether it is deplaning or direct flights.

HIV among leading causes of maternal mortality – UNAIDS

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IV/AIDS continues to be among the leading causes of death among pregnant women across the world, United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS) Country Representative (Guyana), Dr Roberto Campos has said.

But despite the growing incidence of this, Guyana has been able to keep the situation at bay, eradicating every instance of Mother to Child Transmission.

At the launching of the Guyana Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) acceleration framework and campaign to improve maternal health recently, the UNAIDS representative said that there was no doubt that the HIV epidemic is linked to maternal mortality.

“Although it is not a reality in Guyana, HIV has impacted maternal mortality at the highest level. It is important to know that HIV is among the leading causes of death among women within the reproductive age that is between 15 and 49”.

Outside of Guyana, the mortality rate in South Africa and other parts of Africa is very high.

“In recent years, Guyana has made significant progress in HIV response. The country

UNAIDS Country Representative Roberto Campos

has also been awarded recently among six other Caribbean countries to have eliminated the mother to child transmission [via the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Programme (PMTCT)].

Local response

The UNAIDS representative said although the rising number of HIV cases had been a reality in past years, Guyana has made “commendable” progress in its HIV response.

The Plan of Action in the continued fight against HIV includes capacity building, integrated service and the integration of the PMTCT Programme, among others, Campos said.

The improvement of

maternal health is identified as MDG Five, a declaration adopted by Guyana’s Government along with 188 others some 14 years ago.

For nations with high HIV prevalence, AIDS has become a leading cause of death during pregnancy and after birth.

There is also some evidence that women living with HIV are at greater risk of maternal death. Overall, it was estimated that there were 42,000 deaths due to AIDS among pregnant women globally in 2008.

About half of those were estimated to be maternal. HIV-related death was highest in sub-Saharan Africa where nine per cent of all matercontinued on page 21

21 Guyana working hard to achieve Universal Secondary Education NEWS

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Revenue head says businesses have found innovative ways to cheat the tax system

By Jomo Paul

G

uyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur has confirmed that more than half of Guyana’s registered Value Added Tax (VAT) collectors do not remit the money collected to Government at the scheduled time. He also noted that some establishments are Chineseowned business which are not certified to charge VAT. Sattaur, in an interview with this publication on Sunday, said that some shrewd businessmen have found ways to cheat the system and keep some or all of the monies paid to them by consumers for themselves.

VAT was introduced locally on January 1, 2007, together with an Excise Tax (ET) on motor vehicles, petroleum, tobacco products and alcohol. VAT, along with ET, replaced six existing taxes, including Consumption Tax. VAT was introduced as part of the Government’s plan to modernise and streamline the taxation system.

The concept of VAT was invented in the 1950s and it is now in operation, in one form or another, in more than 120 countries worldwide.

Sattaur stated that while the businesses are registered to charge VAT, most times the accounting systems are severely flawed which result in them not paying the full amounts collected to the Revenue Authority. This means that the Government gets cheated out of possibly millions of dollars in revenue each year.

He explained too that these businesses are able to thwart the VAT sys-

- three new schools to be built under Education Improvement Project

T

GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur

tem with the aid of both complicit and unsuspecting consumers.

He told this newspaper that “some persons are willing to accept the option of not paying VAT as offered to them by the business, but they would not actually be sure whether they too are not being cheated.”

Cheating

He said that this is done when the customer is offered the option of not receiving a bill for their purchases in which case they pay marginally less for the item.

However, they have no way of knowing whether it is the accurate amount. Sattaur also remarked that the businesses have found ways to receive more than what is due to them when they are claiming VAT refunds.

According to Sattaur, some businesses go to the extent of manufacturing receipts for VAT paid to import produce. Others have also altered receipts to claim more than what was actually paid.

Annually the revenue body pays more than Gy$3.5 billion in VAT refunds to businesses.

Refunds are covered under Section 35 (1) of the Value Added Tax Act which states that:“Where the total amount of the input tax creditable by

a taxable person under section 24 for a period exceeds the person’s output tax for that period; or the amount of tax paid by a person, other than in circumstances specified…, was in excess of the amount properly charged to tax under this Act, the amount of the excess shall be treated in the manner provided in this section.

“Provided that a taxpayer exports over 50 per cent of his taxable supplies, he may file a claim every month to the GRA for a refund of the excess credits attributable to the zero-rated supplies.”

The GRA Chief explained that on an annual basis, the amount of input tax utilised against output take has been steadily increasing.

With respect to Chinese nationals not having tax certificates, he pointed out that it was the “the lesser of two evils”.

Sattaur told this publication that given the fact that the Chinese have a “lax” accounting system, it is better to not certify them in some instances.

He explained should they be registered, chances are that a considerable amount of the monies collected as payment for VAT would not be accounted for.

HIV among leading causes of...

from page 20

nal deaths were AIDSrelated.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé said Integrating HIV services with maternal and sexual and reproductive health services is imperative to stop mothers from dying and babies from being born with HIV. Reports emanating out of South Africa based on World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for the Safe Motherhood programme underscored that HIV-related ill-

ness is the most common cause of maternal deaths.

Mortality rates

The strengthening of HIV services for pregnant women, especially in countries with a high burden of HIV infection, will reduce HIV-related and un-related maternal mortality rates.

HIV is also said to be an increasing contributor to direct and indirect causes of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

A review of data published on maternal

deaths and their association with HIV shows that reliable data come from the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths from South Africa, population-based surveys in sentinel populations, and facilitybased data.

Despite an increase in knowledge of the HIV status of pregnant women and the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, reversals in trends towards increased maternal deaths are not being observed, according to reports.

hree new schools will be built under the Guyana Secondary Education Improvement Project (GSEIP) as the Education Ministry seeks to achieve Universal Secondary Education by 2015.

The Ministry has noted its dissatisfaction with not being able to meet the important goal this year, but said it is optimistic of reaching the target next year.

GSEIP is a US$10 million World Bank funded project geared to improve access to secondary education.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand said a total of US$7.15 million of the mentioned amount will go towards physical development of secondary schools and the construction of three new schools, namely at Parfait Harmony, Yarakabra and Good Hope.

“We have not as yet attained Universal Secondary Education in every region, although we have attained Universal Secondary Education in most of our regions, the Minister said, but noted that “we will not rest until Universal Secondary

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

Education is available to all our secondary-age students.”

Construction of the schools is slated to begin in the New Year.

She assured that the locations of the schools were chosen based on assessments done by the Ministry and feedback from residents.

The schools are expected to provide access to some 3600 new secondary school students when completed next year.

According to the Ministry’s website, “an estimated 1800 students would’ve otherwise been excluded from secondary education”.

Of the 3600 students to be housed in the new schools, 56 per cent of them are expected to be females, a big boost to education and development of young girls.

Furniture and other essentials for the new schools have been budgeted for under the GSEIP Project.

A component of the project also focuses on capacity-building and project management skills. Some US$1.05 million has been allocated for this aspect of the project, which seeks to strengthen the Education Management Information System (EMIS).

Motorcyclist dies after colliding with car in Berbice

A

collision between a car and a motorcycle claimed the life of a young man last Friday at Number 74 Village, Corentyne, Berbice at approximately 18:30h.

Dead is 20-year-old Shawn Alex Lakeram of Number 72 Village.

The accident occurred as Lakeram was making his way home.

According to reports, the two vehicles were proceeding in opposite directions, when the driver of the car, a grey wagon, turned into a street and Lakeram made a right turn at the said time on his motorcycle, colliding with the car.

According to Lakeram’s father, Jerry, proprietor of the popular Jerry’s General Store, he was in Georgetown when he was informed of the accident. He related that from his understanding,

Shawn Alex Lakeram

his son was riding his cousin’s motorbike and was proceeding along the road when he and the driver of the car both turned into a street and the vehicles collided.

Lakeram was thrown off the bike and received head injuries. He was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Skeldon Hospital where he received medical attention. The young man, who was in critical condition, had to be transferred to the New

Amsterdam Hospital.

The elder Lakeram further related that around midnight, his son’s condition worsened and he was then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but succumbed on the way there.

The driver of the motor car is in Police custody assisting with the investigation.

Lakeram, the eldest of three children, leaves to mourn his siblings and parents.

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

APNU wants early declaration of results

T

he A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is hoping that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) could this time around be able to make available early results for the upcoming Regional and General Elections.

The political party at its press conference last Friday said that modern means of communication have made it possible for Statements of Polls (SOPs) to be photographed and transmitted in a matter of seconds.

“We feel that we could have election results by six o’clock the next morning and certainly, we don’t expect to have results after three or four days as happened in 2011. We definitely need to move away from these 72 and 96 hours

wait for the declaration of results. That is completely unsatisfactory,” Opposition Leader David Granger told media operatives on Friday.

The contention is that election results usually take too many hours to be announced. And even with the lengthy waiting period, the final count is often times misappropriated.

APNU’s Chief Whip and Chief Scrutineer Amna Ally told the media briefing that too many hours are consumed awaiting election results. She said, however, that while concerns brew over the lengthy delay, equally important is the accuracy of those results.

“We do not want a situation where people imagine what the results are and plug them in. we are advocating that

APNU’s Chief Whip and Chief Scrutineer Amna Ally

the Statements of Poll, signed and certified by the Presiding Officers at each polling stations must be the authentic document we will use in order to declare the results,” she stressed.

Ally added that the party was “shafted” at the last elections in 2011 and will be taking all

necessary precaution to prevent a recurrence.

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Winston Felix related that the party has already expressed its disappointment over the actions of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of GECOM, who had made a declaration of the results based on the

SOPs. Such declaration, Felix maintained, must be done by the Returning and Presiding Officers of the election Commission.

APNU’s call came after the party met with the elections body on Thursday, raising several concerns over the protocols of the election. The party’s leader, David Granger told the press conference that the issues have been major concerns of the coalition.

In that regard, the issue of the attacks coming from other political leaders was also raised.

According to Felix, such should be viewed as contrary to any standard of conduct attributed to members of the political party. Party officials were speaking directly to the People’s Progressive Party’s “attack” on Granger’s “con-

stitutional” use of state resources to carry out his functions as Opposition Leader. Rohee had called on Granger to cease using the state resources he is entitled to.

“If Mr Granger is so concerned about misuse of state resources, he should abandon and return all the resources he’s currently using as well as the benefits he receives from the State as Leader of the Opposition.

Rohee was at the point reacting to a similar call made by Granger a few days before, for the PPP to desist from using Government funds to carry out its political campaigns.

Granger had accused the PPP and President Donald Ramotar of breaching constitutional protocols in the use of state resources for its election campaigns.

AFC rejects “Indian votes stealer” tag

…“We don’t play that ethnic game” – Gaskin

he Alliance For Change last Thursday rejected the public notion that in any coalition with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) or the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the party will simply be a tool to haul in the votes of the IndoGuyanese electorate.

P o l i t i c a l Commentator and PNCR Member Aubrey Norton has been blunt about the AFC’s role as a party. Norton told a forum recently that an APNU/ AFC coalition was bad business, noting that if

PPP/C votes knowing that Nigel Hughes is more popular within the AFC, but who will not succeed in wooing PPP/C voters. The strategy, therefore, is to set up Nagamootoo as the errand boy to woo PPP/C voters and then later to use him as the delivery boy to deliver whatever paltry votes the AFC may win to APNU with the hope of increasing the joint Opposition’s votes at the upcoming elections.”

But when contacted on Friday, AFC Treasurer Dominic Gaskin dismissed this

T

AFC Treasurer Dominic Gaskin

the Opposition was to ever unseat the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) , then the AFC

must remain disconnected from APNU and work towards weakening the PPP/C’s support.

“The issue at hand is beating the PPP/C and getting rid of the PPP/C and the best approach to beating the PPP/C in my opinion, the APNU has to continue to do its work in its constituency and the AFC has to continue doing its work with the aim of garnering more votes that were traditionally PPP/C,” Norton told the small forum.

He added: “One will see that if (Nigel Hughes) becomes the Presidential Candidate of the AFC,

he is more likely to draw the African Guyanese constituency and that will be negative for the APNU, and in my opinion that is how you stand your best chance.”

AFC’s strategy

The PPP/C has already been on record as saying that former member, now AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo, was being used as an “errand boy” in that party’s s campaign to steal PPP/C voters.

According to the ruling party, the AFC’s strategy is “to set up Nagamootoo to go for

claim, saying it was “absolute nonsense”.

According to Gaskin, the party is yet to decide on what role it will be playing in any political coalition. However, when asked about his personal opinion on the matter, Gaskin declined to comment.

“Our role is not to attract voters from any specific ethnicity… we don’t play that ethnic game, that’s absolute nonsense,” said the Treasurer of the AFC, adding that the party is “a multi-ethnic party; we attract voters from all parts”.

Whittaker blasts City Council for poor functioning

L

ocal Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker on Monday blasted the Mayor and City Council for its poor functioning and failure to carry out their duties in a timely manner and within budget.

Whittaker was at the time speaking at a press conference at his Kingston office.

According to the Local Government Minister, the demands made by a non-performing Council are just too ridiculous.

“My position is that the demands of a cash trap, mind you I said cash trap, non performing, inept council that has been unable to garner over 50 per cent of it budgeted revenue and which had found itself hard pressed to deliver basic services and main-

tain basic infrastructure, the demand is ridiculous,” he said.

Whittaker said that negotiations between the Council and the GLGOU have seen many uncalled for issues factoring into the bargaining process.

He maintained that the personnel training and the finance committee had arrived at a consensus, noting that the same process which led to the agreement for the increase in wages for the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) is the same process they are using to ensure that the GLGOU receive their increases.

The Minister made it clear that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are looking more into matters that will benefit them and not the interest of the people, noting that the Council set preconditions for approval, in-

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker pointing out some of the laws governing the Council and their involvement in approving and disapproving issues to media operatives at his office on Monday

cluding the increase of duty, travel allowances and gratuity payment to Councillors.

The Minister also made it clear that the

salary increases have to be confirmed by him.

He noted that after disapproving the salary increase for the GLGOU in 2012, he thought they

would have done the sensible thing and call an orderly meeting to discuss the issues facing them.

It is against this backdrop that Whittaker

pointed out his difficulty in understanding whether the GLGOU wants a salary increase or a Christmas bonus.

On the other hand, Mayor Hamilton Green at a press conference at the City Council on Monday morning said that he will not be approving a salary increase without any proper documentation. Green noted that he had sent numerous letters to the Acting Town Clerk requesting formal talks concerning the salary increase, all of which she ignored.

The City Mayor said subsequently to his dispatch of letters, Acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba sent around a sheet of paper for Councillors to sign, which was to serve as approval for the salary increase, but the Mayor said that was unacceptable.

news WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014

23

| guyanatimeSinternational.com

E-Networks refutes unauthorised TT investors pole-use allegations impressed with – says company paid GPL millions for usage

E

-Networks has refuted allegations reportedly made by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc that it has been using electricity poles without authorisation.

The company was at the time responding to an article published in the Kaieteur News on December 11 headlined “GPL loses $$millions annually through cable operators GT&T”.

The article stated that the power company losses “millions of dollars each year as a result of cable operators… utilising its poles countrywide without paying a dime”.

It further mentioned that there is “currently no agreement in place with those using the company’s utility poles”, naming E-Networks as one of the companies engaging in the unauthorised practice.

The claims were made by GPL Chief Executive Officer Bharat

GPL Chief Executive Officer Bharat Dindyal,

Dindyal, who was reported to have said that the power company is now looking to implement a formal agreement applied across the board to secure revenues from these companies.

In a statement on Saturday, E-Networks dispelled the allegation and referred to four licence agreements currently in place and enforceable between E-Networks and GPL. “These licence agree-

ments, dating from January 2012, grant the use of utility poles

by E-Networks Inc in Georgetown and East Coast Demerara, in exchange for a rental fee – a sum to the tune of millions of dollars paid

by E-Networks to date – for the period until May 2016.

Such agreements have been honoured and upheld by both parties, and further negotiations are even underway for the extension of the coverage area.

E-Networks pointed out that these legallybinding agreements are the evidence to challenge the “untrue and baseless” allegations published in Kaieteur News.

The company said the allegations would have undoubtedly caused some damage to its image and reputation.

And on that note, E-Networks is calling on GPL to correct the “erroneous” statements published.

Acting CoP Williams gets TT PM’s nod of approval

P

ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: A c t i n g Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams may have more support than he thinks. In the wake of a media report that government was considering amending the Police Service Commission Act to allow a junior to be considered for the substantive post of commissioner before it was shelved due to a lack of support, Williams had suggested he would quit the service if he did not have the support of his colleagues.

But on Monday, even as talks continued to mount that Superintendent Johnny Abraham, head of the Central Division, was being looked at as Williams’ replacement, Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar gave the incumbent her vote, saying she was happy with his performance. “The Commissioner of Police is entitled to his opinion. I think he is doing a great job, serious crimes are going down,” PersadBissessar told the media during her toy distribution drive at the Cedros Secondary School.

“Commissioner Williams is doing the best that he can in all of the circumstances. Like him, if people are not happy

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams

with the job I am doing I will have to walk too or they will have to kick me out,” she added.

She recalled that a note was brought to Cabinet to expand the selection process to allow for other people to aspire to the top position but the Police Service Social (PSC) and Welfare Association was not in favour of it and it was shelved. But she said her government had no intention of selecting or handpicking anyone.

Williams, who has been given five extensions over the past two years after taking over from outgoing Canadian Dwayne Gibbs, had told the TT media over the weekend he was happy with his tenure as acting CoP. However, he said if his colleagues were unhappy with his performance he would be will-

ing to quit the service.

Denying on Monday there was political interference by her government in the appointment of the CoP, the Prime Minister said: “That cannot be because the government does not appoint a commissioner of police. It is the PSC. “There are 6,500 police officers in the service and the pool to choose from as CoP is narrowed down to three officers.”

She admitted, however, that Williams would have to consider whether he would walk away or face the boot if his colleagues were not happy with his performance.

With elections due next year, Persad-Bissessar said she too would have to make a similar decision if people were not happy with her performance.(TT Guardian)

Guyana’s agri potential

By Svetlana Marshall

I

nvestors from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (TT) have begun screening Guyana’s landscape in the field of Agriculture under the stewardship of Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy and Trinidad’s Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj.

The investors representing 15 commercial entities have met with officials from the Agriculture Ministry, Go-Invest and the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission.

Discussions were based on investment incentives in Guyana, foreign agricultural investments in Guyana (Santa Fe [Barbados] and Cooperative Citrus Growers [TT]), land availability, soil types and market trade logistics.

Additionally, information was presented on rainfall data for the last five years and the climate of the potential sites.

While the investors visited potential sites in the Canje Basin and Intermediate Savannah last Friday, the two Agriculture Ministers brought the media up to date with developments made since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2013.

Though no agree-

ments have been signed, Minister Ramsammy said the discussions held last Thursday have taken the countries one step closer in fulfilling the objective of the MoU, which was designed to facilitate the TT’s investors in Guyana for agriculture production.

According to him, next is the presentation of scoping proposals for potential investment Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Trinidad’s Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj

even as dialogue continues between the two Ministries.

Minister Ramsammy said scope of work presented by the Trinidadian investors will determine the sites, but emphasised that the primary focus is on the Canje Basin and Intermediate Savannah.

He further explained that the Intermediate Savannah is an area of interest because there is already a Trinidadian company, Cooperative Citrus Growers, operating in the vicinity. Cooperative Citrus Growers were allotted 1 000 acres of land, of which 200 acres are already under cultivation and another 200 acres being cultivated.

The TT Food Production Minister echoed similar sentiments, noting too that thus far, the investors are impressed. As he underscored the importance of capitalising on agricultural opportuni-

ties in Guyana, Minister Maharaj explained that it would aid in the reduction of the twin island’s food import bill, which is currently TT$4 billion per annum.

“With the crops grown in Guyana, we would be able to significantly reduce the bill and enhance our food security as a nation and also address the vexing issue of food inflation,” Minister Maharaj added.

He explained that in establishing the MoU, six commodities were identified to which investors can harvest including corn, soya beans and fruits.

He said Guyana has been selected as an ideal location due to the availability of land for largescale agriculture production, which Trinidad lacks.

Minister Maharaj pointed out that mega farms in Trinidad are approximately 100 acres, but in Guyana, there are more than a 1000 acres.

APNU files complaint with GECOM against PPP/C

T

he A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Saturday said that it has filed an official complaint with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) against the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for allegedly misusing state funds.

The coalition in a release said that the PPP/C government has continued its “blatant” misuse and spending of monies from the consolidated fund for election campaign purposes.

In a release, APNU reiterated its call for “calm, clean, and efficient elections and for the PPP/C to stop its wanton abuse of state resources for electioneering purposes.”

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Giving examples of the alleged misuse of funds the party referred to “allegations of the rampant misuse of government funds by the Regional Administration- BarimaWaini Region (Region No. 1).”

The coalition said it has been informed that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) which

meets bi-monthly held its last statutory meeting at Moruca, from October 7th -9th 2014.

The next statutory meeting of the Council for 2014 was scheduled to be held at Mabaruma from December 9th-11th. That meeting was cancelled.

The release noted that “monies budgeted for the holding of the RDC statutory meeting at Mabaruma (December 9-11), was used to transport Toshaos, Community Support Officers (CSO) and PPP/C activists to a PPP/C sponsored event in the Moruca Sub Region.”

Efforts by this newspaper to solicit a comment from the PPP/C’s General Secretary and Executive Secretary proved futile on Saturday.

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Young Guyanese doctor excels in the medical field G

uyana’s newest neurosurgeon is Dr Amarnauth Dukhi. This talented young man said neurology was something that always fascinated him.

“It’s something that I have always wanted to do,” he told the Government Information Agency, in an exclusive interview. Dr Dukhi will be stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), from January 2015.

Guyana’s situation is one that is evolving; its incipient ground work augurs well too, as “Because of the patients’ needs (distance of abode and unique medical condition), the neurological department at the GPHC will be ever ready to receive the patients, after stabilising is first effected. So the hope is that something will be worked out, to facilitate ease and speed of movement, from that point of encountering the ailment to the GPHC,” he said.

The youthful and rearing to go doctor opined that this kind of rapid response culture must now be a priority

for the regional health system, so that the entire process becomes even more effective, that is, from learning about a situation, stabilising a far-off patient (no matter where), and then actually having that patient at the best place possible – the neurology department at the GPHC. Dr Dukhi’s journey began in Skeldon, Corriverton, where he was born.

Attending the Skeldon Line Path Secondary School, he wrote the Caribbean Examinations Council exams in 1995 and was adjudged the third best graduating student. He immediately entered the University of Guyana, and soon after completed a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology and Bio Chemistry in 1999.

After this, he worked for a short while, before qualifying for his scholarship through the Government of Guyana’s “Cuban Scholarship Programme.”

This he gladly took up, and thus acquired a Bachelor’s of Medicine in 2006; being quite a prodigy, he copped the Best

Dr Amarnauth Dukhi receives his certificate from Head of Neurosurgery in Cuba, Professor Esteban Roig

Graduating Student award. He then returned to Guyana, fulfilling necessary contract commitments in serving fellow Guyanese and the Government for three years. His major stints were at the GPHC and the New Amsterdam Hospital.

What should be known too is that Dr Dukhi is really multifarious.

He was actually quite set in the surgical field of orthopaedics; and most would have comfortably remained there.

However, he was not sat-

ed scholastically nor professionally, and so felt the need to expand and diversify.

He is now a bonafide neurosurgeon, a sub-facet in the Health Sector that constantly suffers from a noticeable paucity of specialists.

Further zeal

“In that area (orthopaedics), I was already in the surgical field… now having a surgical background already, and this being something that I always love doing, I thought to myself that when I went back to study with the fresh op-

portunity I got, I knew that I had to do neurosurgery, because we were in a severe shortage, and then our country was always looking for ways to send our people overseas to get these done.

I asked myself (at the time) why can’t a Guyanese become a neurosurgeon? It was a big sacrifice of five years of residency, but then I decided that I had the opportunity and there was no way that I would leave it. So I picked it up and here I am five years later,” Dr Dukhi related.

Before completing the neurosurgical programme, Dr Dukhi actually further fortified himself in the medical arena, completing a double master’s programme, specialising in comprehensive general and family medicine. The neurosurgical programme was then conducted by Havana’s principal neurosurgeons.

Health sector

Dr Dukhi’s accomplishment, which moves Guyana forward in the Health Sector, has evoked pride in Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford. “It

was hard studying for a specialty and there are very few persons who can do it in the Caribbean formally.”

With Dr Dukhi’s achievement, the Health Ministry now has a neurosurgeon, thanks to the partial scholarship from the Government of Cuba.

“Thanks to Dr Dukhi, who studied conscientiously… we now have our own neurologist, so Guyanese patients can feel a little more comfortable when they suffer from these injuries,” Minister Westford said.

The Minister added that there is the expectation that next year another person would be sent, along with another specialist to be trained in neurology. Minister Westford pointed out ruefully that Dr Dukhi cannot work 24/7 even though he is a workaholic.

He will be heading the Neurology Department and Guyanese patients will receive the best possible treatment.

“We are one foot higher in the medical field and I am proud of our achievement,” Minister Westford proudly said.

Man stabbed to death at mother’s wake

By Andrew Carmichael

P

olice are looking for a man in his mid twenties who they believe can assist with their investigations into the stabbing

to death of a pacemaker.

The peacemaker, who has been identified as 51-year-old Surujpaul Ramnarine of Blairmont, West Bank Berbice (WBB), was fatally stabbed in the vi-

cinity of his chest on Saturday morning.

The incident took place at Rosignol, WBB, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice).

Reports suggest that the now dead man was

at a wake for his mother who died last Tuesday when the incident occurred.

According to the now dead man’s brother, Seenarine Ramnarine, who witnessed the stabbing, the suspect who is his sister’s son-in-law had earlier shown him a knife in his waist saying that he was going to stab Surujpaul “if he only wrong talk.”

According to Seenarine, the alleged killer who is now on the run had been verbally abusing Surijpaul’s nephew and the now dead man approached him saying that he should not make such statements in public, since the yard was filled with persons who had come to mourn with the family.

“He jus mek so, straight in he lungs. So me say “Patto” yuh bore mi brodda an “Patto” start fo run. All bady try fo hole he but he run goway”, the man stated.

The eye witness said he then went to tend to his brother who had walked into the yard before collapsing. The injured man was placed in a bus in an attempt to rush him to hospital but it was soon discovered that there was no one licensed to drive

Dead: Surujpaul Ramnarine

a bus. A neighbour’s car was subsequently used to take Surijpaul to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ramnarine explained that his brother had been imbibing at the wake and had given him Gy$1000 to purchase rum but he refused.

“So ah give he back the thousand dollar because me na wan he drink mo… Ah mean, he got lil bad behaviour but he na knock nobody, he does talk words,” Ramnarine related.

The Saturday morning incident occurred as the Ramnarine family was in preparation for their mother’s burial today.

Surujpaul lived at Blairmount and worked as a labourer in the rice

industry. His wife died in July and since then, the now dead man had been living with one of his daughters and her two children.

According to his daughter Vannie Ramnarine, her father would return home fortnightly but was out on this occasion for his mother’s funeral.

She said he had promised to be home again in time for the Christmas holidays and wanted to enjoy the season with his eight grandchildren.

In describing her late father, she said he was simple and friendly to all. “He don’t drink at rum shop. Most times he would drink at home and he don’t trouble nobody,” she said.

Meanwhile, family members say that the alleged killer was living with his mother-in-law at the Ramnarine’s residence and had not been taking care of the property.

The family added that the now deceased man had been reporting to his brother who was overseas about the manner in which the yard was being kept.

Surujpaul was reportedly threatened in the past for making the reports.

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WPA awaiting “conditions” for possible coalition

By Vahnu Manikchand

W

ith talks of a possible coalition between the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) said that it is awaiting the conditions that would frame the coalition.

WPA Manager Desmond Trotman in an interview with this newspaper on Sunday explained that unless the conditions are clearly spelt out for the coalition, his party will not be commenting on the matter.

Trotman pointed out that the WPA has to hear about the conditions that would give rise to a broad democratic front.

He added that these conditions would then have to be discussed at the level of APNU; hence, the WPA is awaiting this to decide on the way forward.

“People can throw out the idea of a coalition but (we) can only determine the way forward af-

ter the conditions are put out there and discussed,” Trotman told this newspaper.

The WPA has been critical of the AFC in the past for not supporting APNU in its demonstrations against President Donald Ramotar’s decision to prorogue the 10th Parliament. In a statement last month, the party expressed its concern over the AFC’s absence at the many protest actions.

“The AFC, the Opposition’s junior partner that initiated the No-Confidence Motion which precipitated the prorogation move by the Government to thwart the vote for early elections, has been so far conspicuously absent from the firing line, except for a guest appearance at the APNU rally of November 14.

Momentum is being lost and reaction to the Government’s derailing of the No-Confidence Motion appears to be protest in slow motion,” the statement said.

The

Game plan WPA

outlined

WPA Manager Desmond Trotman

in the statement that there needs to be a game plan to effectively tackle the issue, “a meaningful Action Plan for implementing decisions relating thereto, and a clear conceptualisation of the End Game that signals victory for the people and defeat for the usurpers of power”.

Asked about its reconciliation plan with the minority parliamentary Opposition party if the AFC/APNU coalition should materialise, Trotman reiterated that

the way forward can be determined when all the conditions are set out so that discussions can be held.

The WPA was one of the parties that joined forces with the People’s National Congress (PNC) to form the APNU going into the 2011 General and Regional Elections and Trotman posited that the WPA is satisfied with the work that has been done.

He stated that APNU has been working within the framework that spelt

out the conditions of the coalition. He went on to say that the WPA is prepared and not afraid to be in alliance with other parties or groups that have the interests on the Guyanese people as priority.

The WPA Manager added that the party never opted to contest the elections independently because it feels that forming an alliance is the best way to effectively help the people.

After coalition, the APNU became the majority Opposition party and gained 26 seats in the National Assembly while the AFC got seven.

The situation caused the combined Parliamentary Opposition to hold the majority seats in the house over the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration and ultimately resulted in many of Government’s business being held up.

This includes massive cuts to the National Budgets presented every year since the November 2011 elections and two No-Confidence Motions,

one brought on by APNU against Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.

The other motion was filed by the AFC against the Donald Ramotar Administration after they claimed that Government continues to unlawfully spend money without the approval of the National Assembly.

On November 10, at the first post-recess sitting of the National Assembly, President Ramotar suspended Parliament after the combined Opposition threatened to proceed with debating the motion against his administration, saying that he is preserving the life of the 10th Parliament.

Subsequently on December 6, he announced that he will be dissolving Parliament next year and head to the polls. He is yet to name a date for General and Regional Elections, however, the President said that while he knows, the announcement will be made when the time is right, which he teased will be in the first quarter of 2015.

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GDF commissions new base Sir Ronald Sanders at New Amsterdam withdraws from Commonwealth SG race

I

Sir Ronald Sanders

n a letter to fellow heads of government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has withdrawn his country’s nominee for the post of Commonwealth Secretary General.

Browne said in his letter on Wednesday that Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s recently appointed High Commissioner to London and its nominee for the Commonwealth post, had written to him as follows: “There is nothing I

hold more strongly than the desire to advance the interests of the Caricom region and those of the Commonwealth.

My working life in several Caribbean and Commonwealth capacities and my published writing bear testimony to that.

“I have followed closely your actions, and those of other heads of government, to advance my candidature as the Caribbean’s nominee for the Commonwealth Secretary General’s position. I am truly grateful for the most excellent efforts; but I am deeply

anguished that, despite majority support for me, the Region has not been able to settle on one candidate. To be successful, the Region must have a single candidate and should not delay any longer its entry into a campaign that has already started by others….”

Browne said he agreed with the principled position that Sanders has taken.

“As I told colleagues at the caucus of heads of Commonwealth Caribbean governments in the margins of the Cuba-Caricom conference on 8th December, I believe that the region has delayed too long on this matter, and further delay is inimical to a regional candidate’s chances.

Therefore, notwithstanding the majority support for Sir Ronald and in full support of the principled regional position he has taken, my Government hereby withdraws from the process,” he said. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Saturday commissioned its new Coastal Battalion at New Amsterdam, Berbice in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

By Andrew Carmichael

T

he Coastal Battalion of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has a new base.

The base situated at Strand New Amsterdam, was commissioned on Saturday by Chief-ofStaff, Brigadier Mark Phillips, who declared that the facility is at an important location.

The dome-structured base has all the required facilities and its design is similar to those in Brazil and Jamaica.

Commanding Officer

Major Colin Henry said the role of the battalion is to conduct costal and civil defence operations in Regions One to Six. Brigadier Phillips explained that the New Amsterdam Base has a mandate to work with the Guyana Police Force, including in anti-crime operations while assisting in times of disaster.

“It means that we must work with the regional authority beyond the normal Regional Intelligence Committee meetings, so I will ask Major Henry to sit with our Regional Chairman and iron out a number of activities that we can

participate in because we are the people’s Army.”

The Chief-of-Staff said the Army is not just about manning the borders and providing personnel for internal security.

“We want to do more than that. We want to be involved in the development of youth and the economic development of the region.”

Brigadier Phillips said the new facility will be going green in keeping with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) while improvements will soon be done to the base at Number 63 Village, Corentyne.

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The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

A Tribute to Gillian Thompson

Custodians of Books

By Petamber Persaud

W

hen the National Library designed and executed a number of activities in an ongoing celebration of the work of the late and former Chief Librarian Gillian Thompson, the institution was honouring a person who made a difference to the community, to Guyana, to the region and the world.

Thompson died in a road accident on Christmas Eve of 2013.

She died on duty while on the way distributing gifts to staffers, colleagues and friends. Such a caring person she was adding a personal touch to her administration of goodwill. Thompson died while planning many future events, for instance, she died in the midst of planning the commemoration of the birth centenary of AJ Seymour.

Interestingly, all the activities concerning the above were well received especially the ‘See More Poetry’ festival which was a resounding success.

Now fittingly, one of the activities to commem-

Thompson happily and readily helped children

orate her contribution is a road safety essay writing competition.

Another suitable activity in tribute to Thompson was the renaming of part of the library’s children literature which is now the Gillian Thompson Young Adult Collection.

The following is part of what I said at the renaming ceremony, which was attended other librarians and custodians of books: Guyana would be a better place to live if there were more persons like Gillian Thompson, who loved to work with young adults. Young adults are at a critical age of their development – at this stage they are most receptive and also most vulnerable. Gillian Thompson

used that information to tap into that potential, that dynamo of human resources in order to make the bigger picture better.

Guyana would be a better place to live if there were more persons like Gillian Thompson, someone who knew the value of literacy and reading. She knew how critical reading is to the development of a rounded human and her efforts are not unfounded, if we take the time assess her legacy.

Guyana would be a better place to live if there were more persons like Gillian Thompson who showed the dedication, commitment and persistency to reach out to others. She was a caring person, equipping others with

the tool to fish instead of spoon feeding them, helping others help themselves.

Guyana would be a better place to live if there were more persons like Gillian Thompson who exhibited the tenacity to plan and work her plan, and to see projects to the expected results.

Guyana would be a better place to live if we had more persons like Gillian Thompson who was a person not given to many words and she did not waste words instead, she was more attuned to getting things done. She was also a woman of action but she was rarely seen in the forefront instead she excelled best at directing the show from

the background.

So it is easy to see why we are dedicating this area to Gillian Thompson.

During her tenure as Chief Librarian, Thompson had opened new vistas for the institution. Some of those innovations included taking the library to institutionalised homes of senior citizens and allowing inmates of correctional facilities to be part of the reading competitions. She even took literacy to the roads by outfitting floats for Mashramani. Another signal initiative of hers was ‘A Dip into Literature’ introducing literature to students moving from primary to secondary school.

To put the above into perspective, it would be useful to know more about Ms Thompson.

She read for a degree in English at the University of Guyana and later she studied library science at the University of the West Indies. She served the National Library in various capacities starting as a Junior Library Assistant in 1991, working her way to the top as chief librarian in 2006.

She served the library for

over two decades, nine of those years as chief librarian. All the while exhibiting a passion for libraries and working tirelessly to enhance the delivery of a high standard of library services.

She was a member of the Guyana Library Association and a member of the Management Committee of the Guyana Prize for Literature. Her other interests included reading, listening to music, cooking, church activities especially teaching Sunday School.

Gillian Thompson was soft spoken, demure, unassuming but dynamic.

Above all, she was a consummate professional.

Responses to this author: telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com What’s Happening: • Coming soon: ‘Love in the time of technology’ poems by Sasenarine Persaud. This is Persaud’s seventh book of poetry.

• ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’

by Petamber Persaud is available from the National Library, Austin Book Service and the author.

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Visually impaired saxophonist Roy Stewart speaks about his debut album, ‘Miracle’

H

is abundance in faith and undying perseverance has afforded Roy “Sweet Sax” Stewart, a visually impaired saxophonist, a chance to create a ‘Miracle’ - an inspirational gospel album.

“The way the album started was actually a miracle,” Stewart said, explaining the events

that led to the composition of the album in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

Stewart, who has macular degeneration, a chronic eye disease that causes vision loss in the centre of his field of vision, began his quest with no capital, immense talent and a substantial amount of faith.

Seeking sponsorship, Stewart approached a friend who

recommended he contact Bonny Alves of SSignal Productions. Alves later invited Stewart to a meeting where he would then agree to record Stewart’s album free of cost.

“I played for him and he immediately said let's record,” Stewart recalled.

According to Stewart,

ment… [and now] here we have this album, ‘Miracle’,” Stewart said.

‘Miracle’ is a pre-recorded album (meaning the songs belong to others), with 10 inspirational and gospel songs.

“It is not an original album, but an adopted one. There are songs like In Heavens Eyes, Just for me, Strength is Perfect… with wellknown artist such as CeCe Winans and Donnie McClurkin,” Stewart outlined.

Always interested in music, even from a tender age, when he would strip coconut branches with a friend to use Stewart's debut album, Miracle as a flute, Stewart inhe has been surrounded herited a love for muby miracles all his life. sic from his family. “My “My birth was a mira- mother’s family were all keyboardcle,” he disclosed, refer- musicians; ring to a complication ist, guitarist, singers…” at birth which resulted However, his love for in his mother’s caesar- wind instruments came ean section. Playing the from his father who was saxophone so expertly, a trumpeter.

As a young musician life’s journey, and the fact that he is visually Stewart started playing impaired, for Stewart the recorder in church, these are all miracles in until he met Lawrence Dutch, his friend who his life.

“God has blessed me plays “an excellent saxremarkably with this ophone”. Never thinking gift, through this instru- he would become a saxo-

phonist himself, Stewart would later wash dishes to purchase a secondhand saxophone.

For the last six years, Stewart has played the saxophone, mesmerising his audience with the sweet melody of an alto saxophone.

He has played at numerous functions: at the National Cultural Centre, in Linden, Berbice and Essequibo.

It was his fans who would then convince him to launch an album, after Stewart constantly received inquiries for recorded copies of him playing.

“Persons kept asking when I would bring out an album, and the Lord was on my side so I did it. I plan to become like Kenny G, my favourite saxophonist. I want to walk in his shoes and be a world renowned saxophonist. I plan to have a next album by God’s grace. ‘Miracle’ was done with an alto saxophone

Stewart performing on the saxophone

and I want the next to be done with a soprano saxophone (the saxophone Kenny G uses),” the saxophonist declared.

A motivated young man, even in times of trouble Stewart is determined to press forward.

“Don’t let the dream die…whatever you are dreaming, positively of course, seek advice, help and pursue it with your all,” he encouraged his fans.

Amid all the challenges in his life, including his disability and recent eviction, Roy Anthony Stewart persevered and was able to launch his album, ‘Miracle’.

“When something great is about to happen, challenges are always expected,” he pointed out.

For more information on Stewart’s album, call 604-2893.

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A

youth organisation that aims to improve the quality of life across Guyana by enhancing educational and economic opportunities, Youths For Guyana (YFG) mentor, educate and advocate for health, the environment, and economic development.

YFG’s members and volunteers serve as a strong role model for youths in today’s society. According to the organisation’s executive director, Orin Phillips, through volunteerism YFG enhances and sustains a spirit of aiding others.

“Through volunteerism we can enhance and sustain the spirit of [aid] in Guyana by fostering collaboration and networking; promoting professional development through volunteerism,” Phillips told Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

With the fundamental principle that “youths could make a difference no matter how small”, YFG seeks to significantly impact the development of youths in Guyana, identify, engage and sustain youths in positive activities, while maintaining close links and collaborating with

Some of Youths For Guyana members

organisations that seek to do the same.

Reaching over 80 members, YFG mainly engages in cultural enrichment programmes that increase its members’ perspective, awareness and appreciation for others, as well as positive and collaborative ventures.

YFG’s members have worked on numerous programmes and projects on youth empowerment and volunteerism, most of which are continuous.

These activities include

YFG’s Annual Summer Programme (where a camp is hosted for 90 children ages 5 to 17) and Christmas Day for Kids (where YFG volunteers spend Christmas with orphans giving gifts and playing games the entire day).

Additionally, there is the YFG 1000 Project, an initiative where 1,000 of a particular item is raised and are later distributed to persons in need, community centres and charitable or nonprofit organisations.

Children engrossed in painting at YFG's camp

“We’ve recently concluded our 1000 Books Project where we were able to get a donation of 1,400 books which were donated to various organisations and initiatives.

The most recent was 200 books donated to Global Shapers Georgetown’s Save the Libraries initiative,” noted Phillips.

Following the book drive, the next 1000 Project will be focused on clothing. YFG has an ongoing project, the Guyana Shines Project in collaboration with the United States Embassy, with partners such as ExxonMobil, Caribbean Containers and Republic Bank.

“Our main intention is to have the youths of Guyana become role models for their respective communities. This is achieved through creative initiatives to foster growth and youth empowerment from the grassroots level onwards,” Phillips explained.

The Youths For Guyana was formed by Tony Lindo and Orin Phillips, among others, after the last general elections with the realisation that “youths are devoted to being change agents” in their communities.

For more information, visit Youths For Guyana on Facebook.

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The power Eight more STEM schools in Jamaica come September 2015 of skype K

By Anu Dev

“I just think we’re living in a time of massive, amazing change, like the Industrial Revolution on acid ” – Kelly Lynch.

I

’m pretty sure that I’ve mentioned before that I use Skype a lot – and by a lot, I mean all day, every day.

I could search through my old articles to confirm, but I’m in the midst of studying for finals and I am also too lazy to check.

But I’m 248 per cent certain that I have before because Skype pays me a lot of money to promote their product by mentioning them at least once a month in my articles. No that’s not true – that’s just my wishful thinking.

But seriously, this little app on my phone has been a godsend ever since I started Med School here in the land of Carnival. I’d like to point out that there is nothing Carnival-like about Med School – there’s a lot of frustration, anger, tears and the occasional excitement over holding a brain or a lung.

Those are the things they happen to conveniently leave out of their “Visit Trinidad” brochures, I’ve noticed.

But am I homesick? Yeah, I am – we’re a pretty close-knit family and while I was looking forward to finally getting out of the nest, there were lots of butterflies about how exactly I’d be able to fly on my own.

But Skype really pulled through for me and I could see and hear the rest of my family – it was kind of like I was back home – kind of. But yeah, we could trade “What did you do today” stories, my Mom could see I was keeping myself well-fed and I could feel that I hadn’t been banished to Siberia.

My Dad tells stories about him going over to New York to study in the early 70s – about how he would rush to the mailbox every afternoon when he came home to his apartment, praying for a letter from “home”.

It might take a month for a letter to be sent and the answer to be received. Skype has made those kinds of letters obsolete. My Mom can take me over to the living room and show me her latest obje d’art while I can show her how I’ve evolved into a domestic goddess – my room is now always spic and span (except during Finals Week). As you may know by now, I enjoy cooking (when I don’t have exams looming that is) and improvising new dishes. But what do I do when I want a reasonable facsimile of Mom’s home cooking? I just Skype her – and Mom can show me what she means by “a little of this and a handful of that”!

As a young person growing up in this age of the information and communications technology revolution, we take much of the change engendered for granted. And I’m sure we’re not appreciating the effect the gradual cumulative change all of this will have on our lives.

It’s like I read of the unnamed young man in “Miguel Street” going away by ship to London. Today, it’s just a hop, skip and jump away. Has London gotten nearer?

And with innovations like Skype, if you don’t want to hop, skip or jump…then with a touch of a button on Skype you’re in any other country where you know someone. Last week, returning from India, my Dad walked me around the lounge at New Delhi Airport!

All hail Skype*! *Although come to think of it, I mostly use FaceTime now. What can I say? I’m fickle.

INGSTON, JAMAICA: The number of secondary institutions offering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes is to be increased to nine, come the 2015/16 academic year.

Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean, made the disclosure during the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ) recent two-day labour market forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.

She informed that the Ministry of Education has identified and shortlisted eight additional schools across the island that will either be transformed into full STEM academies, or have the subjects incorporated into their curricula.

Jamaica College in St. Andrew; Manchester High School, Manchester; and Belmont Academy, Westmoreland, will become full academies. These that will have a STEM focus are: Kingston Technical High School, St. Andrew Technical High School, and Dunoon Park Technical High School in Kingston; Vere Technical High School, Clarendon; and Herbert Morrison Technical High School, St. James.

They will join Sydney Pagon Agricultural High School in St. Elizabeth as the institutions that have STEM programmes incorporated into their curricula.

Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean (Jis file photo)

Sydney Pagon’s programme came on stream at the start of the 2014/15 academic year in September.

Dr. McLean said the Ministry has already commenced preparations for the transitions at the institutions. She said that the move is based on labour market information, which points to the need to “prepare our young people” for STEM-oriented jobs, and better position Jamaica to be globally competitive in these areas.

She noted that the Ministry is integrating STEM within the education system and “the national curriculum that is now being developed from grades one to nine will see the full infusion and integration of STEM (at these levels).”

“Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics will be fully infused in a practical way so that you develop the skills in a project-type problem-based environment (to ensure that what is being taught and learnt) …will become real and applicable,” she added.

Dr. McLean said the ministry is being assisted and guided, in this regard, by a “broadbased” STEM Committee, chaired

by Director General Emeritus of the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS), and former Principal, University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Mona Campus, St. Andrew, Professor Gerald Lalor.

The membership, she advised, comprises representatives from other tertiary institutions as well as the private sector.

The forum, which was held under the theme: ‘Promoting Youth Employability and Entrepreneurship through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)’, was held to disseminate labour market information to a select group of participants to enable them to make informed career choices.

The PIOJ organised the event in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Labour Market Information Technical Advisory Committee (LMITAC); HEART Trust/NTA; and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). (Jis)

Jamaica Gov't urged to treat copyright industry as a priority

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INGSTON, JAMAICA: Government is being urged to treat as a priority, efforts to capitalise on the copyright industry, which is believed to have as much economic potential as the country's agricultural sector.

Carol Newman, general manager of Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JamCopy), told the Jamaican media during last week's royalty pay out to affiliates that there appears to be insufficient knowledge about the significance of the industry among policymakers.

"I am not convinced that there is sufficient level of understanding among our policymakers of the importance of intellectual rights generally and copyright in particular the impression that makers are not serious," Newman said.

In terms of regulations, she said that she is satisfied with the work being carried out by Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) and that the amended Copyrights Act will address a number of issues, including extending the copyright duration

Carol Newman

beyond 50 years such as what obtains in other jurisdictions. She, however, said that JIPO is in need of greater financial support.

As it relates to publishing, Newman said that it is most important for Jamaica to have an 'indigenous' publishing industry.

"We now have people who write our history for us who are not from us.

Nobody can write about us the way we do. We need to have a sustainable publishing industry and that cannot happen without inputs from government," she emphasised.

An important place to start, she said, is to include local books in the 'buy Jamaican' campaign.

"One of the things that I've often talked about is how we encourage people to buy Jamaican and that in our head means Jamaican food and clothes but it does not resonate with us that buying Jamaican means buying Jamaican books. That connection has not been made," Newman said, noting that local books must be a part of the local school curriculum.

"It is important as a mother myself that when the students looks into a textbook they see someone who looks like them," Newman stressed.

"In the same way that there are some kind of protection for local farmers so that we don't import certain foods or there

is a higher tariff if we import certain types of food, I think that we should see the same protection being offered to our publishers and indigenous writers," she said. "We can't exclude foreign content because we are a part of a global market and we learn from each other so we can't ban foreign books, that's not the objective.

The aim, according to Newman, is to foster a better creative environment for the local book industry to thrive and to be placed in a better position to record Jamaica's history and heritage.

Another issue facing the industry, she pointed out, is the delay by government with regards to regulating photocopy in primary and high schools.

"Despite 10 years of negotiations with Ministry of Education for the copying done in schools ,we have not been able to secure a license so the copying continues unabatedly and that is illegal," she disclosed, stating that JamCopy will continue to work to resolve the issue.(Jamaica Observer)

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“T

o accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe,” said Anatole France, a French poet, journalist, and novelist who died in 1924. Today these words are echoed in the many accomplishments of Guyanese women abroad, who are also excellently representing their homeland.

One such person is Sharon Clarke who was recently elected a Civil Court Judge in Brooklyn, US. Clarke was born in Guyana to a Barbadian father and a Guyanese mother. She was raised in Guyana and Barbados, and her family moved to Brooklyn when she was 13. Her parents instilled in her and her siblings the value of education and a great work ethic from a young age. Her aunt inspired her to give back to the community through volunteering and helped her understand that we have an obligation to play an active role in our community. She fondly recalls receiving her first award for volunteer work from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office while in junior high school.

Clarke recently volunteered at the United States Supreme Court as a Lecturer in Supreme Court History.

Clarke is an attorney with over 20 years of legal experience. She has been a zealous advocate for equal access to justice her entire career. She is the founder and CEO of Central Brooklyn Legal Services Corp. She has also volunteered as a Mediator for The Brooklyn Mediation Center and currently serves as an Arbitrator

Civil Court Judge Sharon Clarke

in Civil Court – Small Claims Part in Brooklyn.

Clarke’s legal career began by representing the indigent at the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Division in Queens, NY. Her work also includes representing the City of New York as Counsel in the Office of Corporation Counsel and she has also served as Deputy General Counsel at the NYS Division of Human Rights.

The judge was selected to participate on the Matrimonial Access to Justice Task Force in 2004 with then Chief Justice Judith Kaye.

She served on Governor Paterson’s New York Hate Crimes Task Force in 2009, the New York State Government Cyber Security Task Force and on a New York State Executive Committee to

review hiring practices of police departments statewide.

Clarke holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Harvard University – Kennedy School of Government. She earned her Juris Doctor degree at City University of New York Law School, and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College. She remains committed to serving the residents of Brooklyn.

Then there is Dr Oneeka Williams, a Harvard Medical School graduate who ranks among the top urologic surgeons in the United States.

Williams was born and raised in Guyana and moved with her family to Barbados at the age of 10. From an ear-

Doctor and author, Oneeka Williams poses with one of her books

ly age, her science teacher mother and journalist father instilled in her a love for the sciences and writing.

According to the author, her childhood was filled with the joys of discovery and exploration, as her science teacher, her mother, took every opportunity to expose Williams and her siblings to the wonders of science. On the other hand, her father shared his passion for writing and Williams grew up writing poetry for every occasion including birthdays, holidays and family reunions.

Williams’s professional journey includes an undergraduate degree in Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University, graduate degrees in public

health and medicine at Harvard Medical School, and surgical training at leading academic medical centres including Massachusetts General Hospital and The Lahey Clinic.

Through her volunteer work in the community and as a teacher and mentor, Williams is committed to inspiring all children, and especially girls, towards a greater interest in science, a positive attitude, and the pursuit of excellence in all their endeavours. To further her advocacy of literacy and science education, she is authoring a series of children’s books.

As founder and president of Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo, Williams has developed a mechanism to engage children in the

joys of science at an early age. Her belief is that by planting the seeds of curiosity, incorporating science content into an entertainment platform and delivering the message in the form of a powerful, confident girl character, she will create early imprinting of what is possible thus dispelling the common childhood belief, that scientists are ‘old, white men with spectacles’.

To further her advocacy of literacy and science education, she is authoring a series of children’s books. Her first children’s book was Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo’s Mission to Pluto and her second Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo’s Meteorite Mission were both published in 2013.

Williams is currently a practicing surgeon at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston and is an assistant clinical professor of urology at Tufts University School of Medicine. She lives just outside Boston with her husband, Dr. Charles Leon Anderson, Jr., a neonatalist, hospital management specialist and corporate executive and their son, Mark.

The Guyanese author’s book series was featured in the section “10 Things We’re Talking About” in the June 2014 issue of Essence Magazine. The headline was “Changing the Ratio” and was about the low representation of Black characters in children’s books published in 2013. In October, Williams received the 2014 Science Club for Girls Catalyst Award from the Science Club for Girls (SCFG). She was one of three individual recipients of its annual Catalyst Awards.

1.2 million air seats secured in Jamaica for Winter Tourist Season

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INGSTON, JAMAICA: Well over one million air seats have been secured to accomodate the influx of tourists who are expected to visit Jamaica during the highly anticipated Winter Tourist Season, which officially starts on Monday, December 15.

A total of 1.2 million seats are proposed for the season, which rep-

resents an increase of 15% over the same period in 2013/2014. The USA will see an increase of 58,000 seats and there is an overall increase of approximately 163,000 seats to Jamaica.

Concurrently, the Winter Season is expected to record 611,515 cruise passengers, or a 5.6% increase over last winter. This follows an expected 10% increase in

cruise arrivals for 2014.

Growth has been recorded in all three main ports in Falmouth, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.

These figures were disclosed by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr Wykeham McNeill as he gave the keynote address at a luncheon hosted recently by the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry

and sponsored by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). The event was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre to mark the official start of the Winter Tourist Season.

Dr. McNeill stressed that the tourism sector continues to be a major player in boosting the national economy, with gross foreign exchange earnings of over US$1.7

billion between January to October 2014. This represents an increase of 5.1% over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, pointing to continued growth in arrivals, Dr. McNeill underscored that “we are set, once again this year, to top the two million mark for stop-over visitors.”

Minister McNeill said “the successes that

we have had are due to the hard work of tourism partners on every front – our marketers and those funding and executing product development; our hoteliers and attraction owners, restauranteurs and every participant in this industry which has to be driven by a spirit of collaboration and inclusion.” (Jamaica Min. of Tourism)

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TT PM: No apology for TT$55M church grant

Tough love P

…for Granger It’s the Christmas season, and your Eyewitness was told he should ease up on the “Rod of Correction” a bit and spread some “peace and love”. Out with the Old Testament and in with the New. Redemption time and all of that! Your Eyewitness reminded his Editor that while he understands the request, the best he could do was “tough” love”!

So what can your Eyewitness say about the negotiations Granger and Ramjattan are locked in – about who’ll be leader of the grand union. Right off the bat, your humble Eyewitness will announce loud and clear: “AIN’T GONNA BE NO COALITION BETWEEN THE AFC AND THE PNC!!” Ramjattan’s just yanking Granger’s chain…and not just to get a rise out of him!

Ramjattan knows the moment he signs on the dotted line – to use his own words – he’s “dead meat”. Nothing’s changed since last month when he reached that conclusion and refused to share the stage with Granger at the Square of the Revolution, has it?? The votes in Berbice were rustled away from the PPP/C in 2011 by Ramjattan and Nagamootoo via one of the most racist bottom-house campaigns ever waged in Guyana.

Even that dyspeptic duo – infamous for being complete strangers to the truth – won’t be able to sell a coalition with the PNC to those folks after the number they did on the PNC in general and Granger in particular. Surely Berbicians aren’t all suffering from mass amnesia to forget that Nagamootoo and Ramjattan assured them that “the PPP/C was becoming just like the PNC – thieves, hooligans and rapists”.

So unless Ramjattan wants to be annihilated at the upcoming polls, there’s no way in hell he’ll tie the knot with Granger. And that’s why he made an offer that Granger can only refuse!! But there’s another reason why Granger had to be strung along. By now the African-Guyanese members of the AFC are sensing they’re being taken for a ride

by Ramjattan and Nagamootoo, and are only being used as “window dressing”.

Ramjattan’s frantically trying to show them the AFC isn’t going ALONE to the polls because of his anti-African racism – but because Granger rebuffed him. The old rubbing of his do-doo on another’s bamzie!

So in the spirit of our newfound “tough love”, your Eyewitness’ suggesting to Granger to call Ramjattan’s bluff. Accept Ramjattan’s demand that he be leader of the coalition.

Ramjattan’s gonna back out so fast, you’d think he’s greased lightning!! …for a business tycoon No one doubts Yesu Persaud’s our business tycoon par excellence. On the back of the billions the EU provided, he spearheaded a successful upgrading of Guyanese rum. The Eyewitness noted that he really dished out some “tough love” to Prezzie about the latter’s “regime”. Was it because Prezzie turned up “casual” at the “black-tie” Visalaunching affair at the Peg??!!

But our own “tough love” for the normally avuncular tycoon has to do with his claim that “Guyana and South Korea were on par in the 1980s, but we’ve lagged and S Korea has bloomed since”.

Now that’s not fair because it ain’t true. S Korea actually experienced its phenomenal growth from 1964 (when we were on par) to 1980 – the same period in which the PNC destroyed our economy.

So that when the PPP/C took over in 1992, our per-capita GDP was $807 versus S Korea’s $8140!!

And even though since then our numbers grew by 227 per cent compared to S Korea’s 125 per cent, we started from such a low (PNC) base we just couldn’t catch up!

In the New Year, may we all be “transparent”!!

ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has reiterated that she will not apologise for the TT$55 million donation to Christian churches saying that without the religious fabric of this nation and the work the religious community does the society will “fall apart”.

“My friends over the past few days there may have been some concerns about government’s decision to make a donation to the Christian community of our country...I say again I make no apologies for this gift to you which recognises and appreciates the tremendous work which your churches and your congregations continue to do in our communities,” she said.

She was speaking on Sunday night at the Prime Minister’s Christmas Concert at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s. The Prime Minister distributed cheques to representatives of the Evangelical, Methodist, Spiritual Baptists, Presbyterian, Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. She had made the announce-

CHRISTMAS CHEER: These members of the Love Movement Junior Choir entertain their audience at their concert at Adam Smith Square, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday

ment about the donation at a media appreciation function at the Diplomatic Centre on December 4th. PersadBissessar on Sunday reported that she asked the 41 members of Parliament to provide a list of churches in their constituency for separate disbursements this week.

She said there were concerns government had approved to give grants to every church in this country.

“Without the religious fabric, without the

work the religious community does, my brothers and sisters, our nation will fall apart, our society will fall apart,” she said.

She told the gathering that, similar to Hindu-run organisations, Christian churches run organisations and manage programmes which assist young people, the elderly, the disabled, and with family life. She noted that they work at the heart of communities and can reach people before they “fall

through the cracks”. She expressed her heartfelt thanks and expressed respect and gratitude for their accomplishments.

Persad-Bissessar said they provide a very valuable service to communities and expressed hope that the grants will enable them to continue their work. She noted in the new year there will be challenges and asked the churches to continue to partner with government to make the country a better place. (TT Newsday)

TT $300,000 bail for TT pastor on rape charges P

O R T - O F S P A I N , TRINIDAD: Pastor Bernard Andrews of the Dow Village Open Bible Church was granted TT$300,000 bail on Monday on two rape charges. The 47-yearold Siparia father of one appeared in the Siparia Magistrate’s Court hours after he gave himself up to the police. Andrews is accused of raping a teenager twice four years ago. The charges alleged that on a date unknown between August 10, 2010 and October 1, 2010 in Siparia he had sexual intercourse with the teenager without her consent.

It is alleged he also had sex with the girl on a date unknown between July 31, 2010 and September 1, 2010.

Andrews told Senior Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh a friend was trying to reach his attorney but he asked

if attorney Ramnarine Soorjansingh, who was in the other court, could represent him.

Soorjansingh was asked by the magistrate to make a bail application for Andrews but during the application Andrews’s attorney Earl Martin James arrived.

Soorjansingh, however, had said that James worked as a farm assistant at the Siparia school for many years and had no convictions or pending matters. Asking for reasonable bail, James said Andrews was the father of one adult female and had given himself up after learning a warrant was out for his arrest.

Confirming he was a first-time offender, court prosecutor Sgt Sheldon Ablacksingh did not object to bail but asked he be ordered to stay away from the victim.

James said Andrews and the victim did not live close to each

Bernard Andrews, a pastor from the Dow Village Open Bible Church, leaves the Siparia Magistrates Court after appearing on two charges of rape on Monday.

other. Granting him TT$300,000 bail with a clerk of the peace approval, the magistrate warned him to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim. James, however, appealed to the

magistrate to reduce the bail, particularly since it’s the Yuletide season.

However, the magistrate rejected his request and ordered Andrews to return to court on January 12. (TT Guardian)

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This week's Crossword

J k es

A familiar patient

A weeping woman bursts into her hypnotherapist’s office and declares, “Doctor, I have been faithful to my husband for 15 years, but yesterday I broke that trust and had an affair! The guilt is killing me. I just want to forget that it ever happened!”

The hypnotherapist shakes his head. “Not again …”

A grizzly conversion

A priest, a minister, and a rabbi want to see who’s best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it.

Later they get together. The priest begins: “When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water.

Next week is his First Communion.”

“I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.”

They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.”

Better late than never

After waiting two hours for her date, Sarah concluded she’d been stood up. So she changed into pajamas, made some popcorn, and flopped down in front of the TV. Then the doorbell rang— it was her date. He took one look at Sarah and gasped. “You’re still not ready?”

Honour among thieves

A mother complained to my wife, a schoolteacher, that other students were stealing her daughter’s pencils.

“It’s not the money—it’s the principle,” she insisted. “My husband took those pencils from work.”

This week's Puzzle

Who taught you that?

“Give me a sentence about a public servant,” the teacher instructed her second-grade student.

“The fireman came down the ladder pregnant,” he answered.

“Umm … Do you know what pregnant means?”

“Yes,” said the boy. “It means carrying a child.”

Fishing

Teacher: Why can’t freshwater fish live in salt water?

Student: The salt would give them high blood pressure.

Smart in some areas

Toward the end of the school year, the sixthgrade teachers decide which of their students should be accelerated in certain subjects in the seventh grade. When a child is chosen, his parents are notified. When one boy was accelerated in science and math, his mother wrote to the teacher: "I think this is quite an honour for someone who just tried to make two quarts of lemonade in a one-quart pitcher!"

Oh, and It doesn’t have arms or legs

A woman called the Colorado State Division of Wildlife regarding a snake in her backyard. “Can you tell me what kind it is?” she asked.

“Can you describe it?” John asked.

“Yes,” she said. “It’s long and thin.”

The right diagnosis

see solution on page 47

A man tells his doctor that he’s incapable of doing all the things around the house that he used to do. When the examination is over, he says, “Okay, Doctor. In plain English—what’s wrong with me?”

“Well, in plain English,” says the doctor, “you’re just lazy.”

The man nods. “Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife.”

Star of the week

Narayan Ramdhani

B

adminton prodigy Narayan Ramdhani was born on 3 June 1998. The 16-year-old is currently a student of Marian Academy in Grade Eleven (Form 5). Ramdhani has been playing badminton from the tender age of three, as his father and coach, who was an ex-national player, runs the number one badminton club in Guyana called Yonex Badminton Club. During the young badminton player’s career, Ramdhani has won all of his age group matches locally from the Under-11 to the Under-19 from the age of seven to present. He is currently the number one player for Guyana for both seniors and juniors in badminton. Ramdhani has represented and won medals for his country at many international tournaments in Suriname, Peru, Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico.

His most recent tournament, the Caribbean Regional Badminton Championship, he gained two silver medals in Singles and Doubles, and in the Inter-Guiana Games he gained two gold medals in Singles and Doubles.

Ramdhani’s current world ranking will get to a higher level with more international tournaments he will be attending as the years go by and this will only continue to get better. Ramdhani is focused on improving his training and skill ability in this sport, becoming a top professional badminton player. His advice to youths is to get involved in a sport as it is good for mental and physical strength. Additionally, he noted that education is important as it opens doors to scholarships, which secures youths’ future and success in life. In order for Ramdhani to achieve his goal in badminton, financing will be required for him to be exposed to more international training facilities and matches which will greatly enhance his performance. For more information, check out Yonex Badminton Club(Guyana) on Facebook.

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Changes… …in Agricultural development??

At long last, it seems our large scale agricultural development might be taking off.

Trinidad confirmed responsibility for doling out 10,000 acres in Canje to their own farmers to produce items for export to their country. The Trinidad Minister of Agriculture’s here again – but now with a team that’s supposed to “spec out” the land.

But this Eyewitness has to be frank…he’s really not convinced that much will come out of this initiative.

It’s not that he’s a pessimist, but the Trinis do seem to be quite confused about what they’re trying to achieve. When the Minister came some months ago, he said that the goal was to “reduce the food imports into Trinidad”.

Now there’s nothing wrong about that. But the last time we looked, Guyana was not part of Trinidad – so how the heck will the products shipped from Guyana not count as “imports” into Trinidad?? The Trinis also aren’t clear about the involvement of locals in the venture. While we Guyanese may snicker about how tiny Trinidad is, in reality, there’s lots of prime agricultural land available that’s not being utilised.

Less than a decade ago, the former PNM Government of Patrick Manning launched 18 “mega farms” in Trinidad with the same goal of “reducing food imports”. They’ve all gone belly up – even after the Government pumped millions into them. The problem with the effort was that Trinidad’s lost its farmer “class” but – unlike what’s happened over in Suriname – they refuse to allow the free movement of Guyanese into their country to get the job done.

In Guyana, the Trinis don’t seem to have engaged many – if at all, any – locals and unless they do this pronto they won’t even be able to get off the ground.

Also, it doesn’t seem to have dawned on the Trinis that the land they’ve been offered is literally virgin territory, which has to be drained, and then irrigated for those crops that’ll be cultivated in the dry season.

In the estimation of this Eyewitness, the Trinis are trying to reinvent the wheel. The Jagdeo Initiative – under which the land was offered to all Caricom countries at dirt cheap rates – Trinidad was asked to address one of the eight identified “constraints” – finance. All Trinidad needed to do is to establish a fund that would finance large scale agriculture in Guyana.

By accepting proposals on products for which Trinidad would provide the markets, they could’ve had their cake and eat it too.

Its not too late. …in multi-racial politics Few were actually fooled when the AFC – launched in 2005 – boasted they were introducing “multiracial” politics in Guyana. How?? Well because they SAID so!! And that the two top guns from the PNC and PPP/C were respectively “African” and “Indian”!!

The irony that EVERY political party (with the exception of GUMP in the 1960s and ROAR in the 2000s) has made the same claim – with the same technique – fronting persons from the various ethnic groups – seems to’ve been lost on the group.

But recently, the mask has been ripped from the AFC’s pretensions when the party was invited by the African-dominated APNU to send their top leaders to a meeting. The AFC’s Indian leaders – Ramjattan and Nagamootoo – sent the African ones and studiously stayed away. For once they admitted they did so because they would be “dead meat” if their Indian supporters saw them on an “African” stage.

Multiracial?? Ha!!!

Recently, this paper asked non-Indian AFC’s Treasurer Dominic Gaskin how he could be a member of a party that shunned Africans.

Exhibiting severe cognitive dissonance, Gaskin stoutly denied what his leader had explicated announced!! …in presidential power?? Nope!

After complaining about “abuse” of presidential power …more specifically the use of the prorogation prerogative, David Granger turned a complete somersault. He now says when it comes to clipping presidential powers…the “people” should pronounce!!

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Travel & tourism

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Picturesque views of Chiung Falls

Cascading Chiung Falls

Distant view of Chiung Falls

G

uyana Times Sunday Magazine features this week breathtaking views of Chiung Falls, located in Kato, Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni),

by Guyanese photographer Michael C Lam. To see more of Lam’s scenic photos of Guyana visit www.

TheMichaelLamCollection.com

Chiung Falls' rapids

Vista of the gorge

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

TT judge appears before Jamaican govt beefs up cybermagistrate on charge of failing security after website attacks to submit to breathalyser test

Stood in silence: Industrial Court vice-president Ramchand Lutchmedial

P

ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: Industrial Court vice president Ramchand Lutchmedial on Tuesday pleaded not guilty on a charge of failing to submit a specimen of breath for a breathalyser test last Friday.

The charge falls under section 70B(5) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act (amended).

Apart from pleading not guilty, Lutchmedial otherwise stood in silence when he appeared before Magistrate Bramanand Dubey in the Tunapuna Magistrates’ Third Court.

The judge was represented by a team of attorneys which included his daughter Jayanti Lutchmedial, Yaseen

Ali and Nicholas Rampersadsingh.

According to the police report read out in court, Lutchmedial was stopped last Friday night along Derrick Road, Chase Village, Chaguanas, during a routine police exercise by officers of the Central Division.

It was said in court that Lutchmedial was asked by the officers at the scene to present a specimen of breath but he failed to do so without reasonable cause.

As a result, he was charged under the relevant legislation by PC Sammy.

In his submissions to the court, attorney Yaseen Ali noted that his client had a “well published” job in the legal fraternity as an Industrial Court judge and had been a long standing member of the bar as he had been practising for the past 36 years.

Ali also noted that because of this, his client had no previous matters before the courts nor convictions, and therefore he asked that the judge be granted bail and be “allowed to leave on his own cognisance”.

Ali also noted that Lutchmedial’s driver’s permit had been taken away from him on Friday night by officers at the scene, an act which is contrary to regulations. However, he did submit that it had been returned to his client earlier that evening.

The attorney also asked for disclosure and for a “speedy trial date”.

After further submissions from both Ali and police prosecutor Sgt Ken Ali, the matter was then adjourned to January 12.

Lutchmedial was then granted continued bail at TT$5,000. (TT Express)

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA: The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) says it is implementing a raft of measures to address the issue of cyber-security, following an attack on more than 10 government websites three weeks ago.

“Upon becoming aware of the attacks, the ministry immediately moved to implement several measures to safeguard against further attacks,” Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Julian Robinson said.

The measures he outlined include: • Engaging the security forces, and in particular, the Communications, Forensics Cybercrimes Unit (CFCU) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), for a formal criminal investigation to commence; • Seeking technical assistance from our international agencies; in particular the Organization of American States (OAS).

Cyber-security experts have commenced an investigation into the at-

Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Julian Robinson

tacks and will report accordingly. They will also outline measures required to bolster Jamaica’s cyber-security.

In addition, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) along with the OAS Government have provided technical assistance for the implementation of the Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT).

Last week, the ministry met with information technology (IT) personnel from the government entities that have been affected, and outlined measures and guidelines to address

the issues in the short term.

The Minister also noted that the government’s response to these cyber attacks form a part of the wider approach, which is being implemented by the GOJ. The Cyber Security Strategy will be presented to Cabinet shortly for final approval.

Robinson reiterated the importance of cybersecurity systems to all countries, which is a priority for the Ministry.

“Jamaica must remain committed to bolstering our cyber-security efforts,” he said. (Jamaica Observer) .

42

Arts & culture

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘It is the intention that separates the artist from the craftsman’

B y K arran S ahadeo

I

started to embrace photography after I took it as an elective during my Bachelors

degree. It was there I learned the technical aspects of the art.

During that time my photography consisted of cityscapes, sunsets,

and all of the other cliché “pretty pictures”.

There was no substance.

A few years after my BFA degree, I decided to pursue a Masters in Fine

Art degree, but this time with photography as the focus. It was during this time that I truly began to understand what photography was and how much weight it carried as an art.

After a few personal bouts, I began focusing on myself and the people in my lives.

My artistic practice focused on memories and how technologies, such as cameras and smartphone apps, can not only aid our memories, but also distort it. I began taking photographs in which I would reimagine memories from my

Karran Sahadeo

overall stories. I used the language of films to create a dramatic environment, which were complete works of

Untitled (Ground Zero) 2009 - Downtown Jesrsey City has one of the best views of the Financial District of New York City

loved ones, stage them, and make photographs.

These dark and moody photographs referenced the harsh lighting that could be seen in Caravaggio’s or Rembrandt’s paintings.

They were painstakingly composed with every single thing found in the photograph playing an enormous role in the

fiction.

My current photographic series revolves around my return to Guyana and seeing a country that I do not recognise, but I know a lot about from stories told by my parents and grandparents. I left Guyana when I was 4 years old and I do not have much of a recollection of

my time here. The photographs I began taking represented my understanding of Guyana; that of someone who has lived outside its borders for the majority of their life.

They became representations of the tension between Guyanese traditions as I knew them: primarily firsthand as a part of an expatriated family, and the traditions as they exist within Guyana.

The images that make up the beginning of this project may be overlooked as nothing special to some, but for me they represent something much more than ordinary. They represent a way of life that was once lost and is now being rediscovered.

Except the rediscovery is exposing a lot of internal questions of what it means to be Guyanese.

As I continue to take photographs in Guyana, my focus is shifting slightly to the characters I come across on a daily basis, the people that create the image of this country, and the ones who keep the country running but will never get the credit for it.

My future as a photographer includes more education and research. I feel that unless you have an intention or reasoning behind your images, they are nothing more than “pretty pictures”.

Pictures anyone could take. It is that intention that separates the artists from the craftsman.

Untitled (Kitchen) 2013 - Cooking over a video call

Untitled (Light) 2013 - Staged photograph of my subject being frightened by a sudden light

feature

Guyanese designer outshines in Jamaica Portfolio, which gave him the opportunity to be fashion partner with veteran Guyanese designer Sonia Noel.

In 2013, Cummings was voted most promising young designer.

The designer’s dreams, which he is working feverishly to make a reality, are to pursue a fashion degree from an accredited university and to work for an international fashion company with the aim of one day operating his own establishment.

The designs featured this week are some of Cumming’s chic pieces he created as part of his fashion assignments for

R

Designer Andy Cummings

ecently, designer Andy Cummings aptly represented Guyana on the regional runway at the prestigious fashion event Mission Catwalk in Jamaica.

“I was very honoured when I was called by Mission Catwalk to be a part of Season 4 of the high fashion edition in Jamaica, and most of all to represent my country. I must say thanks to god for my creativeness, which I credit for sending me into the top three.

The other two designers were from Jamaica and Barbados.

Throughout the entire Season 4 there were eight episodes, of which I won one of them – Episode 4. To be in the line-up with super talented designers was one of my dreams. I believe there is something special about how artists perceive the world and we should let others see us for who we truly are. I must say thanks to everyone who supported me from Guyana throughout the entire season,” expressed the designer in an inter-

view with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

Cummings graduated from the Burrowes School of Art in 2012 with a major in Ceramics and minor in Textiles. He was awarded best graduating student and best ceramic student for his year.

In that same year, he won the Guyana Model Search/Designers

Mission Catwalk.

To contact the designer, call 615-5673 or 672-2243 or email a.acummings68@yahoo. com

43

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

44

NEWS

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

CAL’S new luggage fee: US$25 for second bag

P

ORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: State carrier Caribbean Airlines on Sunday announced a new baggage policy of charging customers for their second checked bag.

The first checked bag continues to be free – together with one carry-on bag – while a fee for the second bag will be US$25 plus taxes.

“Caribbean Airlines has resisted moving to this policy, but in light of most of its competitors charg-

ing passengers for all their checked bags, it is left with no choice but to match industry practice to remain competitive. While our competitors continue to showcase low fares, they conveniently fail to mention that bag fees – some in excess of US$100– are charged to customers.

Caribbean Airlines assures its passengers that our fee of US$25 for the second bag is the lowest in the industry,” the airline said in a statement.

Last year, interna-

tional airlines, including Delta, United and US Airways collected US$3.35 billion in baggage revenue.

International airlines charge between US$25 and US$50 for checked bags with higher fees for overweight bags.

CAL’s new baggage fees are: • One free carry-on at 7 kg/15 lb (new) • 1st checked-bag free at 23 kg/50 lb (no change) • 2nd checked-bag at 23 kg/50 lb charged at US$25

• For travel to/from London, England, the second and third bag fee will be 50 pounds sterling.

Customers travelling within the Caribbean will see a reduction in the present second bag fee from US$50 to US$25, the airline said, adding that it improved its international baggage policy for business class customers whose free checked baggage allotment will be increased to three pieces.

The new policy will be implemented in two phas-

es. Phase one takes effect on tickets purchased on or after December 18 for travel from January 15, 2015, on all flights between the Caribbean and Toronto.

Phase two takes effect on tickets purchased on or after February 1, 2015 for travel from April 15, 2015, on all flights throughout the rest of the network.

“This two-phase introduction allows our customers to adjust and plan ahead,” the airline stated.

Customers exempt from paying the second

bag fee are: • Those who have purchased fully flexible fares in W, Y and K categories • Caribbean Miles members in Executive Gold, Gold and Silver Tier levels • 7th Heaven Rewards Executive Gold, Gold and Silver Tier levels.

Last month, CAL said it had passed on the effect of lower oil prices and eliminated the fuel surcharge for travellers on 98 per cent of its routes. (TT Express)

45

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

46 feature History of Promenade Gardens Bandstand T WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

here are many sites, monuments and structures in Guyana that tell us of our rich history. One of these is the bandstand at the Promenade Gardens.

In 1851, after funding was obtained, steps

began to transform the site into a garden which was completed in 1853; seats were constructed for the public in 1859.

Occupying one city block, with its main entrance located on Middle Street

in Cummingsburg, the Promenade Gardens was designed by a Trinidadian botanist.

The Bandstand situated within the Gardens was erected in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Scenic walkway to get to the Bandstand (Photo by Nigel Durrant)

Completed in 1897, it is considered the oldest bandstand of three in the city.

A well-known monument in the Garden is the Mahatma Ghandi monument in honour of the international icon of peace and advocator of non-violence.

Along with several fountains and an arched walkway, a recent construction in the Gardens is the Arya Samaj Monument erected in 2011.

It has been suggested that the Promenade Gardens at one time boasted the largest range of wild orchids in the Caribbean before it fell into disrepair during the 80s and 90s. The site was rehabilitated in 2006 and the Bandstand refurbished by Republic Bank in 2009.

In its earlier years the Promenade Gardens was used for several civic functions including entertainment from music bands; today,

Photo taken in 2010 of the Bandstand (Photo by Raval Seojattan)

after refurbishment, it remains the site of many public and private events including the popular annual Inner Wheel Club’s

Easter Hat Show, weddings, and fashion photo shoots to name a few. in Promenade Gardens.

Photo by Amanda Richards)

Freddie love a freebie

E High Street, Georgetown, British Guiana (Photo by J Siza)

Main Street looking south, Georgetown, British Guiana (Photo by J Siza)

very body who know Freedie de man kisser know that Freedie like free tings. Not only free books from de U-Gee library and all de way from Canada whah he used to thief. But any where he go, he like to get free tings.

Once Freedie de man kisser write bout havin dinner or lunch wid someone, is more than likely de other person pay de bill. Freedie always never got money, or he fuhget he money in he car, or he gone to de washroom when de bill reach de table.

Freedie mek fight in a suit store fuh free suit.

Freedie mek fight in a pizza place fuh free pizza.

Freedie mek fight in a hardware store de other day just to pass out wid some ting free. Thank God fuh security or Freedie woulda get away scot free. Again!

Freedie only hear that G-Pee-Hell and G-Tea-anTea sharin poles de other day and Freedie went early morning to line up at G-Pee-Hell. Freedie thought dem was sharin OUT poles. He wasn’t sure whah kinda poles, but he still show up. After all, Freedie like any kinda pole.

Freedie got de guts (wid no b*lls) to bad talk people who show up at a supermarket to get 10 per cent discount. At least dem people pay fuh whah ever dem had in dem basket at de end of all de shoppin.

That is some ting whah Freedie not accustom to.

And Freedie just don’t wanna admit that he was also headin to the 10 per cent discount, but is because he couldn’ta finda park, he get vex and drive away.

And that was de next day column.

De bottom line is that once any body seh freebie, there will be also be Freedie. De problem wid that bottom line is that it ain’t got no bottom just like how it ain’t got no limit to Freedie not havin any shame.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! All who got shops, look out fuh Freedie. He gon show up fuh a freebie any time soon.

feature

47

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Negotiations K

S

atiricus was relieved. No…he didn’t RELIEVE himself – even though that always brought relief. He was just RELIEVED. He’d heard about the “Dance of the Thousand Veils”.

You know??… Where the stripper has to peel off layers and layers of gossamer to finally reveal what Satiricus ALWAYS knew was there. That string bikini!!!

But this here dance by Rum Jhaat had to be the “Dance of the Thousand Feints”, since Rum Jhaat had been bobbing and weaving for years about whether he’d tie bundle with the Pee- anSee. He’d stoutly denied he’d ever do it…meaning no matter how many stouts they plied him with, he kept his lips zipped. “Loose lips sink ships,” his sponsors from the US Embassy always told him.

And now he’d finally done it!! But in the midst of his relief that the deed was done – and boat gone a watah – Satiricus couldn’t help, but think as to how churlish the rest of the politicians were, carrying on snidely about Rum Jhaat’s magnificent sacrifice.

First of all, they wouldn’t even admit it was a “sacrifice”. Rather than focus as to why Rum Jhaat was getting involved with the Pee-an-See when everybody knew they had the dreaded Kuh-Kuh-Beh, people were just getting their panties in a knot about Rum Jhaat hinting he’d be willing to be the top dog…the head honcho… the Man…the Leadah!

“What the heck?” thought Satiricus. “Wasn’t RumJhaat a leader in his party the KFC?” Satiricus knew that RumJhaat didn’t care about “leadership”. He cared about money and he cared about Rum. And politics had given him both.

His father had been very prescient to name him Rum Jhaat. Anyhow, Green Bridge, Roop Na Rain and all the other fellas in the APANU were determined to humiliate Rum Jhaat. Rather than lining up to throw flower petals in his path as he entered the Pee-an-See, they were insisting that there had to be “negotiations”!!

“I don’t believe that!” mumbled Satiricus.

Had Eisenhower negotiated when he saved Europe?? Had MacArthur “negotiated” when he liberated Japan?? Why the heck should Rum Jhaat “negotiate” to save the Pee-an-See??

Satiricus had just the answer who thought like that and he wasn’t afraid of telling them as he saw it: “In the immortal words of that fearless leader Rum Jhaat, HAUL YUH ASS!!!”

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

INGSTON, JAMAICA: Graeme Goodall, the Australian who played a pivotal role as engineer and producer in the early years of Jamaican music, has died.

Goodall was a cofounder of Island Records, the company that had a significant role in exposing Jamaican music to an international audience during the 1960s and 1970s.

His wife, Fay, told the Jamaica media that Goodall died of natural causes at home in Atlanta, Georgia on December 3. He was 82.

She said her husband of 52 years had been “ill for a few months".

Fay Goodall noted that he “was a good man.

He loved Jamaica and Jamaican music".

Born in Melbourne, Goodall first came to Jamaica in 1955 after working with Rediffusion in England.

He helped set up Radio Jamaica’s broadcast system and worked there for several years before moving on to the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation as chief engineer.

He also developed a close friendship with Kingston businessman Ken Khouri, one of Jamaica’s early music producers. Goodall was engineer at Khouri’s first studio, a hastily assembled room at the latter’s Kingston Street furniture store.

They started out producing songs by Jamaican Calypsonians like Lord Flea.

Eventually, Goodall worked on sessions for various producers including arch-rivals Clement Dodd and Duke Reid.

Along with Chris Blackwell, producer Leslie Kong (Goodall’s brother-in-law) and businessman Lee Gopthal, Goodall helped set up Island and Trojan Records in the United Kingdom.

Those companies fed the UK’s growing West Indian community with Jamaican ska and rocksteady music, which also found favour with white, working-class British youth.

Goodall moved to the UK in 1965, where he launched his Doctor Bird and Pyramid labels.

Those imprints helped break several Jamaican artistes, and songs, in

Australian Graeme Goodall (left) collects a Pioneer Award from Lisa Hanna, minister of youth and culture, at ‘Tribute to the Greats’ at Curphey Place in St Andrew in 2012. The event, which recognises the contributions of pioneers of Jamaican popular music, was organised by music aficionado Kingsley Goodison

that country.

His greatest success in the UK came with Desmond Dekker’s The Israelites in 1969. It was released on Pyramid.

Though he sat in select sessions at Byron Lee’s Dynamic Sounds in the early 1970s, Goodall

left the music business during that decade. He worked as an engineer with Sony until his retirement in 1998.

In 2012, Goodall and The Caribs (a band that included Australians Dennis Sindrey, Peter Stoddart and Lowell

Morris) was honoured at Tribute To The Greats, in Kingston, for their contribution to Jamaican music.

Graeme Goodall is survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren.

(Jamaica Observer)

48

hollywood

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Daniel Craig spotted Melanie Brown's husband filming Bond movie denies assault rumours ‘Spectre’ in London S

A

ctor Daniel Craig was photographed filming a scene from the 24th James Bond movie ‘Spectre’ on a speedboat on the Thames in London alongside Rory Kinnear who plays Bill Tanner.

The production of the movie continued after the producers confirmed

the movie’s script was among data leaked by hackers attacking Sony Pictures Entertainment, reported Ace Showbiz.

Craig, who is reprising his role as James Bond, was wrapped in thick black coat. Despite the cold weather, the 46-year-old actor apparently was in high spir-

its as he was seen joking and laughing during the filming.

Director Sam Mendes was also with him on the boat.

Apart from Craig and Kinnear, Ben Whishaw returns as Q, Naomie Harris is back as Eve Moneypenny and Ralph Fiennes plays M. New cast members include Christoph Waltz who plays Oberhauser, Andrew Scott as MI5 employee Denbigh, Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx, Monica Bellucci and Lea Seydoux who play Lucia Sciarra and Madeleine Swann respectively.

Although Waltz has been officially announced to play Oberhauser, some fans still insist that he’s actually up for baddie character Blofeld, who is the head of Spectre, and that Oberhauser is his alias. (Indian Express)

Jennifer Lawrence 2014’s most googled celebrity

O

scar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence has become the mostsearched celebrity on Google over the past 12 months.

The 24-year-old actress repeatedly made headlines this year with her nude photos that leaked in massive celebrity hacking, her brief fling with Chris Martin, and her box office blockbuster “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1″, reported Ace Showbiz.

The actress is followed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian at the second place. French actress Julie Gayet is ranked third, while comedian Tracy Morgan, who is recovering from a serious car accident earlier this year and actress Renee Zellweger who caused a buzz with her new look round up the top five.

The rest of the top 10 are occu-

pied by “Dallas Buyers Club” star Jared Leto, chart-topping singer Lorde, Leto’s “Dallas” co-star Matthew McConaughey, George Clooney’s wife Amal Alamuddin, and the NBA team owner Donald Sterling. (Indian Express)

Angelina Jolie recruits cyber security team to monitor her kids online

S

uperstar Angelina Jolie has hired a cyber security team to monitor the social media and internet content that her children encounter.

The “Maleficent” actress, who describes herself as an “old-school” when it comes to technology, said that she is unsure if she and husband Brad Pitt are prepared for the digital world, reported Ace Showbiz.

The 39-year-old mother of six said she prefers writing things on a notebook rather than posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

inger Mel B's husband Stephen Belafonte has denied allegations that he hit his wife.

The former Spice Girl's appearance on Sunday night's "X Factor" live finale sparked concerns amongst viewers that something is wrongs between the couple. Even, the 39-year-old was forced to miss Saturday's show after being taken to hospital following a mystery illness.

Belafonte responded to the allegations over social media on Monday, by calling them disgust-

ing and untrue, reports mirror.co.uk.

Writing on his official Twitter account, he said: "I don't usually respond to Twitter msgs (messages) but I will respond to comments of hitting my wife, which I think are

quite disgusting and untrue."

"Mel was very ill, a bunch of doctors helped her get better if fans can't just relax B4 being negative they (are) r not real fans of @ OfficialMelB." (TOI)

Andrew Garfield may be replaced for future Spider-Man film

A

ctor Andrew Garfield may reportedly not feature in the Spider-Man movie franchise.

Sony leaked emails reveal more details about the planned 'Spider-Man' and 'Captain America' crossover, but it doesn't include Garfield, reported Ace Showbiz.

31-year-old Garfield's performance as the web slinger was praised by fans, but he may have upset the wrong person. His strong remarks that seemed to blame the studio for the box office failure of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' was reportedly one of factors of him being fired from the franchise.

Moreover, his absence with less than an hour of notice at a Sony corporate dinner in July, in which he was supposed to meet Sony CEO Kaz Hirai and other Sony executives, "was seen as an affront and slight by the company's Tokyo bosses."

Latino Review con-

firmed the possibility of Garfield being replaced in the next Spider-Man movie, but noted that such thing would only happen if Marvel and Sony agreed to a deal to share the rights to Spider-Man at a 60/40 split.

The deal itself could be jump-started if Sony Pictures continues to stumble in their handling of the Spider-Man franchise. Marvel also allegedly planned to shift the focus of the SpiderMan reboot to make it a Spider-Man romance movie. Thus, new movies under this deal would begin with Peter Parker already leading a dual life.

(TOI)

Scarlett Johansson: Filming intimate scenes liberating

A

ctress Scarlett Johansson finds shooting intimate scenes both "challeng-

ing" and "liberating".

The actress thinks love-making on screen is challenging because it requires so much focus and energy and she likes how she has to shed her inhibitions for raunchy roles.

"You have to be totally without judgment, and it's sort of liberating. It's challenging. You have to stay in the moment," contactmusic.com quoted

Johansson as saying.

Despite her stunning looks and enviable physique, the actress, who has two-month-old daughter Rose with husband Romain Dauriac, doesn't consider herself sexy.

"It's an OK body. I wouldn't say it's particularly remarkable though.

I don't like my thighs, my mid section," she said. (TOI)

Kourtney Kardashian welcomes third child with Scott Disick

K “It’s a scary new world. It’s so beyond what we understand.

We wouldn’t even know what to look for,” she said.

The “Wanted (2008)” star is glad that inter-

net and social media didn’t exist when she was younger.

“I got in enough trouble. It just would have been very documented,” she added. (Indian Express)

ourtney Kardashian and her long-time partner Scott Disick welcomed their third child, a baby boy, on Sunday.

The special day is even more dear to the family, as it is the same day that Kardashian and Disick's older son Mason turns five.

The baby also joins sister Penelope, two. A source told a website, "The family is freaking out with joy. What an amazing coincidence."

(TOI)

bollywood

49

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Ayesha Shroff tells court she couldn't have been involved with Sahil because he is gay

J

ackie Shroff's wife claims her one-time partner had been caught having sex with a male staff member.

Countering actor Sahil Khan's allegations that he was in a relationship with her, which prompted her to spend enormous quantities of money on him, Jackie Shroff's wife Ayesha has told a sessions court that such a romantic affair could not possibly have existed between the two as "Sahil is gay".

Ayesha has claimed that Sahil's wife Nigar "divorced him because he was gay" and that she walked in on him having sex with a male staff member.

Ayesha, represented by advocate Anjali Patil, has levelled these allegations against Sahil, her one-time business associate and friend, and his sister Shaistawhile opposing their anticipatory bail.

In his application Sahil had claimed that Ayesha set up the film studio Karma Productions with the sole intention of using her family's wealth to fund her extravagant lifestyle under the garb

of running a business.

This was in response to Ayesha's allegation that Sahil cheated her of Rs 5 crore.

In her response to this charge, Ayesha has said that the Khans demanded money from her on several occasions and she obliged them, dipping into her personal as well as company accounts.

Ayesha has also said she bought the gifts that were lavished on the Khans - her contention is that she did not transfer money into her erstwhile partner's account to enable purchase of the gifts, as he has claimed.

She has added that all trips the two took together, which according to

Sahil, were romantic getaways, were all work related.

Previously, Sahil had claimed that Ayesha virtually controlled his life and even forced him to quit his Rs 60,000-amonth IT job so that he could spend time with her. He alleged that Ayesha used him in a phase of her life when she needed emotional support and dumped him after her son Tiger made a successful debut in a film and her domestic life improved.

"My client take will make the decision to take appropriate legal action for all the outrageous allegations levied against him," Sahil's lawyer, M A Khan, said. (TOI)

‘Alone’ trailer crosses four million mark

A

ctress Bipasha Basu is on cloud nine as the trailer of her forthcoming film ‘Alone’ has been viewed more than four million times on YouTube.

Published on December 9, the trailer has been viewed 4,058,867 times and has received thumbs up from celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan and Arjun Kapoor.

Also starring Karan Singh Grover, the story revolves around conjoined twins Anjana and Sanjana, who had

promised to be together and how the death of one sister leads to a series of chilling incidents. (Indian Express)

Lisa Ray to glam up Pune Fashion Week 2014

I

ndo-Canadian actress Lisa Ray will walk for ULKA SB at the forthcoming fifth season of Pune Fashion Week.

The “Bollywood Hollywood” star will sport one of the creations from designer Ulka Bafna Vohra’s latest collection titled

“Nirbheek” on Friday, read a statement.

The collection, which consists of floor length lehengas, saris, anarkalis and predraped saris, aims to add a tasteful softness to the powerful woman of today.

Golden 3D flowers in hand embroidery will add depth of sartorial elegance to the range. The three-day fashion extravaganza will conclude December 21. (Indian Express)

Pakistan’s Mahira Khan with Ex-flames Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor to team up for ‘Udta Punjab’ Shah Rukh Khan in Raees

I

T

alent from across the border continues to be sought after in Bollywood. After Fawad Khan (Khoobsurat) and Humaima Malick (Raja Natwarlal), yet another attractive Pakistani actress, Mahira Khan is slated to make her debut in Hindi cinema.

This Pak import won notices worldwide for her performance in Shoaib Mansoor's 'Bol' (2011), just like Humaima did.

She visited Mumbai last month after her television serial Humsafar gained popularity and dropped subtle hints of the Hindi filmmakers whom she may consider working with.

Obviously, the ones who were the quickest to move in were producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, who finalised the VJ-turnedactress for 'Raees' being directed by Rahul Dholakia. The film has Shah Rukh Khan playing a don and is likely to have Nawazuddin Siddiqui playing a cop.

A source said that SRK had dropped in at the audition to meet Mahira.

The actress is married to her college sweetheart Ali Askari. And though she is based out of Karachi, the articulate girl with the porcelain complexion travels extensively. India will be a long haul destination for now, we guess. (TOI)

Gautam breaks down after his fight with Upen Patel

A

s the Bigg Boss 8 finale inches closer, the atmosphere in the house heats up. Upen Patel has been seen snapping and giving a cold shoulder to Gautam Gulati. The two then end up getting into an ugly fight over their ego and continuous cold War. Things turn ugly when Upen provokes him and stands close to

Gautam's face. After the fight, Gautam speaks to Dimpy that he doesn't understand why this is happening to him. He tells Dimpy that he is fed up of all these games and he doesn't intend to hurt anyone. He breaks down and says that he doesn't want to be in a place like this where people are so negative.

Gautam also says that no one supports him in

the house just like no one supported him in his career of 7 years. He has done everything on his own and he will stay in this house on his own as well. Gautam then walks around the garden area to calm himself down and control his emotions.Will Upen and Gautam mend their ways and end the fight or will this brawl continue? (TOI)

f reports are to be believed, ex flames Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are all set to share screen space in the upcoming movie ‘Udta Punjab’, which will be helmed by ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ director Abhishek Chaubey.

Shahid and Kareena were last seen together in the 2007 movie ‘Jab We Met’, shot exactly during the time of their break up. The movie became a blockbuster nonetheless with both Shahid’s and Kareena’s performance being appreciated.

The erstwhile real

life couple, who dated for more than four years before a much public break up in 2007, however, will not be a couple in the movie, as it’s Alia Bhatt who will play Shahid’s love interest in the action thriller.

The movie is reportedly being made under Vishal Bharadwaj’s production, who has earlier worked with Shahid in ‘Kaminey’ and ‘Haider’ and with Kareena in ‘Omkara’. (Indian Express)

How Janvi got lucky after a bad marriage

J

anvi Vora, currently seen as Karuna in 'Sasural Simar Ka', recently celebrated five years of togetherness with husband Ritesh Vora.

Not many know that Ritesh is Janvi's second husband. At 21, Janvi had an arranged married with a guy from New Delhi. She put up with a bad marriage for eight years before she walked out of it.

"After that I met Ritesh Vora, who used to be in my college. Things were not easy for both of us, but Ritesh took care of everything and we got married with the consent of our families in 2009 and now when I look back in time, I feel blessed to have Ritesh in my life."

Janvi has a daughter Niharika from

her first marriage, who is in her teens, and today Janvi feels Niharika and Ritesh share the best relationship in this world. "They are more close than I am to either of them and that gives me ultimate happiness," she smiles (TOI)

50 Sport Caribbean cricketers dominate again in Canada

WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Ravendra Madholall

T

O R O N T O , C A N A D A : Caribbean cricketers continued to dominate in the annual Toronto and District Cricket Association (T&DCA) Elite and Premier Division competitions as the 2014 season recently concluded.

Established player Devon Smith, who is currently in South Africa with the West Indies senior team for the test and limitedover series, was part of the action registering over 400 runs from eight matches representing Limers Lords Cricket Club.

The Grenadian has so far featured in 33 tests and 47 one-day internationals and according to reports, the elegant left-hander is expected to visit North America on an annual basis.

He ended the season with a satisfactory average of 55.14 having chalked up five half-centuries and grabbed 11 wickets from the same amount of matches during his inaugural stint.

Other players who would have donned the prestigious colours were Guyanese Royston Crandon and his fellow compatriot Keith Semple, a batsman with steady consistency for Civics Sports Club.

Crandon, who has been plying his trade in Canada for the past five years, struck two centuries to be among the outstanding batsmen in this year’s edition.

Barbadian firstclass skipper Shemark Brooks, who in two successive years created a great impact with 10 centuries from 21 games for Centurions Cricket Club while he proved his all-round capability snatching over 20 wickets with his leg-break.

His countryman Javon Searles, turned out to be a good asset for emerging and eventual champion club, Brampton Masters Transzac Cricket Club.

He was very instrumental with both bat and ball.

Islanders Cricket Club benefitted nicely from Trinidadian Mahadeo Moonasar who

Devon Smith is currently in South Africa with the West Indies team for the test and limited-over series

again showed magnificent form with his leftarm spin churning out several terrific bowling performances.

Moonasar was also very brilliant this year having played for Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club in the Scarborough Cricket Association Premier 50-over tournament.

He was their leading bowler finishing with 28 wickets to be a pivotal member in this year’s success with five consecutive championships.

Former Guyana Under-19 skipper Eugene LaFluer made excellent use of the opportunity as the 22-yearold is still ambitious of

representing his country at the highest level.

In two straight years, the Berbician represented Victoria Park Cricket Club and his contributions were admirable having performed with bat and ball.

The club also had the services of ex-Guyana first-class quickie Trevon Garraway and another youth

player Harrienarine Chattergoon.

Vikings Cricket Club, one of the most dominant teams over the past two decades, did not make a big impression this season but was still indebted to Crandon for his sterling efforts while former West Indies opening batsman and Guyanese Ryan Ramdass and senior Guyana player Rajindra Chandrika wore the club’s attires on this occasion.

The experienced campaigners came out with several attractive scores.

Jamaican and former West Indies under-19 skipper Andre Creary made his debut two years ago for Brampton Masters Tranzac but with some unimpressive performances.

This season, the tidy right-hander represented Limers and produced few big scores. Before his departure, Creary was very optimistic of making his native country side in the West Indies Cricket Board four-day tournament.

He said his purpose and goal to play regularly in North America is to enhance his game in all aspects and indeed capitalised on the chance by being an essential batsman in his team.

Meanwhile, Krishna Arjune who made his first appearance since 2002 playing for Vikings and Hawaiian Arctic stated that he continued to enjoy his game in North America. The ex-Guyana opener also showed fine form by scoring a huge century for the latter club.

J’can organisers happy with 12th staging of Wesley Powell meet

St Jago’s Kimone Shaw powers to victory in the girls’ Class Three 150- metre race at the Wesley Powell/Heart Institute of the Caribbean Invitational Track and Field Meet at Exclesior High School on Saturday. She clocked 19.19 seconds to win her race, but was second overall as her time was bettered by St Mary High’s Shanio Powell

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA: The 12th Staging of the Wesley Powell/ Heart Institute of the Caribbean Invitational Track and Field Meet, which took place at Excelsior High School last Saturday, was deemed a huge success by organisers.

The meet saw over 1,700 athletes representing 53 teams, participating in 40 track events and 29 field events in various age groups for schools, colleges, clubs and unattached individuals.

There were approximately 100 officials and 40 volunteers, thus pro-

viding good entertainment for hundreds of spectators, including Racers Track Club head coach Glen Mills, who gave the proceedings high marks for its organisation and quality.

Also in attendance were two prominent Excelsior High past students in Ruby HarroldClaesson from Sweden and Donna Myrie from New Jersey, USA. The highlight of the meet, from a spectator's perspective, was the running of the 150-metre races simultaneously from different ends of the track. This was possible as the organisers employed two fin-

ish lines, two automatic timing systems, and two sets of starters. Before one race was completed another was on its way and this enabled the meet to be completed on time.

The meet honoured three persons in Frank Brown, former national football captain and many-time winning coach of Excelsior's Manning Cup and softball teams;Vinton Powell, former national track and field representative and current JAAA starter; and Lorna Vernon, national junior track and field coach and coach at Convent of Mercy Alpha.

(Jamaica Observer)

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Lara headlines Legends Crucial Appeal outsprints XI in exhibition T20 rivals to steal spotlight

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ELBOURNE: AUSTRALIA: Legendary former West Indies batsman Brian Lara will join Adam Gilchrist, Dean Jones, Justin Langer and other Australian legends in the Western Australia Festival of Cricket Twenty20 exhibition match which bowls off on Tuesday.

The Western Australia Festival of Cricket, held at Aquinas College in Perth's southern suburbs, has revived the famous Lilac Hill Festival match that finished in 2008.

Lara and the starstudded Legends XI will play a T20 exhibition match against KFC T20 Big Bash League side the Perth Scorchers.

"The Festival of Cricket presents the public and corporates with a unique opportunity to not only watch a

Brian Lara

high-quality T20 match in a relaxed, social environment, but also to mix and mingle with many current and past greats of the game,” Gilchrist said.

“The chance to run around with a bunch of old mates and pit ourselves against the current BBL Champions is exciting and sure to be entertaining for all.”

The 45-year-old Lara, the most dominant West Indies batsman of his era, will take to the field alongside several Aussie players he faced during his illustrious career, with the likes of former all-rounder Andrew Symonds, Andy Bichel, Michael Kasprowicz and Jimmy Maher already confirmed by organisers.

Lara featured in 131 Tests for West Indies, scoring a record 11 953 runs with 34 100s.

The reshuffle of the Australian cricket schedule in the wake of the death of Phillip Hughes also affected the match.

The date change has ruled out Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting, and left Matthew Hayden juggling commitments in an attempt to make it. (CMC)

..."Herecomesthebreeze'" cops feature

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA: The speedy chestnut gelding 'Crucial Appeal' produced what can be described as a 'super sprinting display' to take the seventh race, an Open Allowance event with an electrifying run at Caymanas Park on Tuesday.

Trained by Patrick Lynch, 'Crucial Appeal', who ran a blinder to finish third by a length in the Caribbean Sprint, broke well and was held off the pace by Paul Francis behind Rio Cobre (Shamaree Muir up), Step It Up (Robert Halledeen astride) and Fortuneonehundred (Shane Ellis aboard) for the first 150 metres of the 1,100-metre race for threeyear-olds and upward.

When asked to go by Francis, Crucial Appeal responded well and began to surround horses before he

'Crucial Appeal' is being eased down by apprentice rider O'Brien White. 'Crucial Appeal' is trained by Patrick Lynch

drew away from the field approaching the home bend.

Owned by Hamark Farms and bred by Edison Chai, 'Crucial Appeal' covered the distance in a career best of 1:04:3 minutes behind splits 22:2 and 45:0 seconds on a fast racing surface that brought the curtains down on the

final Sunday race meet at Caymanas Park for the 2014 season.

M e a n w h i l e , ‘Herecomesthebreeze’ easily romped the feature, the Joseph Armond Memorial Trophy going over the spectator's trip of 1,820 metres.

Racing continues next Saturday.(Jamaica Observer)

Guyanese shooting champ cops major prizes at GNRA awards ceremony

G

EORGETOWN, G U Y A N A : Guyana and West Indies individual fullbore shooting champion Lennox Braithwaite secured the major prizes when the Guyana National Rifle Association held its 2014 Presentation ceremony Saturday at Olympic House on Main Street.

Ryan Mc Kinnon, National smallbore captain Dale Hing, and Peter Persaud were also among the leading awardees.

Braithwaite captured the National senior championship Trophy, the Sigmund Douglas

Trophy for winning the Grand Aggregate, the Neville Denny Club Championship Trophy as well as the prestigious Wood Davis Cup, the Lushington Trophy among others.

Ransford Goodluck who was dethroned by Braithwaite was also among the top awardees.

Peter Persaud was named top Junior shooter following his success at the National Championships while Leo Romalho was voted most improved shooter for 2014.

There were also prizes for National fullbore cap-

The awardees pose with their trophies

tain Mahendra Persaud, Dylan Fields, Terrance Stuart and Dane Blair.

In the smallbore section, Mc Kinnon was in top form winning the se-

nior division of the .22 Pistol shoot as well as the Standard Division in the Practical Pistol championships.

Hing won the

Production division at the championships and finished second to Mc Kinnon in the .22 shoot while Ray Beharry was third.

In junior category of the .22 match, Ray Amjad was first followed

by Surujbali Persaud and Ray Amjad second and third respectively.

Hand Qualification Certificates were presented to the following (Expert Rating) Colin Merriman, Shawn Smith and Compton Serabo, (Sharp Shooter Rating) – Annbelle Sharma and Ray Beharry (Marksman First Class) Totaram Bisundat, Azaad Hassan, Surujabali Persaud, Randy Sarjoo, Joshua Ramlakhan, Rajiv Lashana and Sekani Fredericks.

Another triple for Barbican in Jamaica -Powerhouse slam three goals past Arnett to sweep season

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA: B a r b i c a n Football Club's unprecedented triple-crown defence in the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Sherwin Williams Women's Premier League has been hailed as one of the greatest of its kind by coach Charles Edwards.

The high-riding team rewrote the history books on Saturday when they defeated first-time finalists Arnett Gardens 3-0 at Drewsland Mini-stadium.

The goals came courtesy of Davia Smith in the 50th minute, Annakay Richards' 78th minute own goal and captain Alicia James in the 87th minute.

With the win, Barbican moved their

overall tally to 21 titles, and the latest is their seventh consecutive league win.

A very pleased Edwards recalled some of the struggles his team had to withstand in order to remain unbeaten triple-crown winners for three years successively.

"We started out with a lot of problems; we couldn't train at the field because it was being refurbished for premier league's men and we ended up training at JC (Jamaica College) behind a goal area for most of the season," he told reporters.

He continued: "It was very tedious (as) the surface was course, but I am happy JC allowed us to train there. We had to tailor our training sessions

[and] we had to do a lot of little things different, but at the end of the day these girls are true champions.

The fair-sized crowd turned up expecting a thriller, but the encounter was nowhere close to a spectacle. The first-half was the closest it went to being competitive as Arnett Gardens started out very promisingly.

The 'Junglists' gave as well as they got, and did manage to force Barbican on the back foot on a number of occasions. But when the daylight faded, the champions came alive and stole the ascendancy late in the half.

However, they went to the break goal-less after a glancing header from Tashana Vincent came

back off the crossbar and was scrambled clear by Arnett Gardens.

Any chance of an Arnett Gardens victory went up in smoke fiveminutes after the resumption, as poor defending allowed an unmarked Smith to neatly head home a well-taken free kick by James.

From then, Barbican went at their opponents rapidly, but Arnett responded efficiently enough to withstand the onslaught.

The introduction o f Trudian Mills injected more tempo to the attacking prowess of Barbican.

The diminutive player went straight to work as she used her speed and dexterity to telling effect and maintained the in-

tensity on the right side of the park.

The slippery player picked up a rebound at the top of the18-yard box, but failed to make amends as her crunching right-footed shot rattled the crossbar.

A second goal was inevitable and it came via the own-goal route when the hapless Annakay Richards misjudged an attempted cross by Vincent and fell to the ground in despair as the ball raced into the back of her own net.

And Arnett Gardens' dream of a fairy tale end to the season was over when goalkeeper Kadiann Edwards allowed the ball to burst through her grasp from James' left-footed free

kick from about 25 yards.

The shot lacked pace, but still it proved too much for the hapless 'keeper.

Meanwhile, Edwards said his team did their pre-game assessment and stuck to the game plan.

Meanwhile, Arnett coach Jerome Waite hailed his team's gutsy performance.

"We were up against the number one team, we had played them twice, and they played with more purpose. Our girls are a young bunch and this is also a good experience for them and you still have to commend them for the fact that they have reached the major final.

So overall, we still have to give them credit," he told the Jamaica Observer.

(Jamaica Observer)

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WEEK ENDING December 21, 2014 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Amla, de Villiers tons floor Windies U

nbeaten centuries from AB de Villiers and captain Hashim Amla squashed a brief flicker of resistance from West Indies, as South Africa dominated the opening day of the first Test in Centurion on Wednesday.

Asked to bat in bowler friendly conditions at SuperSport Park, South Africa slumped to 57 for three just after the first hour but recovered through the brilliance of de Villiers and Amla, who dominated the last two sessions to propel the hosts to 340 for three at the close.

De Villiers stroked an attractive 141 not out and Amla, an unbeaten 131, two innings that snuffed the life out the Windies after they conjured up an enterprising period during the morning period which had hinted at something greater.

The pair have so far added 283 for the fourth wicket – a record for South Africa.

Impressive fast bowler Kemar Roach, the Windies’ best bowler so far with two for 52, struck twice in successive overs to help cripple the top order early on.

Openers Dean Elgar, who hit 28 and Alviro Petersen, 27, added 57 without much alarm in the first hour, as West Indies bowlers struggled to get it right.

Petersen started with

Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers leave the field at Centurion yesterday after hitting unbeaten centuries on the way to their unbroken record fourth wicket stand

successive fours off the first two balls of the innings from fast bowler Jerome Taylor, stray deliveries that were clipped to the leg-side boundary.

He took a third boundary through gully off Taylor in the right-armer’s next over and Elgar joined in the fun next over, swatting a short all from left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell – who surprisingly shared the new ball with Taylor – through mid-wicket for four.

It was Roach who got the breakthrough on the stroke of the first hour, when he got one to straighten in his third over to Petersen, for the right hander to nick a simple catch to Devon

Smith at first slip.

Petersen faced 44 balls and struck six fours.

His dismissal sparked a slide where South Africa lost three quick wickets for no runs in the space of 14 balls.

In the next over – the first after the water break – Cottrell claimed the Windies’ second wicket, getting Elgar to slash a wide long hop to Marlon Samuels at gully, after facing three balls in his 42-ball knock.

Roach then struck again in the next over, producing another delivery which pitched and straightened and clipped the outside edge of Faf du Plessis’s bat through to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

With South Africa reeling, de Villiers and Amla arrived to turn the innings around in a partnership that completely deflated the tourists.

The right-handed de Villiers faced 211 balls and struck 15 fours and two sixes to post this 20th Test hundred in his 96th Test while Amla, also a right-hander, hit 17 fours off 244 balls in carving out his 23rd triple figure score.

Both started cautiously before moving quickly into stride, Amla crashing two successive fours through point off Taylor in the first over of a second spell and de Villiers stroking left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn to the cover boundary just be-

fore lunch for his second boundary.

On 102 for three at lunch, South Africa scored heavily in the next session, reeling off 115 runs as both batsmen put West Indies bowlers to the sword.

De Villiers moved into the 40s with two consecutive boundaries off Cottrrell in the bowler’s tenth over before reaching his half-century in streaky fashion, with a top edge for four off Cottrell a couple overs later.

Amla also moved into the 40s with a streaky shot over first slip off Cottrell and reached his 50th Test match halfcentury with a single to backward point off the ineffective Taylor.

He celebrated in the same over, whipping the bowler through midwicket for four before following up next ball with a superb drive to the cover ropes.

Both batsmen were in sight of their centuries at tea, with South Africa on 225 for three, and de Villiers motored into the 90s with two boundaries off Roach in the second over after the resumption.

He eventually reached three figures with a single to mid-off off Benn, off 137 balls with 14 fours and one six – a straightish hit off Benn.

Amla, meanwhile, whipped Roach to the

ropes at mid-wicket to move into the 90s and then raised three figures in style – driving Benn to the cover boundary and then cutting the lanky spinner to the point boundary a couple deliveries later.

Scoreboard SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings A Petersen c Smith b Roach 27 D Elgar c Samuels b Cottrell 28 F du Plessis c wkp Ramdin b Roach 0 *H Amla not out 133 AB de Villiers not out 141 Extras (b3, lb 5, w 2, nb 1) 11 TOTAL (3 wkts, 91 ov ers) 340 To bat: S van Zyl, +Q de Kock, V Philander, D Steyn, M Morkel, K Abbott Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-57, 3-57.

Bowling: Taylor 16.12-77-0, Cottrell 17-174-1 (w1, nb1), Roach 15.5-4-52-2 (w1), Benn 30-5-82-0, Samuels 11-045-0, Brathwaite 1-0-2-0.

WEST INDIES – D Ramdin (captain), K Brathwaite, D Smith, L Johnson, M Samuels, S Chanderpaul, J Blackwood, J Taylor, K Roach, S Cottrell, S Benn.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires – Aleem Dar, Billy Bowden; TV – Paul Reiffel.

FIFA ethics investigator Garcia resigns in protest

F

IFA ethics investigator Michael Garcia resigned yesterday in protest at the way his report into allegations of corruption in awarding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar was handled by the soccer governing body’s ethics judge.

Former U.S. prosecutor Garcia said in a statement that he had lost confidence in the independence of the ethics committee’s adjudicatory chamber after judge Hans-Joachim Eckert issued a 42-page statement in November based on the report.

The credibility of Zurich-based FIFA’s ability to police itself has been questioned inside the sport and Garcia’s comments appeared to deal another blow to the organization. It has been fending off corruption allegations since the Gulf state was awarded the 2022 tournament four years ago. Qatar has denied the allegations.

Garcia, whose report

Sepp Blatter

Eckert’s Nov. 13 statement concluded that there was not enough evidence to justify reopening the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments.

But Garcia said that, “The issues raised by Mr. Eckert’s selection and omission of material from the Report, and his additional comments, went far beyond the initial transparency concerns.”

APPEAL DENIED

has not been made public, said it was “the lack of leadership” on ethics issues within FIFA “that leads me to conclude that my role in this process is at an end.

“No independent governance committee, investigator or arbitration panel can change the culture of an organization,” the statement issued through his Chicagobased law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, said. The firm said Garcia would not be available for interviews.

UEFA president Michel Platini, a member of FIFA’s executive committee, said Garcia’s resignation was a step backwards.

“FIFA’s ethics committee was created to increase the transparency of the organisation, that’s what we wanted, but in the end it has just caused more confusion for FIFA,” the former World Cup star for France said in a statement.

FIFA’s Executive Committee is meeting

this week in Marrakech, Morocco, which is hosting the Club World Club. The Exco is expected to debate a proposal from Germany’s Theo Zwanziger to allow the publication of Garcia’s report in full.

“It now appears that, at least for the foreseeable future, the Eckert Decision will stand as the final word on the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process,” Garcia’s statement said.

German judge

Garcia resigned a day after his appeal of Eckert’s evaluation was ruled inadmissible by FIFA. Garcia said Eckert had misrepresented the report.

Allegations of bidding corruption made by two former employees of World Cup bids were examined by Garcia, but largely dismissed by Eckert.

One of those employees, Phaedra Almajid, a former official of Qatar’s bid, said in an email that Garcia’s resignation and the reasons he gave “are one more, emphatic exposure of FIFA’s self-pro-

tecting corruption. FIFA has no ethics. Its rules are a farce.”

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was surprised by Garcia’s decision to resign. “The work of the Ethics Committee will nonetheless continue and will be a central part of the discussions at the ExCo meeting in the next two days.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating allegations of corruption involving FIFA and affiliated organizations based in the Western Hemisphere.

Reuters reported last year that FBI investigators had persuaded Daryan Warner, a son of Jack Warner, a former FIFA vice-president, to be a cooperating witness.

Since at least the summer of 2011, the FBI has been examining more than $500,000 in payments made by the Caribbean Football Union to an offshore company headed by Chuck Blazer, formerly at top soccer official in the United States. (Reuters)

Sport

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South Africa’s Kallis confirmed for CPL 2015

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ingston, Jamaica – Excitement for CPL 2015 is on a high following the announcement that South African cricket hero, Jacques Kallis has been confirmed to join the draft list for next year’s tournament.

The news comes hot on the heels of last Friday’s announcement that the Caribbean Premier League is set to offer contracts to young cricketers from the Caribbean and ICC Americas region and will see these players rub shoulders with some of the game’s greatest players.

Each of the six CPL franchise coaches will no doubt be clamouring to secure Kallis at the official CPL 2015 draft, which is tentatively scheduled to take place in early 2015.

Speaking about joining the draft, Kallis, said; “I have really enjoyed playing in the Caribbean with The Proteas and am looking forward to hopefully returning for the CPL. It is an amazing place with amazing people and I am excited to see what team I will be playing for. CPL has produced some fantastic cricket and the fans really bring a special at-

Jacques Kallis

mosphere so I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

CPL International Cricket Director, Tom Moody, said; “The addition of these cricketing greats to the roster for CPL 2015 is testament to the growing success of the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’ which has grown significantly since its inaugural year. And, with players of this calibre getting on board, CPL is offering young Caribbean cricketers a great opportunity to test their skills against

some of the best of their generation.”

Jacques Henry Kallis is regarded as one of the greatest of the game’s allrounders having scored more than 11,000 runs and taken 250 wickets in both one-day and Test match cricket as of 2013.

In 2008, he was named Leading Cricketer in the World in the 2008 Wisden for his performances in 2007 in addition to being the “ICC Test Player of the Year” and ICC Player of the Year in 2005.

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