Guyana Times International 09-Aug-19

Only 13 overs possible in washed-out first ODI

INTERNATIONAL THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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“A waste of time”

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ISSUE NO. 462

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019

See story on page 3

– Gecom Commissioner says of meeting with President

...Granger hints at appealing CJ’s ruling on H2H registration if decision unfavorable to APNU/AFC Off to Vermont!

An eager team of Guyanese youth as they departed on Thursday for Brattleboro, Vermont in the United States to participate in the 2019 Youth Ambassadors Program (YAP) with the Caribbean. During the 3-week exchange, 7 Guyanese students and 1 adult mentor along with their peers from the Caribbean will engage in leadership development training with a focus on social transformation and civic engagement, as they seek to address issues facing youth across the region. (US Embassy photo)

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

“A waste of time” – Gecom Commissioner says of meeting with President ...Granger hints at appealing CJ’s ruling on H2H registration if decision unfavorable to APNU/AFC

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ith the Chief Justice, Roxanne George, slated to rule next week on whether the House-to-House registration exercise should be scrapped in light of the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the No-Confidence Motion and the country’s Constitutional provisions, President David Granger has signaled his intention to appeal if the decisions are unfavorable to the APNU/AFC Coalition.

Addressing the media on Thursday, shortly after he, along with some Government Ministers, met with newly appointed Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice Claudette Singh,

President David Granger, on Thursday, met Chairman and Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission at the Ministry of the Presidency

accompanied by the six Commissioners, the President reiterated that

there should be credible elections as early as possible.

However, when questioned as to whether he and his government would

accept the CJ’s ruling if it is against proceeding with the House-to-House

registration process, the President hinted that the administration is prepared to explore all legal options to ensure credible elections are held.

“We are ready to pursue any legal action that we feel would lead to a favorable outcome to have credible elections in Guyana. Our concern is with credible elections and we have said over and over again that if the list is flawed it must be corrected. It is for the Commission to say how it will correct that list, as leader of the PNC/R, as Chairman of the APNU, as President of Guyana, we are interested in credible elections.” turn to page 7

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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EDITORIAL

Opportunities for women

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ccording to the United Nations, investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth.

Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs, or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home. But, according to the UN, women also remain disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation. Gender discrimination means women often end up in insecure, low-wage jobs, and constitute a small minority of those in senior positions. It curtails access to economic assets such as land and loans. It also limits participation in shaping economic and social policies.

Here in Guyana, there has always been much talk by policy makers and political parties about creating opportunities for women’s empowerment. There have indeed been some steps taken to ensure that women are better off, but by and large, most would agree that there is still a far way to go— both in terms of policy-making and actual implementation of programmes to ensure that women have full access to resources and opportunities that would enable them to develop themselves. For example, our single-parent mothers have over the years found it very difficult to make ends meet. Many of them have found themselves in a position where they work from month to month and there seems to be no end to the financial hardships they experience. In some cases, they lack the necessary skills and qualifications required to get suitable, well-paid jobs so that they can earn enough to provide for themselves and their children.

For some who would like to venture out into establishing their own small business, etc, the strict criteria set by banks and other lending institutions makes it difficult to access the necessary loans. There are a few institutions which give grants and other forms of support, but they are on a limited scale and most of them are Georgetown-based, making it a bit difficult for rural women to have easy access.

The previous administration had recognised that single-parent women are a vulnerable group and had created several mechanisms for them to be lifted out of poverty and elevate themselves so that they would be better off. For example, the then PPP Government had collaborated with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) to introduce the Women of Worth (WOW) project. Under this programme, single-parent women could have access to as much as $250,000 to start up a business or expand an already established business. This facility was of tremendous help to women as they were able to establish their own small business and, hence, some of them were able to improve their financial situations. In addition, they were able to build their self-esteem and learn new business skills.

The WOW programme was in addition to other initiatives which were implemented towards improving the living conditions of women across the country. For example, in 2008, a national exercise was carried out in order to finalise a Single Parent Register, which the authorities had used to provide financial and other forms of support to single parents, most of them being women. Hundreds of single parents were registered and benefitted from different forms of assistance— including technical and vocational training.

There is need for more similar programmes to be replicated in communities across Guyana. Such initiatives cannot be one-off, they must be year-round and carried out with the support of the private sector and other community and civil society groups.

Regarding the upcoming elections, voters – especially females— should closely examine the policies and programmes of the various political parties to see which one of them offers the most attractive ‘package’ in terms of women’s economic empowerment; meaning better paid jobs, better access to and control over resources, and greater security, including protection from domestic and other forms of violence.

Many international commitments support women’s economic empowerment, including the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and a series of International Labour Organisation conventions on gender equality. Whichever government is in power, therefore, has an obligation to ensure that policies are designed and implemented geared towards ensuring the economic and social advancement of women all across Guyana.

“Come get yuh fresh fruits!” A vendor plies his trade at the Stabroek Market in Georgetown, Guyana (DPI photo)

Clear policies must guide influx of foreign workers in Guyana Dear Editor, As Guyanese proudly prepared for Emancipation Day 2019, the caretaker Finance Minister heartlessly warned workers that they will be replaced by foreigners willing to work for less. Bewildered, the Guyanese people wondered where the caretaker President is, where the caretaker Prime Minister is, where are the political parties which swear they exist because of the working class. It surely cannot be only Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP who must rebuke Jordan.

This week, just before Emancipation Day, the caretaker Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, who never admitted he is a dual citizen, as has been alleged, stated, unapologetically, that he prefers foreign workers who would work for less pay than Guyanese workers. His statement is as outrageous as it is unequivocally reckless. It is utterly despicable and disgraceful. In fact, under normal circumstances, by itself, it is reason enough for a Government Minister to immediately resign or be fired.

Except, this Minister was already fired on December 21, 2018, and he is presently squatting in his position.

While his statement is shocking, sadly, few Guyanese are shocked, expecting nothing but recklessness from the APNU/AFC and their Ministers. But the dismay is real and nothing can diminish how repugnant Jordan’s posture is. The dismay is compounded and there is genuine shock that the trade unions are still silent. Where is Lincoln Lewis of the Guyana Trades Union Congress? Cat cut his tongue?

For a Government to endorse foreigners coming and taking jobs from Guyanese,

on the basis that their wages are lower, is disgraceful and unforgivable. The time has long past for the leadership of the APNU/AFC to reject the statement from Jordan. It is now almost a week, total silence. David Granger as the caretaker President and the Leader of the PNC is silent.

Moses Nagamootoo, the caretaker Prime Minister, who still has nothing to do, who often boasts he is the champion of the working class, is totally silent. His AFC colleagues are in “la la land”, not a word of rebuke. The WPA, which has disowned Walter Rodney and which has become totally subsumed as a regular PNC group, is busy ensuring they remain in the warm embrace of the PNC, cannot even be bothered.

When the Private Sector in Guyana decides to hire foreigners because they can pay them less than Guyanese workers, they have legitimacy since the Government endorses this shameless practice. In fact, the Private Sector has already done so. Many security guards today in Guyana are foreigners. More shameful and totally unacceptable, many of the foreign security guards are employed at Government facilities. These foreigners are not only working as security guards, but they also work in the stores and restaurants and other service entities. They work in the mines and in the forestry sector.

What makes this practice unholy and repugnant is that it is happening amidst high unemployment. More than 30,000 people have lost their jobs through closure of businesses, including the closure of four sugar estates, and through the slowing down of the economy which has forced certain businesses

to reduce staffing. In addition to lost jobs, the Government has failed to create employment. Now unemployment among the Guyanese workers is skyrocketing because available jobs are being taken by foreigners, just because they can be paid less, and the Government, if we are to accept Jordan’s pronouncement, is jumping for joy.

It is the height of irresponsibility and Jordan and the APNU/AFC must not escape the people’s wrath. It is behaviour and attitude like this which caused the APNU/AFC to lose the no-confidence vote in Parliament on December 21, 2018. That was not an accident, no fluke, it was the reflection of the loss of confidence among the majority of the Guyanese people.

David Granger and the APNU/AFC know this. It is the reason they are so morbidly afraid of the election which was due on March 21 and which is again due on September 18. They will do everything within their deceitful best to avoid the elections. What is most egregious is they still insist on their reckless behaviour, hoping to buy votes by handouts and hoping to use some of the foreign workers to vote for them, illegally of course.

While this practice began with jobs like sales persons, security guards, restaurant workers, mining and forestry workers, home workers, in the farms, etc, it is only a matter of time before these workers flood the country competing for other jobs, such as teachers, nurses, in the oil and gas industry etc.

This must give us pause because we must now develop a cohesive policy to guide the influx of people from other countries into Guyana. turn to page 6

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Coalition Govt approves close to G$1B in contracts inspite of caretaker role

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he coalition Government has announced that it has given its approval for the awarding of close to G$1 billion in contracts— ranging from road works to hydropower.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Ministry of the Presidency Director General Joseph Harmon read out a litany of contracts that were awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and approved.

The single biggest contract was worth US$2.251 million, for the supply and installation of a 150 kW hydropower plant at Chiung River, Kato, Region Eight.

According to Harmon, this contract was awarded to B&J Civil Works. Other contracts dealt with road works, rehabilitation of schools, and the construction of bridges.

But this comes at a time when the Government is supposed to be in caretaker mode after losing a No-Confidence Motion (NCM). But Harmon explained the Government’s understanding of what it means to be a caretaker government. Some of the limitations on their power, according to Harmon, include restrictions on overseas travel by the President or ministers.

“In its interim mode, the Government shall exercise restraint by not engaging in any initiatives that are likely to be considered controversial, such as embarking on new policy initiatives, programmes or projects including the signing of new international agreements or embarking on new major infrastructural projects”.

“Secondly, to attend to matters considered urgent and in the public interest, such as matters of security, the maintenance of public infrastructure and systems for public health, housing and education and other routine functions. We will continue to implement projects approved by Parliament and in respect of which, contracts have been signed and work commenced before the interim period”.

According to Harmon, the Government will also ensure that new projects carried out will not be too difficult to carry out. At the same time, however, Harmon insisted that the Government still retains its full array of powers.

“Cabinet agreed that the Government retains its full powers that is Executive, statutory and common law. Ministers shall continue to exercise jurisdiction and responsibility for all agencies and

departments that come under their portfolio”.

Further, he added that all public service rules remain in force and applicable and the (armed services) are expected to continue to perform and execute their statutory duties.

Caretaker rebuffed

It was only last month that the presence of a Trinidadian Minister at the Guyana Government’s investment outreach in Trinidad and Tobago had drawn criticism from a lawmaker in the twin island Republic. The lawmaker had urged his government to maintain neutrality when dealing with Guyana’s caretaker

government.

The lawmaker in question was Trinidad Member of Parliament Rodney Charles, who represents Naparima. He was quoted in Trinidad’s Newsday publication berating the twin island’s Energy Minister, Franklin Khan, for being in attendance at the event.

The event, which was picketed by pro-Opposition supporters— who held placards urging the coalition to comply with the Constitution— was held

by Guyana’s government at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Port-of-Spain. But Charles pointed out to Minister Khan that a question mark hangs over Guyana’s government fol-

lowing the Caribbean Court of Justice rulings.

The parliamentarian was quoted reminding Khan that the CCJ ruled that the Guyana Government should operate as a caretaker government with the main purpose of calling elections as soon as possible.

“The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the highest Court in Guyana, recently ruled that the present government in Guyana led by President David Granger should operate as a caretaker government with the primary purpose of calling elections as soon as possible to determine the will of the Guyanese peoples. That is its only job,” Newsday

quoted Charles as saying.

According to Charles in the news report, it was doubtful whether hosting the investment outreach could be classified as a caretaker responsibility. Moreover, Charles in the news report, also referenced Trinidad Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s foreign policy of non-interference.

He noted that Khan was out of order for attending the Guyana government-hosted event.

Moreover, he questioned the repercussions if the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won the next elections that must be held following the passage of the NCM. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has always maintained that the Government should be acting in a caretaker capacity only and not be entering into large scale contracts.

Jagdeo’s position was vindicated by the CCJ on July 12, when it ruled that the Government should be in a caretaker status.

CCJ President Adrian Saunders had outlined that the Cabinet, including the President, should have already been resigned, thus, reaffirming that the APNU/AFC coalition is, in fact, and should be in a caretaker mode leading up to elections.

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

What I would like to see for a modern Guyana Dear Editor, Below are some of my suggestions and deliberations on Guyana’s oil wealth and the way forward for a prosperous and united Guyana for all.

1. First, and of utmost importance, we need a hydroelectric power plant. In this way, the cost of everyday necessary expenses will decrease. For example, we will only have to pay 10 per cent for electricity, water, internet of what we are paying now, and we will be able to afford air conditioning, electric stove for cooking etc to drastically improve our living conditions at a very low cost. Electricity is the utmost power, not man, even though man invented it.

2. Three solidly structured bridges across the three main rivers Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. This will help in integration and faster delivery of goods and services and access to more lands. Government still has to collect tolls on these bridges but a small amount reasonable to the citizenry of Guyana.

3. Our own oil refinery so we can maximise on oil revenue by

way of transparency and by-products.

4.

All-weather roads from Georgetown to Lethem and from Crabwood Creek to Orealla 5. A piece of land, free of all charges and expenses to be given to every Guyanese aged 18-60 who is living here permanently who doesn’t own a transport title. This must be a priority and must be done urgently.

6. Duty-free concession for a vehicle to be given to each Guyanese citizen living here from the ages between 18-60.

One concession in their lifetime regardless of vehicle size and engine capacity.

7. Borders to be properly secured. Stringent measures should be put in place. This should be a top priority on the list of security measures.

8. An agriculture hub. This is more important for after oil money we want a piece of fertile Guyana where you created a smart agricultural hub for agricultural produces strictly for export markets with the highest technology for cattle, poultry, crops, manufacturing assemble plants

etc. We must create for this part of Guyana we choose, to have access to air, sea and land transportation. This modern agricultural hub with its plants etc must cater for 400,000 workers when completed and be handed over to Guyanese to own, operate and manage.

Guyanese can pay back for it by way of an arrangement with Government.

Government must concentrate on collecting taxes not to own, manage or run any business sector Lastly on agriculture, most nations built their foundations on agriculture since ancient times before oil no one dreamt of and now our world’s population is growing at a fast rate – there are seven billion of us and growing on planet earth. We will have more and more mouths to feed. There is no substitute for freshly grown food but now a lot of renewable energy sources have sprung up like solar, wind, hydroelectric dam, and electric vehicles and so on so. In time, fossil fuel will be obsolete so we have an all-weather climate and land, we have to utilise the money in that di-

rection for a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren and future generations to come. God gave us a chance so we need to utilise the oil revenue in a bliss way so we, all Guyanese, can prosper and carve out the path for our children of the future Guyanese generation to tread on our path we have left behind for them.

9. National Assembly members should be 18-60 years old, let young and fresh and active brains take over, over 60 years, go home, retire and enjoy your golden years ahead and reminisce on your past achievements 10. The President of Guyana should be able to run for more than 2 terms. This should be left open, let the citizenry of Guyana decide by their vote 11. Income tax should reduce to 10 per cent.

This way the citizenry will have more spending power and put more energy and zest into the population.

12.

Citizenship.

Guyanese citizens living here solely for the past 20 years and above and between the ages of 18-60 must be given the right to sponsor

one person in their lifetime – any foreign nationals – into Guyana with certain criteria for the potential immigrant etc, deportations for any criminal activity they may commit here etc. And the sponsors remain responsible for the immigrant until a certain number of years living here and until they gain citizenship stipulated by the Government.

The Government must not bestow citizenship to any foreign nationals, it must be left solely on the citizenry 13.

Scholarships should be given to the 100 top students every year. Every single penny should be paid by the State until they finish their studies and return to Guyana and commence work here with the State for a specific time determined by the State.

14. Banks. More foreign banking institutions should be encouraged to invest in Guyana.

More competition is good for the people of Guyana.

Lower interest rates and other benefits etc.

15. Rehabilitation of all public buildings into concrete structures 16. Build the bridge between Guyana and

Suriname. This will be the final connectivity in the western hemisphere 17. The remaining oil blocks that are not tendered out shall remain until the Government formulates an agreement that is conducive to both parties, the Government and the potential tenants and mainly the Guyanese populace With all these things implemented, Guyanese will have a life worth living and a land of paradise on earth given our meagre population with the enormous wealth in its path furthermore, Guyanese will not need any cash incentive or handout from oil money, they will become self-sufficient and independent gradually.

W h i c h e v e r Government implements these hardcore projects, they have a vision for Guyana and with these measures, the benefits of oil prosperity will trickle down to each and every single Guyanese living here.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to comprehend this.

Sincerely, Sarvanand J Persaud

A fallen government at the Clear policies helm puts Guyana’s security must guide... and general welfare at risks from page 4

Dear Editor, Confidence in Government was lost on December 21, 2018. The No-Confidence Motion (NCM) should be given its full effect under the law.

The People have a right to replace Government, which is merely their servant.

Neither Government nor any third party (eg, GECOM) has the authority to obstruct the full effect of the NCM. Yet, Government continues to do anything to deny the NCM its full legal effect. This includes the call for or applause of Houseto-House Registration which is not an Article 106 (6) and (7) requirement to install a new Government.

A new Government must be installed immediately to avoid further exposure of the State to both foreign and domestic threats. Having a fallen Government at the helm of the State puts Guyana’s security

and general welfare at significant risks.

This is the essence of a NCM which seems to have gotten lost with all the unnecessary talk of registration. The security of the State is paramount, and it trumps the so-called readiness of GECOM. The State can collapse anytime, with or without GECOM. Having the fallen Granger Administration at the helm of Guyana invites instability. It is asking for intrusion against the State from foreign forces, and also domestic assault from within by armed groups.

The arrival of thousands of Haitians with no allegiance to the State, when Guyana has a fallen regime in office, is a recipe for further internal danger. Until a new and stable Government is installed, these arrivals should temporarily cease.

In the interim, civil society and the me-

dia must continue to put pressure on both Government and the Opposition to ensure that the NCM is given its full legal effect.

As it is, Government’s actions have created irreparable injury to the State and democracy and may have destroyed future use of a NCM as a parliamentary convention.

It is now fashionable to disregard substantive constitutional law. Here are a few examples.

1. Instead of fresh elections “within three months,” the President replaced that in Article 106 (6) and (7) with elections in the “shortest” time possible. He has “hammered out” new law without any “role” from the legislature. No one knows what his law means.

2. The formal detailed request by the Leader of the Opposition for the President and Cabinet to resign is cast aside with a handful of words: the request is be-

ing “examined.” Waiting for the President and Cabinet to resign is like waiting for Godot. That is, waiting for someone who never shows up.

3. The Hon Minister of Security contradicts the President and is blunter. He openly dismissed that part of the Constitution which requires resignations as “legal fiction.” In other words, it is not a real request. Maybe the law needs to be in boldface font.

It is a terrifying time to be a diplomat in Guyana, to witness coalition-flavoured democracy.

Diplomats with vested interests in Guyana must be gravely concerned about the clear and present dangers posed by this coalition regime.

They should also pressure State actors to give the NCM its full effect under the law.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

It is not that Guyana cannot accommodate others. Guyana can benefit from an increase in population. But clear policies must guide the influx.

When the only rationale is it is better to pay foreigners cheaper, it is a clueless way forward, it is reckless, it is even criminal.

Guyanese workers are still the lowest-paid workers in Caricom, outside of Haiti.

Now we have a Government which promotes as sound economic sense for foreigners to compete with Guyanese workers by offering their services cheaper.

What is unforgiveable is that the APNU/ AFC took the reins of Government on the backs of Guyanese workers who they promised dramatic wage and salary increases and significant improvement in other benefits.

Guyanese sugar workers, after four years, have received not a cent in wage increases and they have lost significant associated benefits.

The public servants

are no better off and, after four years, they are still told their increases are coming. Weeks after the APNU/AFC became the Government, they increased their own salaries and benefits between 50 and more than 100 per cent.

At the time, they told public servants the Cabinet had to take their own increases first because it will make them more competent and less corrupt and the public servants must be patient and await their turn. Now, workers are told foreigners will take their jobs for less pay.

They are utterly shameless in telling the Guyanese workers their jobs are in jeopardy because foreigners are welcomed to come take those jobs if they are willing to work for less.

It is high time we punish the APNU/AFC by voting them out. But these shameful people have decided they will not permit any election to fire them.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

news 7

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Suspect claims he killed taxi driver in self-defence

…following row over fare

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orty-two-year-old Owen Lynch, the Princes Street, Georgetown taxi driver who was stabbed to death in Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Tuesday night by a passenger he had picked up at Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was reportedly killed over the taxi fare.

Lynch’s body was discovered lying motionless around 21:45h with multiple stab wounds.

Enquiries revealed that Lynch, a taxi driver attached to Swift Cabs Taxi Service, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was dispatched to Sophia to make a pick-up.

The man reportedly ventured to the location where he picked up a passenger who requested to be taken to Cemetery Road, Mocha Arcadia.

However, when the cab arrived at Mocha, the passenger refused to pay Lynch the requested sum.

The driver reportedly called the taxi service to report the matter to the dispatcher, who instructed him to

leave. That was the last time anyone heard from Lynch. His body was discovered with an ice pick nearby, the Police said in a press statement.

When Guyana Times International visited the now dead man’s mother, Coreen Hilliman at her Stevedore Housing Scheme, Georgetown home, the woman burst into tears and said that Lynch was her only son.

“It was very hard for me to lose my only son, my only son… it is very difficult; my son, everybody know he, he would fret from time to time, but when it comes to certain things, he would be there; he don’t make joke with his money, he always does say that his money is for his children,” Hilliman cried.

The woman reportedly received the news of her son’s demise from his girlfriend.

She explained that her son’s girlfriend placed several calls to Lynch’s phone on Tuesday night, all of which went unanswered. When she finally received an answer,

it was from the Police instructing her to visit the Providence Police Station.

After the girlfriend and Hilliman went to the Police Station, they were taken to the murder scene where they saw Lynch’s body.

The grieving mother disclosed that the only information she received regarding what transpired came from the dispatcher.

“The base woman told me that she told him if they don’t want to pay, then turn back and put them off…that is all, so I can’t say what happened after then or anything because she said that he didn’t have the opportunity to call her back to say that well, he turning back with the drop or whatever. I don’t know what occurred, I don’t know if he decided to say well, they gon pay he the money or if they stick he up or what. I don’t know,” Hilliman said.

She described her son as a “stand-up person” (frank) and one who cared for his two children, who both reside in

French Guiana.

A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) Police have arrested one person – a 48-year-old Mocha, Cemetery Road mason, who they said confessed to killing Lynch in self-defence.

The suspect reportedly confessed to stabbing Lynch several times to his body with an object.

The mason reportedly divulged to Police that he was out imbibing with a friend in Sophia when he called the Swift Cabs Taxi Service for a cab to transport him to his home.

When Lynch arrived, the suspect alleged that it was agreed that he would be taken to the location for G$1500.

While journeying home, the suspect told Police that Lynch took a wrong direction and as such the duo went back to Sophia.

Upon returning to Sophia, a friend of the suspect reportedly instructed that he ventured back home to Mocha using the same taxi at an additional cost

The dead man, Owen Lynch

of G$500.

After once again arriving in Mocha, the suspect claimed that he gave G$2000 to Lynch who demanded an additional G$500.

However, the suspect is alleging that he had exited the taxi and had begun walking to his house when he was

“A waste of time”...

President Granger and his government are contending that House-to-House registration is necessary, even though scores of legal experts have contended otherwise.

Experts have suggested that the list could be cleansed and updated via a process of Claims and Objections which should take about two to three weeks.

Granger also argued that the government is not in a position to direct the work of GECOM and that, Justice Singh, is the one that has to advise him in relation to elections.

“A matter is now before the Supreme Court, the Chairman of the Commission, obviously, would want to know what the Chief Justice will say, and thereafter I expect to be in touch with the Chairman and Commissioners again.

So right now the government…is very respectful of the role of the Elections Commission and once I receive advice from them, from the commissioners or from the Chairman of the Commission, I will act on that advice.”

The President fur-

ther stated that his government will continue to provide the necessary resources which GECOM needs to execute its mandate and that the meeting with the GECOM Chair and its Commissioners on Thursday was also necessary.

Colossal waste of time

Meanwhile, shortly after that brief meeting, Opposition Commissioner at GECOM, Sase Gunraj, told this publication that while President Granger had acknowledged that this meet was done even before GECOM has an opportunity to meet as a full commission, the event was of no importance and simply premature.

“This matter in relation to the Houseto-House registration is awaiting the ruling from the Honorable Chief Justice, so as a consequence, I believed going in, that it was a premature meeting and coming out I am more flabbergasted than anything else because I am not sure what the purpose of it was….it was a waste of time, nothing new, meaningful or anything was said to

the Commission by the President. The same rhetoric was spewed once more.”

Gunraj pointed out that he was only notified/invited to the meeting less than 24 hours of the event but that he accepted, because he, along with the other PPP/C Commissioners,

believe that in such a critical time in the history of the country every conceivable step to move forward should be taken.

“And move forward how? Move forward by following the precepts of the Constitution which says that elections should be held in

attacked by Lynch. The man told Police that he defended himself, stabbing Lynch before leaving the scene. He was later informed that the taxi driver had succumbed.

The man is being held as Police continue their investigations.

(Kizzy Coleman)

from page 3

a particular time upon the successful passage of the no-confidence motion. The position was clarified pellucidly almost by the Caribbean Court of Justice. So, we are in a circle here and we are not sure why.”

Christopher Ram, a political commentator, lawyer and accountant,

has filed a challenge against the ongoing House-to-House registration exercise on the grounds that it violates the CCJ ruling and the Constitution that elections must be held within three months after the passage of a no-confidence motion against a government.

8 news

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Felix confirms over 7000 Haitian immigrants ‘unaccounted’ for

W

ith 8476 Haitian nationals having arrived in the country for the year so far, only 1170 have left, leaving more than 7000 immigrants unaccounted for – but there seems to be a lack of response from the Government to address the issue under the Ministry of the Presidency for the period of January 2019 to July 2019.

While the issue of foreign nationals overstaying their time in the country is not a new one, the numbers have significantly increased since 2015.

In 2013, 188 Haitians arrived in Guyana with 99 departures; and in 2014, 227 arrived and 113 departed.

But in 2015, there were 770 arrivals and only 136 departures; in 2016, 722 arrivals with 451 departures; in 2017, 3515 arrivals and 291 departures; and in 2018, 1237 arrivals with only

85 departures.

While Government has long contended that the immigrants may be leaving Guyana illegally to head to Brazil or Suriname (to head to French Guiana), there has been no concrete moves by authorities to monitor the situation or attempt to put a stop to the illegal movement of people.

These numbers of unaccounted Haitians had raised major concerns, especially for the parliamentary Opposition – which has alleged that there might be a people-smuggling racket afoot.

But Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix in a statement on Monday night said there is no evidence of such. “…the Guyana Police Force has made checks and to date, has found no evidence to indicate even a single instance of people smuggling or Trafficking in Persons (TIP), relative to the

Citizenship Minister Winston Felix

Haitian travellers,” the statement outlined.

The Minister also contended that the records show that of all the cases regarding Trafficking in Persons, Haitians were not involved.

“In effect, the Department has been working with the police on each report of trafficking in persons and this has been so since 2015. For 2019, the police encountered 18 cases of TIP, 13 persons

were charged and 7 cases were brought before the courts.

“The police, who have been working on TIP since 2014, has never encountered a Haitian who is [a] victim of TIP and similarly, they have not charged any Haitian with relation to TIP and that is instructive as to the nature of the Haitians’ presence in Guyana. They are not victims of trafficking nor have we encountered

them smuggled into any territory or Guyana,” the Minister noted.

The Citizenship Minister had reiterated that those unaccounted Haitians might be leaving through the “backtrack” (unauthorised ports) to go to other countries.

“Many of the news outlets have been making heavy weather of the Haitians who cannot be accounted for. We have large and unprotected borders on the East with Suriname, on the West with Venezuela and on the South with Brazil.

It is very easy to travel from certain parts of the Rupununi to Brazil because of the porous borders. For Suriname, there is the decades-old back track, which the Haitians utilise to travel across and then onward to Cayenne,” he said.

Furthermore, he explained that the legislative adjustment to Schedule II of the Immigration Act, Cap

14:02, might be another reason for the influx of Haitians.

The Act was amended to include Haiti as a beneficiary to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), which facilitates free movement within the region and automatic entry and stay of six months in Caricom countries.

Prior to the amendment, the Act had facilitated the six-month automatic stay to other Caricom member states including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Montserrat, Grenada, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago with the exception of Haiti, whose nationals had required a visa and were only allowed to stay for up to 90 days or three months.

Since then, Haitians no longer need a visa to travel to Guyana and are afforded the same treatment and welcome that other Caricom nationals have enjoyed.

‘We expect excellence’ – US Ambassador tells new volunteers serving in Guyana

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wenty-nine young American volunteers will spend the next two years living with Guyanese families to execute community projects geared at fostering education, health, and protecting the environment.

The 32nd group of Peace Corps volunteers to serve in Guyana was sworn in on Wednesday by United States Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch at her residence.

The 29 volunteers underwent 10 weeks of training to prepare them for their deployment.

During the training sessions, they learnt about Guyanese culture, creole language, technical theory and practical training on model school programmes, all while living with a Guyanese host family.

Peace Corps Country Director Kury Cobham said that the 29 volunteers were committed and ready to take on the assignments with the utmost professionalism, commitment, and passion.

“A group of Americans from dynamic and varying backgrounds –- all coming to give of themselves and of support to where they are most needed. Today marks the culmination of their 10 weeks of pre-service training. This time was not only meant for the

training team to educate them on Guyanese culture, giving them a foundation in Creolese and drill in key technical skills relevant to their sectors, it was also a critical time for them to reconfirm their commitment to fulfil the expectations placed upon them by Peace Corps,” Cobham noted.

M e a n w h i l e , Ambassador Lynch, a former volunteer herself, spoke of the work Peace Corps has done over the years in Guyana.

She noted that Peace Corps Guyana has fielded 1400 volunteers, who have served and lived in Guyanese communities, working alongside the

The newly sworn-in batch of Peace Corps volunteers with US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, First Lady Sandra Granger and Peace Corps Country Director Kury Cobham

people, sharing their aspirations, helping them address their challenges and celebrating their achievements.

“The Peace Corps’ special ingredient in Guyana and globally is a people-to-people approach to learning, reinforcing, and building capacity at the community level. And 53 years later, volunteers are still serving the people of Guyana, having lived and worked in all 10 regions of this country,” the US envoy noted.

Turning her attention to this current batch, Ambassador Lynch highlighted the task ahead of the new volunteers as they head out to serve in eight of Guyana’s 10 re-

gions.

“You are being posted to eight of Guyana’s 10 regions, and 40 per cent of you will be serving in some of the neediest Indigenous communities… But let me remind you that you are committing to two years of service – service to your country, the United States, and service to the Guyanese citizens in your communities and beyond. As with those before you, we expect excellence; we expect professionalism; and we expect commitment during your two years of Peace Corps Service,” the Ambassador said to the volunteers.

Addressing the volunteers, Education Minister

Nicolette Henry recognised the sacrifices they had to make to be able to work in communities in Guyana.

“I urge you to feel free to explore and enjoy what we have to offer, so that the exchange may be balanced in many respects as you interact with our teachers, students, parents, communities, and the nation by large. I trust the experience will contribute, in a large way, to your personal as well as your professional growth,” Henry posited.

The 10 volunteers assigned to the education sector will serve at 26 schools throughout the country, working to improve the literacy pro-

gramme from Grades One to Four.

Meanwhile, the health sector will see volunteers working with young persons to improve their health and well-being outcomes by educating them on the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs.

Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony for the 32nd batch of Peace Corps Volunteers was attended by First Lady Sandra Granger; Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams; Junior Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe, officials from Peace Corps Guyana and partnering stakeholders.

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Essequibo residents join oil and gas conversation R

esidents of Essequibo were recently given an opportunity to join in the creation of a process which would allow citizens to exercise influence over the way in which Guyana’s oil and gas sector would impact society.

This opportunity was made possible through a public consultation referred to as ‘Open Space’ hosted by Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), in collaboration with Guyana Human

Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI), Anna Regina, aimed at generating the national consensus among ordinary Guyanese on how the “mega-revenues” expected from the country’s oil and gas sector can best deliver to the future of all Guyanese.

It was the fifth in a series of eight initiatives which are set to be conducted in Corentyne, Lethem and Upper Mazaruni in the coming months.

Participants at the session

Participants vote for main recommendations

Rights Association and Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. The ‘Open Space’ initiative, held at the

The PFG team to Essequibo was spearheaded by Benita Davis and a supporting team of twelve volunteers

comprised of members from the University of Guyana Geographical Society, staff from ETI and youths from Anna

18-yr-old gets 5 years for armed robbery

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ne day after an 18-year-old teen told the court that he committed the robberies because he was hungry and had no money, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus handed down the sentence on Tuesday to Quacy Jupiter of Campbell Street, Albouystown, Georgetown.

He was slapped with five charges when he made his first court appearance, however, he only admitted to robbing two persons while denying the third. He had also denied being in possession of an illegal gun and ammunition when Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus had read the charges.

The Magistrate sentenced Jupiter to two and a half years for each of the charges to which he pleaded guilty.

The sentences will run concurrently, hence, he will only spend two and a half years behind bars.

The first charge stated that on August 1, 2019, at Louisa Road, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Robert Rollins of a number of items which collectively totalled G$43,000.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he robbed Ulric Bristol of a quantity of items valued at G$63,000.

The third charge stated that he robbed Roxanne Daniels of two mobile phones and G$15,000 in cash, totalling G$131,000.

Quacy Jupiter

It was further alleged that on August 1, 2019, at Campbell Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, he had in his possession a .32 revolver and four matching rounds of ammunition without being a licensed firearm holder.

The matters were reported and a search was carried out in a room in which the suspect was occupying where the stolen articles were found.

Jupiter was then arrested and taken to the station where he was positively identified by the victims as the perpetrator. As such, he was charged for the offences.

Regina.

According to Davis, the Open Space method is an excellent way to engage all citizens in a discussion on a complex issue like oil and gas.

Apart from the ordinary people educating themselves about the consequences of oil and gas, Davis said, the event is also a valuable learning opportunity for many of the volunteers from Anna Regina who were experiencing the Open Space technique for the first time.

The long-term aim of the initiative, she explained, is to revive a collective belief among Guyanese that things

could be different.

“Rather than resigning ourselves to each one striving as individuals to better their own position within the existing society, if citizens act together, they can renovate society as a whole,” she explained.

The groups engaged in discussions that were centred on developments they would like to see in the community and across the country coming from oil and gas revenues.

This included the future development of Essequibo’s economy and job availability for graduates, among other things. They also em-

braced the opportunity to share issues and recommendations.

The top three priorities for Anna Regina generated by the event are: the development of technical and agricultural training, improved healthcare system, and the creation of laws and policies specific to the oil and gas sector.

Among those present at the activity, were representatives the Essequibo Technical Institute, Board of Industrial Training, Essequibo Chamber of Commerce, New Opportunity Corps, Church of Christ, Guyana Forestry Commission, Al Madinah Islamic School and Suddie Hospital along with a range of interested citizens.

The first phase of this the project will close with the final Open Space event scheduled for Berbice in late August.

The second phase consists of compiling the main conclusions into a consensus document that enjoys the demographic legitimacy of having emerged from the widespread discussion, as a tool for strengthening the oil and gas dialogue.

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“Technical aspects” of Guyana/Suriname bridge being discussed – Patterson

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ment as the GuyanaSuriname Ferry in that it is jointly owned.

This, he explained, would, therefore, mean that the project will pass through several stages before it can be completed.

As a result, he was unable to say when a contract would be inked to allow these works to commence. There are reports that the bridge is likely to be erected at Moleson Creek or Orealla.

In May, several passengers were left

ly suspended its services on May 27. The Minister had explained that the vessel was being powered by a tug for some time, which encountered some issues.

The ferry’s services still remain in limbo as this newspaper understands that parts are yet to be sourced to rectify the vessel’s issues.

The Canawaima Ferry Service Inc was introduced to Guyana on October 28, 1998, under the Companies Act Number 29 of 1991

stranded after the ferry, which plies the Guyana to Suriname, route encountered mechanical issues.

The vessel, MV Canawaima, official-

of the Laws of Guyana.

It is jointly owned by the Governments of Guyana and Suriname as each country owns 50 per cent of the issued share capital.

The Guyana-Suriname Ferry Crossing

he Public Infrastructure Ministry in Guyana has recommenced talks with its Surinamese counterparts on the much-anticipated bridge which will link the two countries.

In an interview with this publication on Tuesday, the subject Minister, David Patterson, explained that the technical aspect of the project is currently being discussed while details are yet to be sorted out with regards to the project’s “foreign affairs” aspect.

“It’s an existing MoU (Memorandum

of Understanding) that was signed under the previous Administration that we are working with so there’s a working group with the Surinamese and our Ministry on the technical details and that has been ongoing”.

Patterson added, “Of course there are not only technical details, it’s a bilateral component which has to go through Foreign Affairs so I am dealing with the technical details of it but the bilateral agreement will have to go through Foreign Affairs”.

He explained that the Guyanese

Government has been working closely with its Surinamese counterparts on this project and usually meets about twice annually to discuss progress.

The Minister ad-

mitted that progress has been slow even as he was hesitant to say whether the groups have met for this year.

The bridge, according to Patterson, will have a similar arrange-

Man wanted for “Diesel Boss” murder shot by cops

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The gun that was found in the wanted man’s possession

hirty-six-year-old Marlon Badley, who is wanted by the police for murder, was on Sunday evening shot and injured after he pulled a gun on a team of Police ranks in the Stabroek Market Square.

The injured man of Morcut Square, East La Penitence and of Goed Fortuin, West Bank

Demerara, was wanted for the murder of Reginald Atherley, who was gunned down during a robbery at his Guyhoc Park home.

Based on information received, a team of Police officers were on patrol duty at Stabroek Market Square when they observed Badley also called “Maley” walking on Cornhill Street.

He was reportedly walking towards a route 32 minibus.

Two ranks, Detective Corporal Cosbert and Constable Harris, approached the wanted man and as they were in the process of arresting him, he allegedly whipped out a handgun from his crotch and pointed it at Harris.

As a result, Harris

drew his service pistol – a 9mm Taurus – and discharged a round in Badley’s direction thus hitting him to the upper left leg. He reportedly fell onto the ground and was arrested.

A .32 Taurus pistol along with a magazine and eight live .32 rounds of ammunition were retrieved from the wanted man. He was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated and is presently under guard.

Atherly, popularly known as “Diesel Boss” and “Reggie”, of Lot G26 Guyhoc Park, East La Penitence, Georgetown, owned and operated a mechanic shop at his home.

It was reported that the father of five was shot multiple times at close range by two masked gunmen who invaded his home one morning.

The gunmen gained access to the home by removing louvred panes from the windows situated on the side of the

Dead: Reginald Atherly, also known as “Diesel Boss”

house.

The man’s wife, Roxanne Crawford, had stated that she was awoken by voices of men inside the home, whom she soon realised had guns.

She quickly raised an alarm and Atherly, who was on the bed with her, sprung up and rushed to-

wards the men.

It was at this time that the mechanic was shot. After the shooting, Atherly was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

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Govt approves G$460M for emergency works on Mahaicony sea defence

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Boulders being placed to secure the sea defence

he Government of Guyana through the Finance Ministry has approved a contingency allocation of G$460 million for emergency works to be undertaken on the breached sea defence at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

This was disclosed by the Public Infrastructure Ministry in a statement to the media on Tuesday.

During the recent spring tide period of July 31 to August 4, 2019, a section of the sea defence at Prospect, Mahaicony, was severely eroded, resulting in the intrusion of high volumes of saline water into the

Bellamy Canal.

However, close-by agricultural lands have experienced no threats of flooding since the Bellamy Canal Sluice at the Mahaica River was operated during low tides to release excess water stored in the canal.

The Ministry had recently sealed some 125 metres of the sea defence embankment by use of over 5000 boulders after the first breach occurred on July 6, 2019, at Dantzig.

In addition to this, emergency flood protection works are also being undertaken to restore other breaches along the sea defence embankment between the areas of Fairfield

The recently constructed heavy-duty timber bridge at Dantzig

and Dantzig, Mahaicony.

Chief Sea and River Defence Officer at the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Kevin Samad has since indicated that the team has been facing significant challenges in implementing flood prevention measures. Samad explained that significant degradation of the natural sea defence system along a 3-kilometre stretch of shoreline between Fairfield and Dantzig has occurred over the last six months.

According to him, it has become necessary for a resilient manmade sea defence to be constructed given the complete destruction of the man-

grove fringe which has left the earthen embankment in several sections completely exposed to direct wave action. On this note, Samad pointed out that the rainy season also continues to have adverse impacts on the progress of works since the access dams are currently in a deplorable state.

The Ministry in its statement also noted that a 90feet long heavy-duty timber bridge was recently completed at Dantzig across the Bellamy Canal since the only other access bridge across the Bellamy Canal is approximately 3 kilometres away at Fairfield.

Nevertheless, the emergen-

cy works are still ongoing and to date, over 7500 tons of boulders have already been delivered within the ProspectDantzig area. The approved monies will be used to undertake permanent rip rap works and to secure other vulnerable sections within the 3-kilometre stretch.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure also reassured residents and farmers of the Mahaicony area that continuous efforts are being made to monitor the sea defences and interventions are being arranged to expeditiously reinforce vulnerable sections to prevent flooding.

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Burnham remembered on 34th death anniversary

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best interest of this nation. He was a brilliant man who pioneered a system of free education from nursery to university. He was also a futuristic thinker who promoted sustainable development and self-sufficiency, long before the global fight towards achieving sustainable development goals” Norton stated.

Also speaking at the event was President Granger, who emphasised Burnham’s contribution to Guyana’s education.

According to Granger, Burnham, who was the first elected Minister of Education in British Guiana, believed that public education was the cornerstone of social justice.

The Head of State

President David Granger lays a wreath in memory of LFS Burnham

he 34th death anniversary of former President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was commemorated on Tuesday with a wreath-laying ceremony

at the Mausoleum, Place of Heroes, Seven Ponds, Botanical Gardens.

The event was organised by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and was

ing it more resilient and relevant to the national situation at the time and to our people’s aspirations for the future.

He reinforced the bases of universal primary and secondary education and moved tertiary education from being the privilege of an élite few to an entitlement for everyone, the President stated.

He further highlighted that the former President is also to be credited with the building of community high schools and technical institutes along with the University of Guyana Campus and the Cyril Potter College of Education at Turkeyen.

“All with the aim of providing the best education for the post-Independence generation.

attended by President David Granger, Ministers of Government and other dignitaries.

Burnham, the founder of the People’s National Congress,

‘I need justice’

…father of teen who died after being treated for ankle pain calls for probe

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he father of 14-yearold Rabindra Khagaram, who died after being treated for an ankle pain on July 21 at the Suddie Public Hospital said: “I will not rest until justice is being served”.

In an interview with Guyana Times International, the angry father said he will not have closure of his son’s death until someone is held responsible.

The now dead teen was a promising student at the Anna Regina Multilateral School but his relatives are blaming health workers at the Suddie Hospital for his sudden demise.

The father recalled that his son was taken to the medical facility twice on Sunday, July 21 – the day he celebrated his 14th birthday and was seen by two doctors.

On his first visit, he was crying out for severe pain in his ankle. A blood test was done as well as an X-ray after which he was given some tablets and injections. He was then sent home.

Upon his return home, the teen went to bed but soon after he developed a breathing problem. Without any hesitation, he was rushed back to the hospital where he was seen by another doctor who gave him anoth-

Dead: Rabindra Khagaram

er injection and sent him home again.

The father further explained that his son went back to his bed but as his mother went to check on him at about 02:00h the following morning, she discovered that his body was cold and he was not responding. As such, for the third time, the child was taken back to the medical facility in an unconscious state.

After a few hours, the parents received the devastating news that he had succumbed.

The teen was laid to rest after an autopsy proved that he died as a result of septic shock.

“Why the doctors didn’t admit my son in the first place if they knew he had a serious infection which could cause him

his life?”, he questioned.

He is calling for a thorough investigation to be conducted into the real cause of his son’s death. He also thinks that the injections and tablets given to the child resulted in his son’s demise.

The determined father told Guyana Times International: “I don’t care if I have to sleep on the pavement in Georgetown, I will get justice for my son”. He is calling on the relevant authorities to look into the matter.

Days after the young man’s death, Chairman of the Guyana Medical Council, Dr Navindranauth Rambarran related that if a report is made requesting an investigation, only then will the Council also become involved.

“It has not been reported in that regard in the news. If someone, or when a complaint actually arises out of such an incident, the Medical Council can get involved.

Any entity that has received the complaint, the institution itself can complain about it, the individual can complain and then by the law, the Medical Council can act on it in receipt of the complaint,” he had told Guyana Times International.

A section of the gathering at the event on Tuesday

served for a period of 16 years, that is, from December 14, 1964 – October 6, 1980, before he died on August 6, 1985.

Vice Chairman of the PNCR, George Norton in his remarks called Burnham a political icon who encouraged self-sufficiency through hard work for the best interest of Guyana.

“President Burnham was a political icon whose work continues to inspire generations. He motivates Governments to work tirelessly in the

noted that the former President aspired to establish an educational system in which rural and hinterland schools would be as efficient as those on the coastland.

He stated that Burnham believed that if the nation was to improve its citizens’ quality of life, it had to provide them with a high quality of education.

“Forbes Burnham’s first decade in office was one of tremendous transformation of the public education system, mak-

Forbes Burnham gave effect to free public education by expanding opportunities for all. He entrenched free education as an entitlement in [the] Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana…We are encouraged by his example. We are inspired by his vision. We, his heirs and successors, recommit to perpetuating his legacy of free public education. We remember him with reverence and respect” Granger said, ending his remarks.

Trinidad schoolgirl found dead with pregnancy test next to body

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ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Police are awaiting the outcome of an autopsy to determine the death of a 15-yearold secondary school student, who was found dead at her home late Monday with a positive pregnancy test next to her body.

Police said that the body had been found in the bedroom in the house

at San Juan, east of here, by her 13-year-old sister.

The authorities said that the secondary school student had earlier complained to her father of feeling unwell, and was having severe stomach pains and vomiting.

The father is reported to have given his daughter tea and medication to ease the pain.

Police said when her body was discovered,

they found next to it a teacup with clear liquid, a home pregnancy box which contained two utilised tests, both with an indication of a positive pregnancy test, and a transparent packet with markings 'Amoxil 500 mg', containing a number of red and yellow capsules.

Amoxil is an antibiotic that must be prescribed by a doctor.

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Fly Jamaica yet to file application with GCAA I t has been one week since new investors announced their move to take over the Fly Jamaica airline, however, an application is yet to be filed at the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), even as the new owners seek to recommence flights from Guyana by September.

Director General of the GCAA, Egbert Field in an interview with this newspaper on Monday said the airline is nonetheless still likely to start its operations next month.

“It may be possible depending on the magnitude of the work, if there are many changes to their former operation. So I would be unable to say or give you a definitive answer until I see what is produced and if their operations have changed,” he explained.

When it comes to the airline’s bond, Field was keen to note that this must be put in place before operations begin, especially since Fly Jamaica, under its previous owners, did not have one when it pulled out of the market.

“The bond will [have to] be set before the operations. As a new carrier returning to the market, we will have to start all over again so a new bond will be put in

place,” the GCAA Head noted.

Last Tuesday, following the airline’s announcement to reenter the market, Field told this publication that Fly Jamaica would be required to refile an application seeking approval to do so.

He had explained that the airline must be granted approval first from the Jamaica Aviation Authority, then file its application

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with Guyana.

“If they are certified and approved by the Jamaican, because it is a Jamaican-based airline not a Guyanesebased, so providing that Jamaica approved the application then they will give them the necessary permits, they will have to use that to reapply to the Civil Aviation Authority of Guyana so they will have to make an entire new application

and go through the entire process for approval from Guyana also,” the Director General stated.

On July 29, it was reported that a team of investors including Jamaican aviation veteran, Glenn Logan, led

by Yann LeProvost of the French-based company W&Y SAS has taken over the problem-plagued airline.

The new owners took over on July 26 from Guyanese operators, Paul and Roxanne Reece. They have since pledged their commitment to addressing the issues affecting the airline, such as owed salaries to workers and compensation for tickets.

Fly Jamaica became crippled following a November 9 crash last year. The Boeing 757 flight destined for Toronto, Canada crash-landed at the Cheddi Jagan

International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, after encountering hydraulic issues.

It was reported that the flight took off around 02:10h but later returned to the airport where the aircraft crash-landed at about 02:53h.

The cash-strapped airline has since made all its workers redundant, effective from March 1, 2019. Most of the fired former employees are still awaiting their salaries as well.

Fuming passengers too are still awaiting refunds from tickets that were booked.

In May some 46 complaints were received by the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission which value about G$8,316,504.

However last month, the agency said over 100 complaints were filed.

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Burnt body of welder: Cops awaiting DPP’s advice before moving forward

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Yogindra Steve Ramkarran

hose responsible for burning the remains of the welder who was found dead near his mining camp even before Police could investigate can only face charges based on the advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The DPP still has the file that was compiled by investigating ranks, and is yet to advise Police on the way forward.

This is according to Deputy Commander of B Division (Berbice), Phillip Azure, who told this publication on Monday that although a month has passed since the welder, Yogindra “Steve” Ramkarran, was discovered lifeless and whose body was burnt by his co-workers, the police are awaiting word from the office of the DPP as to the next step.

However, Azure was unable to say how soon the file will be returned and if those involved in the incident will be charged for perverting the course of justice but he noted that due to the fact that this case is an unusual one, the police have to be properly guided before they can act.

“That file is still up for legal advice. You see some of these matters are not clear cut, we get the facts and investigate and send to the DPP for legal advice and they can give us the direction where we should go. For instance, if there is further investigation to be done, and if so then that investigation would be done,” he explained on Monday.

The dead man, Yogindra “Steve” Ramkarran, was employed by a well-known sawmill owner from Corentyne, Berbice, and is said to have mysteriously died in the interior on July 4 but his co-workers burnt his body after allegedly being instructed to do so by their employer.

Police had acknowledged that Ramkarran’s cause of death was unknown due to the fact that his body was burnt before an autopsy could have been conducted.

However, despite repeated claims by the employees involved that they were instructed by their boss to burn Ramkarran’s body, the sawmill owner continues to deny the allegations.

Crime Chief (ag), Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston had earlier explained that when the police received a report about Ramkarran’s demise, a rank immediately left to investigate.

But due to the distance of the crime scene, it took some time for him to arrive at that location. Kingston had explained that when the police arrived, he found a decomposed body, which he was told was that of Ramkarran’s.

“Indeed the body had begun to decompose. So the police left to go and get assistance and when he returned with the assistance, that is what they had done [burn the body]. The police had no involvement in the burning of that body, none at all, the men in work said they were acting on the instruction of their employer [to burn the body] but he denied this.”

As a result of this, the workers who burnt the body, along with their employer, were arrested but were later released.

Testing on bone sample Kingston had also stated that although it has been alleged that the ashes from the decomposed body belong to Ramkarran, the necessary testing needs to be conducted to confirm this.

As such, samples of the remains will be tested at the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) to confirm the identity of the dead person.

news 21

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Long-standing PNC/R member quits

-cites Government’s failure to deliver promises, corruption

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eople’s National C o n g r e s s / Reform (PNCR) long-standing member and councilor of Region Four, Dave Danny Jr., defected from that Party on Wednesday, citing corruption and failure to deliver on promises made to citizens.

According to Danny, his exiting the PNC/R after spending many years serving in that Party’s best interest, ending a legacy of three generations of commitment and dedication by his bloodline, is the first step in walking out on corruption. He has now joined the PPP/C which he believes will do a better job for the people of Guyana.

“I had high hopes that the government would deliver the promises made in its manifesto. Instead, youths were sidelined, persons that never fought on the battlefront parachuted their way into prominent positions. Ministers wantonly increased their salary without performance evaluation, just a mere excuse that what; they will not steal, they will not be corrupted; we have seen differently.”

He stated that citizens are suffering and the situation of the nation continues to worsen on a daily basis but the APNU+AFC

es, and absolute denial of the country’s dismal business environment and that he cannot continue to support a Party which does this.

“My grandfather was a proud member of the party who encouraged my grandmother to join the young socialist’ movement in the 1970s.

My father also served as a PNC/R parliamentarian in the 8th and 9th

sittings of the National Assembly and I was born into the (PNC/R) Party… by the age of 14, I joined the Guyana Youth and Student movement officially, starting my political career in the PNC, I took my role seriously, two years later, I was elected to serve as the national treasurer and spend 16 years serving as a national executive of the Guyana Youth and

Student movement.”

As such, Danny believes that his exiting the PNC/R is a step away from corruption and corrupt activities and has now joined the Opposition, the PPP/C, which he believes can do much better for the populace.

His resignation was announced in a video posted on the Facebook PPP/C.

Duo jailed, fined G$11.7M each on cocaine charge PNCR long-standing member and councilor of Region Four, Dave Danny Jr

Government continues to ignore this with its inaction towards remedying situations.

The former PNC/R member and government Region Four councilor further stated that the ‘good life’ that was promised for all should be implied for every citizen and not just a selected few who continue to benefit.

He said that the business community, along with the rest of society,

continues to suffer without being aided by the coalition administration, which seems to only be concerned about their needs and the needs of those close to them.

Dave Danny Jr. also explained that the “groaning” of Guyanese are being ignored by the APNU+AFC Government through inaction and unrealistic policies, lack of communication, inequitable distribution of resourc-

Albouystown man charged for narco possession

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n Albouystown, Georgetown man, who told the court that he uses cannabis for medical purposes was on Monday released on bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Keon Yhap of Lot 137 Campbell Street, Albouystown, stood before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus and pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

The charge alleged that on August 3, 2019, at Leopold Street, Werk-enRust, Georgetown, the 21-year-old had 22 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The prosecution’s case presented by Prosecutor Adunni Innis stated that at 11:45h, Police ranks from the Brickdam Police Station went to Leopold Street to carry out a raid exercise when they met Yhap and conducted a search.

While conducting a search on Yhap, the ranks found 25 small transparent zip-lock bags wrapped in a black plastic bag in his right side back pocket.

Yhap was arrested and taken to the police station, where the narcotics were weighed in his presence.

The defendant in his address to the court stated that “It was only 21 grams and I use it for medical purposes”.

Having listened to his address to the court, a no guilty plea was entered.

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wo men were on Thursday sent away to serve time in prison while their co-accused was freed on the charge of trafficking over five kilograms of cocaine.

O'Neal Charran of Sandy Babb Street, Kitty Georgetown was freed of the charge.

Aundre Singh, 57, of Diamond Housing Scheme, and Clifford Gouveia, 60, of Abary, East Coast Demerara were sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

They were also fined G$11.7M each.

The matter was heard before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.

Attorney-at-Law Bernard Dasilva asked for a minimum sentence for his client Gouveia, since he's a diabetic and suffers from hypertension.

Meanwhile, Attorneyat-Law George Thomas, in his plea, told the court that Singh suffers from a medical condition which requires constant visit to the hospital.

Custom Anti-Narcotic

Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Narissa Leander asked the court to impose the maximum sentence on both men, citing the serious nature of the offence, the penalty it attracts and the quantity of drugs that was found.

According to information, on the day in question, CANU ranks intercepted the transfer of a box containing five suspected bricks of cocaine and beauty soaps between two cars. As a result, a total of 5.582 kg of cocaine was intercepted during the transfer.

Former Barbados Minister back in US court on money laundering charges

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Keon Yhap

The Magistrate ordered the defendant to “stay out of trouble young man” and released him on $10,000. The matter was adjourned to September 23, 2019.

ormer Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss will be in court again tomorrow in the United States.

Inniss, the former Member of Parliament of St James South, is set to be arraigned on a second superseding indictment in the Eastern District of New York, which is alleging he was part of an extravagant scheme to launder money through the United States, along with co-defendants, former insurance executives Alex Tasker and Ingrid Innes.

The NATION reached out to one of Inniss’ attorneys, Stephen Legon yesterday, but he was tight-lipped about the case and Tasker or Innes’ involvement.

“I will be in court on Friday with the accused, but I’m not authorised to speak about who else will be appearing

Donville Inniss

in the case,” he said.

Tasker, a Barbadian, is a former senior vice-president of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL), and Inniss, a Canadian citizen, the former chief executive officer.

(Barbados Nation)

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CJ to hand down decisions on H2H legal challenges on Aug 14

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fter hearing arguments on Monday that the precedent exists for the court to set a timeframe for elections, acting Chief Justice Roxane George has set August 14 as the date for ruling on the legal challenge against House-toHouse Registration and related cases.

During the hearing, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall cited the 2000 Esther Perreira election petition case.

Nandlall argued strongly that this case sets a precedent for the court to set an election timeframe.

At the time, Justice Claudette Singh had ordered that elections must be held by March 31, 2001. Singh, who is now Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), had also set out limitations on the Government’s conduct, including limitations on what legislation could be tabled.

Making reference to this, Nandlall urged the court to intervene and noted that the Judiciary, as custodian of the Constitution, has a duty to act. At this point, Justice George acknowledged that the Judiciary does have an inherent

power to act.

The arguments that House-to-House Registration is mandatory did not find favour with the Chief Justice.

This argument emanated from Attorney General Basil Williams.

However, Nandlall pointed out and Justice George agreed, that the law says the Guyana Elections Commission may, and not shall, carry out the exercise.

Confronted with his error, Williams professed that he “loves to stand in front of [Justice George] and learn.”

The Chief Justice set August 14 as the date for her rulings on the challenge to House-to-House Registration, a case brought by Attorney-atLaw Christopher Ram, as well as Attorney General Basil Williams’ petition to strike out Ram’s case.

Outside the court, Nandlall expressed hope that the court would be more firm with the Government this time around than on previous occasions, such as when Justice George heard the original case in January. He maintained that while President David Granger has to set an election date, all

ed by the High Court.

GECOM Chair Claudettte Singh

the Opposition wanted was for the Chief Justice to set a timeframe within which the President must set a date for elections.

“The No-Confidence Motion was passed on December 21, 2018. The Constitution is clear.

The Government has refused to comply with the Constitution. They came to the court. The court ruled that the motion was valid and ordered that sections of the Constitution be complied with. They did not comply with it. We asked the court then to fix dates for elections. The court refused. We then went to the court of appeal and the court reversed that.”

“We then went to the CCJ. The CCJ said the

Constitution must be obeyed and elections be fixed within the timeframe. But the Executive is simply disobeying.

That is what I’m telling the Judge. For how long will we not bell the cat?

For how long will we engage in these diplomatic exchanges and we’re not speaking about the elephant in the room. And I urge the court not to act with restraint. We are here because the court acted with restraint in January,” Nandlall added.

Meanwhile, AG Williams reiterated outside the court that these matters were dealt with before and that orders not granted by the Caribbean Court of Justice cannot be grant-

House-to-House GECOM is currently undertaking Houseto-House Registration, which was last conducted in 2008 and will see enumerators going in teams of two to three, from door to door in various communities across Guyana. The enumerators will present forms to registrants to fill up, as well as take fingerprints and pictures.

It is understood that these enumerators work from 15:30h to 18:30h during the week and from 9:00h to 16:00h on weekends and holidays. The exercise is intended to produce a new National Register of Registrants Database and Official List of Electors.

This means that everyone, regardless of whether they were registered before or not, must register anew at their place of residence between July 20 and October of this year. However, a NoConfidence Motion was passed against the Government since December 21, 2018, necessitating elections in three months.

In addition, the requirement for proof

of residency has produced alarm for overseas-based Guyanese to the point where a court case was filed earlier this year by an overseas-based Guyanese against House-to-House Registration on the basis that it would disenfranchise her. That case was later withdrawn out of the belief that GECOM would adhere to the recent Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rulings which reiterated the need for elections in three months.

It is because of this that Ram brought his case against GECOM. Ram is seeking an order compelling the Commission to stop their House-to-House exercise. Previously, Justice George had denied Ram’s application for an interim conservatory order to block GECOM from continuing its House-toHouse exercise that began on July 20.

Subsequently, GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield through Trinidadian lawyer Stanley Marcus had sought the Chief Justice’s recusal on the grounds of a statement she caused her office to send out which they contended was biased.

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

UN recommends laws to address discrimination against Guyana’s Indigenous peoples

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he United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) recently released its 2019 report on the concluding observations on Guyana where it outlined several recommendations to address the issue of discrimination against Indigenous women across the country.

These recommendations come in light of a shadow report, which was submitted to the Committee by the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) during the Committee’s 73rd session held in Geneva earlier this year. In this report presented by SRDC representative Immaculata Casimero, the local council recognised the Government’s implementation of programmes for women’s development as an important step; however, it pointed out that the Government’s efforts often did not reach Indigenous communities.

It further made mention of the issues affecting Indigenous women and girls within the territory as well as issues affecting women nationally.

As such, the UN Committee had incorpo-

Members of an Indigenous dance troupe during heritage celebrations

rated the SRDC’s concerns and recommendations in the finalising of its report, and, therefore, called on the Government of Guyana to amend its laws to guarantee the rights of Indigenous women and girls, but overall the people.

Some of the main law amendments recommended by the CEDAW

are: (1) Carry out nationwide education awareness-raising campaigns, including in Indigenous languages and on the local radio, about the risks and criminal nature of trafficking as well as the available support services.

(2) Expedite the approval of amendments to the Sexual Offences Act

and create dedicated sections and/or time slots for the treatment of sexual offences in courts in the hinterland, including in mobile courts.

(3) Guarantee the consultation of rural and Amerindian women and girls in the development and implementation of policy and legislative measures, including

through organisations representing them, and district and village councils.

(4) Amend the Amerindian Act (2006) and other relevant laws, using a gender-sensitive approach, with a view to ensuring that the rights of Amerindian communities to their lands, territories and resources

are fully recognised and protected, in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and take targeted measures to improve access for women, especially Indigenous women and women with disabilities to the formal employment sector, among others.

Meanwhile in a statement to the media earlier on Monday, the SRDC has stated that it welcomes the Concluding Observations on Guyana by the UN Committee, noting that the document was timely and incorporated many of the SRDC’s recommendations for Government action to address discrimination against Indigenous women.

Additionally, the SRDC urges the Government of Guyana to respect its treaty obligations, to implement the recommendations made by CEDAW, and to work collectively with the SRDC, other Indigenous representative institutions, and Indigenous Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to ensure that Indigenous women can fully enjoy the rights recognised under CEDAW.

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Probe finds dismissal of PSM staff by Minister unlawful T he Board of Inquiry (BoI) into the dismissal of Public Service Ministry (PSM) staff has been completed, with the inquiry finding that the letters of dismissal to the public servants were unlawful and recommending their reinstatement.

This was revealed

by Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, during a press conference on Wednesday. According to Harmon, the inquiry made these findings and completed its report, which was then forwarded to President David Granger.

Harmon noted that the reinstatement of the three staff from the personnel and accounts department: Andrew Grant, Gail Williams and Andrea Dazzel retroactively takes effect from July 25, 2019 – the date they were originally dismissed.

“The President agreed with the recommendations… the Board found that the letters to the three public servants were unlawful and having regard to its determinations and findings, recommended that the letters be immediately withdrawn”.

“The public servants will be reinstated immediately and be re-

quently confirmed that the workers were sent home and an investigation was launched.

Several staff members were said to have also received similar letters. Employees who have been removed were called PPP “moles” by political activist David Hinds, who is said to have a close relation with the subject Minister.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, at one of his press conferences, had alluded to the fact that those workers were

initially targeted and arbitrarily dismissed

by Minister SaraboHalley after he blew the whistle on transactions at the Ministry of the Presidency which he claimed saw the children of a Government Minister receiving payments amounting to over G$20 million in the last two years.

The Opposition had at the time been revealing information about alleged corrupt practices within the Government. One of those revelations is that

the children of a senior Minister allegedly received over US$86,000 in 2018, monies that were transferred from the Department of Public Service, followed by another transfer this year.

Jagdeo had noted that the staff at the PSM were sent packing shortly after his first disclosure because the Government believed that those workers had leaked information to the Opposition about corrupt actions by the administration.

Public Service Minister, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley

stored to their respective positions within the Department of Public Service and will continue to enjoy all benefits they previously enjoyed prior to their termination,” Harmon added.

According to Harmon, the report also recommended that Public Service Minister Tabitha Sarabo-Halley be advised of the need for due process and of policies relating to disciplining staff.

“I believe that the three public servants have been called and of course they will have to be debriefed. The issue of course was the actions that were taken ought to have been taken by a permanent secretary in the Ministry”.

“The Ministry was without a permanent

secretary for some time.

A permanent secretary was appointed on August 1 of this year and the new Permanent Secretary is now following up on these actions to ensure a speedy implementation of these decisions of the CoI,” Harmon said.

This publication was unable to access the report. However, the former Minister of State made no mention of disciplinary measures against the Public Service Minister.

Sarabo-Halley was sworn in as a minister on April 26, 2019. By June 3, it was reported that she had sent the aforementioned staff packing. After initially denying that the dismissals ever happened, the Government subse-

Passengers arriving on August 1 at the CJIA got a taste of the African culture.

The management of the airport organized a meet and greet where the passengers were greeted with cultural food and drinks and splendid drumming from the Congo Drummers. The unique African print sashes that also display the flag of Guyana were made by Tagman Media Inc. and were distributed to the passengers as a token in celebration of this significant day. (CJIA photo)

Berbice man jumps to safety from burning house A Corriverton, Berbice carpenter jumped from a window of his burning house to save his life.

Fifty-year-old Rishiram Rajpaul made the daring escape to flee the dense smoke which had engulfed the upper flat of the building situated at Lot D Line Path, Corriverton, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on Sunday.

Rajpaul had used the window to flee after he awoke to find smoke emanating from the ceiling

The burnt-out building

Rishiram Rajpaul

of his house. Reports are at approximately 21:30h during a power outage, the carpenter went into the lower flat to get a bucket of water after he realised the building was on fire. However, when he returned, the smoke was very thick forcing him to use the window to escape. He called out to neighbours for assistance.

However, in the darkness of the night, no one initially saw the flames, but the scent of smoke

caused neighbours to go to his rescue.

One neighbour found him hanging from the window and was able to assist him to get down.

Both men made it to safety. However, Rajpaul was not able to save anything from his home.

Rajpaul suffered minor burns to his hair, eyes, and other parts of his body and had to seek medical attention.

Meanwhile, residents have expressed concern over the time the Fire

Department took to respond to the call for help.

This publication was told that the Corriverton Fire Service, which is located a short distance away from the man’s home, took 30 minutes to arrive on the scene.

When the fire engine arrived, its pump was not functional, making it impossible for the firefighters to operate initially. However, they were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby house.

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Haitians…

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…mystery

here are all sorts of red herrings being dragged across the trail of the disappearing Haitians in Guyana. The SN finally editorialised about the phenomenon – which they’d studiously ignored up to then – to claim that some of them are en route to USA. Now, your Eyewitness has said it before, but will now have to say it again: Why, in God’s name, would the Haitians join a Copa flight originating in Panama and come to Guyana to then trek through our mud trails to get to Brazil, travel through that country’s highway into Colombia, and then return to Panama to proceed up the rest of Central America to get to the USA??

Haitians may be poor, but they aren’t stupid!!

Another red herring is the Govt insisting that Haitians HAVE to be allowed entry to stay up to six months, because Haiti’s part of CariCom. That’s just not true.

In addition to a return ticket – which they evidently have – they’ve got to show enough money to live in Guyana for that time. But from what we’ve learn from reports on their movement, most of them barely have enough money to buy food while being transported Ato other locations!! Something’s not regulah!!

The Ministry of Citizenship was carved out specially for Winston Felix, who’s a former Commissioner of Police. There were always questions about this move…but we’ll leave that for now. However, it strains your Eyewitness’s credulity to snapping point when Felix insists he doesn’t see anything suspicious about those busloads of Haitians arriving and never leaving!!

And the suggestion that they used their voodoo powers to teleport themselves is preposterous! They could’ve done that right in Panama — or Haiti for that matter — without forking over US$1700 for the Copa flight!

Even if the PPP were politicking about the Haitians being given ID cards and even passports, didn’t Felix wonder if some of his staff might be on the take and were supplying those documents? Didn’t he hear his Commander in Chief declaring there were bad apples in the GPF, and calling for them to be weeded out?

But what has thrown your Eyewitness for a loop is the nonchalance Felix has displayed in “explaining” that Guyana is “just” being used as a jumping-off point for other destinations!

Don’t the logistical capabilities, shown by the persons who receive the Haitians and arrange for their transportation to hotels and then to our borders, suggest to Felix that this is an organised operation??

And that since both Suriname and Brazil demand visas, which are unavailable in Haiti and Panama, the Haitians are entering these countries illegally, since they certainly get visas here??

Increasing our borders’ porosity isn’t good for our security, no?

…and the race question

You regular readers know your Eyewitness regularly waxes lyrical about Haiti’s historical role in overthrowing the yoke of slavery against an imperial power, France. And their success put the fear of the devil in the planter class in the British West Indies, certainly speeding up the plans to abolish slavery here. But what does that have to do with “racism”, if we call for us to control our borders?? Or have health concerns with cholera and AIDS ravaging Haiti?

Was Barbados “racist” for, earlier this month, reinstating the requirement for Haitians to get visas to enter “Little England”?? The Bajans were quite candid in explaining the Haitians were raising their people’s ire!! But what does this have to do with Felix turning a blind eye to his staff in immigration being corrupted by the human smuggling bands that are bringing these people in?? Doesn’t he care that the EU came down hard on Suriname for facilitating that trade into French Guiana?

And will soon be doing the same with us??

…and French Guyana

France runs its overseas territories as “departments,” with social services at the same level as France’s. This attracts impoverished immigrants from Brazil, Suriname and Haiti.

The Haitians are the worst off – and yet they keep coming.

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rt is a way in which persons express their creative skills and imagination through painting, sculpture or drawing. It is those expressions that produce work which is usually appreciated for its beauty and emotional power. It is known that a career in art in this day and age is very rare and artists are rarely ever noticed for their work.

Trying to break the stereotype that art should just be a hobby and not a career, is 28-year-old Courtney Mathium Douglas.

Courtney has not always been attracted to the arts but when he found it, they became inseparable.

He is currently a cartoon animator at the Tinninben Animation Studio owned by Alex Graham.

Born in Bartica and raised in New Found Out, next to Rivers View on the borders of Region 10, Courtney was named after legendary West Indian Cricketer Courtney Walsh.

Staying true to his name, Courtney enjoys a good game of cricket.

“One of my cherished memory as a child was representing District Seven at National Schools’ Athletic Championships in 2007 when we came second to District 10, who is a powerhouse, by just one point.”

As a child around the age of six, Courtney’s interest in art began when he discovered his father’s sketches which were mostly plans and ideas for projects. He was drawn to them and would quite often copy those sketches.

“By age thirteen I used to watch and draw portraits from magazines and anything I could find in m y environment.”

Courtney comes from an artistic family. He stated that his father is very creative and artistic a n d h i s

mothe r ’ s brothers are artistic as well. His father always wanted to venture more into the field of creative arts but because of the lack of resources, that dream was curtailed.

In a sense of liv-

ing his father’s dream, Courtney started to take much more of an interest in art and with the support of his family, he began to soar.

However, the journey was not an easy one and to date remains an uphill task. During his formative years, several teachers would have told Courtney that art is useless among other things in an effort to quell his dreams.

“For me, I'm not the most talented or better than anyone, I'm just hardworking. Leo Buscaglia once said, ‘Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.’ I practice as often as I can. I'm using my Godgiven talent to spread positive messages, and bring awareness to social issues and hopefully spark the minds to bring about changes.”

Courtney studied Visual Arts at the Bartica Secondary S c h o o l and ER B urrowes School of Art from 2008 to 2011 and now has a D i p l o m a in Fine Arts, Major in Painting, Minor in Drawing and Graphics. He graduated as the best student in drawing, painting and graphics.

He was also awarded a scholarship through the Hinterland Scholarship Programme under the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to attend the ER Burrowes School of Arts. He graduated from that programme as one of the most consistent academic performers. Courtney had three years’ training in 2D cartoon animation using Toon Boom Harmony Software at Brainstreet/Animatix Studio owned by Lance Hinds.

Courtney’s artistic style is a combination of various styles that he is inspired by.

“I love the renaissance period. I would capture an image realistically then add my touch but breaking it apart like the cubist Picasso to tell a particular story. Depends on my subject matter or my message I would go for a particular technique as well be it soft, rough, impression, or using washes.”

His favourite painting is the creation of Adam by Michelangelo and the works of Vincent Van Gogh, Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci. The works of local Guyanese artists like Carl Anderson, Winslow Craig, George Simon, and Phillip Moore serves as

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an inspiration to him as well.

“I would say all of my personality is reflected in my art. I love to think positive and analyse and be creative. I put in the hard work and it shows in the final outcome. For instance, the drawing [My First Teacher] that won first prize in this year’s art competition. I spent four months and like 3 hours a day to get it done. I love to make jokes and make peo-

ple feel good about themselves, I'm an advocate for social issues so my themes would reflect the changes I wanted to see.”

Courtney is in the infant stages of starting a business with his wife Aneeza Coelho Douglas.

They got married in 2013 and have a 4-year-old son, Lucas. Aneeza is also a graduate of ER Burrowes School of Art with a diploma in Fine Arts. She is the winner of the Promise Award in the first Guyana Visual Arts Competition 2012.

“The award is for a young artist who shows great promise and potential to be a great artist.

The name of our business is Matt and Annie Arts – Bring walls to life. You can follow us on Facebook.”

In developing the art industry, artists are sometimes neglected or even forgotten. There is a need for a greater space where artists can market their work to the local and wider world. Courtney encourages all artists to be creative and work hard to develop their craft, “don’t worry about circumstances but focus on creating opportunities”.

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“My encounter with cancer only fuels my drive for greatness”

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n life, there are few words that no one wants to hear and among those words are perhaps the most feared ones “you have cancer”.

Hearing those dreaded words brings a different level of darkness to one’s life and for Randy Persaud, it seems as though it was just yesterday he heard them.

It was just a few months ago that Randy got to hear those words and for him, it was certainly unexpected. Though being relatively healthy throughout his life, the 19-year-old never expected that he would have received such a diagnosis.

“I was diagnosed with stage one lung cancer. I was very lucky to have it discovered at stage one and I

was relieved to know that a surgery would be needed to prevent the cancer from spreading. To be a teenager and to learn that you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it makes you think about a lot of things and the first thought that came to my mind was, ‘where there is a will, there is way’ and I had a will to continue living and accomplishing my goals and not once did I think ‘it’s my time’ or ‘I’m going to die young’. I knew I had too much more to live for and that’s what I kept repeating in my head the entire time when I was going through surgery,” Randy said.

Whenever he woke up after his diagnosis and treatment, R a n d y w o u l d speak to himself in the mirror reassuringly because he knew that he had a full life ahead.

He wanted to m a k e h i s dreams a reality so he drew the will to fight. Though his cancer was caught in the early stages, Randy had extensive treatment and the journey was far from easy.

Those dreams Randy speaks of, all revolve around the aviation sector. Growing up in the East Bank Demerara village of Sarah Johanna,

Randy was always in close proximity to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and quickly developed a fascination with the “iron birds”. This fascination was fueled by his parents as they did everything in their power to ensure that he could dream and make those dreams a reality.

“I always loved fixing things and then I knew what I wanted, I wanted to fix and

fly aeroplanes and that was my motivation in my journey through both primary and high school. As I got older I realised how essential an aircraft engineer was to the aviation sector and also how underrated and underappreciated they are but how exciting it was also.

People ask me all the time if I love flying more than fixing the plane and my answer is always the same, ‘I love both fields dearly but if I had to choose, just give me my toolkit’.”

To fuel that passion of fixing the “iron birds” Randy got himself into Air Services Limited Aeronautical Engineering School at the EF Correia International Airport in Ogle. Without a doubt, the three years he spent there were considered the best since he got to be around the things he loved on a daily basis. He got the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the field and when his journey came to an end in February of 2019, he felt fulfilled as he made a step forward in the achievement of his goals.

“I think I appreciate fixing the planes this much because this was my first exposure to the aviation sector and I grew to love it and I became a part of me. Every time I put my uniform or my overalls on I feel a sense of pride knowing that I am contributing to aviation safety. I think my biggest challenge was grasping the concept, getting used to working in a highly regulated environment and getting used to following a man-

u a l for even the smallest task but it didn’t take long to grasp the concepts.”

While in Aeronautical Engineering School, Randy along with another colleague realised that students in the sector needed a voice also and they approached the then President of the National Air Transport Association (NATA), Annette Arjoon-Martins, and explained to her what they thought was necessary and for the first time in aviation history in Guyana, the students had a voice in meetings and planning to an extent.

Life as an aircraft mechanic is exciting for Randy.

“Aircraft mechanics know that every day is different and there is a new task waiting for you every day and that gave me an adrenalin rush every morning knowing that there was something new waiting for me every day. One day you could just be cleaning an aircraft and the next day you’re carrying out a powerplant replacement. The thing is, you never know what to expect but you’re always prepared.”

In his few years in aviation, there is one man who Randy now considers a second father and who has taught him most of the things he knows.

That man is Ramon Alvarez, an aircraft mechanic from Nicaragua who started working at the same company Randy worked for in Guyana. “He treated the aircraft as if he owned it and he always told me to treat the aircraft like it’s mine and I look up to him as an inspiration and I hope to one day be half the engineer that he is.”

“Before my surgery, I met three people, Bernice Rampartap, Arnold Bernstein and Amiel Singer. These are people that I’ve never met before in my life yet when I moved to the USA, they took me in as one of their own and treated me like their own son. They are such a big inspiration to me with their hearts of gold and their soft souls.”

After his surgery, Randy received an offer to be a pilot with a Caribbean-based airline and has since begun his training with the company.

“As I move on with life, I’ve vowed to make the most out of it and live to the fullest because as I have learnt the hard way, things can take a turn for the worst in the blink of an eye. My ultimate goal is to one day return to Guyana and return to my toolkit as an aircraft engineer or as a bush pilot. It’s where my heart and soul rests.”

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

FEATURE 35

By Rupa Seenaraine

W

hoever would dream to associate candle making with helping animals? The thought seems undeniably challenging, or some may even say impossible. But for Tunuja Persaud, it totally works!

The 23-year-old student, who recently launched her candle line, TheBEAN, started her journey of making candles, to which proceeds are contributed to paws that are in need of assistance.

Speaking with the Sunday Times Magazine, Persaud said she currently studies in Miami and serves as a freelance tutor to young kids to boost them for the upcoming semesters.

However, there was some fascination with scented candles and the desire to make them often arose.

“For as long as I’ve known myself, I’ve love scented candles and I always thought about what it would be like to actually make them. I had researched a long time ago about the sciences behind candle making and I was intrigued, I knew one day I was going to make my very own candles,” she shared.

This was realised last Christmas when she was gifted a candle making package, courtesy of her eldest sister, which initiated the whole process.

By March, Persaud said she had embarked on a complete experimental exercise to learn the ropes of producing such candles and the variations that could be achieved. Suddenly, the idea of using that skill to help animals clicked since she is an avid lover of companion pets.

“Last Christmas, my eldest sister and her husband gifted me a candle making package and this was just the little push that I needed to remember.

In March 2019 I started a full experimentation on candle making and by then my love for companion animals had grown and the idea of merging these two things that always caught my attention emerged; making scented candles and trying to help animals.”

At first, it was not that easy. To achieve perfection entailed testing large amounts of wax at different temperatures with the right amount of scent, all with the intention of producing a product that would meet the expectations of customers while con-

veying demands. With enough practice and determination, the final product was created.

The Business Administration student relayed, “Making candles aren’t as easy as people would think. And I

strive for perfection when it comes to making my candles; I went through 10 pounds of wax just by experimenting and learning the do’s and don’ts; the amount of scent to add, the temperature throughout the entire pro-

cess, whether the wick you have works and much more. The more I understood the process the less time consuming it was.”

Presently, there are two scents available – Blackberry Jam and V a n i l l a Caramel Explosion.

As for presentation, the candles are moulded in mason jars, attached with a little charm which speaks to the amount of effort that is poured into each one. When finished, the jars are totally reusable after the wax is removed by heating. In the future, she is hoping to expand the line to feature additional mind-blowing scents.

“TheBEAN candles are currently available in two scents, Blackberry Jam and Vanilla Caramel Explosion.

I do plan to introduce different scent into the line as I also have many more plans for this new venture of candle making.”

Tunuja is encouraging patrons to support her initiative since it

cares for animals who are in need of shelter, food or other resources. The first contribution was made to provide food supplies but future donations will seek to tackle all necessities of the little beings.

“My candles contributes to animals in need, and by this, each candle sold contributes towards helping to care for animals in Guyana. So far we are focusing on helping the locals in Guyana that takes in rescues or strays. For our first contribution, food donations were given but the aim is to provide in different ways as we know there [are] many animals out there looking for homes and needs to be taken care of medically.”

So far, there has been an astounding response, which has resonated positively. Social media has also played a pivotal role in linking supporters with this creative undertaking. The hunt is on for persons who have rescued or cared for animals and are in need of assistance to provide for them.

“The announcement of the candle line and its purpose definitely projected a positive response from many individuals. I’ve received many heartfelt thanks for starting this initiative along with a range [of] acknowledgement and social media coverage.

Our first contribution was made to Genevieve Beepat and I was beyond happy to see her response with the contributions. We are looking for other individuals that are taking care of animals that are in need of assistance,” Persaud expressed.

Interested persons who are willing to contribute by purchasing candles can make contact through social media fronts on Facebook at Lit.guyana or Instagram with username Lit.gy.

36 FEATURE

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Challenges, hard work, failures – main ingredients in Garfield Pollydore’s recipe for success

I

n life, there will always be surprises and unexpected challenges; nevertheless, we have to accept what is in front of us and keep forging ahead. Those surprises and challenges do not determine the course our lives take rather it is our very reaction to those challenges.

When life kept throwing surprises in the direction of Garfield Charles Pollydore, trying to mow him down, he only came out stronger. His dedication towards making his life better was motivation enough for him to keep catapulting to greater heights.

T h e 28-year-old Berbician came from humble beginnings.

He knew what struggle and poverty were. His mother, Esther Pollydore Haywood did the best she could have as a single mother raising three boys. She was dedicated and a hard worker, and it is from her lessons that he draws inspiration now.

Garfield is now a trained teacher at the St Therese’s Primary School in Berbice and has been there for almost four years.

However, the journey to get there was one that was filled with bums along the way.

As a child growing up in Angoy's Avenue in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Garfield knew what it was to have a limited life. His mother was a Ward Maid at the New Amsterdam Hospital and with the little money she made, she ensured t h a t

there was always food on the table,

clothes on their backs and enough to afford them the opportunity at gaining a quality education.

He was never a high achiever in school and, in fact, while a student at the St Therese’s Primary, the same school he now teaches at, he often failed his subjects. After he sat the Common E n t r a n c e Examinations, he was awarded a place at Canje Secondary School and it was from there his upward trajectory began.

“I got 408 marks and was placed at a school which everybody used to call ‘cowboy school’. To myself, it wasn't bad at all because nobody wanted to go to Vrymen's Erven and Overwinning back then because those schools as people would say is for only dunce. There is no such thing as a dunce. Everyone has a special need. Some persons develop very late in their school life. But that's okay too. It doesn't matter,” he said.

He can speak about late academic development, because he has experienced it. In secondary school, Garfield started to develop and became one of the most respected students there. He was a Class Monitor for four of the five years and was later appointed the Head Prefect. He was disciplined and humble, and that led to him representing his school at debating competitions, science fairs and other school competitions.

“In 2007, I wrote six subjects at CXC; I was successful in three subjects: Agricultural Science, Social Studies, Integrated Science.

I failed Biology, Mathematics and English. I then attended NATI (New Amsterdam Technical Institute) 2008-2010; I did Diploma in Computer Science. I wrote the GTEE examination in 2010. I got Afor Mathematics; A- for Statistics; B for English, which I was very poor in; Computer Hardware -- A; and Software -- B+; Programming -- B+. Those were my grades. I got credit for the course I took and I graduated as the third best graduating student. I still have the little trophy I was honoured with on my shelf.

“After then, I sought employment and worked for Futureline Fast Food Restaurant and Chester Fried Chicken in New Amsterdam.

Then I got hired by a company called Amaco Inn. Like every job, there were challenges. Then, in February of 2012, I gained employment with the Government at the Regional Democratic Council as an

Office Assistant.

At the RDC, I was given the opportunity by my supervisor to attend evening classes. I wrote CXC Mathematics and English twice. In the year 2012, I got Grade Three for English and Four in Mathematics.

I wrote the same subjects back in 2015 and got Grade Two in Mathematics and Grade Three for English.”

After re-sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams, Garfield decided to apply to the Education Ministry for the position of teacher. It was the commencement of a waiting game, one he somewhat lost faith in.

After a long wait, the Teaching Services Commission made contact and that is where the journey began.

“I was employed by the Ministry of Education on February 12, 2016, which was also my 25th birthday. I was confident that this job was divine and orchestrated by the God of this universe. I attended Cyril Potter College of Education from 2016-2018. I graduated last year December -- 2018, as a trained qualified teacher. My job helps me to be a role model and leader in my society. I am constantly engaged in many activities such as the STEM fair under the Department of Education in Region Six among other things.”

“Education is the passport out of poverty.

Today I can afford to buy food, clothing and so much that my mom couldn’t afford to do for me. She has been my motivator and greatest inspiration to life. She gave me that opportunity and I made good use of it. It is not the school which you attend but the sacrifice, commitment and determination you as an individual must put in to become successful.”

FEATURE 37

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese politicians should take a page from the book of Sushma

By Vishnu Bisram

R

eference is made to passing of Sushma Swarajji. She is well known among Guyanese in the diaspora if not in Guyana. There are several of us (in the diaspora and in Guyana) who have reasons to mourn the demise of this iconic figure; she closely interacted with a few of us since the 1990s as we pressed for closer relations between India and the diaspora and we lobbied for greater financial assistance for Guyana and the Indian diaspora.

Although Shrimati Sushma never visited Guyana or the Caribbean region, the people were close to her heart. She was very sympathetic to and supportive of Guyanese and Caribbean causes. She supported an increase in financial assistance (and scholarships and the Know India Program and she introduced the Senior KIP which Ravi Dev and myself championed at a meeting in August 2016 in Delhi) to Guyana and the greater Caribbean region. It was our connection with Indian politicians and lobbying decades ago that led to greater assistance to Guyana.

Sushma was very approachable. She was always willing to engage and interact. She rarely turned down a request and faciliated her guests. She had no ego or arrogance. She was willing to listen and to take advice. Her smile, intellect, composure, nationalism, demeanor, charisma, friendliness. encouragement and support for the diaspora would be missed.

Guyanese politicians should be like her.

I have very fond memories of the charismatic Indian politician. I met her several times in India and in New York and New Jersey including at her residence shortly after she became Minister of External (Foreign) Affairs where we had extensive discussions on Guyana and the Caribbean region. My first encounter with her was during her stint as Information Minister in the late 1990s and again in New York when she inaugurated Asia TV station in Edison into the new century. Several prominent Guyanese were invited to that event that was graced

by Members of Congress and the US Administration. (Many Guyanese subscribe to TV Asia that is broadcast in-

ternationally on cable). I interacted with her at several diaspora gatherings (PBDs) in India. Besides that encounter, I had lengthy conversations with Sushma on the Caribbean region and the diaspora in North America and Europe and even met her when she served in the Delhi Assembly as Chief Minister and as Opposition Leader. She was a patron and financial supporter on conferences relating to Guyana and the greater Caribbean in India and the Caribbean. I helped to plan and organize several of these conferences including the last one held at Benaras Hindu University last January.

And she supported requests for increases in financial aid to Guyana and the region going back to the late 1990s when she was a minister of government.

Sushma-ji, as she was fondly called, had a very friendly, down-to-earth and warm personality. She was also very knowledgeable of World Affairs having served as Foreign Minister for five years. Aside from the late PM Atal Beharri Vajpayee and Lal Kishan Advani, she showed the greatest interest among Indian politicians on Indians in the diaspora. She was very close to

the aging Advani (approaching 90) on diaspora and other affairs and would interact with us in New York and at PBDs in Delhi. She often solicited ideas on the diaspora and issued messages related to their events.

Sushma was among the nominees for PM position of the BJP in 2014, but she stood down making way for Shri Narendra Modi who led the party to victory and becoming External Affairs Minister. She was very popular and won all of her contests to parliament except once when she lost to Sonia Gandhi in 2004 from the Bellary constituency in Karnataka.

In December 2010, she was the keynote speaker on a conference on Indian culture in the diaspora praising overseas Indians for their cultural retention and for promoting India’s soft power.

The forum provided an opportunity for those of us Guyanese descent to have an exchange with the respected Minister. In 2013, she invited the esteemed Ravi Dev and myself for a special summit in Delhi on a conference on preservation of documents pertaining to Indian indentureship document and history. The Indian government was com-

mitted to digitizing historical documents in Guyana so that diaspora countries would be on the same wavelength to facilitate research. But regrettably, government support was not forthcoming and the idea was shelved.

Guyanese politicians would have met her in 2018 in Delhi at the parley for MPs of Indian descent. She also interacted with former President Donald Ramotar in 2010 in Delhi and in Gandhinagar, and she had exchanges with Foreign Minister Carl Greendige on international issues and on foreign aid for Guyana. They would attest to her friendliness. Sushma interacted with Guyanese and Caribbean people at the first International Yoga summit in New York at the UN in 2010.

I am grief stricken and will miss the firebrand leader of the ruling BJP. She had a very good innings although she has dismissed at 67. She served with honor and integrity; there was never any allegation of impropriety against her. Guyanese politicians should take a page from the book of Sushma.

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram (PhD).

World Day

against Trafficking in Persons H

uman trafficking is a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes including forced labour and sex. Since 2003 the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has collected information on about 225,000 victims of trafficking detected worldwide. Globally countries are detecting and reporting more victims, and are convicting more traffickers.

This can be the result of increased capacity to identify victims and/or an increased number of trafficked victims.

Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims. Traffickers the world over continue to target women and girls. The vast majority of detected victims

of trafficking for sexual exploitation and 35 per cent of those trafficked for forced labour are female.

Conflict further exacerbates vulnerabilities, with armed groups exploiting civilians and traffickers targeting forcibly displaced people.

Data also shows that trafficking happens all around us as the share of persons trafficked within their own country has doubled in recent years to 58 per cent of all detected victims, according to the 2018 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons PDF document.

In 2010, the General Assembly adopted the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, urging Governments worldwide to take coordinat-

ed and consistent measures to defeat this scourge. The Plan calls for integrating the fight against human trafficking into the UN’s broad-

women and children.

The Trust Fund facilitates effective, on-theground assistance and protection to victims of trafficking, through

er programmes in order to boost development and strengthen security worldwide. One of the crucial provisions in the Plan is the establishment of a UN Voluntary Trust Fund for victims of trafficking, especially

grants to specialized NGOs. It aims to prioritize victims coming from a context of armed conflict and those identified among large refugee and migration flows.

In 2013, the General Assembly held a high-

level meeting to appraise the Global Plan of Action. Member States also adopted resolution A/RES/68/192 and designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

This resolution declared that such a day was necessary to “raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.”

In September 2015, the world adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and embraced goals and targets on trafficking in persons.

These goals call for an end to trafficking and violence against children; as well as the need for measures against human trafficking, and they strive for the elimination of all forms of violence against and exploitation of women and girls.

Another important development is the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants, which produced the ground-

breaking New York Declaration. Of the nineteen commitments adopted by countries in the Declaration, three are dedicated to concrete action against the crimes of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

Human Trafficking: call your government to action Despite many countries having national trafficking laws in place which are in line with the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol, people continue to be trafficked. What is more, in many countries, victims may still be criminalized while the impunity of traffickers prevails.

Therefore, the UNODC is focusing on highlighting the importance of Government action in the interest of victims of trafficking. But the call to action is not only to Governments, the UNODC encourage everyone to take action to prevent this heinous crime. (United Nations) #HumanTrafficking #EndHuman Trafficking

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Liquid Love’ bar owner freed of assault charge

S

avita Persaud, proprietress of a popular drinking bar in Station Street Kitty, Georgetown, was on Friday freed of an assault charge after the matter had been tried by Principal Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The 33-year-old Persaud and 25-year-old Revelana Smith, called ‘Ducky’, of William Street Kitty, Georgetown, had been on trial for allegedly assaulting each other at the East La Penitence Police Station on April 23, 2019.

Smith was, four days ago, sentenced to nine months in prison after being found guilty of the charge. Persaud later led her defense in the matter, and was cleared of the offence.

In handing down her decision, Magistrate Mc Gusty declared that, based on the injuries she had seen on the parties, and given their respective explanations, she was of the opinion that Persaud was merely defending herself during the altercation with Smith.

Accordingly, she dismissed the case against Persaud.

On their first court appearance, each woman had pleaded

Savita Persaud

guilty to the charge read to her.

However, the magistrate had entered a not-guilty plea on each woman’s behalf following their respective explanations of what had transpired.

According to Smith, she was attending a church service at

the Berbice Penitentiary when she asked Persaud to find out what time the vehicle was coming to transport them to court, and Persaud started calling her names.

This, she said, led to an altercation between them, but the matter was addressed by the matron of the prisons.

Smith said further that when they arrived at the East La Penitence Police Station, Persaud approached her, and they started to fight after Persaud again used obscene language against her.

Persaud, however, indicated that she was only trying to defend herself by scratching the other woman’s face after she was attacked.

Smith had previously been charged with attempted murder, after she had allegedly cut off the finger of a policewoman and had dealt the woman several chops to her head and hand during a fight over her ‘child father’.

Persaud is currently in prison, facing five charges before the courts. In June last, she was sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment for human trafficking.

Emancipation…

W

…and betrayers

ell, your Eyewitness didn’t have much hope the Emancipation Day celebrations would offer a respite from the divisive politics in our nation – which inevitably boils down to ethnic mobilisation and ethnic fragmentation. After all, he couldn’t possibly have missed the intensification of the linkages by the supposedly cultural institutions in the African Guyanese constituency and the PNC. With its admission that it needed Indian Guyanese votes in 2015 to carry it over the electoral line, the PNC finally admitted it had been unable to break out of the straitjacket created by Forbes Burnham when he broke from the PPP in 1955.

Ethnic identity was created in Guyana after the freed slaves tried to assert their humanity in the face of hundreds of years of being told they were nobody.

The Christian Churches that were placed in charge of the “schools” in the post-slavery era pretty much tried to create an identity of “Black” White men.

But there always survived an underground stream of African practices that could be later nourished. It wasn’t a coincidence that the Independence movement after WWII coincided with the Black Power Movement and provided the impetus for peoples of African origin to seek their roots and give meaning to the “Emancipation” which, by then, hadn’t done much for them. But Walter Rodney offered a biting critique of most of the political leaders who arose during that time: he called them “briefcase revolutionaries”.

That is, they had no real connection and identification with the African masses who still formed the bulk of the community. Rather than initiating fundamental changes to improving their lot – including their view of themselves – they were simply used as voting cannon fodder to deliver the “briefcases” signalling “power” from the departed colonial power. When the briefcase revolutionary Burnham tried to ingratiate himself with the real revolutionary African leadership in Africa, Walter Rodney unmasked him. He exposed Burnham’s opportunism to go along with the imperialist divisions of the working masses in the nationalist PPP on ethnic lines, and made him a pariah.

David Granger and the present leaders in the PNC are all cut from the same cloth as Burnham: they see the African masses as means to their ends of securing power for their own self-aggrandisement. The few surviving members of Rodney’s WPA, who joined the PNC in coalition, have betrayed the great man’s principled stance that non-tokenestic multiracialism is non-negotiable in Guyanese politics.

As such, the PNC and its camp followers from the African organisations used the Emancipation Day celebrations to preach ethnic supremacy.

Listening to them, you’d never suspect Emancipation led to a mosaic of Guyana as a land of six equal peoples.

…and Dutch Disease

One wonders why the PNC insists on keeping Winston Jordan as Finance Minister. They really believe a career number cruncher from the Budget Office can articulate a vision for an economy on the cusp of an oil revolution?? Every time the man opens his mouth, he slips his size 12 shoes into it!! He recently castigated Guyanese workers for being too “high priced”, and welcomed the news of Venezuelans, Haitians and Cubans pouring into the country to undercut their wages!! This in the face of historically high unemployment – with the youth component above 40 per cent – and poverty rates still in the 30 per cent range!!

Following hard on the heels of that chunk of idiocy, he just announced that “Dutch Disease” has already infected Guyana even though we haven’t even seen first oil. He, of course, was completely oblivious of the fact that the phenomenon has been publicised for decades so that Ministries like his could’ve unrolled strategic measures to head off the “Disease”.

…and voting

Slavery made human beings “chattel”— just like pieces of furniture. If Emancipation meant anything, it was that we could chart our destiny.

Yet today, the Constitution we forged to guide us there is being trampled into the mud!!

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese cricketer charged for assaulting cop

G

Guyanese cricketer Christopher Barnwell

uyanese cricketer Christopher Barnwell was on Monday taken before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts slapped with an assault charge.

Thirty-two-year-old Barnwell appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs and denied the charge which stated that on March 23, 2019, at Thomas lands, Georgetown, he assaulted Trevor Benn, a police officer.

Reports are the two men were playing a friendly cricket match

when an argument ensued. It is alleged that the argument escalated and Barnwell allegedly pushed the policeman to the ground. Persons in the area intervened and the matter was reported to the police.

Following a bail application by Defence Attorney Nigel Hughes, Magistrate Isaacs released the cricketer on G$30,000 bail. The case will continue on August 19, 2019.

Barnwell, who is an all-rounder, plays for Guyana Jaguars.

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WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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42 NEWS

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

GPF to fork out over G$5M to compensate victims for wrongful arrest T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) will have to spew out over G$5 million in compensation as ordered by the High Court for the unlawful arrest and, therefore, contravening the fundamental rights of Raywattie Harrychand by holding her in lock-ups for three days without any substantial reason.

Her husband, Tularam Ramassar, filed separate proceedings and will also have to be compensated for the impoundment of his motorcar, along with his unlawful arrest during the same

Attorney General Basil Williams

period of March 2017.

Both cases were heard by Justice Gino Persaud, who ruled in favour of the claimants, represented by Attorneys-at-Law Mohabir Anil Nandlall, Manoj Narayan, Sasha Mahadeo-Narayan, Rajendra Jaigobin and Anuradha Deodasingh.

Reports are that on March 20, 2017 at about 11:00h, Mark Abraham, a member of the Guyana Police Force, along with another colleague, visited the home of Raywattie Harrychand at Good Faith, Mahaicony, and asked her to proceed to the Mahaicony Police

Station.

Upon her arrival, she was asked whether she knew a woman that was present by the name of Debra Angalin. Harrychand responded that in the affirmative, stating that they worked together at the Kuree Supermarket and General Store.

Abraham then suggested that Angalin stole G$12 million and it was given to the claimant.

Harrychand refuted this allegation, maintaining that she knew nothing about the money and was ordered to sit on a bench at the station and later transported to the Beterverwagting Police Station. On March 21, 2017, the woman was returned to the Mahaicony Police Station, where she was interrogated by Abraham.

He stated that Angalin informed that she had given the money to Harrychand and her husband, Tularam Ramassar, and further stated that she was lying when the allegations were denied.

The officers had also questioned the means by which the claimant bought furniture to which she stated that her mother-inlaw, Phulbasia Kallu, assisted them.

Later that day, Kallu was then called for questioning, admitting that she assisted in purchasing the furniture and a motorcar. She was told by Abraham that her son and daughter-in-law provided the money to purchase the items, but denied these claims and was sent to the lock-ups.

M e a n w h i l e , Ramassar was delivering food to his wife and mother when Abraham approached him and demanded that he park his car in the compound of the Police station and remove all belongings.

The vehicle was searched and after nothing was found, he was asked to sit on a bench.

Upon inquiring about the nature of the events, Abraham told Ramassar that the vehicle was property of the said Kuree Supermarket and that “it would rot in the compound�. After denying all allegations,

the man was placed in a cell and told that he would be transported to the Camp Street Prison after signing a statement out of fear.

Both women were later transported to the Beterverwagting Police Station and on March 23, 2017, they were released on G$50,000 station bail without being charged. The same followed for Ramassar.

The three were told to return the next day, without being told under what grounds they were imprisoned. After the incident, Abraham reportedly threatened Ramassar to seize his belongings.

In the case of Harrychand and Kallu, Justice Persaud ruled on Friday that they be compensated with G$2.5 million and G$1.5 million respectively.

The Guyana Police Force was also ordered to pay aggravated damages to both Kallu and Harrychand in the sum of G$375,000 each with interest on all sums at a rate of six per cent from the date of the filing of the proceedings to the date of judgement and four per cent from the date of judgement until the sum is paid. The GPF will also have to pay costs of G$150,000.

Meanwhile, in the case filed by Ramassar, it was ruled that the detention and/ or unlawful arrest also contravened his fundamental right and freedom not to be deprived of his personal liberty and would be awarded compensation in the sum of G$1.5 million for breach of his fundamental right.

The court ordered for the motorcar, which is a Toyota Runx, to be released along with G$500,000 for breach of his fundamental right not to be deprived of his property; special damages for loss of the motor car in the sum of G$470,000, aggravated damages in the sum of G$200,000. Interest on all sums at a rate of six per cent from the date of the filing of the proceedings to the date of judgement and six per cent from the date of judgement until the sum is paid. Cost of G$150,000 will also have to be paid by GPF. The Guyana Police Force was represented by the Attorney General’s chambers.

NEWS 43

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sole sourced Harbour Bridge study

Audit Office called in over alleged misuse of DHB Asphalt fund

Then Junior Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson (third right) receiving the completed feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge from Ariel Mol of LievenseCSO back in 2017

A

day of reckoning may be approaching for those who may have misused funds from the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) Asphalt fund, with the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) forwarding a report on the matter to the Audit Office of Guyana (AOG).

Former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Chief Whip Gail Teixeira had written the PPC in June of this year to draw its attention to the use of the asphalt fund accounts to source millions for the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Reports indicate that in 2017, G$215.3 million was used from the fund, while in 2018 a further G$74 million was withdrawn. The original sum approved by Cabinet for the contract was G$161.5 million. It is understood that the contract price for LievenseCSO, the Dutch company that was handpicked by the Government to carry out the consultancy, was actually G$148 million.

According to PPC Chairperson Carol Corbin in a letter seen by this publication, a copy of Teixeira’s letter, together with the Commission’s previous report on the sole-sourcing of LievenseCSO, will be forwarded to Auditor General Deodat Sharma so that he can take the relevant action.

Corbin noted in her letter that as per Article 212 of the Constitution of Guyana, the Commission is authorised to liaison with and refer matters to the Auditor General and the Guyana Police Force.

In Teixeira’s letter, she had called for the PPC to again investigate the feasibility study for

the New Demerara River Crossing in light of new revelations that the cost was racked up by G$131 million more than what the PPC had investigated and found to be the cost in its August 2018 report.

In addition to two varying time periods emanating from the Public Infrastructure Ministry for the duration of the feasibility contract, Teixeira pointed out that new information reveals that the cost of the study had, in fact, been racked up to a whopping G$293.4 million.

“The cost of the feasibility study for the New Demerara River Crossing/Bridge was far in excess of the original figure given…

US$709,091, or G$146.3 million, and far in excess of the figure approved by Cabinet… of G$161,514,420 to be used from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (Asphalt Plant Accounts) to cover costs of the feasibility study for a new bridge across the Demerara River.

“In fact, the feasibility study cost the taxpayers G$293,439,182, or approximately US$1.4 million. This is G$131,924,762 more than what the PPC had investigated and found,” she outlined.

According to Teixeira, further checks also found that there was no appropriation for the MPI in the 2016 Budget for a feasibility study for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge crossing, nor were any funds allocated to the DHBC for such purposes by way of a subvention or grant in that year.

Previous probe The Procurement Commission had previ-

ously conducted a probe into the award of the feasibility study and design contract and had flagged Public Infrastructure

Minister David Patterson for requesting from Cabinet that the G$148 million contract be sole-sourced instead of

being processed through the Procurement Board, as the law says should be done.

As a result of that

finding, the Opposition in August of last year asked the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to investigate the PPC’s findings. Just one day before the Alliance For Change (AFC) executive congress of June 15, 2019, Patterson was cleared by SOCU, who said in a statement that it had obtained legal advice on the matter and that no corrupt act was found.

“There was no misuse of funds. There is no evidence that a criminal offence has been committed, and there is no evidence of any collusion between Arie Mol/Lievense CSO and the personnel from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure,” the police said in the brief statement.

Patterson went on to reclaim the General Secretary position of his party.

44 news

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Housing Ministry seeks contractors to construct core houses in Sophia E

ven as homeowners in the Government’s housing scheme in Perseverance, Providence, East Bank Demerara, are anxiously awaiting repair works to their homes, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is pushing full page ad to develop yet another community, this time in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

In an advertisement placed in one of the daily newspapers on Saturday, the CH&PA informed that it is seeking to prequalify contractors for this project.

“The Central Housing

and Planning Authority intends to prequalify contractors for the construction of core houses in Sophia housing area, Georgetown. It is expected that invitations for bid will be made in August 2019. Invitations for bids will be done in lots,” the advertisement said.

Further, it explained that “Prequalification will be conducted through prequalification procedures specified in the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Policies for the Procurement of Works and Goods financed by the Inter-American Development Bank,

March 2011, and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries, as defined by the Policies”.

This is so given that the IDB is funding the Reformulation of the Road Network,

Upgrade and Expansion ProgrammeAdequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme.

In November 2018 when applications were opened for core houses, it was reported that this project was designed to specifically benefit households which live on lots valued at G$92,000 or less and were regularised or developed by the CH&PA, applicants must also be earning G$75,000 or less per month.

The homes were expected to be completely concrete and not more than 400 square feet.

Upon completion, a sanitary block, as well as electrical and plumbing works, would be conducted.

Applicants under this programme were required to deposit G$100,000 to secure further funding from the Government.

But even as this is ongoing, residents in one of the newly developed housing schemes in Providence are patiently awaiting repairs to their homes.

Just last month, Guyana Times International visited the area where residents complained of faulty foundation works and leaking roofs among other things.

Some persons said they have been waiting several months for contractors to rectify the faulty works, some of which they were forced to fix themselves owing to the long delay.

One resident told this publication that persons would have complained to CH&PA several months ago and despite commitments to rectify the issue, they are now fearful that the oneyear defect/liability period will expire before the issues are remedied.

That resident, Seeta Singh, had detailed that there appears to be a leakage in the zinc

sheets which is causing her plyboard ceiling to swell and fall off both inside and outside of her home.

Another resident, who also lives in the area, complained that his window frames are falling off and he is fearful for his safety. At that time, he said his home was visited by a contractor about two weeks ago, who promised to fix the default but showed up informing him that he had “run out” of materials.

Richard Coddet, another resident in the area, told this publication that he had been living in his home for about three years now and is still experiencing troubles because of faulty foundation and roof works. “From the inception when we got this home, we encountered a lot a lot of problems but at the end of the day, overall, we are grateful because we are happy to have a home. We had leaks, we had cracks, we still have cracks and the house seems to be sinking because of the foundation,” he explained.

Government had paused the distribution of lands and had instead embarked on an initiative which forced Guyanese into buying pre-built houses.

This newspaper understands that not many persons are comfortable with the idea of purchasing the houses, as they prefer to oversee the construction process of their own homes for various reasons.

Under the previous Administration, over 100,000 house lots were distributed and over 200 core houses were made available to underprivileged families, while a programme for professional groups provided 200 teachers, nurses and policemen with fasttrack access to loans for home construction.

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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46 NEWS

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Orealla leading the way in eco-tourism

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he Amerindian settlement, Orealla, situated 50 miles up the Corentyne River, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), is no doubt leading the way in eco-tourism. The village is home to two tribes of Guyana’s indigenous people; the Arawaks and Warraus.

With about 2000 residents, Orealla is one of the cleanest places in Guyana and maybe the only community which has a weekly clean-up campaign where residents must take part as a form of employment for the family.

The breathtaking sunrise over the stillness of the Corentyne River produces a desire to go through the day trying to get as close as possible to nature.

A day in Orealla, wrapped in the arms of nature, not only allows you to listen to the chirping of the birds and whistling trees, but also the hospitality of its people.

The Arawak are the ones who first arrived at the settlement from neighbouring Suriname in 1918. They had escaped the deadly flu virus which had threatened to wipe out most of the natives of a village called Epora, situated on the Suriname side of the Corentyne River, during World War l. Today, Epora continues to strive as a community but not with many inhabitants.

But in Orealla where a few families migrated, they survived by farming and fishing. The men built houses from trees in the community and established small farms

around them which the women attended to as the males went out hunting.

One of those persons who grew up in the village knowing that his parents survived the deadly flu attack on Epora 97 years ago is Fredrick Hendricks.

Now the oldest resident of Orealla, he remembers those days.

“Back then my father and uncles will go and hunt and sometimes take months before they return.” He said the men would return to the village with preserved slaughtered meat.

Their return to the village was a time to rejoice. “Some of the meat my father would pack in a boat and all the cassava and pineapple from the farm… me and my two sisters and brothers would go with him to Corriverton” (a town 50 miles up the Corentyne River).

According to Hendricks, it would take them, including his mother, about one week to get to Corriverton in the family’s canoe. The produce would be sold and the family would take a vacation and return to the village when all earned monies were exhausted. The vacation

lasted for between one to two weeks.

Back home, almost a month after they left, the cycle would start again. Meanwhile, one of Hendricks’ granddaughters, Ingrid D’Veir, said to this day, the people of Orealla continue to be big spenders whenever they have money. “They

don’t save; they will go on a spending spree until all their money is finished.”

Unfortunately, the natives of Orealla have not preserved their agglutinative language which is referred to as the Arawakan languages. Today, they speak English, and much better than those living in the urban areas in Guyana.

These days, most of the men earn their money by working in the logging industry. They are, however, only allowed to get employment if they

by-products of cassava.

In supermarkets in urban communities, especially Corriverton and New Amsterdam, those products are fast sellers.

Orealla “The Land of Chalk” has everything a tourist would enjoy – nature walks, sightseeing and friendly people.

On a visit, you may be able to behold a jaguar in its natural habitat while enjoying the sweet succulent juice flowing from a fresh mango picked by a Squirrel Monkey hovering above

participate in the weekly village clean up exercise.

The village also has a food processing factory, where about five women have gained employment in processing and packaging some of the fruits produced in the village. From the factory comes jams, jellies, guava cheese, and many

on a limb.

The peace and tranquillity experienced on any nature walk will be interrupted temporarily by the cry of a bird escaping from its predator.

One is left in awe as they marvel at the array of birds, magnificently coloured, decorating the sky.

47

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Emancipation for all Guyanese

Slouching…

T L

By Ravi Dev

…towards tyranny

ooking at the detritus left in the wake of WWI, Yeats saw portents of even greater dangers ahead.

He ended his poem, “The Second Coming”, by asking prophetically, “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, /Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” Looking over the record of the PNC-led coalition Government, your Eyewitness is driven to echo Yeats’s plaintive cry: what rough beast of governance slouches towards our beleaguered Guyana at this time?

The signs are unmistakable, and Guyanese of all inclinations and allegiances must be made aware of the dangers posed by the PNC to the future of our hard-won democracy. The danger was signalled by the remilitarisation of the Government, taking it beyond anything Burnham tried. The dictator had used the pretext of the Venezuelan threat on our western border to increase the armed forces, where we had the greatest army-civilian ratio in the world: 1 soldier with an automatic rifle to every 35 citizens!! The Police Force had been joined by the GDF, GNS, Peoples Militia; Cadet Corps in the Disciplined Forces, augmented by the armed YSM and WRSM, not to mention goon squads like the House of Israel.

Those troops, however, were never deployed to any western front to take on the Venezuelans, who had seized our half of Ankoko Island. They remained strategically positioned at Camp Ayanganna and Camp Stephenson to guard the PNC against threats in Demerara.

We must note that Granger has brought those outfits back to their old Burnhamite strength – but has now placed ex-military officers in every branch of the civilian Government. Much like the Communist Party Commissars were deployed during Communist Russia’s heyday, Granger doesn’t have to worry about the bureaucracy. With his exclusive control of the Executive branch of Government via the Executive Presidency sanctioned by Burnham’s 1980 Constitution and his army fifth columnists, Granger also controls the Legislature, which should’ve been a check on his excesses. So what’s left to prevent a tyrannical dictatorship? Just our Judiciary, with powers to interpret the Constitution as they see fit, guided by the unalterable basic structure encompassed by that document.

And it is for this reason citizens must see past Granger’s avuncular, Simon pure façade and appreciate the dangers posed by his sustained attack on the judiciary ever since he slid into office.

Here we are, the highest Court of Appeal, the CCJ, has ruled that the valid NCM has triggered Art 106 (6), which SPECIFICALLY declares, “the President and Cabinet SHALL resign”, and he’s saying that’s not so?

The problem is, the CCJ assumes they’re dealing with men of “integrity”, rather than a wannabe tin-pot dictator.

Caricom cannot allow another 28-year dictatorship beast!

…anarchy

Granger has obviously missed some lessons he should’ve gleaned from Burnham’s (ultimately futile) attempts to build institutions to sustain his dictatorship. It’s rather ironic, since he was in the centre of Burnham’s machinations involving indoctrination programmes in the Disciplined Forces. But, then again, Hoyte did defenestrate Granger after 1985 when he (Hoyte) banished the Burnhamite faction, starting with Hamilton Green. Hoyte bypassed Granger for Joe Singh as head of the GDF – something Granger clearly hasn’t forgotten. GECOM Chair? Nyet!!

The lesson was that once you subvert institutions by bending and breaking the rules for one purpose, that institution will become dysfunctional in all other areas of its remit. The subversion metastasises like a cancer throughout the institution, which eventually becomes just a rogue shell.

This happened to the Disciplined Forces when they had to rig elections, and the Public Service when they had to racially exclude “PPP” supporters.

And will see the immigration services collapse by having them close their eyes to the Haitian scam that Felix is doing back-flips to facilitate!

…towards greater corruption

Did you see that report that the Police rank who was caught framing a Superbet location by planting ganja on the premises has been transferred?

Yep!! He was moved to the TSU!! He’ll fit right in, won’t he??

o understand emancipation or freedom, we have to understand its antithesis— slavery. Most of us may have some inkling of the horrendous physical circumstances of the slave.

Starting with the unimaginable squalor and degradation of the ships that brought them across the Atlantic, the hovels that housed them in the “nigger yards”, the rags that covered their nakedness, working from day clean to sundown in the fields under constant lashes of the whip, the widespread rape of the women by European men, to the separation of children from parents – the denial of any possibility of a stable family life – physical force was a palpable existential reality. Emancipation brought some respite from those physical humiliations that denied slaves their dignity.

But there was another side to slavery in the new world. This concerned the justification offered by the Europeans for slavery and its integral linkages with their proposition that Africans were a distinct and inferior “race” of people. This justification was primarily a salve to the conscience of the Europeans, who considered themselves “good Christians”. The justification of slavery was concocted by some of the best minds of “Enlightenment” Europe which had raised “reason” as the ultimate test of valid knowledge. Reason undergirded all sorts of classification schemes – based on colour, blood, size of head, extension of jaws etc. – that, in selffulfilling fashion, confirmed the “subhuman” status of the African.

So by their criteria of “rationality”, the European could not be criticised for keeping the slaves in subhuman conditions – they were subhuman to begin with, their science declared! The African was taught a mantra: Whites are a superior race. I am not of the white race. Therefore, I am of an inferior race.

By the time the theories of sub-

stantive differences between “races” were challenged, the idea of the “subhuman” African was so deeply-embedded in European science, literature, arts, music, philosophy, history etc. that it remained (and remains) as a preconceptual background reality to anyone raised within the western paradigm. Even by Africans. This is the wellspring of the most virulent racism that is part and parcel of the westernisation project of modernity. And if Africans are to ever be really emancipated, the racist traces must be identified wherever they exist and extirpated – root and branch.

After Emancipation, segueing effortlessly from the uneradicated racist-traces, the Europeans deployed the new anthropological notion of “culture”, again in circular fashion, to demonstrate “rationally” that Africans – now joined by other non-white groups – were inferior. By this time, the empire had expanded exponentially and a new and broader construct was needed to justify oppression over diverse “races”. Condescendingly, Africans were now acknowledged as humans …it was only their

culture, and the cultures of other non-whites, that needed to be developed. They all needed tutelage.

The famous “Macaulay Minute” of 1835 explicitly spelt out this new strategy of domination: “Brown Englishmen” who would serve the interests of empire, would be created by the imparting of “education” (in capital – the European particular was now universalised). The physical force would be masked and the minds of the natives would be conquered through “symbolic force”. There was a “Queen’s College” established in every corner of the British Empire, following the Macaulay Minute. So we now have a situation where the non-whites always had to measure up (note-up) to a European standard as to what behaviour was “civilised”. And it was into this game in which he could never win the African was thrown at Emancipation.

The African (and non-whites) were now taught a new mantra of mental slavery: Since whites are superior because of their culture. If I want to escape being inferior and be equal.

I must assume their culture.

The subjugation of Africans during and after slavery has left such a deep legacy of anti-African racism in all that the west stands for (and teaches) that it is a daunting task for any who may want to embark on the creation of a new paradigm; one that will allow the African to live in dignity. In the meantime, the various “races” in Guyana each fight to assert their “higher” place on the Europeandefined “chain of being”.

The Rastafarians of Jamaica, since 1932, have created a new mantra summarising one paradigm to escape the western-imposed “mental slavery”: “Whites are superior because of the symbolic forces of their culture. If I want to escape feeling inferior and be equal I must begin by creating my own symbolic cultural universe”.

Bus tout jailed for snatching cell phone; claims “financial problems cause me to do it”

M

inibus tout Ernie Reid was on Friday arraigned before Principal Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts on a charge of armed robbery.

At first, the 26-year-old, of Lot 185 ‘B’ Field Sophia, Georgetown, denied the charge when it was read to him, but the Police contend that on July 31, 2019, at Parade Street Georgetown, while armed with a knife, Reid robbed Connor Haynes of an IPhone.

Prosecutor Christopher Morris told the court that on the day in question, Haynes was walking on Parade Street when the defendant came from behind and held him at knife point. Reid attempted to relieve the victim of his phone, but Haynes held on to his instrument.

Reid then threatened to injure Haynes if he did not hand over

Ernie Reid

the mobile device, thus the victim complied with Reid’s demand.

However, during his attempt to make good his escape, Reid was caught by public spirited citizens, and the phone and knife were found in his possession.

Following the Prosecutor’s narrative, Reid changed his plea and offered an explanation for his actions.

“I was working a bus because the conductor get lock up. So we headed to Eve Leary, but I left, and while walking down Parade Street, I see the man. I don’t know what fly in me head, but I snatch the man phone. I didn’t mean to do it, but I got financial problems; and I didn’t use the knife I just had it on me.”

Following his statement, the magistrate sentenced Reid to two years’ imprisonment for the robbery.

48 Bollywood

R

eturning to the big screen with Jabariya Jodi after their 2014 breezy romantic comedy Hasee Toh Phasee, Parineeti Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra are five years wiser and closer. The comfort shared between the two actors is striking, and it’s easy to guess why. Both have seen their share of failures and also learnt how to deal with it.

The two stars have also gone through the obvious typecast trap and are now looking to break out of it.

Sidharth’s turn as a raw, flamboyant lad from Bihar in Jabariya Jodi’s trailer is a departure from all of his previous outings.

While Parineeti has films as diverse as Badminton champion Saina Nehwal’s biopic and The Girl On The Train remake in her kitty.

Talking to indianexpress.com ahead of the release of Jabariya Jodi on August 9, the duo reveals if there’s pressure to recreate the magic of their previous collaboration. They also talk about filmy acting and the curse of bad Fridays.

Here are excerpts from the conversation: Q. When two actors come back together after a much-loved outing, is there a pressure to live up to the expectations?

Parineeti: You have given us a lot of pressure just now with a very loaded question! Honestly, as actors, we would do anything for that pressure because that is coming from the fact that you were loved and accepted in your last outing. That’s what we work for. We work to be loved. If you are saying that people are discussing a five-year-old film till today, I think every actor wants five of those films in their career and they

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

are sorted, right? So, that pressure is honestly taken positively.

Hasee Toh Phasee had a cool, urban set-up.

Jabariya Jodi is the opposite. It’s as desi as it gets.

It’s as loud, larger-thanlife and filmy as it gets.

That’s half the reason why we signed the film because we wanted to come back together in the correct film but didn’t know what it was till Jabariya Jodi came.

Sidharth: It’s special to come back with a cast which has been loved before. There comes a lot of goodwill. But obviously, it’s not part two of Hasee Toh Phasee. It’s a different zone. There’s something new to look forward to. We are hoping the same crowd comes in and maybe there will be newer fans of me and Pari. We have put in a lot of hard work and effort into the film.

Q. Jabariya Jodi writer Sanjeev K Jha has heaped praise on both of you. Because Sidharth has not been in such a role before, Sanjeev said he would surprise everyone.

Parineeti: Absolutely!

I genuinely feel Jabariya Jodi is one of his best performances. I keep saying this because it is unexpected. He is such a cool, urban, soft-spoken and understated guy. Abhay Singh (Sidharth’s character in the film) is not that at all. Abhay Singh is out there. He is not subtle about anything. So, to come out of your comfort zone and not look uncomfortable (is great). If this were Sid’s first film, I would feel this is how he is. He is that convincing.

He is going to surprise everyone.

Q. Sanjeev mentioned that it’s great to have Sidharth and Parineeti in the film because obvious

casting choices are boring. But as actors, experimenting is risky. Have there been times when you have been advised not to take up roles because they did not suit your image or were too different from the kind of work you have done before?

Parineeti: My biggest learning has been exactly what you said. In fact, it’s weird that Sanjeev said this because I have been saying the same thing that if I am the most obvious choice for a role. I think I should not do it because I think I have already done it and I want to do something different.

Yes, image is something that I am learning more about. The audience forms an image of you from what you have played on screen and that’s just one part of me. So, I want to show them variety.

For that, I have to do different kinds of films.

It’s exactly why Sid is thought to be an urban, cool guy who maybe cannot do a Jabariya Jodi but today he selects a film like that to prove to people that he can. It’s a risk but that’s the exciting challenge.

MORE EXPLAINED

E

ver since Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor have opened up about their relationship, a question the two face quiet often is – when are you getting married?

In an interview, Malaika finally gave her take on the subject.

“I think happiness is a state of mind and yes, why go into histrionics. Yes, I am happy, why have so much explanation, yes I am happy.

In the business (showbiz), everybody is at the receiving end of all of this (speculations about marriage).

No one is spared of these kinds of conjectures so to speak. Like we have said, there’s no marriage on the cards right now,” Malaika said in a Zoom TV interview.

The actor, who had spoken about her divorce on Kareena Kapoor Khan’s radio show, said that a woman should speak up if

she gets an opportunity or a platform.

“Honestly, a woman should speak and why not? If you have a voice and an opinion, you should use the opportunities to speak your

Explained: Why aren’t cars selling?

Sidharth: I don’t think it’s a risk if the story backs it and the character has a graph. You have to look at the film from a holistic point of view. I have had people who told me, ‘Jabariya Jodi? Patna ka ladka? Sid, you are playing this?’ While I was shooting the film, I had people tell me, ‘Oh you are playing this small-town guy!’ I took it as a motivation.

I felt it is unfair to assume that I can’t when I haven’t. You see the product and then say. In my head, I don’t consider myself urban, rural or anything like that. I have lived in New Delhi, Mumbai and other places. Jabariya Jodi will set the record straight and we will probably have good things to hear.

Q. In a recent interview, you spoke how you enjoyed filmy acting in the film. But is there a risk of going overboard?

Parineeti: I was introduced to filmy acting in Golmaal Again. That was my first film which had a completely different grammar and style of performances. And I had 19 principle ac-

mind. So, I am glad that I could do it. I don’t speak much (about personal life in public) but when it is a platform which is relevant, then I think, you should,” Malaika had earlier said in an exclusive interview with indianexpress.com.

On the work front, Malaika said that she will grace the screen again if something excites her. In fact, the actor is open to producing content as well.

“I have always been around. I pick and choose work that I want to do. Today, content is the king and there is such good content out there. So, if something that I feel passionate about or something that makes me want to produce it, I will probably be a part of it. With online space at a boom right now, there are so many possibilities,” said the actor. (Indian Express)

tors to see. Their delivery was so much different from whatever I had done before and I think it’s beautiful. It (filmy acting) comes with a certain world of films. And you accept that. Jabariya Jodi is also in that world.

I don’t think when you watch Jabariya Jodi, you would be like this is too much or over the top.

I don’t know if it is filmy acting or not but it’s not understated. As an audience, I love watching these kind of films. I would have loved to watch a film like Jabariya Jodi if two other actors had done it. So, performing it was more fun because then you get to be a heroine. You get to do slow-motion. You get to speak those dialogues. So, why not? It’s amazing fun doing that, and these kind of films will never go out of style.

Sidharth: There’s only good acting or bad acting.

There’s no such thing as filmy acting.

Q. You both have said that Fridays are a gamble for actors. How have Fridays affected you and how have you coped with the days after?

Parineeti: For me, there are about four-five films which haven’t done

well. And the first time I saw failure, it was a big shock because I didn’t know what failure was.

I did not know what it meant for a film to not do well. But you get better at dealing with it. I am such a feedback hungry person in life that I take it (failure) as feedback.

Honestly, I groom myself in every department of my life based on feedback. So, I took those negatives and understood what might not be working for me and what I did wrong in a certain film.

You know by Friday afternoon whether a film has been accepted or not. So, I think I take it positively. I can’t let it break my spirit or affect me negatively because as an actor you will be finished. You won’t be able to perform anymore.

You have to learn, move forward and do even better than your last outing.

Sidharth: Everything is short-lived. Be it good Fridays that people built us up for or the bad ones when they try to bring us down. Nothing is permanent. So, every Friday is about performance eventually.

In our country, the full credit is given to stars, more so when the film doesn’t work. It becomes branded as ‘those stars’ films are not working’. But we are merely a technical aspect of the film. We are just following lines that are given to us. We are performing the way we are directed.

We are styling according to the clothes given to us.

We are surely the face of it (a film) but not entirely the creators of it. So, my attitude is to keep working hard and look forward to every Friday with an equal amount of excitement and zest. (Indian Express)

Shah Rukh Khan to be felicitated at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

S

uperstar Shah Rukh Khan will be felicitated with ‘Excellence in Cinema’ honour at the awards night of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne on August 8.

The festival would pay tribute to the actor’s continuous contribution to cinema and popular culture in India with the award.

Shah Rukh, who is also the chief guest at the festival, will be presented the award by Linda Dessau, who is the first female Governor of the State of Victoria.

“I’m humbled and honoured for this recognition.

It will be a great experience to share the stage and the podium with my fellow industry members who are all coming from various parts of India to celebrate cinema in Melbourne.

“I look forward to meeting her excellency, Linda Dessau at the wonderful evening that has been planned by IFFM,” Shah Rukh said in a statement.

Helmed by the Victorian government, Australia, the IFFM is back for its tenth edition in the cultural city and will celebrate “courage” as its central theme in 2019.

(Indian Express)

HOLLYWOOD 49

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 11, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

C

razy Rich Asians star Gemma Chan is in negotiations to come on board Marvel’s The Eternals.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor will join a cast that includes Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek and Kumail Nanjiani.

This will be Chan’s second Marvel role after she was recently seen essaying Kree sniper MinnErva in Captain Marvel. However, it is uncertain whether the actor will reprise the part or play a dif-

K

risten Stewart has said that she used to get frustrated when people would misunderstand her during her Twilight days.

Stewart broke out along with actor Robert Pattinson with 2008 film Twilight which she followed up with subsequent sequels over the next five years During that time, the 29-year-old actor said people thought that she

ferent one.

Barry Keoghan, best known for Dunkirk and Chernobyl, is also joining the project.

Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff and Don Lee are also a part of the cast.

Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, the story of The Eternals is set millions of years ago when the cosmic beings known as the Celestials genetically experimented on humans to create superpowered individuals known as the

was running after stardom.

“I used to be really frustrated that because I didn’t leap willingly into being at the centre of a certain amount of attention, that it seemed like I was an a**hole. I am in no way rebellious. I am in no way contrarian. I just want people to like me,” Stewart told Vanity Fair.

Post the Twilight movies, Stewart started focusing on smaller, independent films

Eternals along with the villainous Deviants.

Award-winning director Chloe Zhao is attached to helm the movie from a script by Matthew and Ryan Firpo. Marvel head Kevin Feige is producing.

The film is scheduled to be released on November 6, 2020.

(Indian Express)

which resulted in some of her most critically-acclaimed works like Olivier Assayas’ Personal Shopper and Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women.

“It gave me a chance to not weigh something down. It was so much bigger than me. My baggage was so minuscule in comparison to what (Reichardt’s and Assayas’) story lines are, as filmmakers.

“I was finally giv-

Elvis Presley biopic to release in October 2021

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arner Bros will release the yetuntitled film on legendary singer Elvis Presley on October 1, 2021.

To be directed by Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, the biographical drama film will feature Austin Butler in role of Presley and Tom Hanks as his iconic manager Colonel Tom Parker, reported Deadline.

Butler was finalised

after an extensive search by the studio during which it screen tested a number of actors, including Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller and Harry Styles.

The film story will chronicle the relationship between the veteran manager and the young singer, who was born in 1935 to a poor family in the small town of Tupelo, Mississippi.

Presley broke out in 1956 with Heartbreak Hotel.

Luhrmann, who di-

recting credits include films such as Moulin Rouge, Australia and The Great Gatsby, has penned the script along with Craig Pearce.

The project is set to shoot early next year in Queensland, Australia.

Meanwhile, the studio has postponed the release of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. The film has been moved from November 20, 2020, to December 18, 2020.

(Indian Express)

en a chance to be looked at, not as this thing in this celebrity-obsessed culture that was like, ‘Oh, that’s the girl from Twilight’,” Stewart said.

The actor will next star in Charlie’s Angel reboot, alongside Elizabeth Banks, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska.

Stewart will also feature in Seberg, a film about the French New Wave darling and Breathless star, Jean Seberg. (Indian Express)

H

o l l y w o o d star Antonio Banderas says after spending close to four decades in the movie business he has realised that it is important for an artiste to keep a contact with the reality.

The 58-year-old actor said he is in the best phase of his life and believes in being truthful to himself and people around him.

“I’m 60 next year and have realised there is a moment in your life when there is only space for truth. My life has never been perfect.

I travel through with my own s**t. But the challenge for anyone famous is just to recoup the normality of everyday life. If you’ve made yourself a castle, your contact with reality vanishes.

“It’s dangerous.

Because you start thinking you are special, but you’re not. You connect to people artistically, but that doesn’t make you special. You can go cuckoo,” Banderas said in an interview with The Sunday Times’ Culture magazine.

The actor, who was rushed to hospital back in 2017 after suffering chest pains while exercising, said that the heart attack was a turning point in his life and pushed him to do better.

“It was a turning point, psychologically.

And the tendency you have as a human, after a cardiac event, is to show yourself in a perfect state. You want to do even more. You go, ‘I can do a good job!’ And so I chose to do more interesting movies,” he said.

(Indian Express)

A

ctor Samantha Morton has said she has no “regrets” of working with embattled filmmaker Woody Allen.

Before she became famous with films such as Lynne Ramsay’s Morvern Callar and Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report, Morton featured in Allen’s 1999 comedy Sweet and Lowdown alongside the likes of Uma Thurman and Anthony LaPaglia.

The film earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 72nd Academy Awards.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, the 42-year-old British actor said working with Allen changed her life.

“I don’t have any regrets. I’m terribly sorry for the situation that is publicly known. It’s heartbreaking.

I was sexually abused. Some of the people that hurt me can’t be brought to justice for complications of time.

I have full sympathy for anybody who says that happens to them, and it needs to be taken incredibly seriously,” Morton said.

“But if I look back at the situation that I was in, where I was working for a director who was kind, funny, and wonderful to work with. It changed my life. And I’m forever grateful for that. I can’t now go back (and change anything)” she added.

There is a renewed focus on the filmmaker in the aftermath of #MeToo movement over his daughter Dylan Farrow’s allegations of sexual abuse against him, which he has repeatedly denied. (Indian Express)

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Record turnout for India’s 1st Guyanese game in 17 years

West Indies had their fair share of supporters in maroon Story and photos by Jemima Holmes

A

lthough it was not a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) sized crowd, Guyanese cricket fans turned out in their numbers to witness the firstever T20 International played by the Indian national team in the “Land of Many Waters”.

It was the final T20I in the three-match My Team 11 series, and Guyanese from each ethnicity and all walks of life braved the rains that seemed unstoppable in the earlier hours of Tuesday morning. But

any sensible Guyanese would know that rain only signals a welcome to cricket at the National Stadium, Providence – an unwritten tradition of sorts.

The last time that an Indian national team graced the “Land of Many Waters” was in 2002, contesting a Test against West Indies at the historic Bourda Ground in Georgetown, Guyana.

However, a bit of Guyanese cricket history was made on Tuesday, August 6, when the boys clad in blue led by the ecstatic Virat Kohli made their way into the middle of the National Stadium,

Providence, for their first battle in the shortest format of the game in Guyana.

Looking back at Bangladesh’s visit to Guyana in July 2018, while there were many die-hard fans of the boys in maroon who showed up to cheer on their team, the Providence Stadium was far from ‘filled to capacity’. It was the polar opposite for the first India game, with droves of spectators, equally clad in blue and maroon, pouring into the venue to witness one of the most consistent cricket teams around.

Guyana is usual-

Rasville youngsters during a heated game of football on Sunday afternoon

West Indies Captain Carlos Brathwaite and India’s Captain Virat Kohli shook hands after the toss

ly known for its record turnouts on game day, but given the particulars of the West Indies vs India match, many speculated that the Guyanese Diaspora would not live up to their expectations.

But even on a weekday, affected by rain and a starting time which is fairly early for T20s in the Caribbean, Guyana saw attendance from over 7000 patrons, ranging from the elderly to infants.

The boisterous and eager fans, however, were not the only ones who were happy about the match at Providence

and the atmosphere.

India’s Captain, at a post-match press briefing, shared that he was elated about visiting the soon-to-be-oil-laden land for the first time.

“It is pretty good; I hadn’t played here before, so I was pretty excited to see what the Stadium was like and how the atmosphere was going to be. I think there was a lot of people in the crowd here and everyone enjoyed themselves. We had a good day here as a team, so we’re very happy about coming here,” Kohli told media operatives.

Tuesday morning’s game was testament to the fact that Guyanese patrons will always show up once cricket is being played and that the love for the game which seems to be dwindling around the wider Region is in fact alive and well in the “Land of Many Waters”. One can only hope that this acts as an eye opener for those who are responsible for the distribution of international games around the Caribbean region and that Guyana would be more often considered as the right venue for West Indies cricket.

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Kieron Pollard penalised Virat Kohli pleased with Rishabh Pant's finishing job for 'disobeying' umpires

R

ishabh Pant came good in the third T20I against West Indies, his unbeaten 65 off 42 helping India negotiate a potentially tricky chase to sweep the series.

He top-scored for India and hit the match-winning six, prompting his captain Virat Kohli to say "we are looking at Rishabh Pant as the future".

Kohli said all the youngster needed after two poor outings on the bounce was one innings to settle in and show the world what he could do. The message was for him to finish the game - there's a lot of confidence that comes with hitting the winning runs and walking off the field with bat raised, and Pant needed to experience that, Kohli said.

"For the first two games, he was disappointed that he didn't get any runs," Kohli said. "He was playing really well, hitting the ball really well, but that's how T20 cricket goes. Sometimes you don't have the rub of the green.

But today he made sure he applied himself and batted to his skills and backed himself to hit the big shots when required and really played with the tempo of the innings.

"He's got a lot of skill and talent. [But] it's about winning and finishing

Rishabh Pant

games like these and gaining confidence, which he wants to do as well. It's about giving him a bit more space to ease himself into international cricket and not putting too much pressure because of the way he's played in the IPL. "At the international level, you need to tackle pressure differently and play yourself into the whole set-up. He has come a long way since he started. If he plays like this more regularly, we will see his potential shine for India."

With the focus now shifting to the ODI series, starting on August 8 at the same venue - Providence Stadium - Kohli said he was glad the team got a full game despite the early rain, and got the chance to have a proper hit. All the while, with an eye on the bigger picture: the prior-

ity is to make sure India play consistent cricket, with young players like Pant and Rahul Chahar the debutant legspinnings - helping strengthen the team's resources.

"I think the priority is to keep Indian cricket at the top, go out there and win games and find ways to win games for your team," Kohli said. "That's the reason we have been one of the top teams in the world for a while now."

The players are going to take the day off on Wednesday to rest and recover ahead of the 50-over games, Kohli said, as the humidity and the high temperatures would be tricky to deal with over a whole day.

And when the ODI action begins, the teams would know that the weather - the forecast isn't ideal for cricket - might not deny them 100 overs of action, based on the evidence on Tuesday. The drainage at Providence is excellent: a downpour earlier in the morning had resulted in a one-hour delay to the start, and at one point it was coming down so hard that there were concerns over whether a single ball would be bowled. But, as Kohli said, one could hardly tell it had rained as much as it had.

(ESPNCricinfo)

during second T20I against India

Kieron Pollard

K

ieron Pollard has been pulled up for "disobeying" the on-field umpires' instructions during the second T20I against India in Florida on Sunday, picking up a 20% match fee fine and a demerit point.

The incident in question took place during the Indian innings, when, according to an ICC statement, Pollard "called a substitute onto the field despite having been repeatedly told by the umpires that a request must be made for a substitute to come onto the field and being advised to wait until the end of the next over" and he "failed to follow the umpire's instructions".

After being charged by Nigel Duguid and Gregory Brathwaite, the on-field umpires, third umpire Leslie Reifer and fourth official Patrick Gustard, Pollard denied his guilt in the matter

and that necessitated a formal hearing with match referee Jeff Crowe, who found him guilty and handed out the penalties.

Pollard didn't bowl in the match and scored a run-a-ball 8 not out as West Indies got to 98 for 4 in 15.3 overs after India had put up 167 for 5, which meant a 22-run win for the visitors on the DLS method, giving India the three-match series 2-0 with one game left to play.

Pollard did have a better outing in the first game of the series in Florida - his first game for West Indies since November 2018 - where he scored 49 in 49 balls in a poor West Indies batting effort of 95 for 9.

The third and final match of the series will be played at Providence Stadium in Guyana later today.

(ESPNCricinfo)

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Global T20 Canada part of Andre Russell's rehab – CWI chief executive A

ndre Russell's decision to withdraw from the T20I series against India and play in the Global T20 Canada league is "part of his rehabilitation plans", according to Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave.

"We cleared him fit to play in Canada as a batsman," Grave told ESPNcricinfo. "To monitor his fitness every day, a couple of our physios are over in the GT20, so we've got that oversight with Andre and his knee.

"But there's a massive difference between playing in domestic cricket to international cricket.

Our fans really want to see Andre Russell at a 100% while playing here against India: batting at 100%, bowling at 100%, fielding dynamically outside the circle at 100%."

Some eyebrows were raised when Russell suited up to take the field for Vancouver Knights on Friday, minutes after West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite spoke at a press conference, where he backed Russell for continuing to attempt to take the field for West Indies in spite of his in-

jury history.

Grave likened it to many other athletes competing at a step below the highest level to build-up match fitness.

"His injuries are probably not going to be ones that are ever going to be fully solved," Grave said.

"Like many other sportsmen, like the Beckhams

and the Ibrahimovics that have knee injuries, daily rehab is going to be part of his life for the rest of his playing career. We hope that he just takes our medical advice, strengthens his knee and hopefully when he's back to 100% fitness he'll be back wearing maroon."

Despite the support offered by CWI through medical advice and physio consultations, Grave was also mindful of Russell being a freelance T20 cricketer. "He's not contracted to us so we can't tell him what to do," he said. "He listens and takes on our advice, I know it for sure. I know

that he hasn't played in every game, he hasn't bowled yet. So hopefully he's listening to that medical advice and this is part of his rehab.

"He can then hopefully have a break, continue strengthening his knee.

He then has the CPL and we can assess him after that. The surgery was

successful and hopefully playing a few matches as a batsman in Canada is part of his rehabilitation.

As he strengthens that knee, he can get back to full fitness and the player that we want him to be."

Grave also doesn't think that Russell will have to curb his bowling altogether to prolong his career. "We're positive and thinking for the best," Grave said. "Our thought for the moment is we want Andre to fully recover and get back to full fitness as the dynamic allrounder, but if Andre Russell has to become just a batsman, then the selectors will select him based on his performances and on that criteria.

"But at the moment, I know he wants to continue. He loves bowling. He wants to be an allrounder and hopefully he's doing everything he can to ensure that happens by following his rehab, listening to the medical advice and taking it easy.

So it's good to see him not playing every game in Canada, managing his knee and managing his rehab." (ESPNCricinfo)

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Only 13 overs possible in washed-out first ODI

...West Indies 54 for 1 (Lewis 40, Kuldeep 1-3) v India ...Match abandoned

A

fter a five-anda-half-hour period where only 13 overs of play was possible, the first ODI between West Indies and India in Providence was called off by the umpires due to a wet outfield.

In that period, Chris Gayle played his slowestever ODI innings (minimum 25 balls), scoring only four singles in 31 deliveries. At the opposite end, Evin Lewis ensured there was something for the home fans to cheer, blitzing an unbeaten 36-ball 40 that included three marvellous pulls over deep midwicket.

The match itself began 90 minutes after the scheduled start, a delay forced by morning showers. When play began, though, the sun was bathing upon a half-filled Providence Stadium, but with rain scheduled towards the afternoon, it was not long before the

first interruption happened.

With Mohammad Shami, around the wicket, troubling the sedate Gayle and Lewis failing to find gaps in the infield, the teams first left the ground after 5.4 overs with West Indies yet to reach double digits. Over

an hour later, the players returned to the middle, and Lewis made full use of the wet ball, shoveling Bhuvneshwar Kumar for six. The next over, he creamed 15 runs off left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, a pulled-six over midwicket sandwiched between two flicked fours

through the on-side.

The partnership was primarily saved by Lewis' aggression with Gayle failing to find his timing, and it was eventually Kuldeep Yadav who ended the latter's innings in the 11th over.

Playing his 298th game - just one short of

West Indies' record-holder Brian Lara - Gayle needed 13 runs to become the team's highest-ever ODI run-getter, but swinging conditions at the top meant he was either splicing the ball or missing it completely. But while Lewis' rampage was on, there was

hope for the home fans that Gayle would finally break free. But that wasn't to happen as Gayle tried to take on Kuldeep's full-pitched stock delivery, and tried to heave it over the legside, only to insideedge it onto the stumps.

(ESPNCricinfo)

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