Guyana Times International 03-May-2019.pdf

Tullow promises strong local content policy should wells be successful Page 7

INTERNATIONAL THE BEACON OF TRUTH

for FRee distribution guyanatimesinternational.com

You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 447

APNU/AFC Govt’s honouring convicted terrorist a global stain to Guyana – Jagdeo

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019

See stories on pages 3 and 13

…US, Britain, Canada, EU condemns act

Caricom urges US to maintain duty-free market access Page 5

Dr Karen Cummings named Foreign Affairs Minister Page 9

Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow is referred to as the father of Trade Unionism in Guyana. His monument stands tall in the compound of the Public Buildings and was unveiled by the then Premier of British Guiana Dr. Cheddi Jagan on 2 December 1964. As a 21 year old dock worker Critchlow founded the British Guiana Labour Union which fought successfully for the rights of dock workers in Georgetown. (Shaconeil Burnette photo)

2

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

APNU/AFC Govt’s honouring convicted terrorist a global stain to Guyana – Jagdeo …US, Britain, Canada, EU condemns act

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

O

pposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, says that the passage of the motion to honour convicted international terrorist, Abdul Kadir, in the National Assembly is a stain on Guyana globally.

At his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo stated that the APNU/AFC Coalition government should never have allowed such an “ill conceivable, insensi-

tive” resolution to reach the floor of the Parliament much less be passed in the National Assembly.

“We owe the world an apology and that is the only way we will remove this stain that is on Guyana internationally.

Instead of the government apologising to Guyana to all victims of international terrorism the world, it has chosen to make excuses.

The government says that it never intended to convey the impression that it supports terrorism so it’s our fault for having that impression,” Jagdeo stated.

According to the Opposition Leader, the family of Kadir should not have to concern themselves about being treated differently because of his misdeeds adding that persons should not suffer due to the actions of their relatives.

“However, this motion

should not have made the Order Paper. It should not have been debated by the PNC and passed in the National Assembly. This is a stain on Guyana globally,” he posited.

Jagdeo added that the government needs to issue an apology for its actions in this regard since this is the only way to ensure that Guyana and by extension all Guyanese are not stained wherever they go.

The motion, which reads “That this National Assembly records its deep regret on the death of Mr. Abdul Kadir, on 28th June, 2018, and pays tribute to his dedicated service to the Parliament of Guyana as a Member of Parliament where he served in the Eight Parliament, from 17th April, 2001 to 2nd May, 2006, and to the People of Guyana,” was brought to the floor

by Junior Agriculture

Minister Valerie AdamsYearwood.

Joining the growing list of diplomatic delegations condemning the motion was the Canadian High Commission. On Wednesday, Canada said it is disappointed by the passage of the motion.

“Canada is disappointed that members of Guyana’s National Assembly have paid tribute to former MP Abdul Kadir, a convicted terrorist,” Canada said in a statement to the media today. criticism Canada’s comes in the wake of rebukes from the United States, the United Kingdom’s envoy and the European Union. The Opposition, PPP/C also criticised the government for passing such a motion.

The motion – sympathy on the Death of Mr Abdul Kadir, former Member of Parliament – was ta-

bled by Junior Agriculture Minister Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, who described the convicted terrorist as a “great man” and a “stalwart”.

“The people of Linden and Guyana have lost a great man, a stalwart; a bold and courageous man.

So I ask this National Assembly that we direct an expression of sympathy (to) be conveyed to his sorrowing widow, children, grandchildren and relatives,” Minister AdamsYearwood said as she tabled the motion. motion was The brought and passed in the absence of PPP parliamentarians, who have vowed to stay away from sittings until the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rules on all no-confidence motion related cases.

Meanwhile, in light of the overwhelming backlash regarding the hon-

Canadian High Commissioner Lillian Chatterjee

ouring of the convicted terrorist, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally noted on the sidelines of the Labour Day march today, that government will have to review how sympathy motions are done.

Kadir died while serving a life sentence in a US prison after he was found guilty of plotting an attack at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York.

4 views

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

INTERNATIONAL To contact: Guyana Times International

New York Office 106-15 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica NY 11435 Email: guyanatimesnyint@gmail.com Tel no: 718-658-6804 Fax no: 718-849-2286 Preferred method of contact via EMAIL Guyana Office Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana.

Tel no: (592) 223-7230/1, 225-7761.

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

EDITORIAL

Tarnishing Guyana’s image

Reservoir Dam at Moco Moco Falls, Kanuku Mountains, Rupununi Savannas of Guyana (Photo by Subhash Haimraj)

G

uyanese were astonished after learning that the APNU/AFC Government used taxpayers’ money and the hallowed halls of the National Assembly to posthumously honour one of their former Members of Parliament (MP), Abdul Kadir, who was convicted for terrorism.

Kadir, who was charged for plotting to bomb the John K Kennedy International Airport in New York, died while serving a life sentence in a United States penitentiary.

To merely state that the charges against Kadir were serious would be a gross understatement, especially in the context of the bombing of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, also in New York. That event, which resulted in the deaths of close to three thousand persons, arguably has the most global impact since the Second World War. For sure, it drastically changed international travel requirements and airport security across the planet.

That puts a better perspective to the seriousness of Kadir’s charges and ultimate conviction. Had he been successful in what he was convicted for, more lives would have been lost on US soil. For the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government to therefore use a sitting of the highest decision-making forum in the country to shower praise on a criminal, especially given what he was convicted for, reeks of utter disrespect for both Guyanese and Americans including those who perished at the hands of terrorists.

As expected, it was condemned by Guyanese and the United States Government. For many, especially young people, the Government’s action to honour Kadir may seem bizarre and even unbelievable in the context of rationality. Following the forthright condemnation by the US, the Government sought to explain that its action was in keeping with parliamentary tradition to honour the services of MPs. It also noted its regret over the US’ interpretation.

While honouring MPs is a noble gesture, the Government may have conveniently forgotten that Kadir was convicted for a criminal offence which may have rendered him expelled by default. Many are now questioning how such a motion was tabled given Government’s legal expertise not the least, the Attorney General. That aside, the Kadir parliamentary motion was not the first instance that the People’s National Congress (PNC) would have embraced criminal elements.

Its relationship with Rabbi Edward Washington while in Government prior to 1992, readily comes to mind. Washington was the Leader of the House of Israel here; an organisation described as a cult. Reportedly, before coming to Guyana, Washington, or David Hill as he was known, was found guilty for blackmail and sentenced to serve a 4-25-year term in Cleveland, Ohio.

In another trial, a Chicago grand jury found him guilty of grand theft felony charges.

Here, he found a comfortable place seemingly through the courtesy of the PNC. During that oppressive regime, many Guyanese who opposed and fought for freedom and democracy had thugs unleased upon them, believably

by Washington reportedly at the PNC’s bidding. Many were brutally assaulted and in the case of Father Bernard Darke, a photographer for the Catholic Standard, he was stabbed and killed on Brickdam while covering a protest again the PNC Government.

Despite the cries, what many victims related and the belief of Guyanese then, Washington appeared untouchable under the Forbes Burnham Government. Many remain convinced that the suspected relationship between a convicted US felon, Washington, and the PNC, which is now the dominant party in the current coalition Government, led to many other acts of violence unleashed on Guyanese. Those familiar with that aspect of our history may therefore not be so surprised at the honouring of Kadir.

While Washington may not have been honoured in Parliament like Kadir, he was allowed to be his own king even with a weekly programme on the national radio station. He was eventually charged and convicted under the Desmond Hoyte Administration following Burnham’s death. That, however, cannot erase the horror inflicted on the memories and minds of the victims during that dark period. But such association between the PNC and criminals didn’t end with Washington’s incarceration.

In Opposition, it’s then leader, Hoyte, attended the funeral of the feared criminal Linden “Blackie” London, whose coffin was draped with the Guyana flag during the ceremony at the Square of the Revolution; a place synonymous with PNC gatherings. “Blackie”, who was wanted by the authorities, was killed during an extended heavy exchange of gunfire between him and law enforcement in 2000. Just two years after on Mashramani Day, five bandits escaped from the Camp Street Prison.

A reign of terror ensued instilling fear across the land through robberies, some of which led to the deaths of victims. They took an East Coast village to ransom and set chilling examples by killing suspected informants and burnt homes in their rampage. They brandished heavy weapons in videos reportedly captured by a few believably associated with the PNC. They were even given the title of “freedom fighters” by some defenders of that party.

While such relationships seemingly flourished over time and for which some from the younger generation may be oblivious, it was at the expense of the ordinary citizens. Similar for the Kadir motion as taxpayers’ monies were spent and the country’s international image tarnished with possible repercussions. What this latest incident shows is the PNC’s seeming ongoing penchant to embrace criminal elements. Would Kadir be the last?

Kumu Falls, Rupununi Savannas of Guyana.Approximately 30 miles from Lethem. (Photo by Subhash Haimraj)

Debate our economic order

T

he “one shoe fits all” formula that defines our present neo-liberal economic system was always doomed to fail, since the premises that undergirded those prescriptions were flawed from the beginning, in 1989.

But even though the premises had led to global crashes in 1997 and 2008, we still have not questioned them. Take their injunction that the capital and financial markets, and indeed the entire financial systems of the ‘globalised” world, ought to be completely liberalised, so that financial flows would be utterly unimpeded. Can one imagine what the condition of the world would have been today if China and India, among others, had not resisted that piece of dogma?

Our major frustration, however, has been the model’s obsession with “macro-economic fundamentals”, at the expense of any meaningful growth in the economy. The conditionalities, summarised as the “Washington Consensus” — which the PNC Government of Desmond Hoyte signed on to in 1989, when they accepted the IMF’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) — forced us into what was supposed to be a “golden straightjacket”, in the words of one enthusiastic supporter.

Joseph Siglitz, a former Chief Economist of the World Bank, is a Nobel Prize winner to boot, but he trenchantly took the IFIs to task for their myopic vision on development. He was one of the earliest advisors to the Chinese Government on

its studied integration into the global economy. Apart from his rejection of unbridled capital and financial liberalisation of economies, he most importantly disagreed with the IMF/ World Bank on the role of governments in the creation of sustainable growth in developing economies.

In addition to several other mainstream economists, he pointed out that the IMF/ World Bank’s extolling of a “night-watchman” role of the state, particularly in relation to creating industries, was based on a myth; even in the AngloSaxon economies, where the neo-liberal ideology was honed.

In the early days of these economies, and certainly those of every “Eastern Tiger”, government’s role was critical. Every country that is now developed — for instance, in its early stages — practised some form of “infant industry” protection, while limiting foreign investment. Yet we were coerced into liberalising our trade, and signing treaties that would result in us being flooded with products in markets that we might later have been able to compete.

The bottom line is that a level playing field leads to unfair competition when the players are unequal. It was interesting that the World Bank eventually invited Stiglitz to be a member of an elite panel to chart its future direction.

The present Government has to accept that finance is not our major obstacle to the creation of new industries, or the expansion of the old; our en-

demic excess liquidity “problem” rejects that thesis. A pragmatic approach to development is necessary, because the cause of our underdevelopment is, to some extent, strategic rather than structural.

We had proposed the creation of a “Catalytic Entrepreneurial State” (CES) that would go beyond the minimalist facilitative state pushed by the IFIs. Japan and the Eastern Tigers explicitly tied assistance to selected private industries based on their commitment and ability to export. This strategic decision had two significant and faithful results, which differed from the “import substitution strategy” that failed between 1964 and 1992, and which the present PNC Government seems to be reintroducing.

In the Far-Eastern model, the assisted firms were subjected to the market discipline of the competition of international trade. This was the most intense competition, and ensured that efficiencies and productivities had to be raised to the highest levels. These firms not only couldn’t afford to be fat and lazy, like the protected ones in Guyana in the ‘70s, they had to become world class; and they’ve remained world class.

The second benefit, of course, was that the exports brought in foreign exchange, and there was no need to ban anything to save foreign exchange. They engaged in market orientation, rather than market control.

We hope there will be more debate on the system that guarantees this outcome.

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Caricom urges US to maintain duty-free market access C aricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque has expressed the bloc’s interest in the renewal of legislation for the extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) waiver beyond December 2019 to allow continued duty-free access to the US market.

The Secretary General made the case as he accredited the new US envoy to Caricom, Sarah-Ann Lynch, at the Secretariat’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana on Tuesday. He said the Region also welcomed greater flows of US investments in agriculture, tourism, and transportation.

A m b a s s a d o r LaRocque underscored the importance of cooperation in clean and renewable energy, and in security amidst increasing security threats in the current global environment. In that context, he said Caricom looked forward to collaborating with the United States at the US-Caribbean Security

Cooperation Commission in Barbados, and at the Eighth Caribbean-US High-Level Dialogue in Washington next month.

He told Ambassador Lynch that her country should now be more sensitive to Caricom’s concerns about black-listing by the European Union, since the US recently experienced that action itself.

“As we seek to diversify our economies through services, some of our Member States which have developed their financial services sector have been labelled as non-cooperative tax jurisdictions.

This is so despite the fact that the countries in question are not designated by the relevant regulatory authorities, such as the Financial Action Task Force and the OECD [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development] Global Forum,” the SG said.

“Blacklisted jurisdictions face major reputational damage which has an adverse effect, demonstrated by the “de-risking” strategies of international banks resulting

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque greets US Ambassador SarahAnn Lynch at the Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana

in the withdrawal of crucial correspondent banking relationships. This development has had an impact on investment flows, on trade and on the financial operations of our economies, not to mention impeding the flow of remittances sent

by Caribbean nationals living abroad. The US itself has the experience of being recently blacklisted and would, therefore, be now more sensitive to our situation,” Secretary General LaRocque stat-

ed.

The US envoy in her remarks lauded the structures of Caricom integration which have “successfully dismantled barriers to fair trade, and created the formidable Caribbean Court of Justice”.

Caricom has “impressively coordinated collective approaches to education, public health, disaster response, and development financing”, Ambassador Lynch, who is also the US envoy to

Guyana, said. She added that the US was proud to continue to support the work of Caricom and envisioned a Community that was “an innovative and competitive force in the world’s economy”.

The new envoy noted that US supported and encouraged the single economic space of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

“With this economic integration, we have already seen new opportunities to attract in-

vestment and increase economies of scale. We expect to witness an even greater boost in trade, as well as an increased respect for intellectual property rights and consumer protection regulations.”

“We also envision a populace in which every citizen has the opportunity to realise their potential, and contribute to economic, social, and cultural prosperity for themselves and for their society,” the envoy stated.

She said as the USA strengthened its cooperation with the Region, its Caribbean 2020 strategy provided a framework for focusing US interagency efforts on security, diplomacy, prosperity, energy, education, and health.

She lauded the successes of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), which has boosted the capabilities of Caribbean law enforcement and security forces to deter violent crime, reduce the rate of organised crime, and curb illicit narcotics and weapons trafficking.

6

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Bringing Guyana into disgrace Dear Editor, I do not often respond to articles of other writers but it is expedient that I respond to two articles written recently. These are The Peeper and the other by Lincoln Lewis.

Of the two writers, The Peeper was somewhat subtle in his assessment of the Kadir matter, unlike Lewis who was his usual shameless self in full support of evil and evil regime actions.

The matter before us is the “honouring” of the former parliamentarian Abdul Kadir by the PNC-led coalition in

the hallowed House of Parliament. This salute to a convicted criminal comes ten months after his death in prison for a terrorist plot to blow up the JFK Airport. There are audio tapes to prove that this man is guilty of plotting to blow up the airport at rush-hour traffic, causing mass casualties to persons using the said facility.

Kadir was found guilty by way of investigation under the Terrorist Act of the USA and sentenced to life imprisonment where he later died in incarceration.

Now, to acclaim this man as a “hero” for his

contribution to the State called Guyana or, to put it in Lincoln’s words, “normal” for the National Assembly to give recognition to deceased MPs is shamefully ludicrous.

I say shamefully ludicrous because Lincoln is simply dressing up a terrorist by a new name in the same way he and his comrades are calling corruption by a new name. If Lincoln wants to play the fool, he can, but do not encapsulate my country, my people, in such an asinine move. We would never be part of that.

If he and his PNC com-

rades want to congratulate, acclaim, or whatever the term they might want to call it, then do so at Congress Place, but not in The National Assembly.

What was done in Parliament last Friday will go down as an acclamation of “The People of Guyana” when in truth and fact, it is the PNC that is making that resolution.

This move must be condemned by all right-thinking persons.

The point I am making is that these writers are under the deceitful and conceited notion that a person that did not carry

Advocating for free and fair elections on behalf of all Guyanese

Dear Editor, The APNU/AFC Government must accept the fact that on the night of December 21, 2018, 33 of the 65 members of the National Assembly voted in favour of a NoConfidence Motion (NCM) brought against the coalition Government by the Parliamentary Opposition, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic. It is pellucid that the now partisan agenda of the GECOM Commission runs counter to its constitutional role. In addition, pensioner Patterson is merely a tool of the PNC for a simple majority in the Commission while Alexander and his cabal are deliberately attempting to illegally and unconstitutionally keep the fallen APNU/AFC cabal in power by ensuring that the Commission keeps GECOM at an unready state for elec-

tions.

The PNC-APNU/AFC coalition Government is hell-bent on rigging the next General and Regional Elections and needs time to conjure up their clandestine mechanisms. The cabal is well aware that no major disruption or disenfranchisement of voters will occur if the current list is updated via the approved Continuous Registration process for the elections.

The call for house-to-house registration, therefore, is just another delaying attempt that we must resist with full strength and total togetherness.

Patterson has proved that he is open to manipulation by the PNC and being effectively receptive to dragging on the process of holding elections, and worst, that he is likely to be a conduit for facilitating all skul-

duggery if allowed the time and space.

The CCJ has before it, arguably the most significant case that will likely impact regional judicial harmonisation and its own integrity. There is also abundant evidence of precedence and relevance regarding regional States restructuring to avoid the possible tie result regarding what constitutes a majority when it involves an even number parliamentary seat setting.

Only recently, the eminent former Chairman of the Caribbean Association of Electoral Organisation, Professor Emeritus Errol Miller convincingly articulated and presented his now circulated discussion on the matter by the cases of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. In these instances, the States purposefully changed their election con-

stituency structure to an odd number to avoid parties winning equal seats. This is very instructive and must be given due consideration.

One expects, therefore, that logic and facts along with the intent of the constitutional framers will be closely looked at, as the judgement will be looked at and have far-reaching effects.

I believe that there is an absolute basis, as well as strong and sufficient evidence to support the CCJ’s upholding of the NCM and that this should inform the instructive decisions to puncture the wheels of the ‘rigging’ clique who are busy working around the clock to postpone elections in Guyana. I am advocating for free and fair elections on behalf of all Guyanese.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

APNU/AFC Government is functioning in secrecy Dear Editor, Act 21 of the 2011 Access to Information Act was approved by the National Assembly during the PPP/C Government.

The basic objective of the Rights to Information Act is to empower citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the functioning of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in real sense.

It establishes, without saying, that informed Guyanese are better equipped to maintain the necessary vigil on the instruments of governance and demands a more accountable Government to the people. The Access to Information Act is to make citizens informed about activities of the Government also.

This APNU/AFC coalition Government continues to strangle the rights of people from the access to information that would expose the corruption, dictatorial policies, racial discrimination etc.

The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six is an elected second-level Government

that represents the people, but continues to be disregarded when it requests information for projects, decisions and policies that are being executed and implemented by the APNU/AFC coalition Government. This dictatorial Government operates in Region Six without any respect or regard for this elected regional governance. Numerous projects that are being managed by central Ministries don’t even inform the RDC of project execution or give a copy of the contract documents because Ministries are scared of scrutiny that will unearth massive corruption.

The East Bank Berbice Public Road Project is one of the biggest projects in the region that is being undertaken by the MOPI but they refused to make available the contract documents to the RDC. Likewise, the Indian Monument site at Palmyra, where billions of taxpayers’ monies are disappearing through the sale of materials etc. Berbician are still anxious to know what is the total cost of these projects.

The RDC was informed through the REO that the

National Drainage and Irrigation Authority said that Cabinet made a decision to reallocate budgetary funds from the 2019 regional allocation without providing any information or evidence of the Cabinet’s decision.

The RDC of Region Six is stunned because this can cause serious implications in transferring these funds to the NDIA without the approval of the RDC. The Fiscal Management and Accountability Act does not allow for the transferral of funds allocated for Drainage and Irrigation in the regional budget to be transferred to NDIA without the permission of the RDC. The NDIA is being used, evidently, as an arm of the PNC to satisfy their supporters. Excavators are being used to execute private jobs for PNC supporters in Region six because of political intervention by senior Government officials.

Imagine that the REO of Region Five is shutting down an RDC meeting because of alleged usage of NDIA excavators to execute private work in Bath settlement, but when

NDIA excavators are used

by PNC activists in various areas it becomes legal.

This issue was highlighted to the CEO, Flatts, but he refused to comment on the issue.

Finally, the circus of “Bringing the Government to the people “, continued in Region Five a few days ago. Unfortunately, Government continued to disregard the most serious problem in Region Five, that is, where APNU/ AFC councillors and the REO are purposely shutting down the functioning of the RDC, which can be considered the “voice of the residents” in that region.

Disregarding this major issue of democracy in Region Five is an insult to David Granger who boasted about democracy in Guyana.

What is happening in Region Six is a replica by this APNU/AFC coalition Government throughout Guyana. The RDC is demanding their constitutional rights for the access to information for all projects and policies that are implemented within.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

out an act cannot be considered guilty. Well, they are ever so wrong, you cannot wait for a terrorist to carry out an act then call him a terrorist, the fact is his evil schemes can prove that he is a terrorist. Their foolish interpretation is a “thief is only a thief when he is caught”.

This is utter trash and Lincoln and others are peddling that form of foolishness to a civilised world.

Or, greater still, try telling the Sri Lankan people that foolishness that these plotters who caused mass killings over there were not terrorists.

Subtlety and the ability to go undetected is the means on which terrorism thrives, so this nonsense peddled by Lincoln and friends is outrageous, to say the least.

So, the point is established that the PNC wants the world to know that they are supporters of terrorism, only this time bringing the hallowed name of our country into its disgraceful scheme.

He is a convicted terrorist there is no doubt about that.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Worrying situation

Dear Editor, Over the years, there have been numerous complaints by the public about the situation at the Stabroek Market, mainly under the clock concerning the buying/selling of stolen articles (mostly jewellery, cell phones etc) and people being robbed blatantly there. Quite recently, one Minister had the audacity to go whilst someone was videoing her and question and have conversations with some of those gathered around the area of concern.

During the period, the Minister’s position seemed defensive towards the men there and somewhat in agreement with the illegal activities being conducted there, while she criticised the Opposition and encouraged the gathering to talk ills at the same time.

The Guyana Police Force, The City Constabulary and Government, among others, tried all methods to eradicate the sores from that vicinity to no avail.

Now we see a Minister blatantly going and seemingly condoning the nefarious activities being conducted there.

Her being there and being videoed only makes me come to one conclusion: that she is tired of hearing of police raiding there (which seems quite a lot recently) and decided to visit the area, ensuring that she’s being videoed to let those in authority know that she has an interest there (maybe with Government’s consent) and they must stop pressuring that area. Her action should be a cause of concern to everyone.

Editor, conveniently, the late Abdul Kadir is being honoured for his contributions, which might be the right thing to do be for some, but for many, his contributions might not be that much

to warrant him being honoured and there are many who accomplished more than him that should have been ahead of him, but conveniently, he comes first.

Based on the recent outcome after the NFC recently, we all know that all the MP’s have to know what is going on before the sitting so that means everyone was in agreement with that motion.

There are many people that deserve the award more than him and I am wondering if they will be given any consideration. One such person is Winston Murray, who was very much active in politics until his untimely demise. Ask most within the PNC about his contribution and you will hear.

Like him, there are many others and some are still alive and I strongly believe that they should be honoured. Let them know that this nation appreciates their contributions towards the development of Guyana.

I was privileged to interact with a few and learnt a lot from them and after listening to their works, I wonder why they are not being recognised.

We have great men like Jeffrey Thomas, Oscar Clarke, Clifton Mortimer Llewellyn John, just to name a few. I have heard of the changes they made while serving this country, the impact and some are still being used to date.

These men are very much alive and they should be honoured now, instead of waiting after their death. It’s comical to see a convicted terrorist being honoured. Great men being bypassed. It just shows the nature of thinking within the coalition which all members support.

Sincerely, Sahadeo Bates

news 7

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Tullow promises strong local content policy should wells be successful

By Jarryl Bryan

W

ith Tullow and its partners making preparations to drill three wells this year, local content and jobs in the sector will be a concern for many. According to the British company, it will be collaborating as closely as possible with locals should oil be discovered and development start.

This was according to Tullow’s Head of Communications, George Cazenove, who in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International explained that the company has a positive track record in local content.

“Tullow is a company that is mostly based in Africa and we have huge experience of oil development in Africa, particularly in Ghana and also in Kenya and Uganda… we are very committed

Tullow’s Head of Communications, George Cazenove

to a way of working we call shared prosperity,” Cazenove explained.

“Shared prosperity includes a firm commitment to local content…

Tullow has made significant efforts in both East and West Africa to make sure that local companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are involved in the supply chain in the oil and gas developments we

are involved with.”

Cazenove noted that in the current exploration phase the company is in with its Orinduik block, it’s difficult for small and medium-sized companies to take part due to the need for technical expertise. But he added that the Government would naturally expect that Tullow do as much as it can to advance local content opportunities for the Guyanese people to directly benefit.

“But during the development phase, if we have success, we will certainly seek to include small and medium-sized Guyanese companies as much as we can,” Cazenove explained to this publication.

When it comes to the potential for that success, Cazenove expressed the need for caution due to the unpredictable nature of oil exploration.

Notwithstanding the success of relatively near-

by wells like Exxon’s Hammerhead prospect, Cazenove noted that the wells Jethro-Lobe, Joe and Carapa still carry an element of risk.

“We’re delighted to be working in Guyana.

We’re very excited about the drilling programme ahead of us. We’re hopeful that the wells will be successful. But I would add that caution… they are risky wells. There’s no guarantee of success.

As I said earlier, there’s a one in four chance of successful campaign.”

“The Hammerhead well is definitely of interest to Tullow and its partners. It’s certainly helped in de-risking some of the geology. But you can’t read too much into anything. You have to be very careful that you don’t see one prospect and then read across too far into others. It’s exciting. It gives us huge interest, but we’re very

cautious. Exploration is a risky game and we don’t take anything for granted.”

2019 plans Tullow had in February announced it was bringing forward its drilling programme from the previously scheduled end of the year to the second quarter. It had announced that the Jethro prospect would be drilled in June.

On the other hand, its Carapa prospect in Kanuku will be drilled in the third quarter. It is understood that the net cost of the Jethro well is US$30 million, while the Carapa well will cost US$20 million.

Tullow’s partner in the Orinduik block, Eco Atlantic, had announced that drilling on the Joe prospect will begin in mid-July of this year.

They had announced that the Stena forth drill ship will move directly to the

Joe, after it finishes drilling the Jethro Lobe Well in the Orinduik block.

It is understood that the Joe is located in approximately 650 meters of water and will cost Eco approximately US$3 million to drill. A recently published report from international company Gustavson Associates has estimated that the well has a 43.2 per cent chance of success.

The Orinduik oil block is just a few kilometres from Exxon’s discoveries in the Liza and Payara fields. It is under the administration of Eco Guyana and Tullow, who signed a 10-year Petroleum Prospecting licence and Production Sharing Agreement with the Guyana in 2016 French firm Total E&P Activities Petrolieres entered the fray in 2017; partnering with Eco with the option to get a 25 per cent share in the block.

Rights of consumers in a ‘digital economy’ take centre stage …as 21st CI World Congress opens in Portugal

Representative of the Guyana Consumer’s Association, Jainarine Deonauth sharing a light moment with Head of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch Division of UNCTAD, Teresa Moreira (centre) and Consumer Directorate General of Portugal, Anna Catarina Fonseca

T

he 21st World Congress of C o n s u m e r s International; the organisation that is responsible for the protection and promotion of consumer rights around the globe, began on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, in Estoril, Portugal, with several stakeholders calling for increased focus on the challenges faced by consumers due to an increasingly digitised world.

The event is being held in partnership with Consumers International, The Consumer Directorate-General of Portugal and the Internet Society; and has brought together consumer experts from around the world, businesses, civil society, regulators and governments to engage with each other on a range of issues which organisers hope would result in unique perspectives on the digitised world, its possibilities and potential pitfalls.

In declaring the sum-

mit open, Portugal’s Minister of the Economy, Pedro Siza Vieira, underlined the constant efforts that are needed to address the challenges of protecting and empowering consumers in a complex and rapidly developing online environment. He urged all stakeholders; including regulators, businesses and consumer organisations to work together to overcome these challenges in order to ensure that everyone benefits from the opportunities that are available.

The theme of this year’s summit, ‘Putting Consumers at the heart of digital innovation’.

The Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) is being represented at the Congress by Secretary/ Executive Member Jainarine Deonauth.

According to Consumers International, “by harnessing the power of collective intelligence and fostering understanding between those who

create digital products and services, and those who use and regulate them, we will catalyse future change, and support breakthroughs and innovations which will benefit consumers, digital businesses and society as a whole”.

Speaking briefly with Guyana Times International, head of the Competition and Consumer Policies Branch Division of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Teresa Moreira, related that her organisation is committed to working with other international organisations to assist developing countries such as Guyana, bet-

ter deal with the challenges of a digital economy, but such request must come

from countries and/or organisations themselves.

She explained that UNCTAD has worked previously with Latin

American countries and Caricom in strengthening their legislative and institutional frameworks for consumer protection.

8 news

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Opposition, Govt clash over dismissed sugar workers, unemployment rate

T

he Opposition P e o p l e ’ s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament and Government Ministers on Wednesday clashed at the Labour Day rally on the issues of fired sugar workers as well as the high rates of unemployment in Guyana.

Opposition MP Vickram Bharrat blasted the Government for firing the sugar workers, contributing to the number of jobless people in the country.

Bharrat was at the time addressing workers at the Labour Day rally held at the National Park.

“Our teachers should be in the classrooms preparing our future generation and not on the street protesting for salary increases and better working conditions. Our bauxite workers should not block rivers and roadways to attract the attention of employers, union leaders and Government officials. Our sugar workers should not be put on the breadline, unable to provide for their families due to the closure of estates without assistance or alternative,” he told the gathering.

The MP added, “We are already faced with a high unemployment rate, especially among our young people in a country with such a small workforce. Today as we celebrate, there are over 30,000 Guyanese without jobs due to the closure of key industries and businesses, lack of education for employment in new and technical fields, a sluggish economy, contracting productive sectors, a complete lack of investments (are) among the contributing factors.”

Bharrat took the opportunity to remind workers gathered at the National Park that there are several persons unable to provide for their families and even send their children to school as a result of the move made by the Government to close the sugar estates.

However, Attorney General Basil Williams, who represented the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration at the rally, told workers the sugar industry was actually downsized to save it.

“We are not responsible for the predicament of the sugar workers in Guyana… we spent within the first three years $30 billion and what we were forced to do because of the Skeldon Sugar Factory… we have had to downsize the industry to save it and even those

sugar industries that are now extant they are doing very well,” he added.

In this regard, the Attorney General said the Government will continue to “take care” of the sugar workers. He however did not say how Government has been taking care of the fired workers.

While responding to the PPP MP on the issue of unemployment, he assured that the Government is aware of the number of people that are currently jobless and is working to reduce the figures.

The Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara (Enmore) estates were closed in December 2017, leaving thousands of workers jobless. The Wales Sugar Estate was the first to shut down in 2016.

Only three estates are currently in operation – Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt.

Unions M e a n w h i l e , the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) was represented by the Union’s Treasurer, Seepaul Narine, who said Labour Day celebrations this year come at a time when workers are struggling to keep their heads above water due to increased water rates, transportation costs and other pressures.

“Several matters cannot escape our attention at this time given the bearing they have on workers wellbeing.

High on that list are the heavy burdens nowadays that workers are made to fetch occasion largely by increased taxation. We have on several occasions expressed our deep concern and dismay regarding the situation which has seen several essential items falling under the tax hammer,” Narine explained.

Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Coretta McDonald told Government that they need to find more jobs for the youths. She urged that social polices be quickly designed to remedy the situation as she also lobbied for gender equality in the workplace.

Furthermore, McDonald told the gathering that the country deserves leaders that are not in love with money but who are loyal to their posts.

“We need leaders who are not in love with money but who are in love with social justice. Let me remind our politicians that we do not need leaders who are in love with publicity but we need

Opposition MP Vickram Bharrat

those leaders who are in love with humanity.

Guyana is ready to move and we cannot move forward if it’s about I and them. We cannot move forward if it’s about race and colour or creed, within the labour movement we see workers and the issues that our workers face they are common across the board and so I would want to urge us all to remember the principles that our forefathers fought for,” she shared.

Additionally, General Secretary of the GTUC, Lincoln Lewis told

Government that they need to look into the natural resources industry to ensure workers there are not being exploited.

He warned, “The exploitation of oil and gas, another natural resource, that attract external investment and attention, similar to what happened in bauxite, gold, diamond and forestry must be looked at. We have to guard against where our citizens are being forced to settle for the crumbs.

There must be a new approach to making sure Guyanese benefit tremendously from these resources. Already it has been brought to labour’s attention that there exits have disparity in remuneration for locals doing the same job as foreign labourers”.

May Day march Nevertheless, workers were well represented by their respective unions at the Labour Day march in Georgetown on Wednesday.

The atmosphere

A section of workers making their way into the National Park

when hundreds of workers marched along the streets in observance of workers’ day was almost electric as they danced and sang songs of solidarity along the trail.

Some began assembling at Parade Ground from as early as 07:30h as they prepared themselves for the march.

The march saw the participation of a number of workers’ unions, including the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Guyana Labour Union

(GLU), the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) among a number of others.

Labour Day has always been observed in Guyana on the first day in May since the 1930s.

It commemorates the struggles of workers and their significant input into society. Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, the father of trade unionism, is remembered on that day as he fought for the rights of workers.

Telecommunications Ministry awarded contract to minister’s company

V

ideomega Production, the company owned

by Minister of Public Telecommunication’s Cathy Hughes, have not only received contracts from several other ministries; it received a contract from the minister’s own ministry.

This was revealed when the company released several invoices for work it did arranging advertisements for various ministries.

A total of $3.6 million was paid to the media houses, but according to Videomega productions all it pocketed was a 15 per cent agency commission totaling $481,577.

The contract that Hughes’ ministry awarded to her company was for ads ranging from full paged full color to 7 x 2 in size to be placed in the daily newspapers for its Caribbean Information Communication Technology (ICT) road show 2018.

In addition, the Natural Resources Ministry also commissioned Hughes’ company to produce full page full color camera ready artwork that was placed in almost all the dailies on March 22, 2018. This cost $406,501.

Ads were also placed in all the dailies for the Tobacco legislation media campaign, on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, in October and November of 2018.

These two campaigns cost $1 Million each.

Videomega Productions, a company which is owned by Minister Hughes and managed by Russel Lancaster since 2015, received contracts from the Energy department to produce television public service announcements (PSAs) for the department, which is coordinating preparations for Guyana’s oil and gas sector.

It had been reported that the company was also been contracted

One of the invoices released by Videomega Productions on Wednesday

to produce brochures. It is unclear at this point of time what, if any, tendering process the Minister’s company went through to get these contracts.

Hughes has repeatedly insisted that she played no part in the running of her company after 2015 and had no knowledge of the government contracts it was receiving.

“In May 2015 upon my assumption of the role of Minister of Tourism I relinquished any involvement in the day to day running of Videomega Productions.

Russel Lancaster was appointed Manager and is responsible for the operations of the company. I have since been informed that the contract was for the production of three sixty second television Public Service Announcements.”

“The value of the contract is $ 832,200. The award of this contract was never brought to my attention neither would I have been aware of it in the normal conduct of the company’s business,” the minister had said in a statement last month.

NEWS 9

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Dr Karen Cummings named Foreign Affairs Minister F

ormer Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings has taken up the position of Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Dr Cummings will be replacing Carl Greenidge, who had to resign from that position owing to his foreign citizenship, which bars him from being a Member of the National Assembly.

She took her oath of office Thursday morning before President David Granger at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Foreign Affairs Minister and Second Vice President,

Newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister DR Karen Cummings

Greenidge; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon;

Public Service Minister, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine,

and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin were forced to tender their resignations following a ruling in the High Court that dual citizens are not eligible to be members of Parliament.

As a result of that development, President Granger, who has lauded the work of the four ministers during their time in office, last Thursday announced some reshuffling which has seen the transfer of some ministers and the appointment of new ones.

These changes saw controversial ministers Valerie Adams-

Yearwood and Simona Charles-Broomes being removed from their previous ministries. Minister AdamsYearwood has been replaced by Junior Minister Annette Ferguson, who has been removed from the Public Infrastructure Ministry and placed at the Communities Ministry as Housing Minister.

Adams-Yearwood is now a Junior Minister within the Agriculture Ministry, with responsibility for Rural Affairs.

Meanwhile, Junior Minister Broomes has been removed from the Natural Resources

Ministry and placed at the Ministry of the Presidency with responsibility for Youth Affairs.

In addition, the Head of State had announced that Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Haimraj Rajkumar will now be the Business Minister; Dawn HastingsWilliams the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency; and Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Chairperson Tabitha Sarabo-Halley the Public Service Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency.

Cops in Police fraud probe on “open arrest”

T

he two Police Sergeants who were detained at the Tactical Services Unit were released on Tuesday afternoon on “open arrest” as investigations into the alleged conspiracy to commit fraud against the Guyana Police Force continues. The ranks were arrested on Wednesday last after irregularities at the Forces’ Finance Department were discovered.

A source close to the investigations told Guyana Times International on Wednesday that the two Sergeants were released on Tuesday afternoon as the extended 72-hour period they had sought to hold the ranks came to an end.

The source said the ranks were instructed to report for duty as per normal even as investigators continue to probe the fraud allegations.

After the ranks’ arrest on Wednesday last, Police investigators had obtained permission to further detain the two colleagues on Saturday for a further 72 hours. The source had told Guyana Times International on Sunday

last that the Police thought it necessary to keep the ranks in custody as the investigations continue.

He said the investigation, thus far, has gone to a new dimension and the sum involved has amounted to millions of dollars.

The ranks were called in for questioning after a number of irregularities pertaining to the accounting system at the Guyana Police Force appeared to have been compromised.

According to information received, the two Sergeants have been working within the Finance Department for a number of years.

The irregularities found are with respect to monies and vouchers for ranks, who would have performed extra duties and were to receive additional payments.

Among the duties some ranks were to be paid for were for working at shows, cricket games and other national events. This publication was told that the parents of one rank and relatives close to the other rank were called in for questioning on Friday

last. “ T h i s is all part of the investigation process. We are dealing with serious allegations here,” the source said.

In the past, Police ranks complained that they were either shortchanged or in other instances, not paid at all for extra duties. There are also claims by some that they would sign for the monies but those monies are not given to them. “There are lots of allegations and [they] are all being investigated. Information is being gathered right now after which charges will follow if necessary. We are carrying a very thorough investigation because this has been going on for quite some time and we are leaving no stone

unturned,” a source told Guyana Times.

Efforts to contact Crime Chief, Deputy Commissioner Lyndon Alves on Wednesday were unsuccessful and the Force is yet to offer an official statement on the matter.

Just recently, Police Commissioner Leslie James had urged Police ranks to desist from accepting bribes and any involvement in unlawful activ-

ities, stating that they will be “penalised”.

The Top Cop had made these comments while addressing the opening of a training programme at the Officers’ Training Centre, Eve Leary, where he also stated that he is looking for a change in performance of ranks and fewer allegations of corruption.

He added that while the Force will be engaging particular depart-

ments to tackle the issue of corruption; if the ranks believe that their salaries are too small, they should tender their resignation.

“If you’re not comfortable with your salaries, leave the job. You came on, you were told what is being offered and you decided to become an agent of the Force. How come you have an issue with your remuneration,” the Commissioner stated.

10 news

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

High Court to remove “Alcohol and gasoline do Thomas, Heath not mix” – Traffic Chief -Retemyer from SARA

O

F

ormer Attorney General Anil Nandlall has approached the courts to have the Director of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Professor Clive Thomas and his Deputy, Aubrey HeathRetemyer, removed from their positions.

He is arguing that their appointments are in contravention of the law.

In his application, Nandlall is asking the High Court to declare that both Thomas and Heath-Retemyer were not lawfully, validly and properly appointed in their respect posts at SARA. He is also asking that they be removed, respectively, as Director and Deputy Director of SARA. Thomas and HeathRetemyer, both of whom were named respondents, were appointed in 2015 – at a time when there was no legislation governing the agency, which was named SARU at the time.

When the law was finally passed, SARU became SARA and Professor Thomas and HeathRetemeyer remained in charge.

According to the court documents, the Director and the Deputy Director of SARA are appointed

SARA Deputy Aubrey Heath-Retemyer

in accordance with the procedure set out in the Schedule of the SARA Act, which states that these two appointments be by a simple majority and by the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments.

However, it was noted that since the appointment of the Director and the Deputy were before the enactment of the SARA Act, their appointments were catered for as “Transitional Arrangements – Staffing of SARA”.

This allows for persons employed prior to the SARA Act to retain their employment with all benefits but within four months after the com-

SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas

mencement of the Act, they had to be recommended for appointment in the National Assembly.

Nandlall pointed out in the court documents that this was not done and as much, the two respondents are holding the positions and performing duties illegal.

He told the court that if they are not prohibited or restrained from doing so then all subsequent actions and decisions of SARA will be unlawful, null void and of no effect resulting in a waste of public funds and damaging the reputation of third parties.

This matter comes up for hearing on May 30 before acting Chief Justice Roxane George.

ver 75 per cent of the fatal accidents that occurred during the first quarter of this year are as a result of the combination of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol.

This is according to Traffic Chief, Linden Isles, who told this newspaper on Monday that these tragedies could have been prevented if the parties involved had adhered to the traffic laws of Guyana.

“From our end, we continue to do educational talks, programmes, enforcement exercises and we will continue. Sadly, the issue of speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol is something that is within a culture of persons who naturally want to consume alcohol and then drive. And we all know it is a very dangerous practice because alcohol and gasoline do not mix,” he stated.

According to the Traffic Chief, no one person can stop or prevent all accidents from occurring but if the public along with traffic ranks work together then there can be minimised amounts of deaths on Guyana’s roadways yearly.

“We continue to urge members of the public,

talks and these things, but we had a reduction, a vast reduction in children being involved in road accidents. We continue to do our road safety talks in schools.”

CCTV cameras

Traffic Chief Linden Isles

drivers, if they have to attend functions or social events, if they have to drive, don’t consume alcohol, don’t imbibe. If they have to imbibe, get a designated driver so that we can have control of the situation,” the Traffic Chief said.

Guyana Times International was also told that there has been a drastic decrease in statistics with regard to children being involved in fatal accidents when compared to the previous year for the same period.

“We continue to do our educational talks to schools throughout the country. If you notice that most times you find with our figures that children, I don’t know if it [is] because of our road

Meanwhile, in relation to the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras that have been installed around key intersections, it was explained that these cameras are still serving their purpose despite being installed about eight years ago.

“Well, I would say the CCTV cameras in some areas are working, we still use them. We have been having successful prosecutions in various matters with the footage from these cameras.

The Guyana Police Force monitors it 24/7 and the CCTV system is being monitored by our ranks,” the Traffic Chief added.

CCTV camera usage has also boosted crime-fighting efforts by enabling law enforcement ranks to track and intercept criminals.

Installed years ago and constantly upgraded, the closed-circuit camera system was initiated under the previous Administration.

At least 130 cameras were installed initially.

(Kristen Macklingam)

Parents now left to beg so that daughter can return to normalcy

…blames hospital for child’s injuries

M

unaf Yakub and Parbattie Persaud, the parents of eight-year-old Farida Yakub, also called “Afrida”, of Supenaam Creek, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) are doing everything to give their daughter a chance to return to normalcy – even if it means to beg.

The father of the ill child explained that his daughter was a healthy

girl, adding that she attended nursery school and while at her primary school, she became ill.

He told Guyana Times International that in January 2016, the child started crying out for abdominal pain and was taken to the Suddie Hospital where she was admitted and treated for gas.

On the third day in hospital, she started to bleed from her mouth

and ears and was immediately transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where it was discovered that the drug used by medical staff at the Suddie Hospital caused her brain to swell.

This has left her incapacitated.

Some months later, her father without giving up, visited the then Health Minister, Dr George Norton, who reportedly told him that an

operation was necessary for his daughter to return to normalcy.

He further told the parents that the surgery will have to be done overseas and that the chances of her surviving are very slim. In addition, it would cost the family GY$10 million. The man said he informed the then Minister that it was the Suddie Hospital that was responsible for his daughter’s condition and that the Government should assist in offsetting some of the expenses.

Speaking with Guyana Times International, the Munaf Yakub explained that he was arrested and charged for disorderly behaviour after he got emotional about his daughter’s condition at the medical facility. He said the Police took him to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he pleaded guilty with explanation and informed the court of his plight. The Magistrate then dismissed the case against him.

He told this publication that the family’s only hope is for their daughter to get medical assistance.

However, the child’s story was told to Pandit Sugrim Singh of the Richmond Housing Scheme Vishnu Mandir and without hesitation, he immediately paid for the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to be done. Now the parents are hoping to get the medical assistance in evaluating the extent of damage to her brain and ultimately improve her health. They are still calling for help from the Government as they maintain that the child’s injuries occurred at the hands of the medical staff at the Suddie Hospital. (Mohanlall Suelall)

Munaf Yakub and Parbattie Persaud with their daughter, Farida Yakub

news 11

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Extractive sector contributed 65% of Guyana’s exports – 1st EITI Report A report completed by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative of Guyana has revealed that the extractive industry in Guyana, particularly gold mining, has contributed to 65.1 per cent of Guyana’s total exports for 2017.

It is EITI’s first report to the Government of Guyana on the extractive sectors, in keeping with an April 25, 2019, deadline for presenting the report. According to the report, total revenues from the sector in the 2017 fiscal year amounted to $20.8 billion.

The Guyana Gold Board, to which gold declarations are made, accounted for 33 per cent of this revenue. This is followed by the Guyana Revenue Authority, 32 per cent and the Ministry of Finance, 18 per cent.

Gold and other minerals contributed $17.4 billion or 84 per cent of revenue from the extractive industries. On the other hand, oil and gas contributed $2.8 billion or 14 per cent. Bauxite, one of Guyana’s oldest industries, contributed $479 million or 2 per cent.

The extractive industries’ contribution to exports has a dollar value of 193.2 billion. Besides the sector’s contribution to exports, it contributed 9.3 per cent to total Government revenues and 4.2 per cent to Guyana’s total employment. Its contribution to Guyana’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 20 per cent.

The report was presented to Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman and according to a statement from the Ministry, it will be presented to Cabinet this week. The Minister was quoted in the statement reaffirming Government’s commitment to the EITI process.

“For a country like Guyana where the bedrock of our economy is the extractive industries, this is very important…

This has been a steady process. We trust that this is the part of the journey to full transparency. The Government is fully committed to this.”

– Minister of Natural Resources Honourable Raphael Trotman

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman during the handing over of the EITI Report summary from Deputy Coordinator for the Guyana EITI (GYEITI) Diane Barker

EITI The EITI is a global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas, and mineral resources. Under the EITI standard, companies publish what they pay to Governments, and Governments publish what they receive in an annual EITI country report.

In many countries, most of the revenues from natural resources accrued at subnation-

al levels are not derived from company payments to Local Government entities, but from transfers to the Central Government.

Depending on the revenue distribution frameworks in place, these transfers can be a considerably larger source of revenue for subnational entities than taxes and fees collected at local levels. The revised EITI standard requires that such transfers are reported where mandat-

ed by law and where material.

Where companies are legally or contractually required to make social contributions, these must be disclosed, under EITI standards.

Where countries collect significant revenues from the transportation of oil, gas and minerals, such as pipelines, the Government will also be required to disclose the revenues received.

The requirement to publish annual activity

reports is not limited to compliant countries, the EITI said. It is foreseen that countries will report on progress with meeting the EITI requirements as well as (on) efforts to achieve the objectives set out in their work plans.

Validation is procured and managed by the EITI’s International Secretariat rather than by implementing countries. Countries undertake validation more frequently, with compliant countries being revalidated every three years as opposed to every five years under the old rule.

Oil was discovered in commercial quantities in Guyana in 2015, after which Guyana applied and was approved to join EITI. This was done with the understanding that Guyana’s first EITI Report must be published within the next 18 months and the country will be required to commence validation within two and a half years.

Where validation verifies that Guyana has made satisfactory progress on all of the requirements, the EITI Board will designate the country as EITI-compliant.

12 news

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A GOLDEN VOICE IS SILENCED Written by Sam Sooppersaud

S

ad news have been received from Guyana that Nelson Bacchus has passed away. He was two months short of his 79th birthday anniversary. He died on the morning of Wednesday, April 10th.

May he rest in God’s eternal peace!

Who was Nelson Bacchus? To the younger generation his name may be unknown. But, within the age group of 30 years and upwards, the name Nelson Bacchus was a household name in the field of Indian Hindi music and songs. He was a very versatile singer, adept in a variety of singing style and type of songs. From filmy songs, to Taan, to Chutney, to Bajans. Whatever style was asked of him by his audience he was able to deliver with ease and in his loud, baritone voice.

He could sing songs sung by the great Indian singers, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hari Om Sharan, Jagjit Singh, and whichever Indian artistes he could emulate. He was even know to sing a few Lata songs. He could even give you a Jim Reeves classic.

Nelo was that versatile as a performer.

I first knew Nelo in the late fifties. Later on

we became very good friends. He was originally from Cane Grove, on the East Coast of Demerara. He came to live in Canje, Berbice when still a young teenager. He and my brother, Kumkarran, worked in the Spray Gang at Rose Hall Sugar Estate. On weekends the boys would get together and hang out on at Ramnarace Square. They will have a couple of beverages.

I, though much younger, would accompany my brother to their hangout.

This is how I got to meet Nelo.

Apart from being a kind young gentleman, Nelo possessed to gift of singing. He loved to entertain his friends with songs. Music ans singing, I suppose, was in his genes. He was from a family lineage of musicians and singers. Two of his more contemporary relatives performers are Queen Yasmin and Prince Wazir.

Where descendants of indenture ship immersed themselves in medicine, and law and the trades, Nelo excelled equally in being a performer: in song and music.

His name and or voice was familiar throughout British Guiana then Guyana. He was a frequent guest singing at Radio Demerara, on the

Nelson Bacchus

Sunday Indian Hour program hosted by the then Radio Broadcaster, Ayube Mohammed.

Nelo’s golden voice was heard at Fairs, Melas, Fund Raisers, wakes. The Late Guyana President, L.F.S Burnham, even once requested and had Nelson Bacchus performed before him at a State formal function.

A few years ago, shortly after President Granger was installed as president, Nelo performed for him, at the president’s request, at a Fair the president attended at Rose Hall Welfare Center in Canje, Berbice.

Nelo once served for a while as a teacher of Indian singing at the Guyana Cultural Center

in Georgetown.

He sang alongside the very best in the field of Indian Hindi music, in Guyana, British Guiana: names such as Mohan Nandu, Gobin Ram, Devindra Pooran, Peter Das, Baal Nain, Wilfred, to name a few.

The late, great Trinidadian Chutney singer, Sundar Popo, whenever he had a show in British Guiana, made sure that Nelson Bacchus was one of his main performers. Nelo’s son, Rasheed Bacchus, is my son-in-law. At the end of one of my trips to Guyana, Nelo accompanied my party to Timehri Airport in Guyana. We reached very early at the airport so we decided to hang out in the car park.

To kill some time I asked Nelo to sing a song. He readily accommodated my request. He sang the all time classic, SOHANI RAAT. Apart from his booming, but sonorous voice, you could hear a pin drop. It looked like the entire car park had crowded around us listening to Nelo. At the end of the song several people, total strangers, requested encores. Of course, Nelo was quick to oblige them. His words afterwards were, “Me glad you all enjoy the song”.

Nelson Bacchus was a practicing Muslim. He attended his Mosque as

often as there were services. However, he did not use his Islamic beliefs to make light of or condemn the teachings of other religions. As he used to say,” all religion is good for our soul. None better than the other”.

He was a man who practiced what he preached.

He attended all the religious functions to which he was invited, be it be Christianity, Islamic, Hindi, Aryan. He was part of a Kirtan group which sang at various functions; in Hindu temples, at wakes, and whatever appropriate functions required the group’s participation.

One striking thing about him is that he refused to accept any form payment for his participation. He would not accept a cent!

He was a man of unshakeable faith. He believed in destiny. He would say that “ what is for a man will happen and he must take it all. The good and the bad”. This faith was tested to exhaustion during his lifetime. A son, Zameer, was killed in a road accident, while still in his teens.

Later, his wife passed away. Three years ago, his son, Jameer, his nick name was Jar, passed away. Six months later his son, Bashir, known as Cheese, died suddenly in New York. Of his

once large family, only he, his son Rasheed, and his daughter Hassina were here. Four members of his family were gone.

Imagine the grief of anyone having to endure these tragedies! This was enough to drive a normal human being insane. But, Nelo did not fall apart. He held on to this belief that all what had happened in his life so far was “in his destiny”. He braced himself and accepted his fate. His saying was this: “wah me go do, it’s God’s work”. He insisted that “life must go on”. He did his best to cope with and live a relatively stress free life. A man of strong will and faith! He was an avid reader and read every piece of writing that he could get his hands on.

He loved History.

Nelson Bacchus loved to say funny things: to give a laugh. He told this story. He and One Prem Persaud grew up in Cane Grove and were school friends. He moved to Canje and worked in the estate.. Prem Persaud became a lawyer then later a magistrate.

He held court at the Reliance Court House.

Nelo’s house was within earshot of the courthouse. One Wednesday after court was adjourned Magistrate Prem Persaud paid Nelo a visit. turn to page 13

13

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

US condemns National Assembly honouring convicted terrorist …Britain, EU stand firm in condemnation

D

ays after Government passed a motion in the absence of the Opposition in the National Assembly paying tribute to a convicted terrorist and former parliamentarian, two out of the three ABC countries and the European Union (EU) have joined in condemning the Guyana Administration’s actions.

The United States and the United Kingdom made it clear that the motion was inappropriate, with the US Embassy in Georgetown issuing a strongly-worded statement in which it questioned the coalition Government’s commitment to the rule of law.

“The US Embassy in Georgetown condemns the resolution by Guyana’s National Assembly, reportedly honouring the life and work of convicted terrorist Abdul Kadir,” the US Embassy wrote. “Kadir was sentenced to life in prison in the United States after being found guilty of plotting a 2007 terrorist attack at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York.”

The US statement declared that members of the Guyana National Assembly, therefore, chose to honour a man who “conspired to kill innocent people from across the United States and around the world. This resolution is an insensitive and thoughtless act, which demonstrates the National Assembly’s disregard for the gravity of Kadir’s actions”.

The Embassy recalled that while speaking at an International Peace Conference recently, recently-appointed US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch had held up Guyana as “a model to the world on religious tolerance and understanding”.

“The National Assembly’s resolution of

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Ann-Lynch

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn

EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtič

April 26 draws into question that reputation. It also comes on the heels of Guyana’s historic cooperation with the United States on the extradition of an alleged murderer. Members of Parliament have placed this resolution in direct contradiction to the efforts of security cooperation between our two countries.”

With this resolution, honouring a convicted terrorist, members of Guyana’s National Assembly have left a stain on their legacy as representatives of the Guyanese people and on their commitment to the rule of law, the Embassy added.

site, the EU delegation expressed surprise that the Government would honour someone convicted of terrorism.

“The EU Delegation notes with surprise the honouring of former MP Abdul Kadir in the National Assembly of Guyana and believes that eulogising a person convicted of terrorist acts is inappropriate,” the Delegation wrote.

After the rising indignation against the motion to honour Kadir, Government released a statement on Monday saying that honouring Kadir is in keeping with “time-honoured convention”.

“It is well known that there is a time-honoured convention of the National Assembly to observe, in a standard and solemn form, the work of former Members who are deceased. The observance of this tradition has never been selective, and has included, over the decades, persons of all political parties and persuasions who served in the National Assembly.

“The Government of Guyana regrets the interpretation given to the motion passed in the National Assembly on April 26 on the death of Abdul Kadir, a former Member of Parliament.

The

Government of Guyana asserts that it had no intention of conveying the impression that the motion was designed to honour a former MP convicted of terrorism in another jurisdiction.”

According to the Government in its statement, the motion was intended to recognise Kadir’s service as a parliamentarian. Kadir served in the National Assembly as a People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentarian from 2001 to 2006.

Inappropriate Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn threw his support behind the US Embassy’s statement, noting in a tweet on Monday that the Government’s actions were inappropriate.

“The UK shares the concerns of our US friends about the honouring of convicted terrorist Abdul Kadir,” Quinn wrote in his statement. “Terrorism affects us all and we believe this action was inappropriate.”

The EU also came out against the Government’s actions. In a statement on its Guyanese mission web-

A GOLDEN VOICE...

This is the gist of their conversation. Prem told him: “man, you gonna get me in trouble”. Nelo’s answer: ”how me go get you in trouble, you a de magistrate”. Prem’s reply was that: “you gotta stop singing on court day, because when you are singing I listen to you, and I can give the wrong judgment”. They had a big laugh! Nelo would tell so many stories when you visited him that you will laugh until tears come to your eyes. As I have mentioned before, Nelo’s youngest son, Rasheed is my son-in-law who now has also acquired some fame. He lives in New

York with his family: son Amir, and wife Vani. He has done shows in New York, Minnesota, Florida and Toronto, Canada.

Nelo visited the United States twice: in 2017 and 2018. In his first visit Rasheed and family took him on a trip to North Carolina. He was astound with the “beauty of this great country” as he put it.

He said he will have to tell people in Guyana how great this country is and how beautiful. There is so much to do and to eat.

At his wake and funeral in Reliance, Berbice, Guyana, hun-

from page 12

dreds of villagers came to pay their last respects to Nelo. What most of them remembered is that he “was a good man”. They tell stories of passersby calling out to Nelo who would sit in his hammock.

Nelo would invite them in for a chat and always shared with them whatever he had to eat or drink. Like one of the well wishers said: “he will be missed”. There are plans to petition the authorities to name that part of Reliance “The Nelson Bacchus Square” in his honor.

Nelo, rest in God’s Holy Peace.

Opposition condemnation Meanwhile, the Opposition – People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – have since denounced the act by the Government saying that such a motion is another act of betrayal of democracy and the rule of law.

In a stinging statement on Saturday evening the PPP said the move by Government to pass such a motion is clearly not reflective of the will of the people of Guyana.

The Party, which boycotted the sitting as the Government’s very legality is to be decided by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is hearing no-confidence related cases next month, said that the People’s National Congress (PNC) has a”

Late convicted terrorist and former MP Abdul Kadir

history of honouring and exonerating violent criminals. Linden “Blackie” London, whose reign of terror ended when he was killed in a shootout with law enforcement services of Guyana, was honoured

by PNC leaders, who infamously draped Blackie’s coffin with Guyana’s national flag, the Golden Arrowhead. In addition, the five prison escapees who wreaked havoc and were responsible for murder, mayhem and an unprecedented crime wave, were dubbed ‘freedom fighters’ by many leaders of the PNC.” Motion The motion – Sympathy on the Death of Mr Abdul Kadir, former Member of Parliament – was tabled by newly-transferred Junior Agriculture Minister Valerie AdamsYearwood in Parliament on Friday.

The motion states: “Be it resolved that this National Assembly records its deep regret on the death of Mr Abdul

Kadir on 28th June, 2018, and pays tribute to his dedicated service to the Parliament of Guyana as a Member of Parliament, where he served in the Eighth Parliament, from 17th April, 2001 to 2nd May, 2006, and to the people of Guyana.

“The people of Linden and Guyana have lost a great man, a stalwart; a bold and courageous man.

So I ask this National Assembly that we direct an expression of sympathy (to) be conveyed to his sorrowing widow, children, grandchildren and relatives,” Minister AdamsYearwood said as she tabled the motion, which was eventually carried in the absence of the PPP/C Opposition.

Kadir, a former PNC MP and Mayor of Linden, died back in June 2018 in a penitentiary in the United States of America, where he had been serving a life sentence for plotting a 2007 terror attack at the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York.

14

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

15

16

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

17

18

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese Woman charged with smuggling migrants from Bahamas to US

Marcia Sunita Pestano has been charged with conspiring to encourage and induce aliens to enter the US in violation of federal law

A

Guyanese woman is scheduled to be arraigned in a court in the United States next week, on charges of bringing illegal immigrants from the Bahamas to Miami, after being arrested in a sting operation.

Marcia Sunita Pestano was arrested last week after Homeland Security investigators coordinated an undercover operation targeting the 44-year-old who was suspected of directing “alien-smuggling ventures from various third countries through the Bahamas to the United States,” according to a criminal complaint.

She has been charged with conspiring to encourage and induce aliens to enter the US in violation of federal law. Her arraignment is set for May 7.

Pestano allegedly met with an undercover agent in the Bahamas on April 14 to smuggle seven undocumented migrants from Freeport to Miami, and paid the agent $24,900 in US dollars and an additional $6,100 in Bahamian dollars.

The trip was made the next day, and when the boat carrying the migrants was stopped

by federal authorities, there were 12 undocumented migrants on board, including the seven whose passage Pestano had arranged.

Then, according to the complaint, between April 16 and April 22, Pestano contacted another undercover agent who was posing as a corrupt government official, and sought assistance to get the seven illegal immigrants out of immigration detention, “so that she would not lose the money she was supposed to earn for arranging for them to be smuggled to the United States”.

She also asked the undercover agent to assist with her own travel to Miami so she could obtain the release of the seven immigrants.

Last Monday, the agent arranged for Pestano to travel from the Bahamian capital, Nassau to Miami and set up a meeting between her and two Indian nationals – who were not identified in the complaint – at a hotel in Doral, “for what they believed would be an exchange” of money for the release.

However, Homeland Security investigators detained her and the other two people at the hotel.

NEWS 19

20 news

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Harmon appointed Director General of Ministry of the Presidency

P

rime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Tuesday announced that former Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has been appointed Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency.

The announcement was made during the Prime Minister’s address at the National Communications Network (NCN) Linden Complex at the Government outreach to the mining town.

Minister Harmon, a dual citizen, resigned as a minister and Member of Parliament (MP) effective April 25. He was replaced as an MP by Mervyn Williams. Vice President and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge; former Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin and former Minister of Public Service, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine also resigned as a result of being deemed dual citizens by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George in a court ruling.

Gaskin and Dr Roopnaraine were replaced by Haimraj Rajkumar and Tabitha Saraboo-Halley respectively.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo was

Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon

delivering the feature address at the hand-over ceremony of the NCN Linden assets to the Linden Broadcasting Network (LBN).

Director General Harmon attended the Cabinet meeting earlier in the day at the invitation of President David Granger where his new portfolio was formally announced to Cabinet.

PNM: We don’t steal elections T

WO officials of the People’s National Movement (PNM) stoutly denied Opposition allegations that the PNM would rig the next general election, simply saying the party has never done this in its decades-old history of contesting elections.

On Sunday at the UNC'S 30th anniversary rally at Couva South, Opposition Leader Kamla PersadBissessar stormed, “I want to give Rowley a warning that we know what is going on and what he and his party are planning for elections. We have no intention of allowing him and his cronies to rig the elections now and use the campaign period as a theatrical show and then relegate election day as a sham activity to de-legitimise electoral democracy in TT.” PNM vice chairman Robert Le Hunte yesterday told Newsday, “We took the country from independence to republican status. We are at the forefront of democracy. I’d put no credence on that remark.”

PNM general secretary Foster Cummings also cited the party’s history to flatly reject the Opposition Leader’s claim. He told Newsday the remark was “irresponsible, baseless and reckless.

“How is that even possible in TT?" he asked. "You know? Really. I’d like to comment but it is so far-fetched. How is the PNM to steal an election?

“We have been having elections for how many decades in this country, and has one ever been stolen?

"It’s the most far-fetched thing we’ve heard from the Opposition

Leader. Do you take it seriously?”

Cummings said the remark sounded like an excuse by an Opposition leader who probably thinks she will lose the general election.

“I thought it to be a very irresponsible statement, because we have been having free and fair elections in this country for decades," he added.

“It is very difficult for me to comment because it is baseless. It seems to be very reckless.”

Cummings said that to comment further he must first hear what was the basis for Persad-Bissessar’s allegation, and would be happy to comment if she put forward something credible.

(Trinidad and Tobago Newsday)

news 21

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese cynical about oil and gas wealth – Dr Hinds

With first oil expected next year, the excitement over the industry appears not to have caught on with the larger populace. According to political analyst, Dr David Hinds, this may have something to do with the perception of scandals plaguing the Government.

Dr Hinds made these comments on the Globespan 24/7 live show in New York on Saturday, titled integrity in politics. Hinds noted that citizens have a duty to be watchdogs over Government’s management of national resources, regardless of partisan affiliations.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had previously revealed the fact that the husband of former Housing Minister Valarie PattersonYearwood had received contracts to construct houses. But Hinds questioned why it was left up to the Opposition Leader to reveal this when others knew but kept silent.

“It is no wonder that people are cynical about the coming oil wealth,” Hinds said. “And we have not been able to generate in the society the kind of expectation, the kind of excitement, the kind of optimism that we need to generate.”

“It say to me that there is a lot of cynicism. And that while we charged the previous Government with engaging in conflicts of interest, we’ve done nothing to correct it. It says to me we shouldn’t depend on Government to cor-

Dr David Hinds

rect Government wrongdoing.”

Jagdeo had disclosed at a press conference earlier this month that a sub-contractor went to him after he had exhausted efforts to col-

for the Head of State’s intervention but only got acknowledgement responses.

Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul had revealed that he was aware of this issue of non-payment.

“A complaint was lodged at the Ministry, I think it was some time last year, and we would have called in both parties and we advised them to settle the issue,” Saul told reporters earlier this month.

Furthermore, the CH&PA Head had also noted that the award of the contract to the Minister’s husband for works under a Ministry she was heading was a clear conflict of interest

Observers have extensively cited the pros and cons of oil, with some oil-producing countries also being some of the most corrupt

lect his payments from the Minister’s husband. According to the Opposition Leader, the man had written President Granger four times over the past year

even if the contract was awarded through a competitive bidding process.

“If the contractor in question is the spouse of the Minister, certainly it would be a conflict of in-

terest,” he posited.

To this end, the CH&PA Head called for a review of the awarding process so that there is no reoccurrence of such a situation. It is a call that was echoed by other sections of society, including Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc.

There have also been revelations that Videomega Productions, the multi-media company owned by Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, received multiple contracts from the Government.

Meanwhile, Guyana

is home to the world’s biggest new deep-water oil discovery. US oil giant ExxonMobil has been keen to push the development of the oil reserves. Production could begin in 2020 with the production of hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil a day.

Court hears woman tried to smuggle cocaine to help son

S

andra Angela Profit, 55, was on Friday sentenced to four years in prison and fined $9.1M for attempting to smuggle over 7lbs of cocaine at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Profit, of John Fernandes Drive, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Rushell Liverpool at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court where she pleaded guilty to the charge.

The woman was busted by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) with the parcels of cocaine strapped to her thighs on Monday last.

She broke down in tears as she told the court that she did the job to get money to help her son, who was recently involved in a car accident.

Profit explained that the car was badly damaged, and that its owner demanded it be replaced with a new one.

“As a mother, I couldn’t sit and watch my son go through that, so I decided to do this,” Profit told the court.

CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford told the court that on the day in question, the woman was sitting in the departure area, awaiting her flight when she was intercepted.

A search was conducted on her and the narcotics was discovered strapped to her legs.

Prosecutor Sandiford further stated the woman has been cooperating with the investigation and she revealed in-

Sandra Profitt- Sandra Profitt

formation about the supplier.

CANU recently issued a wanted bulletin for Winston Carto, also known as “Chief Mike”, of Lot 193 Greenheart Street, South Ruimveldt Gardens.

Carto is wanted for questioning in relation to the recruitment of Profit to traffic the cocaine.

$50M upgrade for GPHC’s maternity

T

he Maternity Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is expecting a revamp of the facilities and capacity, with an injection of $50 million to conduct much-needed works.

Funded by the Guyana Lottery Company under the Canadian Bank Note, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday.

The project features an increase in bed capacity by 27 per cent and a 40 per cent total space capacity.

The construction works are pegged at some $31 million, while $19 million will be used to procure pertinent medical equipment.

Chief Executive Officer of GPHC, George Lewis emphasised the

importance of this initiative to reduce overcrowding at the facility.

In 2017, there was a total of 8324 admissions to the maternity wing with 5515 deliveries.

In 2018, some 8277 admissions were recorded with 5547 deliveries.

“Quick mathematics would suggest that we deliver approximately 16 babies per day within the Georgetown Public Hospital. Because of the high amount of admissions and deliveries, we are constantly challenged to find in-patient beds, particularly between the periods of September to February when there are more deliveries,” Lewis said.

Over the years, the maternity wing was modified to facilitate a few more beds, but this is always outnumbered

An artist’s impression of the upgraded maternity wing once completed

by expectant mothers.

Additionally, there are no rooms should patients require isolated treatment.

“To address this situation, the Corporation included in its 2019 budget, additional extension works. The first extension was in 2016.

While it provided for

critical care services such as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the expansion did not alleviate the issues of overcrowding.

In both the prenatal and postnatal wards, there are about 75 beds.

Currently, there are no facilities for the isolation of patients who re-

quire special needs and attention,” the CEO explained.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence posited that the services offered by the maternity wing will be improved. Negative statistics are also expected to be lowered.

However, many at-

tempts at lowering these statistics have proven futile in the past.

From the Canadian Bank Note, Managing Director Tracey Lewis informed that her agency will continue to manage the facility upon completion.

“The Guyana Lottery Company would also like to commit to the general maintenance of this facility, as we know that this will become an important factor after the works are completed…This expansion will enhance and complement the existing maternity services and provide additional accommodation, private rooms, office space and specialist services,” she noted.

The GPHC is Guyana’s main referral medical institution.

22 NEWS

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Govt has no respect for workers – MP tells Berbicians M

ember of Parliament, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo told hundreds of Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corenyne) workers that Government has no respect for workers.

The statement was made as he addressed workers at a Labour Day rally organised by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) held at the Port Mourant Community Centre.

Mahadeo said he based his conclusion on Government’s four-year track record, which has been disappointing, adding that one of the first things that Government did after taking office was to abolish the Labour Ministry and to reduce it to a department.

“A lot of us thought at that time that it was no big deal, but that was a signal as to how workers will be treated in the ensuing years,” Mahadeo explained.

He said the next move that was a slap in the face for workers was when Government Ministers gave themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary increases while public servants and other workers were forced to take to the streets before they received meager increases.

“They (workers) were sent home just because they were perceived to be supportive of

another political party and in most cases, they were replaced by persons who had no qualifications for the jobs they were employed to do.”

That was followed by massive dismissal of workers across. This included the closure of several sugar estates, leaving thousands jobless.

The parliamentarian noted that in Guyana’s history, never had there been an instance where over 7000 workers were fired. He added that sending home those workers in both Demerara and Berbice resulted in many in the Private Sector becoming jobless while some businesses have been forced to downsize and also send home workers while others have reduced the amount of days workers earn.

Meanwhile, GAWU urged workers to take stock of what is still to be realised.

Assistant General Secretary of GAWU, Aslim Singh said workers no longer are seen as important as they should be.

Noting that the former Ministry of Labour which has now been reduced to a department under the current Administration, Singh said it is unacceptable and a matter which the trade unions movement has on more than one occasion expressed vexations but sadly it has fallen on the deft

A section of workers from Blairmont and Albion Sugar Estates

ears of those in charge.

“Comrades, on this May Day it is simply inexcusable that in the birthplace of trade unionism in the British colonial empire, there is no longer a Ministry of Labour; the Ministry which existed up to May 2015.

He told the workers if they stand together they will score many gains and receive the respect they deserve.

“As we observe Labour Day 2019, we cannot ignore the heavy burdens of the high

cost of living. In recent years, the tentacles of taxation have reached several essential goods and services apart from other impositions that have been levelled and served to mount cost of living.”

Over the last year, he added, those burdens became weightier “as we have had to contend with increased water rates and higher public transportation costs. Clearly, our workers are beleaguered and in need of help and reprieve as they struggle to keep their

heads above the proverbial waterline. Comrades almost daily, we hear and need about people being victims of banditry, robbery and other forms of crime. It seems to us that crime has been more pervasive and those engaged in such acts have become more brazen.”

The situation, the Assistant General Secretary noted, is not a healthy one an ddoes not augur well for the people of this country who are generally terrified at this time.

NEWS 23

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

US pledges support for Guyana’s developmental agenda

…Ambassador lauds collaboration on security front

N

ewly appointed United States Ambassador, Sarah-Ann Lynch, said her country is committed to helping Guyana realise its full potential, especially with the impending oil and gas industry.

During a welcome reception at her residence, Ambassador Lynch noted that it is clear that all of Guyana wants to be part of the tremendous opportunities that await the country in the near future.

“We all have a lot of important work to do – each in our own way – and, I want you to know that the United States will work hard to continue to be a key partner of Guyana’s to help it realise its potential both in Guyana and the region – our collective neighbourhood,” she stated.

To this end, the US Diplomat told stakeholders gathered at the reception that she will continue to work to ensure Guyana’s development.

“We will continue to partner with the Government and all relevant actors on the pros-

perity front – to help this country create an enabling environment where trade and investment will abound and the country and all of its citizens will thrive,” she posited.

M o r e o v e r , Ambassador Lynch further pledged her country’s continued support to Guyana, especially in the security sector, which can see favourable results through collaboration. In fact, she noted that the recent extradition of US fugitive, Troy Thomas, is evidence of this.

“We will continue to partner with Guyana on the important security front. This past week US and Guyanese security collaboration made history as we worked together on the highly successful extradition of the alleged murderer; the first extradition in well over a decade. We will continue to partner on the governance front to adhere to the rule of law and to strengthen institutions, both governmental and non-governmental to become more transparent and accountable,” the US

US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch

envoy said.

Thomas fled to Guyana after allegedly murdering Keith Frank, 20, a Guyanese who was shot and killed on December 11, 2011, at Richmond Hill, New York. He has also been accused of inflicting injuries upon Dr Katherine Maloney.

Since 2012, authorities in the US had issued a wanted bulletin for the murder suspect. As such, in 2018, US Attorney

General and Secretary of State sent an extradition request to the Guyana Government, which was served to the Foreign Affairs Ministry by the country’s Embassy here.

As a result of the request, Thomas was apprehended by the Guyana Police Force last year and was kept in custody at the Lusignan Prison.

In committing Thomas for extradition, a Georgetown Magistrate, among oth-

er things, ruled that she believed the fugitive was Troy Thomas, although he insisted that his name was Marvin Williams.

However, Thomas moved to the High Court to further block his extradition. He challenged, among other things, his “illegal” confinement and argued in an affidavit that he is being unlawfully detained and subjected to legal processes unsupported by any legal basis or foundation.

Thomas applied to the court for leave to issue a writ of habeas corpus, directing the Commissioner of Police to show cause why he should not be immediately released.

However, High Court Judge, Justice Navindra Singh dismissed the application by the prisoner. He ruled on April 4, 2019, that there is sufficient evidence against Thomas to warrant his extradition to the US. In addition, Thomas was ordered to pay $450,000 in court costs.

The extradition took effect on Wednesday after Thomas did not appeal the High Court ruling.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan explained to Guyana Times that because there was no appeal within the stipulated timeframe, he gave the order for the US fugitive to be handed over to authorities there.

After being taken back to the US, Thomas was charged with second degree murder on Thursday in a US Court.

24 news

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Region 9 calls in Procurement Commission to probe contracts F ollowing allegations surfacing against the Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) Administration of contracts being awarded to friends and family of senior officials, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has formally called on the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to investigate.

In a correspondence seen by this publication, Chairman Brian Allicock informed the PPC that there are cases where contracts are awarded to supporters of the current Government, but these contractors do not have the requisite compliance documents.

“It was noted that approximately sixty projects were awarded of which only eighteen were advertised, and the others were done by selective tendering,” Allicock wrote.

“It is also observed that contracts were only awarded to the supporters of the coalition Government.

Contractors that paid for compliances were not considered.”

“Information received from reliable source [State] that most of these contractors who were considered under selective tendering do not have valid compliances. The Regional Democratic Council believes that this is a total violation of National

Procurement and Tender Administration Board Act, and, therefore, seeks an urgent intervention,” he also wrote.

The correspondence was copied to Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) Berkley Wickham, Ethnic Relations Committee Chairman John Adams, Public Accounts Committee, Auditor General Deodat Sharma and the Accountant General.

This publication had previously reported on the award of a number of contracts by the Regional Tender Board in Region Nine to the near relatives of a high-ranking regional official.

According to documents seen by this publication, the recipient of one such contract is the son of the regional official. According to the documents, he was awarded a $4 million contract through selective tendering for the construction of sanitary blocks at the Kumu Nursery School in Region Nine.

Another contract to the same individual was for maintenance work to the Lethem Sub-Treasury Office, to the tune of $489,000. This contract was also awarded

by selective tendering, a case in which the contractor has been invited to tender for a project.

Meanwhile, another con-

tractor was the recipient of a $2.1 million contract to carry out repairs on Baitoon Primary sanitary block. The contractor, who is reported-

ly the official’s son-in-law, was awarded this contract through selective tendering.

Documents also show that he received an even larger contract worth $6.1 million to carry out repairs at the Health post at Shea Village, also in Region Nine.

This comes at a time when there are rising calls for a policy that will guard against conflicts of interest to be created. Observers have criticised the Ministerial Code of Conduct for lacking teeth and distinct penalties.

Meanwhile, the Integrity Commission has previously complained about not having investigators.

Region Nine has long been a hot button region when its Administration is called upon to answer for procurement violations at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly. The Audit Office of Guyana has previously red-flagged the region.

According to the AG’s 2016 report, a sum of $73.871 million was budgeted for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies under the Health Services Programme for 2016. It stated that amounts totalling $63.871 million were expended as of December 31, 2016.

Harmon donates $2M helping hand for Westminster Multi-Purpose Centre

F

ormer Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Sunday donated $2 million to help renovate the Westminster MultiPurpose Centre in La Parfaite Harmonie on behalf of a newly formed youth group.

The La Parfaite Action Group is in the La Parfaite Harmonie housing scheme area and is committed to establishing itself in an orderly and legal manner to effectively and efficient-

ly bring about positive changes in the community.

At their first meeting of the newly established Community Development Council group, the Department of Public Information reported that they collectively agreed that the Multi-Purpose Centre located in Westminister needs urgent repairs if it is to serve not only as their meeting place but also as their economic hub for sustainability.

The group wrote to the then Minister of State requesting assistance and submitted quotations to his office.

According to the Chairperson of the CDC Group, Jonelle Alves the move was bold: “We decided collectively to do this and honestly we were not one hundred per cent convinced that we will get a response.

It was just a gesture we undertook knowing that we are willing to go the extra mile. To see today

The Westminster Multi-Purpose Centre which will be renovated

that our request is being honoured makes me happy and I am sure all our members are now more encouraged to fight for La Parfaite and to make it a community where all can enjoy the good life,” Chairperson Alves noted.

According to Harmon, the donation was supposed to happen earlier in the year but was set back by his hectic schedule. “From the time I received the letter, I recognised the importance of the organisation, and more so, that it is young

people wanting to better their community. I said to myself, I have to make this possible for their cause. These youths look to us not only for guidance but also for assistance. The letter indicated to me that the investment of the money will be to cause economic sustainability of the group and the MultiPurpose Centre and I am happy to have noted that,” Harmon is quoted by the DPI as saying.

He also charged the young people of the

group to promote social cohesion which according to him is the bedrock on which development will occur.

Committee member, Peter Livingstone indicated that the group would spend the money wisely and according to standard accounting practices.

Work on the centre is expected to commence in two weeks providing all goes well with the mobilisation of materials and favourable weather conditions.

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

News 25

26

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

27

28 news

WEEK ENDING May 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 29

30

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Outreach…

A …or campaigning

nother week, another “outreach”! That’s the motto of the PNC-led coalition Government since the successful NCM in the National Assembly back on Dec 21, 2018. Ministers who’d never left their air-conditioned offices in Georgetown over the previous three and a half years are suddenly heading out to the “sticks”, to listen to the “needs of the people” straight from the yahoos’ mouth.

And not only to listen, but to dole out on-the-spot “solutions” to those needs! What couldn’t be done in the aforementioned three and a half years has suddenly been nailed in three and a half months!!

The residents of Namless (NOT “Nameless”!) on the EB Essequibo, and Walakabra on the Linden Highway could only use water they fetched from surrounding villages or from the nearby rivers – “portable water!”

Suddenly they now have “potable” water delivered to their homes, thanks to GWI!!

The mother of all “outreaches” was when 19 Ministers descended like locusts on 28 Rupununi villages – even when they weren’t even “Ministers”, since Cabinet had resigned and they were meeting as a “Plenary” – whatever that was! In that exercise, the good (and amazed) villagers of places like Massara and Rupertee even heard they were going to get a new US$50 million airport at Lethem!! However, after seeing what US$150 million delivered at Timehri’s CJIA, maybe they weren’t in too much shock and awe!!

This week, led by PM Nagamootoo, at least 11 Ministers were whisked over to West Coast Demerara for their latest “outreach”. To their chagrin, they couldn’t “descend”, since WCD is just “over the river” — probably out of empathy for the residents not getting the new bridge across the Demerara River. However, Nagamootoo had their wailing sirens and outriders create such a massive traffic jam that he and his Ministers were able to experience the daily frustration of those bemused folks!

But hundreds of benighted residents of WCD, as in the Government’s earlier “outreach” to Berbice, were churlish enough to picket the unselfish band of Ministers who’d interrupted their Sabbath to minister unto their needs. Imagine, they had the temerity to suggest that the goodly Ministers were in fact campaigning for the elections coming up sooner or later, and were using Government’s funds to do so!!

It’s clear to your Eyewitness that some citizens have become much too cynical about this PNC Government and their AFC sidekicks!! In his estimation, they’d been forced to spend their first three and a half years in Georgetown due to the demands of governing: refurbishing their offices (in the case of Nagamootoo, to also refurbish the official PM’s Quarters, which had rats in its oven), and getting used to their new SUVs and outriders.

Such unselfishness!!

…to defend a terrorist

The state rag, Chronic, rushed to defend the PNC Government’s honour for honouring convicted international terrorist, ex-PNC MP Abdul Kadir. It insisted that the Government’s intent was to extend “sympathy, not honour”!! Have you ever heard about the logical fallacy of a “distinction without a difference”?? Well, that’s it!! How can you describe a man who was proven to have the intent to blow up one of the largest and busiest airports and kill thousands of innocent persons as “a great man, a stalwart, a bold and courageous man”, and say you’re not “honouring him”?? Do these people think Guyanese and Americans are fools??

What was also contradictory was that they used the words of TUC’s Lincoln Lewis to make that distinction without a difference, when in fact Lewis admitted Kadir was honoured. “The fact that Kadir was so HONOURED in the Assembly for the period which he served…puts no stain on Parliament…” Lewis thus makes a distinction within a distinction! Distinction squared?

Never mind that Kadir had committed treason for spying for the Iranians while he had been an MP!!

…while locked in struggle

AFC’s Nagamootoo and Ramjattan both participated in the WCD Outreach. But what was glaring to all and sundry – participants and protesters – was that they didn’t “bruk” voice with each other!!

Ambition should have thicker skin!!

31

32

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

FEATURE 33

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

I

love dealing with children and especially specially-abled children because we as persons with disabilities we don't get those kinds of attention from people because it always seems to people that we are a pity party, we need help.

But if you can give a person a chance especially a person with a disability a chance you can see the ability in them, that is what motivated me to become a teacher because I am out in helping because I know what it feels like and how it feels to go down that road" she emphasized.

"

By Leah Hernandez

A

s children, we were told by our parents to always have big dreams and soar high, but often times we ourselves lose confidence and doubt that those dreams can become reality.

Nevertheless, as our biggest supporters, our parents' encouragements would effortlessly restore that passion and longing to accomplish those future endeavours.

It is evident that parents, who are our first teachers, have a major role in helping to mould and shape positive minds and instil determined attitudes into a child from an early age.

This has been the case for 20-year-old Makila Crawford who owes her determination and hunger for success to her parents as they were her supporters since childhood to present, especially through the sad reality of being categorised as being differently abled.

This ambitious young woman is unique, not because she is a differently abled person but because of her willingness to help others and that undying zeal, confidence and belief in herself that motivates her to overcome all odds and achieve her goals, even though the road is full of bumps and hazards.

During an interesting conversation with Crawford, she related that she spent most of her life in the East Ruimveldt, Georgetown community where her childhood was normal except that

at six-year-old she was diagnosed with congenital cataract, a condition which affects mainly the lens opacity in the eye resulting in the lens being visually insignificant or causing profound visual impairment.

Although being visually impaired in her left eye, Crawford also revealed that she completed her primary education at the East La Penitence Primary School and her secondary at the St. Rose High School but during her years of attending school she was a victim of discrimination and bullying because of her condition.

"Growing up with my disability it didn't really affect my childhood, because as a child I didn't really acknowledge or know what it was, but it was kinda easy. It was okay.

Going to school was a little bit challenging because like the other kids didn't see me as like being normal because I couldn't see on the board or things that they did I didn't do. So it was kinda difficult for me because I was bullied," she said.

Despite all the challenges faced, Crawford didn't set boundaries nor did she limit herself and in the end she came out on top as she is now practising her teaching skills at the St. Pius Primary School which she said was inspired by her love for children and willingness to help others especially children who are differently abled in the eyes of society.

On this note, Crawford related that she knew what it felt to be looked down upon and not to be given much attention because of her minor difference.

"I love dealing with children and especially specially-abled children because we as persons with disabilities we don't get those kinds of attention from people because it always seems to people that we are a pity party, we need help.

But if you can give a person a chance especially a person with a disability a chance you can see the ability in them, that is what motivated me to become a teacher because I am out in helping because I know what it feels like and how it feels to go down that road" she emphasized.

The University of Guyana Student explained that she learnt to develop her skills through the constant use of her computer in studying as she also mentioned that the recent differently abled persons training hosted by the Board of industrial training was of great benefit to her.

This industrious young woman has her eyes set on becoming an advocate for other persons who have disabilities while she plans to remain and enhance her skills in the teaching profession.

"I see myself still being a teacher but elevating myself from where I am in my school to basically a higher level, to be a role model to young girls with disability and just be an advocate for persons with disability that's what I see myself as advocating for the rights that everybody needs an equal chance in life.�

Crawford is advising other persons with varying disabilities to not limit themselves or set boundaries because once determination and confidence are present along with be-

ing given a fair chance to perform, anything is possible.

"I would tell them to do not ever set boundaries and limit yourself because that's where you're going to fall back.

Because you're going to think that you know what because I am this way I can't do this, you need to push, you need to keep believing in yourself.

Once you believe yourself and you have faith and potential in yourself nothing else matters" she cheerfully explained.

Throughout our entire conversation, this young woman was full of life and even as we come to concluding she made sure she credited all her success to her parents simply because they are the ones responsible for assisting her in keeping a positive mind when she was depressed.

"During this period in my life, my parents were very sup-

portive of my decisions and whatever decisions I made.

They also kept me positive because like when I found out that I was visually impaired and I had this congenital cataract, I kinda got depressed and down but they motivated me. They always motivated me to keep positive and keep on the right road" she told me.

With big goals set to achieve in the future, when Crawford is not teaching she enjoys singing, dancing and playing cricket as she is also an active member of a sickle cell organisation.

34 FEATURE

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Education Ministry flagged

by Auditor General over textbooks procurement

A

By Oma Lesa Pierre

O

liver Kerr does not see his blindness as a disability rather he sees it as an advantage to view this world and everything else from a different perspective.

Someone once said “A blind person, in reality, is the only person who can truly see,” and Oliver has been the embodiment of that quote.

His journey is as remarkable as it is inspiring. The 38-year-old father of two is a teacher, cricketer and a man of many other skills.

“It’s quite amazing that I’m skilled and living my life as any normal individual would with nothing ever hindering my success,” he said.

Oliver grew up in Charlotte Street, Georgetown and at the age of eight, he was diagnosed with an eye condition which would eventually lead to his loss of vision.

“As a young child who is visually impaired was quite different, I was deeply hurt and it’s infuriating when people are constantly making comments like ‘Are you really legally blind and how is it possible you can move around without assistance?’ When my first child was born and the sound of the little voice echoed through the house I felt free, I felt as though I had got my sight back. I realized so much on that day- what it felt like to be in a world and not feel stressed,” he related.

“How mad and wrong

had I been all this time to expect myself to be able to keep up with everyone or for simply bumping into someone.

I never took pity on myself so I began to venture into new things, learning what I can to enhance my skills and improve my life. I took the decision that I had to find the best way to present myself partially blind. I had to be me in the world.”

Joining the Society for the Blind was one of the best decisions Oliver said he made since he was taught that “blindness is not binary rather it is a rich and fascinating spectrum. Visually impaired people come in many different variations but that shouldn’t hinder from who you are or what you will become.”

“I quickly climb the ladder of success from the assistance the Institute provided. I attended a lot of workshops where I received several certificates upon completion. As of recently, I completed a woodworking and chair repairs and I do plan on taking it up as a career.

It’s a craft that should be pursued by young disabled persons because it has a lot of benefits in the long run.”

The entrepreneur said in 2011 he started his own business where he started making local condiments such as amchar and pepper sauce.

The inspiration came from his visiting a local supermarket and purchasing similar products. The unique taste had his interest piqued leading to him discuss-

ing the viable venture with his wife.

He said his wife along with a relative showed him how to go about making the products and from there he then began to experiment with different fruits to bring out a unique flavour. His experimentation proved to be a success after word got out and customers began pouring in.

The support came naturally he said.

Guyana Society for the Blind was the first place that promoted his business.

“Sometimes I make roughly 20 bottles per week and a lot of foreigners as of lately order from me to take back with them.”

The man said sometimes it’s challenging but the support from his family keeps him going and they would help him a great deal with gathering the ingredients.

Oliver reiterated without the assistance it would be difficult for him to carry out the task. He does not allow his disability to hamper him from moving around and finish the task.

“I have plans to extend my business on a large scale, I want to supply my products internationally and opening a store is in the works presently.”

Oliver said he will continue to share his knowledge with others since this is just the beginning for him and to anyone who’s suffering from a disability should not let that hinder their future or success story.

report from the Auditor General has flagged the Education Ministry for not complying “in all material respects” with the relevant Acts, regulations and policies regarding the procurement of textbooks in 2016.

A “Compliance Audit of the Procurement of Textbooks by the Ministry of Education for the year ended 31 December 2016” was conducted after the Auditor General’s 2015 Annual Report found, among other things, that contracts were not signed and textbooks were not delivered.

The report on the Compliance Audit of the Procurement of Textbooks by the Education Ministry, which was completed last year, was presented in the National Assembly on Friday last.

The findings highlighted, “Internal controls were weak and not functioning in some instances. Moreover, pertinent records were not properly maintained.

Whilst relevant records were also not located and submitted for audit scrutiny. In addition, the manner and environment in which textbooks were stored presented a health and safety hazard”.

The report noted that in the year 2016, some $506 million was budgeted for the Education Ministry to procure textbooks for nursery, primary and secondary schools. But it now noted that $35.064 million was paid in excess of the Ministry’s approved allocation under Line Item 6224 for the nursery and primary levels.

“This represented a misallocation of expenditure, which is a breach of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003… The Ministry entered into contracts exceeding its approval allocation by $36.534 million.

This is also a breach of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003, which prohibits agencies from entering into contract that exceeds its approval allotment for any given period.”

Furthermore, the report outlined that poor planning cost the Ministry $15.9 million.

It said that 3609 “New 30 SEA Practice Test in Mathematics (Student Edition)” textbooks were bought in 2016 at a cost of $15.9 million and a total of 3559 were distributed. Subsequently, the Ministry purchased 12,550 “32 SEA Practice Test in Mathematics (Student Edition and Teacher Book)” for $61.2 million to replace the “New 30 SEA Practice Test in Mathematics (Student Edition)”.

Additionally, it was also found that the Ministry received 15,000 “Timehri Readers/ Animal Friends W/Book 1” textbooks at the cost of $128.30 each. However, the Ministry had contracted the same contractor to supply 30,000 of the said textbooks at the unit price of $64.15, amounting to a total of $1,924,500. As a result, the Ministry received 15,000 textbooks for the contracted price of 30,000 of the same books.

“We could not determine whether the Ministry received textbooks valued $91.639 million, which is approximately 26 per cent of the total textbooks paid for in 2016… The correctness and accuracy of payments totalling $247.668 million, which is more than two-thirds [approximately 70 per cent] of the total payments for textbooks could not be verified… We could not determine whether contractors complied with the requirements of the contracts totalling $276.015 million.”

According to the re-

port, the absence of performance security bonds places the Ministry in a quandary to levy on defaulting contractors. It added too that adherence to contractual requirements could not be determined due to the absence of key documents.

On the other hand, the Compliance Audit of the Procurement of Textbooks highlighted that textbooks had no identification as being the property of the Education Ministry as they had no official stamp. This is said to be a breach of the Book Policy as well as the fact that textbooks are being stored poorly at the Book Distribution Unit located in Evans Street, Charlestown.

“A physical inspection of the Unit’s bond revealed the following unsatisfactory features: Some textbooks were stored on the floor; racks/ shelves were dusty – this posed a health hazard – and the bottom flat of the bond is at the same level of the yard; hence, flooding could pose a threat.”

It was also noted that the Book Distribution Unit is unable to determine whether the Unit was receiving the quantities of books as per contract.

As a result of these findings, the Audit Office recommends that the Education Ministry comply with all relevant legislation, including Procurement Act 2003; Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003; Stores Regulations 2003, and Book Policy 2007.

The Ministry was also urged to enforce all requirements of its contract. Recommendations were also made for the Ministry to document its meetings and secure same to aid audit scrutiny as well as secure all relevant documents/records for audit in a way that aids easy retrieval for audit scrutiny.

FEATURE 35

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Kizzy Coleman

A

uthor Jo Franz once said, “Take a limitation and turn it into an opportunity”.

Living for the past eleven years of her life, being visually impaired, 41-year-old Odessa Blair, a graduate of the University of Guyana is the embodiment of that quote.

In 2008, at the age of 30, the then-pregnant mother of one was hospitalized with what was believed to be pregnancy complications.

Following several medical tests, Blair was diagnosed with Hypertension. Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure which causes severe complications, increasing the risk of heart diseases, stroke and even death. In Blair’s case, her pressure reached such a high level that it caused swelling in her brain which damaged her optic nerves and over time left her visually impaired.

Forced to adjust to her new reality, giving birth to her second child and at the time like many women in Guyana, facing the wrath of an abusive spouse, Blair figuratively and physically lived in darkness.

The choice was hers, her dire circumstances were either hers to change or hers to endure. But willing to change the unfortunate hand that life had dealt her, Blair shook the dust from her feet and visualized whom she wanted to become.

Accepting her limitations and with assistance from family members, Blair found her light once more.

In 2012, the Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB) introduced its Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Programme and began offering classes to the visually impaired in five subject areas Having joined the Society, Blair saw a clear opportunity to make something of herself and quickly signed up for the programme.

“That programme was the gateway to me having my social work

skills now…I didn’t stop there, I brushed myself off and went again,” Blair explained.

Passing the subjects she wrote with flying colours enabled her to apply at the University of Guyana to further her studies in the Department of Sociology.

Wishing to emulate persons like her, who through tremendous struggles and hardship persevered, Blair said that never once did she contemplate falling short of achieving graduation day.

As such, in November 2018, Blair smiled as she walked across the stage amidst loud cheers and collected her certificate from Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith graduating with a Degree in Sociology.

With a goal of giving back to those like her, facing similar challenges like her, Blair had a clearcut purpose. She commenced working as a Social Worker at GSB earlier this year.

“Because of my little abusive situation, I told myself that I would like to become a Social Worker to encourage persons out there that not because you have a disability you have to settle for abuse of any kind, I mean you are not supposed to tie yourself down, telling yourself that there is nothing that you can do, you can just get up and try something new and you will be successful as long as you are consistent” she encouraged.

Social Work has its challenges because they are so many people in need of guidance and assistance, especially in the differently abled community. Despite the daily challenges faced, Blair’s determination does not waver as to her, those that are differently-abled need her.

“To find out certain things that persons with disabilities goes through because in the disabled community, our needs are left behind in the sense that persons in society do not pay us much mind in

terms of giving a listening ear but everybody does need someone to talk to and what I do I believe is helping in its own little way” Blair hoped.

The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) recently graduated 108 differently-abled persons from its three months course in skill training.

Blair was one of those who graduated with training in the Advanced JAWS (Job Access With Speech).

This skill which now allows her to utilize features on a computer, she said will no doubt assist with the furthering of her work.

Noting the benefits of the BIT training led by Chairman, Clinton Williams, Blair is calling on parents with differently-abled children to have them enrolled.

“The training, it made an impact because it allows me to be more independent as it relates to brows-

ing the internet …I would like to encourage the persons whom we have not highlighted a yet, they are so many shut-ins in society. Persons with a disability whose parents might feel that there is nothing that they can do I would advise these parents to come out and get help for your children, grandchildren, relatives, friends if you know anybody. We have training that is ongoing for persons with disability so that they can make an impact in society” Blair assured.

It is said that you cannot be what you cannot see but you can be what you can see. Blair saw what she wanted to be and despite being visually impaired, she is now living her dream of giving back to the differently-abled community.

36 FEATURE

W

riting provides us with an opportunity to share our innermost feelings, it provides an escape from the realities of our everyday life and is exactly what Odeshwar ‘Nickalos’ Mobin was seeking when he decided to start writing poetry.

Though still in his infancy stages of writing, Nickalos has been making a difference in the lives of those who read his work. The 20-year-

old Berbician never envisioned a life where writing would have played an integral part of his development but now he cannot envision one where it did not.

In order to understand how his passion for writing was honed, one would be taken back to Nickalos’ English Language classroom in the Skeldon Line Path Secondary School. It was there that his teacher figured that she had a

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

star writing pupil on her hand.

“I became motivated to start writing after I finished school. But it actually started when I was in school and had to write a short story for English class, the teacher was so overwhelmed that I was encouraged to take my writings further.

Although I was motivated then I never took up writing seriously but after I finished school I sat down one day and started to frame a poem.

Its something that I fell in love with and ever since I have been blazing the trail,” he said.

An avid cricketer, Nickalos related that while growing up it was somewhat restricted since the area in which he grew up was one plagued by all sorts of societal ills. This resulted in his parents restricting his interactions with others and he spent most of his time reading or playing cricket.

This led to him excelling in his studies and is now a third-year Public Management student at the University of Guyana Tain Campus.

Going back to his writing, Nickalos said that he had written extensively but always

fears to release those pieces because of the judgmental nature of some people.

He accepts the fact that he is a novice when it comes to being in the writing fraternity and as such he is now in the beginning stages of releasing his writings to the public.

He wants to be able to inspire those that are willing to tread the same path that he is on.

“I often imagine myself in situations and ink my feelings on paper since I am a person that experience much difficulty in expressing myself orally.

Whether it relates to nature, love, childhood or whatever the topic may be I imagined myself in those scenarios and also write from personal experiences.”

“I also try as much as I can to put everything in its simplest form so that any and everybody can read and understand what message I am trying to convey to them. From the words, expressions and structure I try to do it very simple so it can be easy for everyone to read and picture what they read.”

For Nickalos, poetry rescues him and conveys every little feeling

he has. His end goal is to publish an anthology of writings so he can take his followers on a journey, the same journey that he has been on. He wants to open himself and allow future readers to experience every failure, success, sadness, happiness and triumph he has been through.

“I would term my style of writing very simple with little or no technicality in it since it's intended for everyone to read and understand.

I think poetry is a great rescuer for persons to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings.”

When asked if all is well, Would be more than definitely, yes But whether it's true or not, The powerful revealer of time will tell.

It does hurt my friend, it does Just as a sharp needle pierces through the soft heart But what can I say? Not a lot In fact what I could is that, right on, the journey goes.

A

dmiring the trees dancing to the tunes of the wind, Drowned me in the days of my childhood Oh, what blissful memories it brings

Escapes by the seaside, fishing Entertained by the babbling crazy fishermen Realizing our catch, we rushed home with our feet pedalling.

Dancing in the rain, splashing the water, Life was sweet as a free bird But when the stinging whip stroke, Oh, I’m very sorry mother.

Honey?

A call from my hussy brought me back to earth As I was too busy with my childhood, being there, I really thought.

Tears may be dried up within, Searching endlessly for a path to flow through With all the contamination, it becomes toxic But with every ounce of energy, you still keep fighting.

Just as the wind continuously blows, So shall you and such is life But with each forward step, the pain that increases stay within And one which no one shall ever know.

37

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

T

Lake Tapakuma

his lake is considered one of the largest of the 5 lakes. It is located 14 miles from Anna Regina. It is accessible by road via Anna Regina or the backlands of Supenaam and Charity or walk/ mountain bike from the Lake Mainstay resort close by. The journey to Lake Tapakuma is an adventure in itself , the path to get there cuts directly through a beautiful forest trail where we spotted a family of white faced Saki monkeys, the glorious blue Morpho butterfly and several giant moths. So beautiful was this place with the sounds of insects and birds surrounding us we just HAD to stop to take it all in and gaze up at the sun trickling down through the forest canopy. Conversations on the trail with the few locals riding by on motorbikes was also a treat, they were excited to share their knowledge about the origin of the various forest sounds we were hearing. At the end of the drive, the lake just looms up at you and the view was unforgettable. Another sight to behold is in the late afternoon when hundreds of turkey vultures come home to roost in Tapakuma Village.

38 FEATURE

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“A

t any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end,” and for the past five years that is exactly what Rosanne Ramitt has been constantly telling herself. She has been picking herself up every day, brushing off and moving along doing extraordinary things even though she considers them pretty ordinary.

You see, Rosanne is unlike any other 23 year old you would meet. She is strong willed with a sense of purpose and a drive even more powerful than her need to succeed in every task she undertakes.

About a decade ago, Rosanne was diagnosed with a rare condition called panuveitis, that would lead to her losing her vision altogether.

Panuveitis is inflammation of all layers of the uvea of the eye, which includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. These make up the middle layer of the eye. The condition can also affect the lens, retina, optic nerve, and vitreous, causing reduced vision or blindness. Signs and symptoms may include eye redness and pain; blurring; light sensitivity; decreased vision; and seeing floaters.

It can last for a short time or can occur chronically. Severe cases may recur many times. In many cases the specific cause is unknown, but in some cases, it occurs in association with other eye conditions, or with another condition or infection that also affects other body parts.

Early treatment is needed

and may include eye drops to reduce inflammation and pain; and/or oral medications or injections in severe cases.

“I was pretty normal before age 13 and at the age of 13 I started having headaches, eye pain and I didn’t take it for anything and I never wore any glasses or had any eye problems so it was that that led to the deterioration of my vision. I was later diagnosed with panuveitis and that led to my visual impairment,” the 23-year-old teacher related.

Rosanne dropped out of school after she lost her vision and slipped into a dark place. She recalls it as being one of the most difficult periods of her life as she was unwilling to accept that she lost her vision. She lived every passing day, for the better part of three years, living with the hope that her condition could have been reversed by her doctors.

However, her condition was so progressed that she lost her vision.

“It was very difficult.

For anyone having to have a drastic change like that would never be easy. On

the surface, I seemed okay but mentally and emotionally I did not accept it. I always had this thought that the doctors would able to cure the condition which is possible but mine isn’t so I spent about 2-3 years in denial and it was centred around being ashamed.”

“I didn’t like the new identity I had to assume because everybody was like oh you blind and whatever so I couldn’t go on,” she said.

After struggling with accepting her new reality, Rosanne started classes at the Guyana Society for the Blind and would eventually sit the 2014 Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate exams and secured 5 Grade One passes and immediately started the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). She would graduate two years later as a trained teacher and now teaches at the Ministry of Education’s Blind Unit.

Immediately after graduating the CPCE, Rosanne enrolled at the University of Guyana where she graduated in 2018 with an Associate’s Degree in Social Work.

She is now at UG reading

for her Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

“That word blind, I couldn’t associate that word with myself because I had never been in a position like that. It was really until I started going to the Society for the Blind when I started my process towards accepting my disability so it was not easy at all. There was no support for me, I was not aware of any services available so I spent most of the time at home, or at the hospital so I really didn’t socialize at all.”

The ultimate goal for her is achieving success in every field she ventures in. She advocates for people living with disabilities to ensure that they have access to all the support they need to live their best lives.

“My philosophy is always want to be better than how you are today, never be satisfied with what you are because you can always be better.

There is always room for Improvement so grab opportunities, work hard and get what you want.

Keep positivity as a tool because that is what got me through a lot.”

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“No rush” to reintroduce Parking Meters – Mayor

…deal to be renegotiated

Mayor Ubraj Narine

By Devina Samaroo

I

t has been more than a year since the former City Council approved amendments to the controversial parking meter project, which was massively rejected by citizens of Georgetown.

However, newlyelected Mayor Ubraj Narine said he is in no rush to reintroduce the initiative.

“I would not move in that rush to introduce parking meter unless the PSC (Private Sector Commission) and GCCI (Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry) can come to a decision,” Mayor Narine told Guyana Times International during an exclusive interview.

The Mayor is expected to meet with the two Private Sector bodies soon to discuss, among other things, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding which will pave the way for greater partnership and collaboration between the Mayor and City Council and the business community.

While he did not divulge much details, the young Mayor explained that parking meters are a good initiative for the city, “but it’s the way you introduce [it]”.

The City Council had entered into a contract with Smart City Solutions (SCS) on May 13, 2016, for the paid parking system to be rolled out in Georgetown.

On January 23, 2017, the meters were active.

However, this was met with strong resistance from the Opposition, Private Sector umbrella bodies and ordinary citizens, who formed themselves into an organisation called Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) – which successfully held some of the largest nonpolitical protests ever seen in the city.

Amid public pressure, the Guyana Government finally intervened and suspended the bylaws,

effectively halting the parking meter project.

It has since remained stalled.

In January 2018, a “Parking Meter Renegotiation Committee” Chaired by Councillor Akeem Peter, proposed a reduction in the parking fee from $500 per hour to $150 per hour. The Committee comprised several Councillors as well as representatives of the concessionaire, SCS, who were tasked with renegotiating the contract.

In April 2018, the then City Council approved amendments to the bylaws – which are still with Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, who has to give approval in order for the project to restart.

In June 2018, the Council appeared before Cabinet to discuss the changes of the contract but to date, no decision has been announced.

At the time, the then Town Clerk Royston King said SCS has been cooperating with the City Council as it awaits the determination on the project.

With a new Council elected in November 2018, there is still no word on how City Hall will proceed with the contentious initiative.

GCCI is on record rejecting the return of the metered parking system on the grounds that there needs to be a proper feasibility study to determine costs, social impact, and other factors.

Even though the contract has already been renegotiated, Mayor Narine told this publication that before he moves to reintroduce the project, he wants to talk certain things over with SCS. “…as Mayor standing right now, I would need to renegotiate with the investors in parking meter. I will not go and introduce parking me-

ters without renegotiation with the investors,” he said.

FEATURE 39

40

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

news 41

42 NEWS

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

26 to receive BIT certification in Early Childhood Development

T

wenty-six women on Monday began their training at First Lady, Sandra Granger’s Early Childhood Development Workshop. The participants, upon completion of the three-component workshop, which includes CPR training, will receive certification from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

Granger said that while the workshop provides official certification, it can also help improve parent-child or caregiver-child relationships. “It’s very important to us as women to be able to stand on our feet economically because it has a bearing on our social and other interac-

First Lady, Sandra Granger (seated centre) and the facilitators and participants of the Early Childhood Development Workshop

tions… That is why I have been… very firm in making sure these work-

shops… must be certified… It will teach you how to approach your

child differently… Also, if you have a child with special needs… you can

understand that the child is different and needs particular care.

[They are] different, not stupid, not slow, not ‘hard ears’. Their minds just work differently,” she said.

Facilitator, Paulette Bollers encouraged the participants to take advantage of the positive difference they can make in the life of a child.

“Research proves that a good foundation in early years makes a difference in adulthood and even gives the next generation a better start. While the brain is shaped by experiences at all phases of life, the experiences during the first years have an especially powerful role in influencing

the developing brain.

Therefore, we must ensure that children’s early experiences are positive, that they have a secure foundation for development because what they learn during those crucial early years will affect them for the rest of their lives,” she said.

Participants from the workshop hailed from Buxton, Georgetown, communities along the West Bank, the East Coast, and Women Across Differences (WAD).

The workshop is conducted through a collaboration between the Office of the First Lady, the Social Protection Ministry, and the Guyana Red Cross Society.

Scandal-hit St Lucia Government Minister Resigns

A

St Lucia Government Minister embroiled in controversy is now out of Prime Minister Allen Chastanet’s Cabinet.

Public Service Minister Dr Ubaldus Raymond, who was allegedly involved in a salacious conversation with a woman, a recording of which went viral on social media earlier this month, has stepped down with immediate effect and Chastanet said he had accepted the resignation “in the best interest of the country”.

“Dr Raymond has served our country well and in several capacities including Leader of Government Business in the Senate, and previously as the Minister in the Ministry of Finance.

I thank him and his family for his years of service to our nation,” he said in a brief statement.

Earlier this month, the government announced that investiga-

tions had been launched into “recent information being circulated in the public domain surrounding the Minister”, and that he had proceeded on leave. It said that after an initial probe, more information had come to light which warranted further investigations by the relevant authorities.

In his statement, Prime Minister Chastanet said his acceptance of Raymond’s resignation in no way affects the ongoing investigations.

“The Government remains committed to bringing closure to this matter,” he said.

This is not the first scandal involving Raymond. In 2017, two 18-year-old women were charged with blackmail following the leak of nude photos online. In October last year, he said the young women had apologized to him and the case had come to conclusion.

(Caribbean360)

NEWS 43

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Renewables to Become the Norm for the Caribbean

J

amaica and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are embracing renewable energy as part of their plans to become decarbonised in the coming decades.

The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, has committed the island nation to transitioning to 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

“I believe that we can do better. Jamaica has sunshine all year round and strong winds in certain parts of the island,” Holness said.

Solar Head of State (SHOS), a non-profit that helps world leaders become green leaders by installing solar panels on government buildings, has been assisting Jamaica and other Caribbean countries with their renewable energy transition.

James Ellsmoor, the group’s Director and CoFounder, said they partnered with the Jamaica’s government to install and commission a state-ofthe-art solar photovoltaic (PV) array at Jamaica House—the Office of the Prime Minister.

“Following similar installations by the President of the Maldives and Governor-General of Saint Lucia, Jamaica’s prominent adoption of solar, sets an example for other nations around the world that renewable energy can make a global impact,” Ellsmoor told IPS. “While island nations such as Jamaica are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, this project is a reminder that they are also leading in finding solutions.”

Holness heralded the solar installation on his office as emblematic of the clean energy technologies that must be deployed by Caribbean nations to decarbonise economies, reduce regional fossil fuel use, and combat climate change.

“I have directed the government to increase our target from 30 per cent to 50 per cent, and our energy company is totally in agreement. So, I believe that by 2030, Jamaica will be producing more than 50 per cent of its electricity from renewables.”

Peter Ruddock, manager of renewable energy and energy efficiency at the state-owned Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, hailed the prime minister’s decision as a step in the right direction.

“We do have to look at our indigenous sources—the wind, the sun— it shows good leadership for the Office of the Prime Minister to be out-

fitted with solar panels, which will reduce their consumption,” Ruddock said.

Due to a historic lack of diversification of energy resources, Jamaica has been heavily reliant on imported fossils fuels, resulting in CO2 emissions and high electricity prices that are up to four times higher than the United States.

Caribbean nations are also vulnerable to hurricanes and extreme weather. Renewable energy increases islands’ resilience—stabilising electricity supply in the wake of natural disasters.

“We emit negligible greenhouse gases but when the impact comes we are most impacted,” Una May Gordon, Jamaica’s Director for Climate Change, told IPS. “The prime minister believes in what we are doing. He believes that renewable energy has a role and a place in the Jamaica energy mix. A commitment has been made for transformation.

“We are building the resilience of the country. We have to transform a number of our production processes and the only way to do that is with renewables,” Gordon added.

SHOS believes the region’s youth can play a vital role in the climate change fight and has also conducted a solar challenge in partnership with Jamaica-based youth groups, which invited young people from across the island to create innovative communications projects to tell their communities about the benefits of renewable energy.

On the heels of a successful programme in Jamaica, SHOS is collaborating with the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) to launch the Guyana Solar Challenge—a national competition in Guyana to engage and educate youth nationwide about the benefits of renewable energy.

“With our partners at CYEN we will run a Solar Challenge in every Caribbean country to educate young people about the benefits of renewable energy for their

communities,” Ellsmoor told IPS. “The economic and environmental conditions for the Caribbean are very specific to the region and often information coming from outside the region does not represent that. Launching this challenge in Guyana is particularly important as the country starts its journey into petroleum, and we want to show that the best opportunity is to invest these new funds into the sustain-

able development of the economy, and renewable energy is central to that,” he said.

The Guyana Solar Challenge is open to young people between 12 and 26 years of age.

Competitors are asked to harness their creative energies (in any form such as a song/video, art installation, performance piece, viral meme, sculpture) towards raising awareness about renewable energy, specifically its potential to

deliver long-term economic benefits, reduce harmful environmental impacts, and increase energy security and independence for Guyana.

Winning projects will demonstrate creativity and an ability to educate the public about the specific benefits of solar energy for Guyana.

Sandra Britton, Renewable Energy Liaison at Guyana’s Department of Environment said she’s happy that young people

are now taking the initiative to share the concept of renewable energy and to promote it as Guyana transitions to a green economy.

“We have developed the Green State Development Strategy, which will be rolled out shortly, and within the strategy it is envisioned that Guyana will try to move towards 100 per cent renewable energy by 2040,” Britton said.

(Caribbean360)

44 FEATURE

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Jamaica Wants to Facilitate Production of Blockbuster Films in the Island

P

rime Minister Andrew Holness says his Government is open to finding ways to stimulate the production of blockbuster films in Jamaica.

With scenes from the 25th James Bond film being shot in Jamaica, Holness said the island’s enviable location as well as its contribution to pop culture should be leveraged and converted “to our economic benefit”.

“Film is one way this can be done. I believe that having parts of the James Bond movie shot here is a start in Jamaica getting a foothold in developing a presence in the movie industry,” he said.

This is not the first time that Jamaica has been featured in a James Bond flick, as the country was showcased in the 1962 film, ‘Dr. No’, and in

‘Live and Let Die’.

Holness described the James Bond movie franchise as “distinctly Jamaican in its origin” and noted that it is a “compliment to the country and a great honour that the producers and owners of the James Bond brand would seek to do Daniel Craig’s final outing as the hero in Jamaica”.

“Jamaica has always been an exotic location and we have name recognition, so people are always very curious to see what the island has to offer. Our scenery, the flora and fauna are distinct, once they appear on screen,” he said.

For her part, Film Commissioner Reneé Robinson has estimated that the economic impact of the film will be significant for the island, “with production expenditure multiplying throughout the economy – from hotel rooms to catering, in both goods and services”.

“It has been several months behind the scenes of scouting, meetings, negotiations, and planning, with our local production personnel working beside the international crews to confirm the location and ensure that production starts smoothly,”

Robinson added.

One of the producers behind the film, Barbara Broccoli, on a recent visit to the island, lauded Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia Grange for their role in facilitating the filming project.

Broccoli also noted that a total of 500 people have been employed on the film project.

Expected to be released in 2020, the yet-tobe-titled film finds James Bond leaving active service and enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) friend Felix Leiter turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected. (Caribbean360)

PNC’s calumny…

Y

…and terrorism

our Eyewitness is still floored by the PNC’s arrogance to officially “big up” their ex-MP Abdul Kadir, who’d been convicted as a TERRORIST by a US Federal Jury for plotting an act that would’ve made the World Trade Center terrorism look like tiddlywinks.

NY’s JFK International Airport is one of the busiest in the world, with an internationalised clientele as no other. If Kadir and his co-conspirers had succeeded in exploding the fuel tanks and fuel pipeline under the airport as they had planned, the explosion would’ve reverberated across the world. This meant they weren’t merely looking to take out their anger at the US, their “Great Satan”, but to create a “Big Bang” in more ways than one. And Kadir was no pawn in the plan, but was central to its execution.

According to the FBI, “Kadir, a trained engineer with connections to militant groups in Iran and Venezuela, provided the conspirators with links to individuals with terrorist experience, advice on explosive materials, and a bank account through which to finance the terrorist attack. The members of the plot attempted to enlist support from prominent international terrorist groups and leaders as well as from the Government of Iran, including Abu Bakr, leader of the Trinidadian militant group Jamaat Al Muslimeen, and Adnan El Shukrijumah, an al Qaeda leader.”

This was a key revelation. From a local perspective, the PNC’s honouring of Kadir in the National Assembly at a time when the PPP were boycotting the session was a tactical move. They didn’t want the PPP to expose the fact that Kadir wasn’t only willing to inflict damage to the US and the world, but to their own native Guyana. The FBI’s report revealed: “At trial, Kadir, a former member of the Guyanese parliament, admitted that he regularly passed information to Iranian authorities about sensitive topics, including the Guyanese military, and believed himself bound to follow fatwas from Iranian religious leaders.”

Why would Brigadier Granger and crew honour a traitor to our military? PNC leader Hoyte had draped the Guyana flag over arch criminal Blackie London, saying the Police had shot him while he was surrendering. Did London allow his victims to surrender? The PNC’s acts aren’t empty braggadocio, but signals to their extremists that their services (when needed) won’t go unrecognised. We see this in their constant refrain about “400 black youths” killed between 1998 and 2008, but not a word about the hundreds of terrorists on that list who’d murdered as many innocent men, women and children to make a “political point” to the then PPP Government.

But while cultivating their thug reputation for internal intimidation, the PNC are making Guyana into a rogue state.

…on destruction of integrity

Your Eyewitness looked at some clips of an online “Town Hall” discussion of “Integrity in Politics” by three card-carrying members of the chatterati class. It was so banal. Asked by a viewer to comment on their storm and fury over the 12 acres of land at Pradoville while maintaining a deafening silence over 400+ acres of state land being heisted only a mile away, none of the panellists – including the head of TIGI, who admitted he’d been alerted to the matter privately by the (well known) viewer – offered a comment!! The viewer, of course, was talking about the heist of the Ogle Airport lands!!

So much for integrity!! What none of the chatterati would ever admit, however, is that integrity in politics went to the dogs after the PNC started rigging elections. Hoyte, in the Elections Commission in 1967, corrupted so many officials for the 1968 rigging that it cascaded and subverted all institutions, as the illegal PNC Government bedded in after 1973, 1978, 1980, and 1985.

And now GECOM in 2019!

…and AFC’s copying

The AFC have selected as a “replacement MP” one Donna Mathoo. She’s tailor-made for the den of inequity that the National Assembly’s become with only APNU/AFC MPs showing up.

Systematic fraud in the Berbice NCN accounts prepared her for the big leagues!!

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

45

46 NEWS

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Linden Fund commissions new office N

on-Governmental Organisation, Linden Fund USA (LFU), and its local affiliate Linden Fund Guyana Inc on Friday commissioned its permanent office in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The organisation, which has been in existence for 20 years, has members both locally and across the diaspora, who work against the backdrop of giving back to the community through promoting and enhancing the academic, social, health and well-being of Linden and Region 10.

The building, which was donated by Habitat for Humanity, was commissioned during a building dedication ceremony at the location along Washer Pond Road, Mackenzie.

In her remarks, LFU Chairman Paula Walcott-Quintin noted that she is proud to represent the organisation, which, she noted, has thrived over the past 20 years. She said that the

Paula Walcott-Quintin cutting the ribbon, flanked by LFU members and Mayor Waneka Arrindell

organisation is grateful to Habitat for Humanity Guyana and also expressed gratitude to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) for supplying the land for the building as she further acknowledged its late Chairman

Horace James.

Walcott-Quintin added that the plans for the building will evolve along with the needs of the community as she stated that these are always developed in collaboration with the community.

In expressing grati-

Local Development Officers receive financial management training

T

Some of the regional officials at the training

he Communities Ministry on Monday commenced a two-day training session on financial management for Local Democratic Organs (LDOs).

The session was opened at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan. Mayors, Town Clerks and Councillors from municipalities across the country gathered to participate in the workshop.

Linden Mayor

Waneka Arindell said every municipality must take responsibility for the effective use of all financial resources.

“It is on this promise that I am overjoyed to see the Ministry continued dedication to ensure the aspect of financial management is dealt with holistically,” she is quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying.

Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan reminded officials that the coalition Government has deliv-

ered on its promise of ensuring local democracy. He said public officials tasked with the management of public funds cannot adopt an attitude of wastage.

“The law, therefore, imposes on public officials what is called a fiduciary duty, which is a legal obligation to act in the best interest in another, in your case, the ratepayers.”

The Minister said the Government aims to institute a standardised system of financial management across municipalities.

tude to For the Children Sake Foundation and others, she outlined that the Regional Education Department is one of the organisation’s key collaborators in its educational endeavours.

Walcott-Quintin said the organisation is evolving as she outlined

plans to include a computer hub for the constabulary compound and industrial catchment areas in addition to a training room and meeting facilities.

Since the construction of the building, the organisation has launched its

Scholarship for Success initiative which offers scholarships to local students. The annual Spelling Bee and Parent Teachers Association Workshop will also continue, according to the LFU Chairman.

Habitat for Humanity Guyana Representative Jennifer Welch in her remarks noted her organisation’s hope that the programme executed through the building will be beneficial to all as the LFU continues to give back to the Linden community.

Deputy Regional Executive Officer Maylene Stephen congratulated those who played a pivotal role in the success of the organisation as she noted the significance of the services extended to the people of the region.

Also delivering remarks were Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell. The occasion was marked by the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon and unveiling of the plaque.

Lack of coordinated efforts affects environmental progress – EPA

G

uyana has signed on to a number of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) with the hope of handling environmental issues and threats efficiently and effectively but the challenges posed in doing so stem from lack of coordinated efforts by stakeholders.

This is according to the Director of the Department of Energy at the Ministry of the Presidency, Ndibi Schwiers.

She stated that despite the challenges faced, much has been achieved in the country with regard to MEAs; they have been used to develop new regulations, policies, and even entire institutions. However, the major challenge lies in the coordination of the implementation of these MEAs. “We do not have, at the moment, a single functional mechanism to effectively coordinate MEAs’ implementation. Essentially, what I am saying is that the agencies that are responsible for implementing the MEAs don’t necessarily get to communicate as the MEAs are their responsibilities and they tend to deal with that but we recognise that this has to be corrected.

The current situation is that mechanisms that currently exist whereby the agencies that are responsible for implementing the MEAs, that situation serves what I would refer to as a pooling mechanism instead of an effective coordinated mechanism,” Schwiers explained at the launching of the first MEAs Committee on Monday.

According to the Environment Department’s Head, at a national level, Guyana has signed on to 26 MEAs and is expected to be inking much more in the near future, and this is another reason that the MEAs Committee has now been established.

Department of Energy Head Ndibi Schwiers

This Committee, she said, will not only be responsible for ensuring that Guyana is very responsive to international obligations but it will also enable the improved coordination and collaboration of environmental governance at a national level. “We have today representatives from Government, NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs), academia, Private Sector and so on. As it is our collective efforts which will enable us to treat with pressing environmental issues of the day inclusive of waste management,” she stated.

Schwiers also noted that the stakeholders present at the launching ceremony can also offer suggestions on how the Terms of Reference for the Committee can be improved.

“Whether there is anything else that you believe we should do. So that when the MEAs Committee is fully up and running we would be able to achieve the mandate that we would have established.”

47

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Privations, arrivals and departures

By Ravi Dev

Shuffling… W T …the same pack of cards

hree months after Chief Justice George declared that the unambiguous language of the Constitution barred dual citizens from sitting in the National Assembly, President David Granger finally moved to comply with her order; unanimously reiterated by the Appellate Court. The four APNU/AFC MPs — all of whom had ministerial responsibilities — finally resigned, and were “replaced”.

And it’s in these “replacements” that we see it isn’t only in Ukraine that a comedian is the president of a nation. Surely, Granger gotta be joking with his announcement! Imagine him saying that Joseph Harmon is no longer the “Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency”!! But since there was no replacement, what does this mean, when we all know he’ll be the Cabinet Secretary with all the powers he formerly possessed?? Basil Williams hoped that his number one rival would’ve been eliminated.

Just as shameful is the supposed “resignation” of Carl Greenidge, the Foreign Affairs Minister. No one was named to replace him, and most likely Granger will be handling the portfolio with Greenidge as his “Presidential Advisor”. Now, is this any way to run a country with its arch enemy Venezuela on the west – which has claimed two-thirds of our territory – unravelling and on the brink of a civil war?? And us having hauled them to the World Court!!

The resignation of his son-in-law, Dominic Gaskin, as Minister of Business is really irrelevant, since he’s done absolutely nothing in the last four years, and is totally clueless about business in any case. He’d set such a low bar for performance that his replacement, Hemraj Ramkumar, will have to start practising the limbo!!

The last replacement – of Rupert Roopnaraine – from the Ministry of the Public Service in the Ministry of the Presidency is of no consequence, since he’d been pretty much put out to farm. His WPA replacement, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, should at least be able to perambulate to press the WPA flesh with the coalition’s full court press on elections!

Granger had the opportunity to deal with some of the scandalous behaviours of his Ministers, and here again, it was just the old three card monte!!

Simona “I is” Broomes – of New Thriving “run them over for fried rice fame” – was moved from Natural Resources to Ministry of the Presidency with responsibility for Youth Affairs. Presumably, she’s needed there to ensure PNC youths inculcate her trademark bullyism as they “boom out” Marley’s “War!” to the PPP!!

Valerie Yearwood’s move from Housing to “Rural Agriculture” presumably leaves Holder with “Urban Agriculture”, for which he’s probably more suited!!

She’s replaced by Annette Ferguson from MPI. This was no “replacement” by Granger; just a reshuffling of the same old pack of cards!!

…towards anarchy

As we await the CCJ decision, we gotta admit the PNC got what they wanted – a ‘get out of jail’ card from the NCM. Even if the CCJ were to rule that 33 is in fact greater than 32, as the PNC’s GECOM ‘Plan B’ is executed, they would’ve gotten their full five-year term of office. But the question is, to what end??

Just look at what they’ve done to our Constitution and our bifurcated democracy to achieve that. In all political systems — but especially in severely divided ones like ours — if the rules of the game aren’t respected, but are bent and twisted opportunistically just to retain power, anarchy is inevitable. Our politics is analogous to two boxers duking it out in the ring, with the Constitution as the referee. If the latter’s decisions aren’t accepted as final – let’s say on hitting below the belt – boxing inevitably becomes brawling.

And that’s where we’re headed, aren’t we??

…the tactics

The TUC says the PPP shouldn’t be boycotting Parliament, since their MPs are collecting their salaries. Really? So when public servants strike – like for 57 days in 1999 – the PPP Government should’ve withheld their salaries??

Or, more pertinently, the union should return striking workers’ contributions?

ith “Indian Arrival Day” days away, and against a background of 7000 mostly Indian Guyanese fired sugar workers struggling to survive at Wales, Rose Hall, and Skeldon, we revisit the devastating conditions that brought Indians here as immigrants.

Sadly, after the depredations of the PNC — starting from the 1970s — had worked to replicate those conditions, a second migration of Indian Guyanese to the Caribbean, Suriname, Venezuela, the US, Canada and elsewhere was initiated; and this has again become intensified.

Deteriorating conditions in Venezuela have forced several thousand Indian Guyanese persons and their children to return, and they have added to the struggle for survival in the rural areas.

Most of the 19th century immigrants – some 90 per cent – originated in the Bhojpuri belt of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh and Bihar), while the remainder came from the Madras Presidency. The question arises as to why these persons left their country when their customs forbade “crossing the “Black Waters” (Kala Pani)”, which made them lose their place in the community. The short answer is: it was ultimately a matter of life and death, and they chose life, tenuous as that would become.

While “indentured labour” might today be seen as a transitory passage of commercialised human labour from African chattel slavery to the so-called “free labour” of today, the conditions that herded Indians into that option were manmade. The sugar planters had no faith that free Africans would sell their labour at a rate to make sugar profitable.

They therefore actively sought a new supply that would guarantee such cheap labour on demand.

But where would such rates exist

that could not attract freed slaves but yet be a “pull factor” for indentureship? The answer was British India.

The story begins in 1757, when the troops of the British East India Company captured Bengal from the Moguls and completed their inexorable conquest of the legendarily rich India within 50 years. Less than a decade later, between 1768 and 1771, from Bengal and Bihar – from where most Guyanese immigrants originated – more than 10 million persons, one third of the population, died from a “famine”. Why? Two reasons.

Firstly, the farmers who supplied the bulk of the population with foodstuff were forced by the British into producing cash crops for export, even while they were forced to pay onerous taxes at the threat of death and violence.

Remember “Lagaan”?

We quote the words of then British Governor Warren Hastings, who boasted to the Home Office: “Notwithstanding the loss of at least one-third of the inhabitants of the province, and the consequent decrease of the cultivation, the nett collections of the year 1771 exceeded even those of I768… It

was naturally to be expected that the diminution of the revenue should have kept an equal pace with the other consequences of so great a calamity. That it did not was owing to its being violently kept up to its former standard.”

The cash crops the farmers were forced to grow included cotton, opium, indigo; and as described above, this was simply to keep paying off the extortionate demands of the British, who exported rice and wheat even during the famines. Millions were also thrown out of work when the British forbade Indian weavers from producing cotton yarn and the cotton fabrics that had enthralled Europe. Henceforth, only cotton woven by British looms could be sold in India! From where were the weavers to get the money to buy food, much less clothes?

Incidentally, Britain became the largest drug dealers up to the present, where the opium – up to 800 tons annually – was shipped to China so that the British could buy Chinese tea for their ”cuppa”, sweetened by our sugar.

Between the Bengal famine of 1768 and the end of Indentureship in 1917, conservatively, over 54 million Indians perished from famine. In the book “Late Victorian Holocausts” (2001), Mike Davis describes how Viceroy Lord Lytton insisted that wheat be exported to England. In 1877 and 1878, at the height of the famine, when 10.3 million persons perished, grain merchants exported a record 800,000 tons of wheat and 1.9 million tons of rice. As the peasants began to starve, officials were ordered “to discourage relief works in every possible way”.

And this is why the upsurge of indentured Indians correlated with the British-induced famines in India. And the closure of sugar estates by the PNC Government has history repeating itself today, as farce.

LIAT Staying the Course Despite Financial Challenges, Assures CEO

A

s shareholders of regional airline LIAT meets amid concerns that its financial situation could force it out of the skies, the company’s chief executive officer has sought to allay fears, declaring that the carrier continues to operate its daily flight schedule despite its challenges.

Julie Reifer-Jones said in a statement said that the Antigua-based airline was committed to connecting the region and had operated all its flights over the peak Easter season with an on-time performance of 80 per cent.

LIAT, which currently operates 491 flights weekly, is also looking forward to a good summer period, with many

festivals and events scheduled across the region, she said.

“LIAT is committed to fly, and we are flying to the 15 destinations across the network,” Reifer-Jones said.

She also noted there are ongoing discussions with governments on the need for all the territories served by LIAT to contribute through

a Minimum Revenue Guarantee model.

Reifer-Jones said that while the pace of these discussions was slower than anticipated, LIAT remains optimistic that the discussions would be concluded shortly.

The CEO added that the company continued to update its restructuring plan “so that LIAT

can evolve into a more efficient and sustainable company serving the region”.

And she reiterated the company’s commitment to the region, adding that the improved on-time performance and customer service provided are evidence of the changes taking place in the company.

(Caribbean360)

48 Bollywood

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

P A

ctor Shah Rukh Khan is a successful producer and his latest production Badla went to become a super hit at the box office. After the debacle of Zero, the actor may not be signing new films at present but has a few very interesting projects coming up on the streaming platform, Netflix. The actor is now set to make a film starring Bobby Deol for Netflix which has now got a title, Class of 83.

The makers have, however, made it clear that film does not hold any similarities with Ranveer Singh’s upcoming film, ‘83. A few reports suggest that the film may revolve around a reunion in 1983.

A source told Bollywood Hungama in a report, “Shah Rukh Khan

and Bobby Deol have shared a great friendship since quite some time now. Bobby is keen on trying out something new and Shah Rukh Khan has always been interested in exploring the web platform further. Having them collaborate for Class of ’83 is definitely something to look out for.”

“The Netflix film is currently under the initial stages. The casting is just being finalized. The process has just kick started.

So it is too soon to comment on the same,” the source added.

The Raees actor is also working on a web series titled Bard of Blood for Netflix. It will star Emraan Hashmi in the lead role.

Shah Rukh had told Economic Times in an interview last year, “It gives

an opportunity to a lot of youngsters who didn’t know where to take their small films. So my deal with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and chief content officer Ted Sarandos is not just on paper. I’ll try and make stuff for you for which I can’t find a theatre and I am non-self-obsessed to know that certain films don’t need to be in the theatre. Theatres will also change. It will perhaps be more like Broadway where movies will play for six months.”

Shah Rukh’s last film Zero that starred him as a dwarf named Bauaa, turned out be a huge disappointment at the box office. It was directed by Aanand L Rai of Tanu Weds Manu fame and also starred Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif as female leads. (Hindustan Times)

akistani actor Ali Zafar had a meltdown on TV while discussing Meesha Shafi, who had accused him of sexual harassment during the subcontinent’s #MeToo movement last year. Ali Zafar was giving an interview on Pakistan’s GeoTV when he started crying while claiming that Meesha’s accusations are false and a social media campaign is being run against him.

“I don’t know why she is doing this, one should ask her,” he said while refuting all of Meesha’s charges. “All of us have been quietly suffering for so long. Not just me, but my family — my kids and my wife too. I haven’t said a single word in the last one year as I had decided to take action legally through court. But they have been making fake accounts and tagging everyone who tries to hire me in order to ruin my career,” he added.

He also mentioned the Mexican singer Armando Vega Gil who committed suicide after being accused of sexual harassment. “I still urge you to block out all voices and just isolate yourself and connect to God and end

this. If you take one step forward, I will take ten steps forward,” he said in a direct message to Meesha.

Meesha had called out Ali last April, accusing the singer of sexually harassing her. She had written, “Ali is someone I have known for many years and someone I have shared a stage with. I feel betrayed by his behaviour and his attitude and I know that I am not alone.”

While Meesha’s appeal against Ali was dismissed, he has filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against Shafi. Ali took to Twitter after Meesha’s appeal was dismissed, “Meesha Shafi’s case against me has been dismissed alongside the appeal made against the dismissal. The case in the court is my case against

her to pay for damages that her false statement has caused me, which naturally she is trying to run away from. I have also filed a case against all the fake and other accounts being used to run a campaign against me on social media. I have been quiet about all this for a year while thousands of disgusting tweets were posted against me, like a campaign every time a big event comes. But it’s time to expose the truth via due process of law for which I urge the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) to take strict legal action. And a prayer to our respected courts to decide the matter at earliest for which I would like everyone to join me in asking Miss Shafi to come to the court. #FaceThe CourtMeeshaShafi.”

(Hindustan Times)

I

t has been seven months since veteran actor Rishi Kapoor left his fans shocked after he shared on social media that he would be leaving for America for “some medical treatment” and there have been various stories about his undisclosed ailment. And now, putting all speculation to rest, filmmaker Rahul Rawail, shared a happy news.

Posting a picture of Rishi and himself, Rahul wrote: “RISHI KAPOOR (CHINTU) is CANCER FREE!!!!” It is not clear if the picture is a recent one. When contacted, Rahul told Hindustan Times, “Yes, Rishi is absolutely cancer free, now.

I haven’t met him but spoke to him over the phone. He called me in the morning [Tuesday] and gave me the [good] news that he has totally recovered from cancer. There’s just a small follow up and procedure that he needs to get done to ensure that there is no recurrence anytime.

So, that’s all that is left now.”

When asked if the actor would be coming back to India anytime soon, Rawail added, “I have no idea on that, yet. But he definitely wants to come

back as soon as he can.

Also, it has been a very personal conversation with him, so that’s all I can share.”

We also got in touch with Rishi’s elder brother, Randhir Kapoor, and he, too, confirmed the news and said, “Yes, he is much better, and he will come back soon. [On whether he is completely cured], he’s on his way to full recovery and it takes time, he’s got to finish the whole course, but he’s fine.”

Rishi’s daughter, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, is also relieved that her father is on his way to recovery. Though she said she would not like to comment on her dad, she told us, “Yes, he is recovering. With everybody’s prayers and wishes he is doing well.”

While there has been no official statement from the family, the actor’s wife, Neetu Kapoor,

did give a hint about Rishi’s ailment, when she posted a picture from the family’s New Year’s celebration and wrote, “Happy 2019. No resolutions only wishes this year !!! Less pollution traffic!! Hope in future cancer is only a zodiac sign!!! No hatred less poverty loads of love togetherness happiness n most imp. Good health.”

Even though Rishi has been away for all this while, he made sure that he stayed connected with his fans and fraternity through Twitter.

Not just this, several Bollywood celebrities including Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, Anupam Kher, Javed Akhtar, Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sonali Bendre , Maniesh Paul, also visited the senior actor in New York, and shared pictures on social media.

(Hindustan Times)

A

ctor Deepika Padukone has shared a new selfie showing off her inked finger. The actor cast her vote during the ongoing 2019 Lok Sabha election in Mumbai on Monday.

Deepika also tweeted a clarification about her citizenship in the tweet, saying that she never had a doubt about her origins.

“Never has there been any doubt in my mind about who I am or where I’m from. So for those of you confused on my behalf...please don’t be! Jai

Hind! #proudtobeanindian #govote,” she wrote in her tweet. Deepika seemed to be alluding to the fact that she was born in Denmark, leading to speculations about her citizenship.

According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, the actor recently said at an event that though she was born in Denmark, she still has Indian citizenship. “I have an Indian passport. There are a lot of complications but I’m a proud Indian citizen,” she said at a press event.

Deepika’s husband and actor Ranveer Singh also cast his vote on Monday. He too took to Twitter and Instagram to share a picture of his inked finger. “VOTE!!!,” he captioned the picture.

Recently, even Alia Bhatt was asked about voting but she said that she cannot vote in India as she has a British passport. Alia and her Kalank co-actors Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sonakshi Sinha were asked in a recent India Today interview how they can help impact the elections.

“By voting,” said Varun, Aditya and Sonakshi.

But when Alia was asked the question separately, she said, “I can’t vote.”

Asked for a reason, she said, “Passport.”

Other actors who voted in Mumbai on Monday included Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Salman Khan and others. The actors posed outside their polling booths, showing off their inked fingers to the camera. (Hindustan Times)

HOLLYWOOD 49

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

S

ophie Perry has found a special way to immortalize her late father, Luke Perry, nearly two months after his death.

The 18-year-old shared on Instagram Monday that she raised enough funds to create a new school in Malawi, which she named after the “90210” and “Riverdale” star.

“Thank you to everybody who donated to help with our projects!” she wrote. “Our first school is finished and I can’t tell you how proud and excited I am to see it open on Wednesday. Thank you to my amazing partner Ruben for everything.

Especially for fighting to name the school after my dad.”

Sophie was in Malawi when she learned that her father had suffered a massive stroke.

“A lot has happened in this past week for me,” she shared on Instagram

P

on March 5, adding that she left the African country to be by her family’s side. “Everything is happening so fast.”

Luke died surrounded by Sophie, his son Jack, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, stepfather Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends, his rep told Page Six. One month lat-

er, Sophie shared on Instagram that she struggled with the idea of asking people for donations to build a school while she was still grieving the loss of her dad “given the circumstances” of how she got a larger online following.

However, with the help of some friends, Sophie said she changed her mind and realized “what I am doing is bigger than me and my pride.” (Page Six)

tered around money, right? And how, Steve, my [character’s] husband, was like the closest we got to a working class guy, you know? Never mind a working class woman, right?”

Nixon’s character Miranda Hobbes was

a lawyer who married a bartender and lived the glamorous life of a Manhattan pseudo-socialite.

Although the actress and politician insisted the show had a feminist tone, she admitted the series was a bit divorced from reality.

“Also, I think we wouldn’t all look like that,” she said. “In terms of like, the perfection factor. In terms of always looking so incredible. And I know that’s the fantasy element, and in terms of the show that was important. But I think there’s a lot of ways that people can be visually compelling without looking — quote unquote — perfect.” (Page Six)

similar one has also been filed by retired Judge Sheila O’Brien, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“If she’s going to get the result that I’m looking for, I don’t think there’s any need for my petition,” he told the Tribune.

O’Brien has already subpoenaed Foxx, the Cook County state’s attorney, and her top deputy, Joseph Magats, who helmed the case after Foxx announced her recusal. The former jurist also filed a “notice to ap-

pear” to Smollett ahead of a hearing in the matter on Thursday.

Foxx has been facing mounting scrutiny after her office abruptly decided to drop all 16 felony counts Smollett was facing in his alleged hoax hate-crime attack.

“Foxx’s conflict in this matter is beyond dispute,” O’Brien wrote in her petition. “Instead, Foxx misled the public into believing that Smollett’s case was handled like any other prosecution and without influence.” (Page Six)

C

ynthia Nixon said that her hit HBO show “Sex and the City” would have a more diverse cast if the feminist comedy had been produced in the modern day.

Nixon added in an interview published on Monday that the groundbreaking show was too centered around money and did not portray enough working class characters.

“Well, I certainly think we would not have all been white, God forbid,” she told IndieWire about the program.

“One of the hardest things for me — it was at the time, too — is looking back and seeing how much of it cen-

A

request for the appointment of a special prosecutor to probe the handling of Jussie Smollett’s criminal case has been dropped, according to new reports.

The petition, filed by former Chicago prosecutor Saani Mohammed, was one of two calling for an investigation into the bombshell decision by Kim Foxx’s office to dismiss all charges against the “Empire” star.

Mohammed withdrew the request on Monday — because a

ink is opening up about her decision to share some of her past struggles in her new song, “Happy,” in which she sings, “Since I was 17, I’ve always hated my body / and it feels like my body’s hated me.”

“The reason I said (that) is because I’ve always had this very tomboy, very strong gymnast body, but actually at 17 I had a miscarriage, and I was going to have that child,” the 39-year-old told USA Today.

Pink further explained the lyrics of the

track off her new “Hurts 2B Human” album, saying that a miscarriage makes a woman “feel like your body hates you and like your body is broken, and it’s not doing what it’s supposed to do.”

The now mother of two shared she’s actually had “several miscarriages” since she was a teen, adding, “I think it’s important to talk about what you’re ashamed of, who you really are and the painful (expletive).

I’ve always written that way.”

In June 2011, Pink gave birth to daughter Willow Sage — her first child with husband, Carey Hart. The couple welcomed their son, Jameson Moon, in December 2016. (Page Six)

T

amar Braxton is ready to be a single woman.

Shortly after saying that “paperwork” is holding up her divorce being finalized, the “Braxton Family Values” star asked the court for a “status only” divorce, The Blast reports. In doing so, she is asking that she and Vince Herbert would be legally single as soon as possible while they continue to work out the details of their

split.

Braxton, 42, and Herbert, 46, share a 5-year-old son, Logan, and still have to work out a child and spousal support arrangement.

The couple first called

J

ohn Singleton, the groundbreaking director of “Boyz n the Hood” and “Poetic Justice,” died Monday after being taken off life support earlier in the day. He was 51 years old.

“We are sad to relay that John Singleton has died,” a rep for Singleton’s family told Page Six. “John passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends. We want to thank the amazing doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital for their expert care and kindness and we again want thank all of John’s fans, friends and colleagues for all of the love and support they showed him during this difficult time.”

The filmmaker suffered a stroke on April 17. His family previously told Page Six in a statement that he also “quietly struggled with hypertension.”

On Monday, his family announced “with heavy hearts” their decision to take Singleton off of life support.

In 1991, Singleton, a native of Los Angeles, received Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for “Boyz n the Hood,” which captured a story of friend-

ship and youth in a community ridden with gang violence, making him the first African American Best Director nominee.

He was also the youngest Best Director nominee at just 23 years old.

More recently, he made films like “Rosewood and “2 Fast 2 Furious.” He also worked on TV hits including “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” and “Empire.”

A rep for the family told Page Six, “John loved nothing more than giving opportunities to new talent and his films came to be known for career-making roles with actors who the industry would come to embrace; talents such as Tupac Shakur, Regina King, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Ice

off their marriage in October 2017. Braxton has since moved on with her new boyfriend, David Adefeso. They went public with their relationship earlier this month.

(Page Six)

Cube, Tyrese and Taraji P. Henson.”

Big Hollywood names took to social media to pay tribute to the director.

Snoop Dogg wrote on Instagram, “Thank you for all that you gave to the world the movies the messages the opportunities to so many people like myself to grace the big screen in a major role with major black actors you were and will [always] be black excellence love you for life and beyond.”

“RIP John Singleton,” fellow filmmaker Jordan Peele tweeted. “So sad to hear. John was a brave artist and a true inspiration. His vision changed everything.”

In a statement to Page Six, ICM Partners, which signed Singleton in 2014, said Singleton left an “indelible mark on the world through his masterful artistry” and that “his films and the incredible influence they had they had will be studied forever.”

Singleton leaves behind his mother, Sheila Ward, his father, Danny Singleton and seven children: Justice, Maasai, Hadar, Cleopatra, Selenesol, Isis and Seven. (Page Six)

50 SPORT

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

London Assuria Golf Classic’s champ

D

etermined to reenter Winners’ Row at the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), Dr Philbert London drove, chipped and putted his way into first place in his flight in the Assuria Golf Classic, played at LGC. And in so doing, he became the overall winner of that keenly contested and well attended inaugural tournament.

Known to have coached former Guyana Open Female Champion Shanella Webster, Dr London said, “Having coached Shanella and, more recently, Eureka Giddings, who both en-

Top performers of the Assuria Golf Classic

tered the Winners’ Row last Saturday, I determined that I should focus a bit more on my personal game and strive to make a mark in my flight.”

And make a mark he did! Not only did he win his flight, but he produced the best net score in the tournament, which was played in 3 flights: 0-9, 10-19, and 20-28, with prizes being awarded for 1st and 2nd places in the net scores.

Special prizes awarded after the tournament were as follows: Dr Philbert London – Overall Champion; Patrick Prashad –

Nearest the Pin winner; Parmanand ‘Max’ Persaud – Longest Drive winner; and Richard Haniff – Best Gross winner.

Winners in the 0-9 flight were: Richard Haniff (72/9) – 1st, and Patrick Prashad (75/9) – 2nd. In the 10-19 flight, winners were Ayube Subhan (69/15) and Dr Joaan Deo (70/14). Keen competition in this flight came from Rabindranath Persaud (71/17); Lekhnarine Shivraj (72/16); Haresh Tewari (73/19); Colin Ming (74/14), and Satrohan Tiwari (75/16).

In the 20-28 cate-

gory, winners were: Dr Philbert London (69/25) – 1st, and Jeremy Fernandes (70/24) – 2nd. Great performances were also recorded by Videsh Persaud (71/28); Eureka Giddings (73/28); Clifford Reis (75/25), and Imtiaz Subhan (75/23).

Assuria’s Managing Director Yogendra Arjune, who joined the club as a member last year, feels the partnership between the LGC and Assuria is a good development for both parties.

“The vision of the current executive (of the LGC) leads me to believe that this club will be at the forefront of business development in the years ahead,” Arjune declared.

And LGC President Aleem Hussain said, “We want to attract golfers of all levels of ability, so this tournament will feature three cate-

gories: 0-10, 11-19 and 20-30, so that more players can partake and enjoy the game. Prizes will be awarded to the top three players in each category, Longest Drive, and Nearest to the Pin, as well as for the Best Net and Gross Scores for the day. As a result, we hope that everyone in Guyana, even if you are not a member but have an interest in playing, will come out and take part.”

Arjune was on hand, with several Assuria staff members, throughout play in the tournament. He expressed delight at the progress the Club has made under the guidance of President Aleem Hussain during the one year that he (Arjune) has been a member of the Club, and at the great day of play that had just been witnessed.

Arjune has said, “I have always seen golf as a game of tremendous focus and energy – qualities that are the foundations of Assuria General.”

He noted the commitment of the golfers, spending at least 4 continuous hours in the sun, and committed Assuria to having a greater involvement, including a larger sponsorship, the next time around.

For more information on the LGC, and how to learn the game or become a member, please call 220-5660/645-0944.

To find out more about the services offered by Assuria General, please email the company at guyana@assuria.sr or visit their offices located in Giftland Mall, or Church Street, Vreeden-Hoop, Parika, Port Mourant, Diamond or Linden.

NSC Easter wind-ball tournament concludes

Y

oung ladies from several schools around Georgetown spent a part of their Easter holidays competing for the spoils in a double-wicket windball competition.

After the proverbial dust had settled in the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, the pair of Carlisa Allicock and Esther Adams emerged champions of the annual AL Sport & Tour Promotions’ NSC Easter holiday schoolgirls’ double-wicket windball competition.

In the third place play-off, Stacy Flores and Angel Hunte battled for the last podium position after missing out in the semi-finals. Put in to bat first, Flores and Hunte posted 44-1, with Flores top-scoring with 32.

The reply posted by Kellann Fredericks and Alexis Noel fell short of the target by 5 runs, with them reaching 39-1. Noel contributed the bulk of

The winners: Carlisa Allicock (L) and Easter Adams

the chase, with 36.

The final encounter was a high-scoring one, with the young ladies displaying their batting prowess to make the most of their limited overs. Carlisa Allicock and Easter Adams batted first and posted a mighty 68-1 from their allotted overs.

Keisha Jones and Erica Mentore avidly took up the chase, and looked as though they would reach their target; but eventually fell short by 8 runs, after they

reached 60-1. Mentore carried the chase with 32, while Jones contributed 16.

Carlisa Allicock was later adjudged the most valuable player (MVP) of the day’s programme with both her batting and fielding.

The two-week windball training programme was organised by A Munroe, an NSC Sports Officer. The official presentation of the tournament’s prizes will be done on Saturday, May 4.

SPORT 51

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

CPL OPCO Guyana Inc to construct permanent headquarters

…for CPL and the Guyana Amazon Warriors

A

s the 2019 Edition of the Caribbean Premier League draws closer and in anticipation of another year of exciting cricket, a new state of the art facility will be constructed on Camp Street, Georgetown, to accommodate the locally based CPL Franchise, the Guyana Amazon Warriors and a CPL OPCO Administrative Office.

The building is expected to be the permanent home of the Guyana Amazon Warriors and will also accommodate the CPL Ticketing Office, a Guyana Amazon Warriors Merchandise

Outlet, a CPL OPCO Administrative Office and a “Hall of Fame”.

The highlight of the building is expected to be the “Hall of Fame” showcasing a history of the CPL and the Guyana Amazon Warriors from the inception of the CPL in 2013 to present and will be updated on a continuous basis.

Chief Operating Officer of the CPL, Pete Russell, was full in praise for the Guyana Amazon Warriors Franchise and for the support of the Guyanese public for CPL. He commented “This is a wonderful initiative that shows how far the Amazon Warriors have

come in the last 6 years.

The team has become a big part of the sporting landscape in Guyana and has already created its own history with a number of memorable performances

over the years. For CPL we are delighted that fans will be able to re-live some of the best CPL highlights from previous years by visiting this new facility.

At a press conference

at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown last Thursday Russell told local journalists that the Guyana Amazon Warriors will be unveiling a project within the next few days. The

project he said, is a testimony of the success of CPL and the Guyana Amazon Warriors over the six years.

The venue will also be able to accommodate parking for approximately 50 vehicles for persons who will be conducting business at the CPL OPCO Office and visiting the Hall of Fame.

The seventh edition of the exciting Caribbean Premier League will bowl off on September 4 in Trinidad and Tobago and will run until October 12, 2019. Trinbago Knight Riders are the defending champions.

RHTY&SC crowned BCB/Beacon Foundation 20/20 champions six.

Off-spinner Sharaz Ramcharran took 2-14 in his four overs, while Gourav Ramesh took one wicket in a losing effort.

Young Warriors v RHTY&SC

The RHTY&SC had earlier defeated Young Warriors to set up the finals with Albion Cricket Club. Young Warriors had taken the first strike and had scored 103-9. Batting for the Canje-based team, Linden Austin had scored 30, inclusive of three fours.

The victorious RHTY&SC team

Gudakesh Motie.

Albion v RHTY&SC

Player of the Final Keith Simpson on the charge

By Brandon Corlette

T

he dominant Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) got the better of their counterparts, Albion Cricket Club, by five wickets in the BCB/ Beacon Foundation 20/20 Cricket competition played at the Albion Sports Complex to help in raising cancer awareness.

Three of the top cricketing clubs in Berbice: RHTY&SC, Albion and Young Warriors, participated in this exciting cricket fest, but six of the players were debarred from competing in response to a call from the higher authorities. Those debarred players included Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano and

In the second and final match of this competition, home team Albion took first strike and scored 112-8 in their allotted 20 overs. Skipper Sharaz Ramcharan top-scored with a classy 38 that was decorated with five fours, while fellow opener Adrian Sukwah chipped in with 14.

Bowling for the disciplined RHTY&SC team, Keith Simpson took 3-10 in his quota of four overs, which included one maiden. Captain Shawn Pereira took 3-24 in four overs with some superb leg-spin bowling, and Berbice U-17 off-spinner Jonathan Rampersaud took 2-24.

Responding, the RHTY&SC registered 113-5 in 18.1 overs, with left-handed stroke-maker Delbert Hicks top-scoring with an elegant 30 that included four spicy boundaries. He was well-supported by “Player of the Match” Keith Simpson, who scored an entertaining 23 not out that included one four and one huge

Bowling for the RHTY&SC, Jonathan Rampersaud had taken 3-17 while Shawn Pereira had taken 2-12 in three overs.

In reply, RHTY&SC had scored 104-7 in 19.5 overs, with the left-handed Surrendra Kissonlall top-scoring with 36.

Bowling for Young Warriors, Linden Austin had snared 4-25 in a losing effort, with the RHTY&SC winning the match by three wickets.

Numerous spectators were present during this

tournament, including those players who were debarred from participating.

Among the sponsors of this event were ANSA Mc AL, BK and the Beacon Foundation. The RHTY&SC was awarded the first prize of $100,000 and a trophy. The cash prize was promptly donated to the Beacon Foundation. The Albion Cricket Club, which also won $50,000 and a trophy, likewise promptly donated their cash prize to the Beacon Foundation.

Transcend Entertainment to host $1million tape-ball tourney

M

ore than 20 teams have already signalled their interest in competing in the third annual Transcend Entertainment’s Sevena-Side Independence Cricket Festival, to be held on May 5-6 at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac in Georgetown.

O r g a n i s e d by Transcend Entertainment, the event is set to attract some of the biggest names in tape ball cricket, and there are more than $1M in cash and prizes up for grabs.

Organiser Dwight Dodson is urging cricket lovers not to miss the action, since it is expected to be one of the biggest and most exciting tapeball events ever organized locally.

Fee to enter the event has been set at a meagre $10,000, and interested teams can contact

Dwight Dodson (left) receives a sponsorship cheque from Superbet’s Nickoli Primo

Dodson on telephone numbers 639-3785 and 664-5035.

Action bowls off at 08:00hrs on both days, and drinks and food would be on sale.

This event, which has gained the support of the National Sports Commission (NSC), is so far sponsored by Superbet, Banks DIH, Ramps Logistics Ltd, Imperial Trading, Red

Carpet Wash Bay, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Star Party Rentals, Xavier’s Investment, Movement Auto Sale, Precision Auto Works, W&J Enterprise, Fung-A-Fat Hatchery, Ole’s Jewellery, Seeta’s Bar, Regent Household Electronics, Royal Real Estate, Church’s Chicken, Fireside Grill, Magic City and S&D Enterprises.

52 SPORT

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

CARIFTA athletes return to heroes’ welcome

The 2019 CARIFTA Track and Field Team along with DoS Christopher Jones, AAG President Aubrey Hutson, and other officials

By Jemima Holmes

C

heers of appreciation and encouragement erupted in the Arrivals Section of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, as parents, relatives and officials gathered to welcome home Guyana’s most successful CARIFTA Track and Field team.

Hugs and kisses were the preferred mode of communication just after 11pm on Wednesday, when the athletes were met by their parents,

peers and mentors.

The local contingent, comprising of twentyone athletes, returned to Guyana with 9 medals: four gold, two silver and three bronze medals — the highest ever recorded by a Guyanese CARIFTA team.

Speaking with Guyana Times International Sport, bronze medallist Princess Browne shared that she did not expect such a welcome.

“I’m very excited, very thankful for the medal, because I think

I deserved it. And everyone else (deserved theirs) because I think they worked really hard as well. I was surprised, I was not expecting so many people to come out and support us,” Brown said amidst broad smiles.

An emotional Anisha Gibbons, who made Guyana for the first time in history cop the U17 Javelin gold, was lost for words at the reception and at her achievement.

“Well, I kept my focus, and I’m very happy.

(These are) tears of joy, I don’t know what to say,”

Gibbons said between tears.

President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Aubrey Hutson, oozed gratitude to those who had contributed to the athletes’ success.

“This is the best we’ve ever done. We continue to invest our time, our energy, and whatever little resources we have to continue to send athletes out there to compete. Note, I said compete, and not participate, because we’re at that level where we’re competing now. And I think the

hard work of the AAG, the coaches, the athletes, the parents, and the few in the private sector that believe in us (has paid off). We just want to say, ‘Thank you very much’,” he declared.

With the athletes’ future on his mind, Director of Sport Christopher Jones pledged his commitment to ensuring that successful athletes are given opportunity to further their studies through university scholarships.

“Our cause as the National Sports

Commission is to continue to press the Honourable Minister Dr. George Norton and the Government to continue the investment in sport, because we realise (that) to keep the athletes in their pursuit of sport, we have to invest in their education,” Jones stated.

The eighteen athletes who are locally based, along with six from swimming and fourteen from Chess, are expected to be officially honoured by the Ministry of Social Cohesion with Responsibility for Sport.

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

53

54

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

55