Guyana Times International 13-April-2019

Concacaf Gold Cup

INTERNATIONAL

Golden Jags to clash with USA in Minneapolis on June 18

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019

ISSUE NO. 444

at Town Hall meeting in Queens G

uyana’s Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, will be the keynote speaker at a Town Hall meeting in Queens, New York on Friday, to discuss critical issues affecting Guyana and more particularly matters relating the current political situation in the country.

Matters that are high on the agenda include the developments surrounding the No Confidence Motion that was brought by the Opposition against the APNU/ AFC Coalition Government and was passed in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018, the cases before the Caribbean Court of Justice regarding the validity of that motion and the hosting of General and Regional Elections.

The Opposition Leader and his team are also expected to engage members of the Guyanese Diaspora.

The Town Hall meeting is scheduled for April 12, 2019 at 18:30h. It will be hosted at the Fairfield Pavilion, 131-10 101 Avenue, South Richmond Hill, Queens, New York 11419.

US-based 50,000 jobs realistic Irfaan Ali Guyanese woman files G$40M lawsuit against CANU Page 3

‌after being strip-searched at CJIA Page 26

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NEWS 3

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50,000 jobs realistic, says PPP’s Presidential Candidate P

residential Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Irfaan Ali believes that the 50,000 jobs being promised to the Guyanese population, should his party return to office, is in fact a modest figure.

Ali hosted a press conference on Thursday in the place of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who at the time was travelling to New York, where he is expected to engage members of the Guyanese Diaspora.

The PPP

Presidential Candidate pointed out that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)

Government have failed to deliver most of its manifesto promises to the Guyanese people in the more than four years they have been in office.

According to Ali, Guyanese have to hold the government accountable for this failure, which he believes has resulted in the hardship for

many, especially the elderly.

Nevertheless, Ali posited that unlike the Coalition Administration, his party will not falter in its efforts to ensure that what is being promised to the populace is achieved.

Among the host of promises the PPP has mentioned that will be in its manifesto is the creation of 50,000 new jobs and according to the party’s Presidential Candidate, even this figure is too conservative.

“There were some (criticism) raised on

the 50,000 job creation but let me say, this is a very, very conservative figure,” Ali stated.

He went on to outline some of the key sectors in which an Irfaan Ali-led PPP administration will provide an array of jobs for Guyanese.

These include the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) with the establishment of call centres and provision of critical services in sectors such as education, health, financial and security. continued on page 7

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EDITORIAL

Constitutional values

T

he political crisis in which we have become mired because of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led Government’s refusal to obey the dictates of our Constitution after the successful No-confidence Motion brought by the Opposition, brings to mind an observation of the 18th century philosopher Immanuel Kant.

“The problem of organising a State, however hard it may seem, can be solved, even for a race of devils, if only they are intelligent.

The problem is, given a multitude of rational beings requiring universal laws for their preservation, but each of them is sincerely inclined to exempt himself from them, to establish a Constitution in such a way, although their private intentions conflict, they check each other, with the result that their public conduct is the same as if they had no such intentions.”

And this is the nub of our problem: the PNC voted for reintroduction of the no-confidence clause in the slew of constitutional changes approved in 2000. In the tradition of parliamentary government, long established in Westminster, it forced the Government to demonstrate that it retained the legitimacy to govern, by demonstrating it retained the majority of the National Assembly.

Immediately after the motion was carried, the Prime Minister, who represents the President in the National Assembly said: “Guyanese must understand that the democratic process is sometimes unpredictable. You may have results that are not planned for and, like cricket, democracy could be a game of great uncertainty. But the outcome has to be accepted.” He repeated this in his column, captioned, “The historic no-confidence vote”.

The following day, President Granger announced, “Govt will abide by constitutional requirements following N-confidence Motion.”

Yet, the week after, thrown a contrived lifeline, the PNC sought refuge in the courts to “exempt” its Government from obeying the Constitution.

President Granger took the high ground, at least in his public pronouncements. But at this juncture of our history, he has the opportunity to move from rhetoric to action by following the further advice Kant proposed to create a solution to the inevitable conflicts in societies such as ours, caused by those who would seek to exempt themselves from the constitutional rules. He proposed that institutions, as with all normative behaviour, would have to satisfy the “categorical imperative”.

Which is to, “Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal law: which if followed, would ensure the person(s) behaving in accordance with it, are behaving morally.” As one whose Minister of State declared to be a Christian, President Granger would undoubtedly recognise the similarity of the categorical imperative with the Golden Rule of the Holy book: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If the PNC in Government will always choose to cherry pick which portions of the Constitution they will obey – invariably those that only further its interests – they should not be surprised when the populace and other political players develop a cynicism towards them and politics in general.

During the first 28 years of illegal rule by the PNC, they made a mockery of constitutional Government by completely rewriting the Constitution in 1980 to institutionalise its authoritarian rule.

Unfortunately, even though there were the aforementioned constitutional changes of 2000, by then the political culture permeating all political institutions had become so distorted, that the Guyanese people must insist on constitutional change which the PNC is resisting.

The Opposition must lead a national discourse to reinforce the values undergirding the “basic structure” of the new Constitution which must be enshrined in the basic structure of our Constitution so they are beyond change and to institute sanctions on those who would transgress them.

The values that have shaped the struggle of all Guyanese above all others are democracy, liberty and equality. We must resist the opportunistic manoeuvrings of the PNC so that they become living reality. Only then we can hope for justice, which is the prime imperative for all social institutions.

Children participating in a kite making camp (DPI photo)

An uninspiring “plantain chips” and “cook-up rice” policy

T

he People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, recently stated that some fifty thousand jobs will be created if that party were to win the upcoming General and Regional Elections.

Knowing Ali’s skills in economics and financial management, his statement could not have been one just rooted in politics for the sake of building expectation to garner votes. It would have been a derivative of sound economic analyses, coupled with visionary thinking taking into consideration the country’s vast potential.

In any country, job creation is vital and innovative ways have to be found to keep increasing the numbers. The positive multiplying effect of this resonates in all aspects of the national economy. It is therefore no coincidence that job creation and expanding the economy are prominent in election campaigns. Of course, some are mere rhetoric while others have genuine grounds.

Following Ali’s announcement, persons who are seemingly aligned to the coalition Government, have wasted no time in attacking his statement. In their attempt to render it unachievable, the criticisms seem to be deliberately manufactured to create the impression that Ali’s pronouncement is just another campaign ploy devoid of substance.

The naysayers have failed to see the value in the statement and examine how it can possibly work for the benefit of all. Ali managed the Ministry of Housing under both Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.

Under his watch, that sector boomed in an unprecedented manner. That led to thousands of ordinary Guyanese becoming homeowners. They would not have done so had it not been for the enabling environment created.

Simultaneously, thousands of jobs were created in the process; from block-makers, through lumberyards,

masonry, carpentry, painting, electricians, furniture making, landscaping, transportation, food and other areas that boosted and sustained local economies across the country. Commerce in the villages grew as residents became empowered and lifestyles vastly improved.

The numerous housing schemes, both newly established and regularised across the country, speak to the tremendous success which the housing boom realised. It was lauded by some Caribbean leaders who took the opportunity to have a first-hand look.

That success that led to many years of unprecedented and sustained economic growth in the history of Guyana could have only been realised through a process of prudent holistic management.

Ali naturally played an integral part in the People’s Progressive Party’s success story which provides the credible and solid grounds for his statement on job creation. On the contrary, jobs continue to be lost since May 2015, when the current Government took office. Instead of finding ways to create jobs, the Government seems bent on reducing them.

Two thousand Indigenous persons and a large number of qualified public servants and contract workers were relieved of their jobs almost immediately after that election; reportedly based upon their assumed political affiliation.

Thousands of sugar workers were left jobless when the Government, without any form of social impact assessment, closed some sugar estates under the pretext it was not viable. In doing so, it contradicted its own study giving credence to the belief that its action to close the estates was politically motivated.

Reports out of Region Six, where thousands of sugar workers are now jobless, are that the regional administration is being bypassed and many jobs under its control removed and managed by a Government agency which offers only to friends and cronies.

Also, many businesses were forced to close, pushing hundreds of others into the unemployment line. The social impact from these massive losses continues to be devastating with many families challenged to provide food and children forced to leave school due to the inability to meet the related expenses.

Social ills are exacerbating in many of these affected communities as residents have no choice but to adopt survival mode.

The reality is that the housing boom ended after the May 2015 elections and the negative trickledown effect it precipitated has taken a stranglehold in many areas. Not only were jobs lost, but the local economies have been ravaged. The woes of the citizens have been worsened by that and through the unleashing of a plethora of taxes and the constantly increasing cost of living. In other words, it has become extremely burdensome for many residents over the past four years and a major factor is the loss of jobs as the economy spiral downwards.

The Government has not offered any practical solution to create jobs to help mitigate the challenges faced by the people. It keeps peddling its uninspiring “plantain chips” and “cook-up rice” policy which some have deemed laughable and which clearly demonstrates a dearth in economic ideas to advance the country and improved the lives of its people. That cannot be the solution to the macroeconomic issues.

With an absence of vision in managing the country’s economic affairs, it is therefore not surprising that Ali’s proposal is being attacked by Government affiliates. He offers a holistic solution with fervent hope for all so that Guyana can return to the days of unprecedented prosperity.

Unfortunately, in life, not everyone is enthused by something well-intended. The attacks will therefore not cease.

NEWS 5

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Caribbean nationals among 123 nabbed in immigration sweep in NJ N

E W A R K , U n i t e d States (CMC) — The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says three Caribbean nationals are among 123 foreign nationals apprehended during a month-long operation targeting immigrants with prior arrests or convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

On Wednesday, ICE said the operation, which was spearheaded by its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), also targeted at-large criminal aliens and illegal re-entrants.

The Caribbean nationals are from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic.

Others arrested across the state are nationals of Brazil,

Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, G u a t e m a l a , Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland and Spain.

Of those arrested during the operation, 90 percent had prior criminal convictions and/or pending criminal charges.

“The remarkable results of our offi-

cers and law enforcement partners highlight ICE's ongoing commitment to public safety,” said John Tsoukaris, Field Office Director of ERO Newark.

“This operation focuses on the arrest of individuals convicted of serious crimes and are a threat to public safety,” he added.

“Because of the targeted efforts of these professional and dedicated officers, there are 123 fewer criminals in our communities.”

The operation was supported by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian

Michael and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), under the direction of Troy Miller, Director, New York Field Office.

“These individuals will go through removal proceedings before an Immigration Judge; or, for those under a final order of remov-

al, arrangements will be made to remove them from the US,” ICE said.

It said the immigrants range from age 19 to 56 years old, with “the great majority” arrested, or previously convicted, of driving under the influence.

Some individuals also had arrests or convictions for sexual assault on a minor, child abuse, possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics, fraud, criminal restraint, domestic violence, possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, fraud, promoting gambling, shoplifting, burglary, forgery and illegal reentry, ICE said.

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PPP has produced a comprehensive plan for job creation in Guyana

Dear Editor, The prospect of the creation of 50,000 jobs as envisioned and articulated by PPP/C Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali seems to have generated a high-voltage shock to the APNU/AFC apparatchiks. The Granger Administration that has (so far) caused over 30,000 to lose their jobs and who boasts of creating 126 new jobs in four years is understandably flummoxed.

Their views were championed by the re-migrant Chairman of the Guyana Gold Board, Gabriel Lall, in his missive to the newspapers (April 8, 2019).

Lall, who came to prominence in Guyana (his prominence elsewhere is unknown) via an anti-corruption platform which he mounted to criticise the PPP Administration but swiftly dismounted rather ignominiously since his political appointment with the Gold Board. GHK Lall has not made a mention of the corruption scandals that break the surface of the bog within which he stands. He never heard of the drug bond, the D’Urban Park missing G$600 million, indeed Ministers do not grant contracts to their husbands or collect monies on his (husband) behalf at her Ministries in GHK’s new world, one where a curve in the bush is worth G$83 million in the hand.

Delusion, like its twin, ignorance, must be bliss.

Lall casts aspersions at Irfaan Ali’s experience, in lieu of listing accomplishments; I offer a quote from Elizabeth Alleyne on Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson’s Facebook page “You will, I am sure, permit me to make a comparison. When a certain Mr Ali was in charge of issuing house lots, thousands of black Guyanese got house lots and were able to build their own houses. These included my black cleaner at work and my black part-time cleaner at home.” That, Editor, is the experience that matters to so many thousands of Guyanese.

Irfaan Ali presided over a system where applicants drew house lot numbers out of a bag, why? This was to ensure that the communities he created would be multi-ethnic and break the cycle of ethnocentric settlements.

It has been an unheralded success because many were never aware of the purpose or design of that bag with numbers. GHK himself, in all probability,

lives in one of these areas, blissfully unaware of how it was conceived or executed.

All of his usual snide aside, GHK tackled the claim that 50,000 jobs could be created head on.

GHK reasons that largescale job creation is “another of the usual empty political soundbites” for in Lall’s opinion “the calibre of local content minds and hands is not there… the local workforce – largely the youth brigade – is ill-equipped mentally, educationally, spiritually, and psychologically to rise to the challenge of responding to any invitation or environment that calls for tens of thousands of jobs..The ambition, vision, and drive are just not there. The mandatory focus and dedication are absent.” This is the view of an Administration that creates 126 jobs in four years; it is a snapshot of the elitist mindset that pervades the upper-echelons of the Granger cabal.

Young people should take careful note.

Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C do not share this view of any segment in our society, I have noted that there are problems with entry-level jobs and those vying for them, but we have a large base of smart, bright and well-educated youth that can be employed in the near future. The PPP/C has produced a comprehensive plan for job creation and 50,000 is the conservative number, it is not a plan that can be implemented in isolation, however, it is complex and has many moving parts that require competent management to create opportunities and an enabling environment for investment. All will be revealed at the launch of the PPP/C manifesto during the upcoming election campaign, until then, GHK and DAG can seek to come up with their own ideas for a change. An examination of the Foreign Direct Investment since 2015 will show the startling drop and continued absence despite claims from GO-Invest to the contrary.

Our economy continues to drift despite the closeness of ‘first oil’, the nautical term for our position is “Ahull: Lying to the wind with no sail set”. We are crawling on the weight of bare poles; Guyana needs a visionary captain like Irfaan Ali to raise the canvas and make use of the heavy winds of prosperity that blow all around us.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

One scandal after the other under the APNU/AFC Govt

Dear Editor, It is now approaching the fourth year since the coalition Government assumed office and the Guyanese masses are astoundingly disappointed by the increasingly high levels of corruption which is being perpetrated by this Government whose campaign platform was based on the eradication of corruption by removing the previous PPP/C Government.

Some were gullible enough to accept this even though a casual perusal would have exposed the fact to them that it is the same old PNC which dominates the APNU and you cannot expect a drastic transformation from the 28 years of thievery, mismanagement, and institutionalised corruption.

I cannot help but recall Moses Nagamootoo’s startling ‘political theory’ which he revealed in January 2016 at Queens, New York. He said, “you should have a President for only one term or five years after which the leader should be changed since the ‘thieving’ starts in the second term”. He further added that “in 50 years, we have only changed Government twice…you have to think about changing Government as quickly as possible as you can, as periodically as you can, because thieving is a disease”.

Now, it is ironic that Nagamootoo failed to recognise the endemic corruption which has engulfed his Government almost as soon as they took over the seats of Government. He was part of the Cabinet’s decision to

pay themselves between 50-100 per cent wage increases supposedly to remove the temptation to be involved in “thievery” with his salary, perks and eventual pension greatly surpassing that of former President Bharrat Jagdeo. The masses were given an increased dose of the illusionary “good life”, our standard of living continues to plunge while more than 30,000 persons became jobless with many communities being transformed into ‘zombie zones’ overnight.

While it may be that Nagamootoo was targeting a third term for Jagdeo and was referring to him, it cannot be so interpreted when he said that, “you have to think about changing Government as quickly as possible”.

The coalition was already in Government, hence he must be taken to mean that if a Government does not perform well according to the expectations of the electorate then it must be changed. Therefore, this is exactly what the majority of the representatives did on December 21, 2018.

This is what ‘Sovereignty of the people’ means. The Constitution, in Article 106 (6), provides for this – to remove a Government if it is corrupted and not performing to expectations by way of a “no-confidence motion”.

In just four years, corruption has eaten away many of the economic gains made by the PPP/C Government. It must be recalled that our economy, under the PNC, was bankrupt and 95 per cent of our GDP went to pay debts. Today,

our US reserve which the PPP/C Government has managed to accumulate over the years has fallen by over 50 per cent while the cost of living has spiralled with no solution in sight.

It has been documented that the APNU/AFC Government has been involved in more corruption in its four-year tenure compared to the old PNC Government, beginning from the undisclosed cost of inauguration ceremonies of the President, the D’Urban Park ‘thievery’, the US$18 million signing bonus, the G$30 billion GuySuCo bond, the GPHC single sourcing of G$605 million in drugs, the Sussex Street ‘Condom’ bond, the Demerara Harbour Bridge feasibility study, the ‘rehabilitation’ of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the blatant breaches of the procurement laws to facilitate bribery and ‘kickbacks’, the awarding of contracts to cronies like the awarding of the Corentyne Highway road slashing and cleaning, the rental of Broomes’ mansion, the Annette Ferguson affair and others too numerous to mention. It has also been one scandal after another, a media recently disclosed a number of these.

Nagamootoo should now accede to the fact that his Government has failed the electorate who have now decided that a ‘change in Government’ is now vital and the ‘disease’ eradicated for the nation’s survival!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

The coalition Government ‘destroyed’ Guyana in 4 years Dear Editor, Please allow me to clarify and compare several issues that were misrepresented by Freddie Kissoon in his article “APNU/AFC has done more in 4 years than the PPP in 15 years”.

The PPP Government was able to demonstrate more social cohesiveness among Guyanese and ensure that the resources were spread equally among all Guyanese. Many persons will ask for justification on that.

The most evident example is the numerous house lots that were distributed in the various housing schemes to persons despite their political affiliations or their racial background.

The present Government, for the last four years, gave houses to a majority of their supporters. The records will unveil the evidence.

The APNU/AFC Government destroyed the trust of racial unity since a section of the Indian population trusted the coalition and voted in 2015 to bridge the gap of racial unity but unfortunately, Granger and his Government destroyed that trust which was given to the APNU/AFC coalition Government.

This four years of governance by the APNU/AFC coalition

Government is the worst period ever in the history of Guyana. In every sector, there is a constant pattern of decline that is definitely impacting negatively on Guyanese eg corruption, crime, social cohesion, construction, communities, businesses, governance etc.

The corruption level has risen to uncontrolled heights. Senior Government officials are now demanding kickbacks even before the contracts are even awarded to contractors, bids are being overpriced to accommodate these huge amounts of kickbacks and what is even more disgusting is that from

the top level to the bottom level, there is evidence of corruption.

The APNU/AFC coalition Government in four years, destroyed the lives of 30,000 workers who lost their jobs, these were the victims of the coalition governance who voted for a better future but only the Ministers are benefiting from the good life.

The destruction that is being done to Guyana by this Government will be a herculean task for the PPP/C to fix.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

farmer pleads for Former cop to spend Berbice protection following 26 years behind bars brazen attack by bandits for raping 7-yr-old

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former rank of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was on last Friday sentenced to 26 years in prison by High Court Judge JoAnn Barlow for raping a seven-year-old girl on March 27, 2014, in Essequibo.

A 12-member jury, on March 13, 2019, found 37-year-old Clinton

Doris guilty of the act before Justice Barlow in the Sexual Offences Court.

The accused was sentenced on Friday after the court heard the probation report, which was requested to be done by Doris’s attorney, Ravindra Mohabir.

In court on Friday, Justice Barlow, before

sentencing, noted that at the time when the act was committed, the victim was only seven years old and the accused is also the father of two children.

The court heard that the victim was on her way home from school when the accused was able to persuade the child to enter his home by offering her candy.

When the child went into the house, he used the opportunity to commit the act. The child related what took place to her parents and the matter was reported to the police.

Justice Barlow ordered that the accused be given counselling for sex offenders during his time in prison.

The State’s case was presented by Prosecutors Lisa Cave, Sarah Martin, and Seeta Bishundial.

50,000 jobs realistic, says PPP’s Presidential... from page 3

Additionally, he mentioned eco-tourism, agriculture, mining, environmental services, forestry, and housing as key sectors that can also churn out many employment opportunities if the right investments are made.

“Let me give you an example: if you create 10,000 house lots every year, because our target is 50,000, and let’s say you have an occupancy of only 20% - the average figure nationally now is 30% - so you have 1,500 persons building and if a bare minimum of five persons is employed on each house, then that is 7,500 jobs created there and that is on housing alone… So when you reserve the tax measures that have been inhibitive to various sectors, you would see the further strengthening and expansion of those sectors, thus creating

jobs,” he added.

Furthermore, Ali noted that the impending oil and gas sector too can be a great source of job creation with in the areas of training, shore-based facilitates, gas and energy development, enlightened local content and machine and engineering.

“So if you reorient the budgetary spending that is there now, you will be able to create all those jobs we’ve lost as a result of wasteful spending and misprioritised spending,” he added.

The PPP presidential candidate further stressed that “So this 50,000 is very conservative; then with the reopening of sugar and the linkages sugar had in other segment of the economy, you’re talking about 11,000 thousand jobs easily… so I know when we examined this at the committee level and when we

are costing it, 50,000 is a very, very conservative estimate.

It’s the bare minimum and I’m sure that we can achieve beyond this.” (Vanhu Manickchand)

Doodnauth Takpersaud, also known as “Gabar”

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Corentyne, Berbice poultry farmer used a cutlass to fight off four bandits, two of whom were shooting at him. This is the third time for this year that the businessman has been attacked by armed intruders. He was previously attacked on four other occasions over the years.

D o o d n a u t h Takpersaud called “Gabar”, who operates a poultry outlet at Clifton Village, Corentyne, Berbice, told Guyana Times International that he realised that he was under attack on Wednesday morning when he saw a strange person on his surveillance monitor. According to Takpersaud, at about 03:00h he noticed that someone was in his yard.

He then asked two female family members to call the police.

“When I look at the monitor screen I notice them on the landing and one of them trying to wrench open the window with a crowbar.

I also saw a gun in two of them hand and one

with a crowbar and one with a cutlass. So I go by the window with my cutlass while the girls gone in the bedroom and trying to call the police, my daughter and a friend,” the frustrated man said.

He said that when the window was opened, he used his cutlass to chop the hand of the intruders as he shouted for help.

“Bullets start firing from outside but I brace on the wall and firing chops…” the man said.

He explained that the bandits were pushing open the window and shooting at the same time but every time it was pushed open he used his cutlass to keep them at bay.

On January 3, bandits cut a hole in the fence to the pen and entered. Money, livestock and beverages were removed.

According to Takpersaud, he heard strange sounds coming from the chicken pen, which is a part of the poultry outlet. When he looked towards the business outlet, the lights were turned off. He said

luckily, the police patrol was passing and the intruders escaped.

Back then, Takpersaud had said that he is aware of who the perpetrators are and is now saying that they are the same persons who have been attacking him.

Meanwhile, on January 28, two men, one carrying a firearm and the other a cutlass, broke into the home of poultry dealer. At the time, he was asleep.

As the bandits broke open a window, he and his family members were awoken and they ran through the front door to the verandah and locked the two bandits in the house. The men then exited the window through which they entered while firing shots at the businessman.

“I know I am going to die; I am calling on the Commander, the Commissioner of Police, the Public Security Minister, the Prime Minister and the President; please help me to get protection,” the man pleaded.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyanese woman accused of paying G$7M to murder husband in 2009 makes court appearance

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woman, who was recently nabbed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CIJA) for the 2009 murder of her husband, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday slapped with a murder charge.

Milaimi Alli was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that while being in the company of another, she murdered her husband, Ramzan Alli, at Coldingen Railway Embankment Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), between July 11 and 12, 2009.

The 49-year-old woman of Kissoon Housing Scheme, Good Hope, ECD, was represented by Attorney-at-Law Bernard DaSilva who told the court that his client is a mother of five and given that the murder happened 10 years ago, he would like to have an early date for the Preliminary Inquiry to commence.

Police Prosecutor Neville told the court that the police file is incomplete.

The woman was remanded to prison and the matter was transferred to the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court for April 15.

40% of Guyanese youths unemployed T

he Department of Youth has taken note of the whopping 40 per cent unemployment rate among youths in Guyana and will be hosting the first job fair on Friday where young people will be interviewed on the spot with the hope of gaining meaningful employment.

This was revealed by the Department on Wednesday during a press conference where the Youth Director, Melissa Carmichael, told the media that

It is against this backdrop that the Department of Youth has decided to host its first youth fair at the National Sports Hall.

Carmichael told reporters that while the fair may not be the biggest, she looks forward to a great turnout and lasting impact. “While it is not the biggest one, we believe that with the companies on board, it will certainly make a great impact,” she stated.

A few of the companies who are seek-

they are not given a chance to speak with them to address their worries.

In 2012, the Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey which found that 10,326 or 37 per cent of the 17,571 Guyanese between the ages of 15 and 19 were unemployed.

The Bureau said that in 2002, the unemployment rate for this age group stood at 38 per cent.

The high rate of youth unemployment has triggered a num-

Murder accused Milaimi Alli escorted by a Police rank

The woman arrived in Guyana mere days after a wanted bulletin was issued for her arrest. Upon her arrival on a Caribbean Airlines flight from the United States of America, she was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters where she was grilled after which the murder charge was instituted.

Investigators received new information that Alli paid her lover G$7 million to kill her husband, which led them to reopen their investigation into the murder of the fuel dealer in March 2009.

Thirty-eight-year-old Zaheed Mitchell of Foulis, ECD, was recently charged for his involvement in the murder of Alli.

Alli’s body was discovered in a rental car trunk with a plastic bag ducttaped to his head on the Coldingen Railway Embankment Road on July 12, 2009.

Alli was last seen alive by relatives when he left his Good Hope home on July 11, 2009, in the rental car for an unknown location.

Youth Director Melissa Carmichael

over 600 applications were received, although the Department was initially catering for about 200.

Social Cohesion Minister with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Norton said that the job fair was inspired by the large amount of jobless youths.

The Minister explained, “The Department of Youth recognises that youth unemployment is one of the greatest challenges among the nation’s most valuable assets, youth. Statistics show that young people constitute one-quarter of the world’s population in the developing nations. This signals a vibrant and hopeful resource for the world… statistics show that approximately 40 per cent of the youth population in Guyana is unemployed. The Department of Youth recognises this scourge, seeks to bring Private Sector and Government agencies together to tackle this growing issue”.

ing to hire the youths on Friday are Courts Guyana Inc, Qualfon, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph company (GT&T), Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Giftland.

Carmichael said that only those applicants who would have completed their secondary education will be considered.

Most of the positions, she informed, will be for customer care representative while others may be technical.

According to her, the job fair will be geared towards providing a space for information sharing, providing an avenue for young people to speak to Human Resources officers at companies to voice their concerns and more importantly, being interviewed and hired for respective posts at participating agencies, among others.

She stressed the importance of having young people interact with Human Resources officers as many times

ber of negative effects.

Only in January, the Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said that 80 per cent of prosecuted crimes are committed by youths between the ages of 19 and 29.

In February Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram, told this newspaper that unemployment will present a major challenge in the coming years.

Ram spoke of some of the reasons for Guyana’s low employment rate and also expressed the belief that not enough attention is being paid to its economic and social side.

“Part of the problem we have is that we have a very low wage economy,” Ram said, adding “and it discourages people entering into the employment sector. If you get the minimum wage and you have to spend 20 per cent of it on transportation alone, it’s not a great motivator for you to work”.

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Critical services affected at GPHC due to prolonged power outage S everal key services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) are severely affected, owing to a prolonged power outage at the premiere health institution.

Affected areas include the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the medical clinic, and the paediatrics clinic.

The Accidents and Emergency area is said to be extremely hot while the male and female wards are out of power.

The Hospital is unable to offer services such as X-rays, ultrasound and CT scans.

GPHC has been without power since 08:00hrs on Thursday.

The problem was triggered by the failure of a power breaker in the main power control room at the Georgetown Hospital, Public Relations Officer, Mitsy

Campbell explained.

She explained that because of the nature of the problem, the backup generator system could not be turned on.

Campbell noted that all staff remained on duty and were all working together to ensure the work was completed as normal as the electricians were working to ensure power was restored.

A doctor attached to the Accidents and Emergency Department told this newspaper that most patients left the hospital since medical officers were unable to attend to them due to poor lighting.

When the incident occurred on Thursday morning, doctors recall hearing a loud “bang�.

The Fire Department and Guyana Power and Light were called in as a precautionary measure.

NEWS 9

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Days after: Parliament Office still not in receipt of resignations from dual citizen Ministers

Minister of State and US citizen, Joseph Harmon

Business Minister and British citizen, Dominic Gaskin

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nly days ago, Government announced that the process will be initiated for dual citizen Members of Parliament (MP) to resign from the National Assembly and that such persons had already handed in their resignations to President David Granger.

However, it has emerged that the parliamentary office has not received any resignations from these dual citizen parliamentarians – Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin and Public Service Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine.

When contacted by Guyana Times International, Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs said the process involves the MP’s resignations being handed to the Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland.

“They would have to send it to the Speaker of the National Assembly, as required by the Constitution,” the Clerk explained in a brief interview. He said to his knowledge this has not been done.

Minister Harmon had indicated weeks ago that Government would be looking to hold a sitting of the National Assembly on April 11; a sitting the Opposition has said it would not attend. When asked, however, Isaacs noted that no notice has

Foreign Affairs Minister and Vice President and British citizen, Carl Greenidge

been issued regarding the holding of any sitting.

On April 2, the Ministry of the Presidency had announced that effective April 1, Members of Parliament (MP’s) on the Government side that have dual citizenship had resigned.

In a statement afterward, Government had said the vacated ministerial posts will be occupied by the former Ministers’ Cabinet colleagues.

According to a statement, Ministers who acted in the past for them will once more fill in.

But then in another statement the next day, the Ministry of the Presidency had announced that the resignation of four Ministers will not take immediate effect.

Further, the statement had said three of the four parliamentarians who have indicated their intention to resign, plan on renouncing their foreign citizenship.

Article 155 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana states that “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

In February, Chief Justice Roxane George had ruled on the case filed by Compton Reid over the dual citizenship of former AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Charrandas Persaud.

In the case it brought to the Chief Justice, Government had argued that Persaud’s dual citizenship status invalidated his vote in support of the No-confidence Motion that brought the Government down.

This argument also formed part of the opinions presented to Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland in the hopes that he would reverse the ruling… something the Speaker ulti-

“We are coming after you” …Guyana’s Top Cop warns citizens who offer bribes to traffic ranks

Public Service Minister and British citizen, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

P Speaker of the National Assembly Barton Scotland

mately refused to do.

The Court of Appeal later upheld the January High Court ruling that it is illegal for persons holding dual citizenship status to be sitting in the National Assembly.

Government has been under increasing criticism, even from its own supporters, for stating that dual citizens will return to the National Assembly despite these two rulings.

M e a n w h i l e , Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo last week said the three Opposition MPs – Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, Odinga Lumumba and Adrian Anamayah – who are also dual citizens, will also resign. He noted that they have already written to the Representative of the List, Donald Ramotar, and by next week, will all submit letters to the Speaker of the House.

However, the Opposition Leader explained that only Teixeira and Lumumba will be renouncing their foreign citizenship.

“Adrian Anamayah will not renounce. He has explained to me that there are family obligations and other issues so he will not renounce because of those commitments he has…,” Jagdeo noted.

Nevertheless, he revealed that Teixeira has already commenced the process and is awaiting a response from the Canadian authorities on her application for same.

File photo: Traffic ranks at Eve Leary, Georgetown

olice Commissioner Leslie James on Monday urged ranks to desist from accepting bribes from members of the public.

Commissioner James also made it clear that the Force will be prosecuting members of the public who offer bribes to police since the offence is a “two-way street” involving both givers and takers.

The Top Cop issued the warning on Monday at the opening ceremony of a training programme at the Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Street, Georgetown, where he said that he is looking for a change in performance of ranks and fewer allegations of corruption in terms of bribery claims.

“Once there is no offer, there can’t be acceptance. It goes both sides, offer and acceptance, and let me warn you civilians, we are coming after you, those of you who are offering,” he said.

He charged that too often, members of the public are committing offences and then offering bribes to ranks then making claims that police are taking bribes. “You just cannot offer and then going and telling people ‘police tekking bribe’. It is better for you to say ‘civilians [are] offering bribes and police [are] taking bribes,” James said.

He added that while the Force will be engaging particular departments to tackle this issue; if the ranks believe that their salaries are too small, they should tender their resignation.

“If you’re not comfortable with your salaries, leave the job. You came on, you were told what is being offered and you decided to become an agent

of the Force. How come you have an issue with your remuneration,” said James.

He told ranks that their uniforms, conduct and performance reflect the image of the Guyana Police Force and as such, they should conduct themselves in a professional manner and execute their duties in accordance with the Force’s Standard Operating Procedures.

“Read, and continue reading. Go after knowledge, read your standing orders, read the laws, read yourself into the job,” Commissioner James told the ranks.

Commissioner James stressed that action will be taken against subordinates, who fail to comply with standing orders when performing their duties as failing to do so will have far-reaching implications.

Last year, several policemen were charged after it was alleged that they accepted bribes. On October 29, 2018, three former police ranks were jailed for one year and fined for accepting a G$6 million bribe back in September 2015.

Corporal Shawn McPhoy of 174 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Constable Ray Drepaul Saul of Eversham, Corentyne, and Constable Trevon McKenzie of Princeton, Corriverton, Corentyne, were charged jointly for the offence, which was committed between September 10 and 11, 2015.

The ranks had received information that a route 63 A minibus would usually be transporting drugs, guns and cash.

They were provided with the vehicle number and the travel schedule for

the minibus.

While in the vicinity of Springlands, East Berbice-Corentyne, they observed the vehicle and decided to stop it to conduct a search during which they discovered that the vehicle was indeed transporting a very large quantity of cocaine and cash at the time.

It is alleged that the ranks on patrol entered into negotiation with the occupants of the vehicle which led to the occupants of the vehicle handing over $6 million in cash to the ranks. The ranks then allowed the vehicle to continue its journey and even provided some amount of escort for the vehicle before returning to a police station. The ranks have all since appealed the decision and have since been placed on $50,000 bail each.

In July 2018, a rank attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) was arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of obtaining money from road users to drop a traffic charge.

Twenty-eight-yearold Police Constable Chris Brown of Lot 1590 La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, was charged jointly with Mark Collins.

The court heard that on December 7, 2017, at the Ruimveldt Police Station, while being employed by the State, Brown obtained a sum of G$10,000 from Iyana Hutson as inducement or reward to forego instituting charges against Dwayne Dover for a traffic offence he had committed.

Brown was placed on bail in the sum of G$5000.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sherod Duncan US carrier Jet Blue to begin servicing Guyana-NY route soon moving to have dismissal overturned

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acked General Manager of the Guyana National Newspaper Limited, which is the publisher of the Guyana Chronicle, Sherrod Duncan is moving to the Prime Minister’s Office to have his dismissal overturned.

According to Duncan’s attorney, James Bond, the litany of breaches brought against his client does not warrant dismissal and as such, a call is being made to the Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who has oversight for the State entity, to review the decision made by the Board.

“These matters I must say do not warrant dismissal… no one could show that Mr Duncan benefitted personally from any of those, I think that was to his credit” Bond stated.

According to the learned attorney, if the matter is not addressed at this level then a wrongful dismissal lawsuit will be filed at the High Court.

“I wouldn’t want to give too much to what

they said but that is the essence of them saying that there was not [a] vote to dismiss Mr Duncan so that would be our primary trust in appealing to the Office of the Prime Minister that there was no vote …If the matter isn’t address at this level, a wrongful dismissal case will be filed at the High Court”, Bond revealed.

Duncan, who was the Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor for the city of Georgetown and Deputy Mayor, served as General Manager of the company from June 1, 2018, to April 1, 2019.

The Board of Directors of GNNL in a statement said the decision to dismiss Duncan came after a five-hour long meeting at the company’s office where Duncan and his legal representative, Attorney James Bond, were given the opportunity to provide an explanation in response to the findings of the audit report which was dated March 18, 2019, and answer questions posed by continued on page 12

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he New York-based carrier, Jet Blue, which currently operates in over 100 countries is expected to begin operating soon in Guyana.

Guyana Times International understands that the airline will facilitate direct flights from Guyana’s Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to the United States’ John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport in a few months.

Jet Blue is said to have a fleet of about 253 aircraft and has been dubbed one of the most affordable carriers.

The airline signalled its intention to begin operations in Guyana last year. Jet Blue is not the only carrier which has been drawn to the shores of Guyana in recent times as a number of other airlines have already begun operating.

The window for such activity was opened as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has been sign-

ing a number of open skies agreements in a bid to promote tourism in the country, among others.

Director of the GCAA, Egbert Field during an interview said that Guyana is preparing itself for a massive tourism influx with the signing of such agreements.

He had noted that already, the Agency has signed open skies agreement with other South American countries which will allow for more airlines to fly the route as well.

On that note, it was pointed out the GCAA has already inked an agreement with Brazil and Ghana which will allow for direct flights to those countries as well as give a go-ahead for any airline which wishes to fly the Guyana route from those countries.

In addition, he disclosed that the Civil Aviation Authority is seeking to sign more of such agreements with Columbia and other African states such as Tanzania

and Nigeria among others, with the aim of having as many airlines as possible enter the country. He was keen to note that the agreements being inked were in keeping with 2018’s theme of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) with regards to connectivity.

In December, an Interline Agreement was inked between a German airline, Condor, (Thomas Cook Group) and LIAT’s flights from Germany to Guyana which makes flights easier and more convenient for passengers using this route.

The Interline Agreement is one between individual airlines which is drafted to handle passengers travelling on itineraries that require multiple flights on multiple airlines.

It allows passengers to use coordinated flight connections and checked-through luggage and affords cheaper tickets year-round.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Swift ruling in no-confidence appeal cases would be good for Guyana

…says US Ambassador

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hile recognising that political leaders in Guyana have utilised democratic processes available in settling the No-confidence Motion case, United States Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch believes the faster this matter is resolved, the better it would be for the country.

“I think the faster there is a resolution, I think the better. I think that’s probably best for everyone. The democratic process is being followed and the democratic institutions are being used and a swift resolution would be great. But I understand also that the CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice) has given a date of May 10, so we should hear more then,” the US diplomat said in an interview with journalists from local newspapers in Guyana on Monday at the Embassy’s Young and Duke Streets, Georgetown office.

Without speculating on the outcome of the proceedings currently before the Trinidad-based regional court, Ambassador Lynch stressed that her country is emphatically firm in its respect for the democratic institutions and democratic processes being undertaken in Guyana, as well as the commitment of local political leaders to ensure peace and stability in the country.

“I have been heartened in my short amount of time here that all the political leaders – in Government, the Oposition, other political parties – indicated that they will respect this ruling and there will be a peaceful reaction to it. So I am hopeful that would happen and I would encourage all political parties and citizens to

United States Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch answers a question asked by Guyana Times senior journalist, Vahnu Manikchand (right) during the interview on Monday at the US Embassy’s Young and Duke Streets, Georgetown office (Dexter Ceres photo)

react in a peaceful way even if they disagree with the outcome,” she contended.

Following the December 21, 2018 passage of the Oppositionsponsored No-confidence Motion in the National Assembly, Government had subsequently asked the House to reverse the passage, but its Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, had declined the request and redirected it to the courts. As such, Government moved to the High Court to challenge the validity of the motion, saying a 34 majority is needed for it to be successfully passed.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George, in January, had upheld the passage of the No-confidence Motion, ruling that in Guyana’s 65-member National Assembly, a majority is 33. The High Court ruling, however, was appealed

by Attorney General Basil Williams.

21-year-old freed of rape charge Freed: Jarrell Duke

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wenty-one-yearold Jarrell Duke on Monday exited the High Court a free man after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of rape.

Duke stood trial before Justice Brassington Reynolds on a charge of rape of a child under the age of 16 years old.

The unanimous not guilty verdict was returned after more than two hours of deliberation by the jury. Duke’s trial commenced before Justice Reynolds on April 2, 2019. It was al-

leged that he was engaged in sexual penetration with a six-year-old between December 14, 2013, and December 18, 2013.

The former accused was represented by Attorney-at-Law Rabindra Mohabir while the State’s case was presented by Prosecutors Seeta Bishundial, Lisa Cave and Sarah Martin.

After informing Duke that he was a free man, Justice Reynolds urged the young man to consider it as a second chance.

While Justice Rishi Persaud last month dismissed the appeal and conferred with the ruling of the High Court, his colleague appellate judges allowed the state’s appeal.

Both Justices Yonette Cummings-Edwards, acting Chancellor, and Dawn Gregory opined that while 33 is the majority of the 65- member National Assembly, the successful passage of a noconfidence motion requires an “absolute majority” of 34, and not the “simple” majority of 33 that has been used to pass ordinary business in the House.

According to the two appellate Judges in their March 22 decision, half of the National Assembly would be 32.5 and since there is no half vote then that would be rounded up to 33, which is a “simple” majority of the House, and so in order to make it “absolute”, one more has to be added to bring

about a 34 majority.

Nevertheless, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, through his battery of lawyers, on March 26, appealed the Appeal Court’s majority ruling.

Jagdeo, in his application, is seeking orders setting aside or reversing the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal of Guyana and resorting to the decision of the acting Chief Justice Roxane George made on January 31, 2019; a declaration that the resolution of the National Assembly is valid; and a declaration that the No-confidence Motion moved by Jagdeo was validly passed on December 21, 2018.

The Opposition Leader, through his attorneys, is also seeking a declaration that puts to rest that 33 votes/ members constitute a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly within

the meaning of Article 106 (6) of the Constitution of Guyana.

The application is also seeking costs. In a case management hearing subsequently last month, the CCJ set May 10 at 09:00h for the hearing of the cases, with April 8 being given as the deadline for filing cross appeals. In addition, April 17 was given for written submissions and the April 23 to reply. However, a pre-trial hearing will be heard on April 24, where issues concerning the order and length of oral submissions will be addressed.

Apart from Jagdeo, there were two other sets of appeals filed. In total, the cases before the regional court are: Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo v the Attorney General of Guyana, Dr Barton Scotland and Joseph Harmon; Christopher Ram v the Attorney General of Guyana, the Leader of the Opposition and Joseph Harmon; and Charrandas Persaud v Compton Herbert Reid, Dr Barton Scotland, Bharrat Jagdeo and Joseph Harmon – which deals with Persaud’s, a former parliamentarian on the Government’s side, eligibility to vote in the House and the validity of his December 21, 2019, vote in favour of the Opposition’s motion of no-confidence against the coalition Government.

In the case of Ram v the Attorney General, the political activist had petitioned the High Court to have Government resign and President David Granger call elections within 90 days as stipulated by Articles 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution.

Sherod Duncan moving to have... the Directors as to why he should not be disciplined in accordance with the recommendations of the report, which was presented by the Office of the Auditor General.

According to the statement, one Director recommended a onemonth suspension and an extension of probation for Duncan while two other Directors recommended an extension in the probation period while three other Directors held the view that Duncan’s services should be terminated with immediate effect for gross misconduct.

A vote on the matter of termination of services was called and three Directors voted against, while three voted in favour. There was a tie and the Chairman, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, supported the termination of Duncan’s services in accordance with Article 94 of the company’s Articles of Incorporation.

There are over 20 transactions conducted under Duncan’s watch or by Duncan himself, which were

from page 11

Sherod Duncan

in blatant violation of financial regulations.

A special audit ordered by the Office of the Auditor General

found numerous violations during the short three-month period under Duncan’s stewardship of the company.

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PPP Commissioners stage another walkout of GECOM meeting …claim they were prevented from speaking

PPP Commissioner Robeson Benn

C

hairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Retired Justice James Patterson has been accused of muzzling Commissioners of the People’s Progressive Party.

At Tuesday’s statutory meeting, PPP Commissioners, Robeson Benn, Sase Gunraj and Bibi Shadick walked out of the meeting after Patterson refused to allow Benn to make remarks at the beginning of the meeting which was held at GECOM’s High Street, Kingston, Georgetown office.

Speaking with Guyana Times International after walking out of the meeting, Commissioner Benn expressed dissatisfaction with the operations of the Commission.

He stated that among the issues he intended to raise during the intervening period were the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) report and a legal letter against GECOM among other matters.

“It has been two weeks since a full meeting has taken place and we were still not allowed to say anything,” Benn remarked.

“We have a democratic right to make comments at the beginning of the meeting and there is clear intention to have us not so do,” he added.

At the previous meeting held on March 12, the three PPP Commissioners walked out after realising that

PPP Commissioner Sase Gunraj

the matters on the agenda for the statutory meeting had nothing to do with Regional and General Elections but rather, house-to-house registration.

PPP Commissioner Sase Gunraj had told the media that the house-to-house registration is a policy that was taken from time to time

by GECOM while the requirement to hold general elections is mandated by the Constitution of Guyana.

He had noted that he along with the other PPP Commissioners, could not “sit there and suborn the violation of the Constitution” by engaging in any discussion that does not countenance the holding of elections in the constitutionally-mandated timeline.

M e a n w h i l e , Commissioner Benn had said that he requested that GECOM cease and desist from undertakings relating to house-to-house registration and to take account of the constitutional imperatives based on the no-confidence motion passed in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018.

The PPP Commissioners have maintained that the only way of “going forward” would be to have all Commissioners at GECOM commence discussions on the pressing issue of Regional and General Elections in Guyana as is constitutionally mandated.

On December 21, CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

NEWS 19

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

GECOM moving ahead with house-to-house registration

…inspite of pending court cases

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s all of Guyana patiently awaits the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the Noconfidence Motion appeal that was passed in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was ordered to still prepare for elections and registration for this process is likely to begin by June. This was confirmed by GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Warde.

Warde in an invited comment told Guyana Times on Monday that the necessary training for election officials has begun in several areas across the country.

“The decision for house-to-house registration was initially part of our 2019 work programme as agreed to by the Commission and subsequently, I think sometime in February where the Commission had moved a motion to return to its original work programme in light of all that has happened during the No-confidence Motion. In so doing, the Secretariat has commenced its preparations for the conduct of house-to-house registration and so I think it was the weekend of the 23rd and 24th of March training for the trainers commenced. Subsequently, there was the training in Georgetown I think at 16 locations on the weekend of the 30th

and 31st (of March) and of as at yesterday (Sunday) training continued on the East Coast and on the East Bank (of Demerara),” Ward explained.

According to her, the training was conducted for persons who serve as Assistant Registration Officers and enumerators during the period.

That training is expected to wind down sometime in May, she detailed, as it is expected to have a six-week to two-month duration. It was on this note that she informed Guyana Times of GECOM’s plans to begin house-to-house registrations in June.

“We anticipate all things being equal, that training should conclude sometime in May. We haven’t definitely determined that timeline as yet but once training is finished, I figure by the first week in June, the actual conduct of

house-to-house registration will commence,” the PRO indicated.

She pointed out that this process will run for about three to four months.

The PRO was unable to say how long after hosting the registration process GECOM would be ready to facilitate elections.

She would only say, “Pending all the new developments right now that has happened, as you know initially the Chairman of the Commission had written to the President indicating a November timeline given that houseto-house registration would have wrapped up by then and to move into elections by the end of November. As you know, things have evolved since then there has been a Court of Appeal ruling and subsequently now to the CCJ so whatever other timelines are

being looked at I think that would be based on the outcome of those rulings and whatever other decisions are to be taken.”

Warde reminded that President David Granger has committed to providing the Commission with the additional funds it needs to facilitate the much anticipated elections.

According to her, those additional monies would be absolutely necessary, if GECOM is to host free and fair elections in a timely manner.

The PRO was keen to note, “ Shorter time period means that you need more staff, you need rapid procurement, you need a number of other (things) so it means that cost will eventually go up and so our request was taking all those factors into consideration”.

CCJ case

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had initially requested that the CCJ to rule on the no-confidence matter before April 30, when the current voters’ list expires. However the matter is to be heard on May 10.

On March 22, the Appeal Court in a 2:1 ruling said a majority of 34 votes would have been needed to validly pass the No-confidence Motion brought against the Government last year.

The ruling means the motion was not validly passed, and hence the coalition Administration was not toppled as a result of the events that occurred in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018 – when the minority Opposition had secured the crossover vote of former Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Charrandas Persaud to

obtain a 33 majority to pass the No-confidence Motion in the National Assembly.

Government had subsequently asked the House to reverse the passage of the motion, but its Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, had declined the request.

As such, Government had gone to the High Court to challenge the validity of the motion, saying that a 34 majority is needed for it to be successfully passed.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George had, in January, upheld the December 21, 2018 passage of the No-confidence Motion, ruling that in Guyana’s 65-member National Assembly a majority is 33.

Since the passage of the no-confidence resolution, GECOM has been accused of dragging its feet with respect to elections preparation.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Jay & Sylvia Sobhraj Centre Huge influx of for Behavioural Sciences Venezuelans worries and Research to open soon authorities in Reg 2

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he much-anticipated opening of the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Centre of Behavioural Sciences and Research at the University of Guyana Campus, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, is soon to be officially opened.

The construction of the centre was completed a few weeks ago by Buddy’s Construction, a local general construction company, but the next step will be the furnishing of the building.

The Foundation, after spending millions of dollars in the Information Technology sector, working with Government institutions such as the Guyana Police Force and NGOs to provide free computer training to the public while si-

multaneously working in New York with the public schools by enhancing their existing computer centers, has embarked in assisting the mental health sector in Guyana.

During construction, Dr Jay Sobhraj increased the donation to ensure that the quality of the construction is not compromised. Many who witnessed the construction, including the university staff, had an opportunity to see the inside of the building after completion and were impressed with the design and quality of the construction, while students cannot wait to start using the facility.

The newly-designed Centre will accommodate a psychology department, lecture halls, a clinical psychology

clinic, a student medical centre, a student gym, a bookstore, students’ religious offices, and a food court. The building was designated for use by the Psychology majors and will also be used for other majors such as Engineering, Science and Liberal Arts.

In March 2018, Founder of the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Foundation, a US-based Guyanese entrepreneur, Dr Jay Sobhraj, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Guyana worth approximately G$80 million to renovate an existing building known on the University campus as the “Spicy Dish” building.

PPP Commissioners stage another walkout... from page 19

PPP Commissioner Bibi Shadick

2018, the no-confidence motion brought by the parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) against the Government succeeded when former AFC Member of Parliament Charrandas Persaud

broke ranks and made a conscience vote in favour of the motion.

G E C O M Commissioners, including the Chair, have been advocating for house-tohouse registration to sanitise the voters’ list.

On Monday, GECOM’s

GECOM’s Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson

Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, in an invited comment said that the necessary training for election officials has begun in several areas across the country in a bid to hold house-tohouse registration.

D

President of the Essequibo Chambers of Commerce and Industry Suean Seewnarayan

ue to the great influx of Venezuelans entering the country through the Charity Port, Region Two (PomeroonS u p e n a a m ) , Essequibians are highly concerned about not only their security but also the safety of their health.

Reports are that scores of citizens from the Spanish-speaking nation are usually “lined up” at the Charity village port of entry and many of them usually take up residences in Region Two. President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI), Suean Seewnarayan stated that the concern about health risks to locals with the immigration of those Venezuelans was brought up at a meeting recently between the ECCI and the Police Commander of that Division, Khali Pareshram.

She explained that a businessman from Charity, who also sits on the Board of the ECCI, pointed out that in light of the recent Leptospirosis outbreak in the country, as well as the fact that the Venezuelans entering Guyana’s borders are only given certain vaccinations, if any upon arrival, many concerns have been raised about threats to the health of Essequibians.

H o w e v e r , Seewnarayan pointed out that the issue is not that Venezuelans should not be allowed to seek refuge in Guyana or that they should be quarantined;

residents including the business community in Region Two want to know the precautionary measures that are being taken or put in place to safeguard the health of Guyanese, especially those living in that region.

“They are people; we cannot put them out.

We have to understand the state that they are coming from and so we have to be hospitable towards them. Persons are just concerned about health risks and precautionary measures as well as in the area of security since these are people we do not know or know the backgrounds of,” she emphasised.

Although there are steps that have to be taken when any Venezuelan enters Guyana, such as he/ she is required to visit the police station where they can be “registered” and given certain vaccinations, residents in Essequibo feel the need that more should be done in order to protect their health while helping the foreigners.

“From what I understand, what came out of that same meeting with Commander and with the Chamber of Commerce is that there are days when you have hundreds of persons there lining up coming into Charity and they are at the station(s).

I think there is some regulation that was put in place with the police and a Government Ministry but I think that once they come in, they have to register at a station…but to my understanding it is not like one or two but

they come in by hundreds, big groups, so that is where the concerns started”, she added.

Late January of this year, Regional Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region One, Brentnol Ashley declared that the most critical issue affecting residents in Region One relates to migrants from Venezuela.

He had stressed that his region severely lacks human resources adding that there continues to be a shortage of drugs and medical supplies as a result of the increased number of Venezuelans seeking medical and other attention.

The Regional Chairman at that time had said that taking into account the increased challenges and difficulties that officials within his region are forced to confront, the support being offered by Region Four’s health sector is greatly appreciated.

The Region One RDC Chair also appealed to the Government to step up their security patrolling and presence at the borders, stating that of recent there have been an increased number of threats.

“We have heard that there is a plan to hijack the ferry and this resulted in the ferry having to be escorted into here a few weeks ago because there were reports that the Sindicatos were planning an attack,” Ashley had also stressed. (Kristen Macklingam)

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Transparency body calls for review of contract awarded to Housing Minister’s husband

T

ransparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) has weighed in on the conflict of interest issues arising in the Housing Ministry, saying the fact that a contract for constructing houses was awarded to the Housing Minister’s husband is not a good look for the State.

On Saturday, TIGI called for Government to review the contract award.

In an interview with Guyana Times International, TIGI President, Dr Troy Thomas noted that a review would determine to what extent Housing Minister Valerie PattersonYearwood was involved in her husband being awarded the contract.

“It would seem that there is a conflict of interest and then it would be important to try to understand the circumstances under which the contract was awarded and to what extent the Minister was involved,” Dr Thomas said.

“Even if the

Minister wasn’t directly involved, if a subordinate of the Minister was involved, the whole situation doesn’t seem ideal,” he explained, nevertheless acknowledging reports that the contract was awarded before the Minister got married.

He noted that the timeline for the award of the contract could raise complications

regarding accusations of a conflict of interest in the award of the contract. But he said the importance of transparency and the need for answers are important.

“Given that it has come out like this, it should definitely be reviewed and let’s understand what happened, when it happened.”

Earlier this week,

it was revealed that the Housing Minister’s husband, Godfrey Yearwood, was awarded a contract to build homes for a project spearheaded by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

Contract

That project is still ongoing and according to CH&PA Chief

Executive Officer, Lelon Saul in an interview with the media after the story broke, the contract awarded to the Minister’s husband was a one-off award.

In fact, Saul himself noted to the media that the contract award is a conflict of interest and in fact that a review of the award might be in order. He had called for

the CH&PA board to review the matter and ensure there is no reoccurrence.

“The award of contracts is above my level. But I think the (CH&PA) Board should review that (awarding process) based on recommendations coming from the agency,” Saul asserted.

When contacted on Thursday for a comment on the matter, inister PattersonYearwood said she would not give a comment.

This issue came to the fore on Wednesday last when Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed that the Minister’s husband had sub-contracted the works and the person whom he hired is complaining of not being paid for works done to date.

In fact, the construction worker, a resident of Victoria Village, on the East Coast of Demerara, had written President David Granger four times over the past year for his intervention but only got acknowledgement responses so far.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Political parties need to decide way forward on Constitutional reform – British Envoy

W

ith criticisms abounding about the slow pace of constitutional reform, British High Commissioner Gregory Quinn has noted the need for a collaborative and consultative approach.

The British High Commissioner noted that while many persons recognise the need for constitutional reform, a more collaborative approach is needed.

“We’ve been talking about constitutional reform. In 2016 we funded a project with the Carter Center, which launched a discussion on constitutional reform. Ultimately constitutional reform has to be a Guyanese-led process. There are a lot of people who recognise work must be done on the Constitution.”

“It’s now over to the political parties to decide what needs to be done to move the process forward, if that’s what they want to do… because it has to be a consultative process. Changing the Constitution takes twothirds of the 65 seats in Parliament. So it’s not like one party or another can direct. So they need to decide how to move that forward, if they want to

A delegation of European Ambassadors, along with EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtič and UK High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn met on Tuesday with a delegation from the parliamentary Opposition, including PPP’s Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali; Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira; and Opposition Member of Parliament Juan Edghill

move it forward.”

Asked about the recent resignations of dual citizen Members of Parliament (Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin and Public Service Minister Dr Rupert Roopnarine) from Guyana’s National Assembly, the diplomat noted that the Constitution is clear on the matter.

“The Constitution at the moment is clear

about the dual citizens’ issue and the courts have ruled on that. So unless there’s a change to the Constitution, things will have to play out the way they’re currently playing out [resignations].”

“The Constitution is the supreme law of Guyana and, therefore, must be adhered to across the board. And I think that’s what we’re seeing.

And that’s how it must be,” the British diplomat said.

The Ministry of the Presidency had previously

announced that effective from April 1, Members of Parliament (MP’s) on the Government side that have dual citizenship have resigned and as such, would not have been returning to Parliament when it reconvenes on April 11.

Article 155 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana states that “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance,

obedience or adherence to a foreign power or State.”

In February, Chief Justice Roxanne George had ruled on the case filed by Compton Reid over the dual citizenship of former AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Charrandas Persaud.

In the case it brought to the Chief Justice, Government had argued that Persaud’s dual citizenship status invalidated his vote in support of the No-confidence Motion that brought the Government down.

This argument also formed part of the opinions presented to Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland in the hopes that he would reverse the ruling… something the Speaker ultimately refused to do.

The Court of Appeal later upheld the January High Court ruling that it is illegal for persons holding dual citizenship status to be sitting in the National Assembly.

Government has been under increasing criticism, even from its own supporters, for stating that dual citizens will return to the National Assembly despite these two rulings.

During a recent press conference, Trotman had said that his party wants the constitutional provisions against dual citizens sitting in the National Assembly removed through the constitutional reform process.

Over the past few years, constitutional reform has been before a parliamentary committee.

There is a Constitutional Reform Commission bill that was to be examined by the committee. But there have been accusations made of members of the committee stalling the process.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana drops again on latest ranking on corruption

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he fact that corruption indices continue to rank Guyana with only minor improvements, crime and inadequate infrastructure have been cited by the US State Department’s 2018 investment climate statements as problems Guyana has to deal with.

According to the State Department in its assessment of the situation, allegations of corruption continue to trouble Guyana. It cited the Transparency International’s 2017 Corruption Perception Index, which ranked Guyana at 91 out of 180 countries. To make matters worse, Guyana has since dropped to 93rd position in TI’s latest report.

“There are widespread concerns about inefficiencies and corruption regarding the awarding of contracts, particularly with respect to concerns of collusion and non-transparency. In his annual report, the Auditor General had noted continuous disregard for the procedures, rules, and the laws that govern public procurement systems,” the State Department said.

“The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 identified inefficient Government bureaucracy as the largest obstacle to doing business in Guyana, followed by corruption.

ing of contracts.

Red flag

This includes the Public Procurement Commission investigating and red-flagging the sole sourcing of the Demerara River bridge feasibility study. The contract in question was awarded to Dutch company, LievenseCSO, for a feasibility study into the new Demerara River bridge crossing.

The parliamentary Opposition had re-

the file has been in the hands of the Police Legal Adviser since last year.

Meanwhile, Patterson himself told Guyana Times International recently that SOCU has concluded its investigations but he is uncertain of the findings. The Minister had added that the project for the new bridge is expected to come up at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) shortly.

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

Corruption discourages potential foreign direct investments and foreign investors, and it also undermines economic development and growth,” the analysis advised.

Corruption

According to the TI index, Guyana fell by one spot to the 93rd position out of 180 countries. The index placed Guyana’s corruption perception score at 37 to tie with Gambia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Mongolia and Panama.

The highest ranked Caribbean country was The Bahamas at 29th place and a score of 65. It is followed by Barbados, which received a score of 68 for being anti-corrupt.

The next Caribbean country is St Vincent and the Grenadines, which was ranked at 41 with a score of 58.

The top ranked countries on the list were

The sole sourcing of the DHB contract is one of the few sole sourcing allegations that went through an investigation and even the findings of that is unclear

Denmark at number one, then New Zealand at number two. The United States of America was ranked at 71, with a score of 22.

Last year, Guyana scored 38 when it ranked 91 out of all the countries reviewed. The index came at a time when much was said about the Auditor General’s 2017 report and the sole sourc-

Miner shoots reputed wife during argument

A

businesswoman is now nursing a gunshot wound at the Bartica Hospital after she was shot by her reputed husband in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

The woman has been identified as 49-year-old Ava Abrams of Lot 77 Third Avenue, Bartica.

She is said to be in a stable condition.

Guyana Times International understands that at about 02:00h, the victim had just closed her business and was sitting in her vehicle at the Third Avenue Beach Front in Bartica when she was approached by her husband, a 52-year-old miner of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam Berbice, and an argument ensued.

The argument continued for some time, until the miner, a licensed firearm holder, reportedly whipped out the pistol he was carrying and shot the woman once to her left hand.

A friend of the victim, who was return-

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

After agitation from the parliamentary Opposition, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) had begun investigating the contract award. Right from the start, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had stressed the need for the Unit to avoid showing favouritism to Patterson,

quested that the Public Procurement Commission investigate the award of the G$148 million sole sourced contract.

In its report on the matter, the Commission flagged Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson for requesting from Cabinet that the contract be sole

ing from running an errand, reportedly found the injured woman and quickly rushed her to the hospital, where she underwent surgery and was admitted as a patient.

The perpetrator has since been detained as investigations continue.

The firearm used in the shooting has also been lodged.

According to him, “That is supposed to be a public-private partnership. It’s being piloted at the moment, reviewed by the public-private unit under the Ministry of Finance with the help from the [Caribbean Development Bank] CDB and obviously that will go to tender shortly.”

Man shot dead while trying to escape with Police vehicle A

Injured: Ava Abrams

particularly at a time when Opposition politicians were being brought into SOCU for questioning on other matters.

SOCU has since said it completed its investigation into the sole sourced feasibility study contract, with the unit’s head, Assistant Police Commissioner Sydney James confirming that

man, who attacked two police officers with a knife after being arrested for threatening his wife, was shot dead by ranks after he tried to escape in a police vehicle at the Vigilance Police Station, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Saturday.

Dead is Teon Maxwell, 34, of Lot 1388 Bareroot, ECD. Reports are a police mobile patrol on the ECD responded to a report of threats made towards Belinda Thomas, the man’s reputed wife, at about 11:40h on Saturday.

This publication understands that upon arrival at the couple’s residence, Maxwell, who was armed with a cutlass, was disarmed by the police, arrested and then taken to

the Vigilance Police Station.

However, while he was being processed in the Enquiries Office, Maxwell reportedly whipped out a knife and attacked and injured two subordinate officers who tried to subdue him. In the process of fleeing, he damaged several windows.

According to the police, Maxwell, who was still armed, swiftly entered the driver’s seat of the Police Force’s vehicle which had transported him to the station.

Police said that the engine of the vehicle was still running and Maxwell drove off in an attempt to escape but ended up crashing into another police vehicle that was in the police station’s compound. It was during

this process that he was shot by the police.

Maxwell was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The injured ranks, a sergeant and a corporal, have received medical attention.

Meanwhile, according to the police, a “thorough” investigation has been launched with a number of statements already being taken in relation to this matter.

M e a n w h i l e , Maxwell’s mother has since said that her son was behaving in a disorderly manner and she encouraged her daughter-in-law to call the police as he was threatening her. The 34-year-old man was a father of one.

News 25

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Council to decide on whether list of delinquent businesses will be published – City Mayor

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

M

ayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine has told media operatives that the Council will have to decide on whether the list of businesses that owe taxes to City Hall should be released in the public domain.

He made this comment on Wednesday in light of remarks emanating from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GGCI) that a list should be provided after Narine pointed out that some 140 enterprises are delinquent tax payers.

The GCCI expressed disappointment at the “public and broad brush attack on the integrity of the entire business sector” by the Mayor.

In fact, the body said it was looking forward to being briefed on the Mayor and City Council’s (M&CC) plan for the city as well as its financial position.

On Friday last, Mayor Narine called a press conference where he complained that over 140 city business proprietors have failed to pay taxes, which results in the build-up of garbage in Georgetown.

The Mayor had complained that the overflow of garbage in the city was as a result of damages to the tyres of the lone tractor owned by the City Council.

A replacement of the tyres is difficult to obtain locally, he said, which saw the garbage bins throughout Georgetown being left unattended for the past three days.

Further, it is expensive to buy new tractors, the Mayor noted.

The Mayor then lambasted some 144 “high-end businesses”

GCCI President Nicholas Boyer

in Georgetown which have failed to pay their taxes and who owes City Hall billions.

According to Narine, City Hall is willing to procure two additional tractors, however, this is difficult since the finances are unavailable.

However, the GCCI, which represents businesses in the city and on the outskirts of the country, said that the remarks shared by Narine were rather “displeasing”.

“The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) notes the recent public comments of His Worship, The Mayor Ubraj Narine, which it finds displeasing to the intended spirit of a recent meeting convened with the new Mayor at which the Chamber extended an olive branch to discuss issues, not limited to but including those, which may be hindering the City Council’s collection of taxes,” the body stated.

According to the Chamber, all of its members are mandated to adhere to its code of conduct which includes respect and adherence to all legislative framework, inclusive of tax payments.

“The GCCI has always stood on the side of the rule of law and will continue to encourage all businesses in Georgetown, both members and non-members of the GCCI to be responsible in their civic duty of paying taxes,” the Private Sector body assured.

It further stressed the importance of businesses, noting that they create employment and economic activities to benefit everyone.

As customary, 30 Councillors would vote

on decisions to be taken by the Council, where the majority

would determine what action should be taken. This process would

be spearheaded by the Mayor and overseen by the Town Clerk.

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US-based Guyanese woman files G$40M lawsuit against CANU …after being strip-searched at CJIA

A

United States-based woman is suing the State and the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), after she was asked to strip naked and squat by officers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Sunday.

Ayana Adams, who is Guyanese by birth and a US citizen, was in the process of returning to New York on a Caribbean Airlines flight, after vacationing in her homeland.

According to her Attorney, Siand Dhurjon, her ordeal started after her luggage – two suitcases and one carryon bag – was searched and she had passed through security screening.

“She was told she was clear, she went through immigration where she did the regular body scans. Just as she

was putting on her shoes, she saw the same CANU guy that searched her. And he told her to have a seat,” the lawyer told Guyana Times International.

“Then two females from CANU took her into a room with mattresses on the wall.

And she was told they have to do a thorough scan and that she needed to take off her clothes. She protested, of course. And she asked what the problem is. And they said it’s just procedure.”

He related that she reluctantly took off her jump suit, leaving just her bra and underwear. The Attorney said that the agents were not satisfied, demanding that she take off all her clothes, squat and cough as they needed to check “her abdomen and her guts.”

“She protested and said she

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport

wanted to see the supervisor.

And then some man came and said this is the procedure. And this is what you’ll have to do, or else we will have to take you to go and do an X-Ray.” “By then I was contacted,” the lawyer explained. “And I tried contacting the airport to tell them they don’t have the power to force someone to do a cavity search or an X-Ray or any procedure of the sort.

They need a court order to do that.”

Dhurjon explained that his client’s reason for not wanting to squat was because she was experiencing her menstrual cycle, a fact that was explained to the CANU officers to no avail. He said they insisted on her going through the procedure.

The attorney said after a

while, his client was taken to sign documentations, then transported to Woodlands Hospital. He said during this time, Adams’ luggage was left for extended periods unattended and with no padlock.

“By then I showed up at the hospital and I notified all the CANU ranks that they have no power to do this, this is an unlawful procedure, that my client should not be under arrest.

And we told them we do not consent to any X-ray or medical test done on my client. And they still went into the room, behind my back when I wasn’t looking, and they did it.”

“And it was found she had nothing inside of her. And I asked them if she is under arrest still. And they said they still have to take her to CANU headquarters again to await further instructions from the Director.”

Afterwards, he said, they endured further hassle seeking accommodations for Adams as she had already missed her flight. She had previously stayed at the Marriott, where Dhurjon said approximately US$1800 was spent.

According to the lawyer, his client was previously promised accommodation at a hotel.

After she supplied proof of her stay at the Marriott, however,

Attorney Siand Dhurjon

she was bluntly told she could not be accommodated at any hotel and that she would have to stay at friends of CANU’s headquarters.

To make matters worse, her requests for a copy of her X-ray was denied. He noted that his client is a medical student who has two jobs abroad.

He explained that she has no priors and was profiled and humiliated by the officers.

According to Dhurjon, they will be filing a lawsuit against the State to seek compensation for the missed flight, accommodation, missing school and her work and damages for the breach of his client’s human rights.

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FEATURE 29

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fter being voted the most elegant contestant in the 2017 Miss Tourism Bolivar in Venezuela, 19 year old Annessa Van Sluytman is here to make her mark in the Miss Earth Guyana Pageant as she vie for the coveted title to represent Guyana on the big stage.

She hails from Industry on the East Coast of Demerara. Growing up with two brothers meant that Annessa was somewhat of a tomboy as she did almost everything her brothers did.

Education has been something treasured by Annessa and her family. She is current-

ly a business management and marketing student at the Nations

University in Georgetown. With a rich history of pageantry running through her blood, Annessa is here to dominate and not be underestimated.

The Sunday Times Magazine recently posed some questions to Miss Van Sluytman and this is how it unfolded: STM: Why the Miss Earth pageant and what knowledge do you have of the platform?

When I was a kid I always dreamt to be in a pageant. I grew up with that dream inside of me and it became my passion, my ambition and my love for nature drove me to participate in Miss Earth Guyana. The Miss Earth pageant is an international environmental-themed beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. Along with Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss International, this pageant is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants – t h e most coveted beauty titles when it comes to international pageant competitions. The reigning titleholders dedicate their year to promote specific projects and often address issues concerning the environment and other global issues.

STM: Tell us about your Beauty With A Cause project.

To use rice hulls (rice husks) in the construction of wood laminate floors in order to decrease their polluting effect on the environment and also to reduce the need for wood from trees. I believe that this has application in Guyana where rice husks are seen as a waste product from rice mills and where it is disposed of by burning mostly.

It is also left in big piles behind the rice mills

and not only does it look untidy but also pollutes and can cause breathing prob-

lems for anyone coming near it. The technology of using the rice hulls in laminate floor construction already exists and introducing it to Guyana would greatly reduce the pollution from rice hulls and also decrease the demand for hardwoods from trees in the forest. This also saves the trees and allows for another way to protect the environment.

STM: What steps would be required for you to achieve the goals of your beauty for a cause?

• Identify a problem area. In this case a rice mill.

• Visit the area and carry out reconnaissance activity.

• Quantify the waste material coming out of the facility.

• Set up a process design and a costing for the project.

• Seek help in the form of a Government grant in order to buy the machinery and set up a facility to do the recycling.

STM: Why did you choose this project?

I chose this project because I think that my country needs a change why it is preferable to pollute the environment instead of using it for a good? My purpose is to change that, our country needs a change for save the environment.

STM: How do you see the Miss Earth Guyana organization advancing your beauty for a cause?

The Miss Earth organization pro-

vides me with the media platform that I need in order to spread my message of recycling the rice hulls. I think that it's a unique idea and the fact that I am a beauty pageant contestant and not an environmentalist or an Engineer will attract attention to my cause. People will see the value of my idea after the publicity that the pageant offers me gets their attention initially. If I win I would have more platforms to expand my project much more and to be known internationally which would give me a great opportunities to turn this project into something extraordinary and create awareness of the pollution that affect the environment and our health.

Also create awareness about water pollution and the pollution of streets that affects us all in our day to day.

Who is your role model?

My mother, she is strong, fighter, cheerful and very persistent with what she wants and for me she is my example to follow with all the goals that I set out to do.

Why Guyana should root for you?

Sadly Guyana has never won the international crown of Miss Earth. I bring something new and different in this contest and I know that if we work together with the goal of bringing the crown home I will leave our country in high, a wonderful country full of diversity and I completely believe that I have that diversity, beauty and intelligence to represent Guyana and win the crown in the international pageant.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Different strokes…

P

…for sugar workers

PP’s presidential candidate has been pilloried by Government spokespersons for clearly declaring that, if elected, he’ll reopen the sugar estates closed by the PNC Government. He explained that under his party’s plans, there’d be some 11,000 jobs created. It was interesting to contrast the rationale offered by Ali for the PPP’s proposal to that of the PNC for theirs. It reveals the fundamentally different nature of the two parties.

Ali spoke to the concerns of the more than 7000 persons who’d been thrown into the streets to join the burgeoning mass of unemployed in Guyana. He was talking about PEOPLE, not statistics! In an economy out of which the PNC had sucked the dynamism, the PPP had injected their aggressive economic policies.

He resonated with the families of those workers – at least 35,000 men, women and mostly children – and their blighted future. Coming from Leonora, he grew up hearing first-hand about the privations of the 1500 families who’d suffered the identical fate when Burnham’s PNC shut down Leonora Estate in the late 1970s.

To the PNC, however, sugar had always been seen as a reservoir of PPP support. Leonora, in fact, had been a stronghold of the PPP during the 1960s’ struggle against the PNC’s betrayal of Guyana in its quest for REAL independence. Burnham had a long memory. It’s clear, however, that Granger’s memory is longer; but then he’s a historian who boasted about being a staunch PNC member in all the years he was a big one in the army.

Granger always insisted sugar had to be closed. The social tragedy that would be unleashed if that were to be done didn’t matter – as it does to Ali. Granger spoke to numbers on a balance sheet: about the US$2.5 million annual subsidy the Government shelled out to the industry; about “economic rationality”. He only changed his tune temporarily to lure the AFC into his election coalition. And in the face of his own CoI into the operations of GuySuCo — which advised otherwise — he unilaterally ordered that four estates be shuttered.

But the “economic rationality” argument was just a disingenuous ploy being used by Granger to hide his real motive. The PPP, for instance, had for decades subsidised the electricity charges to Linden to the tune of US$1.5 million annually. Linden, after all, was a depressed community after the closure of bauxite operations, and the PPP felt for the workers, even though they supported the PNC. Ironically, they continued the Burnhamite levy on sugar, which sucked sugar workers dry and brought sugar to its parlous state. Granger continues with that subsidy today, without ever mentioning “economic rationality”!!

That’s the difference between Ali and Granger!!

Government should be about all people! …for different probes Well, well, well! We’re now told that a PROBE had been launched since last year into charges that Housing Minister Valerie Adams-Yearwood had a conflict of interest when it was pointed out that her husband, Pastor Yearwood, had received contracts for building houses for the CH&PA, which falls under her Ministry. Really? Or was the PROBE to find out whether Contractor/Pastor Yearwood had in fact stiffed his subcontractor, who’d written to all and sundry, starting from the President and the CH&PA over a year ago?? After all, the matter only surfaced when the desperate, not hearing from anyone he’d written to – much less from the still undisclosed body that’s conducting the PROBE – went to the Opposition Leader.

Mout’ open and story jump out!! Seems the CH&PA had brought Pastor/Contractor and the stiffed contractor together with no resolution or mention of conflict of interest!

So, will this PROBE join those into the Broomes’ matter; the Patterson matter; the Lawrence matter; the Durban Park matter etc., etc., — which are also presumably ongoing??

Or have they all been deep-sixed? …for legal advice Rejecting suggestions his AG Chambers need help in oil and gas legislation, Basil Williams claims his bete noir “committed an error by arrogating to himself knowledge of which he is denuded.”

Denuded?

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FEATURE 33

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y village -- Scottsburg, Corriverton, Berbice has always been known for the most adventurous bunch of children with great imagination and energy who can light up the community. One of my major challenges while growing up was me understanding why I can’t be like the boys.

I was never the girl who liked pink or dolls or even wearing clothes; my mom actually needed to convince me that I was not like the boys who can be seen around the yard in little to no clothing. I was able to overcome this challenge when I started seeing the changes in my body and was not exactly comfortable with the boys from the village noticing these changes.

I am always the “bright” girl in the class, who never tried to get 80 per cent and 90 per cent, but was always in that line-up. In secondary school, I came to the realisation that I was capable of doing big things if I remained focused and actually took the time to study. In 2009, I wrote CXC and was one of the top students graduating from Skeldon High School.

My A Levels years were my most difficult education-wise thus far since

T

he Miss Earth Guyana Pageant is the local competition that mirrors the principles and philosophies of the international Miss Earth competition.

The contest sees delegates from over 100 different countries as it motivates young women of all walks of life to use their talents and voices in the attempt to raise awareness about the necessity of protecting and preserving the environment.

The pageant places primary focus on its Beauty For A Cause concept; the backbone of any delegate’s participation that details a national project that she would have been working on. This project should have

I had to travel for 40-50 minutes from Skeldon to New Amsterdam, then back home daily. Nevertheless, I was successful at the journey and went on to complete my degree in social work at the University of Guyana, Tain Campus after completing the Diploma at the Turkeyen Campus.

I am currently pursuing my Master's in Psychology through the University of Greenwich.

Pageantry has never fascinated me until I lost a bet with my late best friend. At that time I was still very boyish, couldn’t walk in heels, liked baggy clothing and was very much into reading thriller/scary novels at the top of very tall trees. Losing the bet meant that I had to enter the Miss Skeldon High Pageant, which I won, and went on to the Miss Berbice, Miss Region 6, Miss Jamzone, Miss Universe, Miss Global International, Miss Bartica Regatta, Miss Caribbean Culture, Miss Black San’ International Pageants, all of which I have either won or placed in the top three.

I would like to be known as not only the beauty ambassador that represented her town and country, but who also represented the Earth. The Miss Earth

Pageant is a search among the most beautiful women of the earth to serve as a role model dedicated to upholding advocacy to preserve and restore Mother Earth.

My Beauty With A Cause project is Iplant. It is focused on sustainability, healthy living and a beautiful Guyana. I was exposed to a community where most of the households had their own little kitchen garden and that is why it was always easy to find, share, and purchase healthy foods.

Iplant offers a plan of action directed at ensuring a continued situation where the people of Guyana at all times have access to enough food that is affordable, safe, healthy, and culturally acceptable while meeting specific dietary needs, is obtained in a dignified manner, and produced in ways that are environmentally sound and socially just. And, of course, this will contribute to beautifying Guyana, since Iplant doesn’t only focus on fruits and vegetables but also flowers. There are three main processes to make Iplant a suc-

seen implementation before participation on the international stage and must be characterised by longterm feasibility and capacity to call to action persons not just from her own country but from all around the globe.

Miss Earth Guyana saw its return to the local scene in 2019 after an absence of some three years and is currently owned by local business Guyana Premier.

In a bid to change the pageant landscape and reinvent attitudes towards pageantry in Guyana, the franchise holders took the prospect of Miss Earth as an opportunity to do just this. It was simple as

the pageant not only focused on the young women who made pageantry popular in the first place, but also their causes and their motivation to protect the environment.

With the Guyanese franchise available, Guyana Premier acted quickly to take up the challenge and thus far, has seen favour.

Miss Earth Guyana is currently managed by its own organisation comprising its National Franchise Director Dave Lalltoo; Managing Director, Dr Omesh Balmacoon and Account Manager Francina Lanferman-Duncan. Working closely with the team also is their Artistic Director, Meleesa Payne, who over-

cess: resources, visuals, and making planting habitual.

Winning the pageant will allow me the resources, exposure, and manpower to execute this project. Being crowned Miss Earth Guyana will help to advance Iplant by ensuring everyone who is involved in this project benefits. Other environmental concerns that I would like to battle if I win Miss Earth Guyana 2019 involve clean-up campaigns, recycling, restoring, protecting the mangroves, and educational workshops.

I will plant. Will you plant? We all should plant! (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

sees training for the delegates of the pageant in terms of modelling, choreography, visuals and poise.

As soon as the Miss Earth Guyana franchise was obtained, Miss Earth Guyana 2018 was launched and applications opened. After much publicity, over 50 applications were received but only 15 were shortlisted based on the criteria set out by the international body.

Finally, eight finalists were inaugurated into the competition and in June 2018, Xamiera Kippins was crowned as Miss Earth Guyana 2018.

She went on to represent the country in November in the Philippines at the 2018 edition of the Miss Earth Competition. There she shone bright, copping the gold medal for her national costume designed by Randy Madray depicting the Ole Higue, as well as the silver medal for her talent piece -- a contemporary dance to This Bitter Earth.

Continuing this momentum, Guyana Premier has once again launched the competition pledging to be bigger and better in 2019.

On March 30, 2019, in fine style, nine new delegates were sashed under the theme “Celebrating Guyana’s Flora” as the race towards Miss Earth Guyana 2019 began. The coronation of the 2019 earth warrior will be held on June 15 at the National Cultural Centre.

34 FEATURE

M

angroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone, with about 80 different species of mangrove trees. All of these trees grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate. Mangrove forests only grow at tropical and subtropical latitudes near the Equator because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.

Many mangrove forests can be recognised by their dense tangle of prop roots that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water. This tangle of roots allows the trees to

T

he Miss Earth Pageant is an International environmental event to

handle the daily rise and fall of tides, which means that most mangroves get flooded at least twice per day. The roots also slow the movement of tidal waters, causing sediments to settle out of the water and build up the muddy bottom.

Mangrove forests stabilise the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides. The intricate root system of mangroves also makes these forests attractive to fish and other organisms seeking food and shelter from predators.

Armed with that knowledge, 19-year-old Maricia Meusa is now on a mission to further raise awareness on the preser-

promote environmental awareness. The pageant is a search for the most beautiful women

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

vation of Guyana’s mangrove forests as her platform in the Miss Earth Guyana Pageant. This beauty is not afraid to get into the mud to advance her cause.

Hailing from the city, Maricia has always lived her best life while being truly authentic.

She is not afraid to embrace her failures, but uses them to learn and fuel the drive of achieving better. Asked if she was previously interested in pageantry, Maricia related that it never got her gears going until she entered the Miss Youth Ambassador Pageant in 2016.

During that competition, she was adjudged the first runner-up and

since then it has fuelled her to go on to greater things. She notes that the Miss Earth Pageant is not like any other pageant, rather it is a pageant with a cause. For her, the Miss Earth Pageant focuses on bettering the environment and helps young ladies who have a desire to make their environment cleaner, greener and safer.

“The destroying of mangroves has been a major issue in our country and certain parts of the world, without knowing the benefits.

Mangroves are there for many reasons – not just protecting us from the sea but also trapping waste originating from

land and so much more.

I chose this project, because over the passing years, mangroves have been destroyed knowing that our country is below sea level and I've always wanted to be involved in restoring our country to a greener and safer na-

tion.”

Maricia is forging full steam ahead to achieve her goals. She is ready to take the competition by storm and cannot wait to get her hands dirty as she makes Guyana more mangrove conscious.

of the Earth to serve as a role model dedicated to upholding advocacy to preserve and restore Mother Earth.

The winner of Miss Earth will serve as the Ambassador to environmental protection campaigns worldwide.

It is that very cause of promoting environmental awareness that led Cintiana Harry to the local leg of the competition. No stranger

to beauty pageants, the bubbly 26-yearold says she is ready to school Guyana on the 5Rs needed to tackle pollution.

She is ready to do so through her Beauty With A Cause Project -- Recycle4US. “It is important that we apply in our daily lives the 5Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and respect. My project will be done at my school and in my community, both in recycling and upcycling. I have planned a project at my school where we will be planting trees and using bottles to be creative for the environment. In my community, I will be doing a campaign clean-up and will rebuild a sanitation facility where people can place their garbage until the NDC (Neighbourhood Democratic Council) ready to collect it,” she said.

Currently, Cintiana is a typist clerk at the JC Chandisingh School. If given the opportunity to serve as Guyana’s ambassador to the international stage, Cintiana sees this as an opportunity to not only win the competition, but also to network and further advance her agenda of environmental preservation.

“My first step (in implementing my Beauty With A Cause Project) is to establish a coordinating committee.

Second, approach local businesses for funding.

Third, have fundraising activities. Then, start my programme and activities on small scale. I believe in togetherness, community spirit and education. I will advocate for a green Guyana through my Beauty for a Cause: Recycle4US.” Coming from humble beginnings, Cintiana has never taken anything for granted. Her father sold ground provisions at the Rose Hall and Port Mourant Markets to ensure that the family was taken care of and he later evolved his business to sell a wide range of stationery and everyday items.

“My parents taught me to be my own person at an early age. They instilled values such as culture, respect, courtesy, financial management, and cleanliness.

My fond memories were listening to stories about my parents, how life was back in the days and how hard it was for them; which made me realise that I have it all: a proper education, even books to help me through.”

Like many parents, Cintiana’s father was not pleased about her decision to enter into the world of pageantry, but he is now coming around. Since she was a child, she has been following the life of former Miss World and now mega-successful Bollywood actress Aishwariya Rai-Bachan. It was Rai-Bachan who influenced her to follow the fashion world and gave her the confidence that it required.

In 2018, Cintiana entered the Miss Berbice Pageant and emerged as the first runner-up and copped several awards, including Miss Impression, Best Swimsuit Body, Best Costume and Best Gown. Now she is ready to take Guyana, if she wins the title, to unprecedented heights at the international leg of the Miss Earth Pageant.

“I am the choice for Guyana, since I can be the catalyst of change in our environmental arena. With my Beauty for a Cause Project, I will be able to reshape our society's core values and traditions to promote environmental-led communities and educational systems.” (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

NEWS 35

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Lakhram Bhagirat

B

eauty contests are often frowned upon as they set a certain “unachievable” standard to be considered beautiful. But as the times evolve so do these pageants, with it being all about the message and not so much the physical appearance of the contestants.

One such pageant that is all about the message and making an impact is the Miss Earth Pageant. Since its establishment, the pageant has provided an avenue for the girls to commit to the preservation of the environment through various projects aimed at tackling the global warming epidemic.

Being in a pageant by itself is a challenge but to bring about awareness and influence change while addressing issues that threaten the survival of human beings is monumental. It goes to show that some pageants are not only about beauty, rather it is about service to the community and being a role model to those who intend on doing the same. It shows that you can make a difference and influence a generation to become aware of the issues around us.

It was these very reasons that led Amelia Bakhsh to where she is right now. The bubbly 21-year-old has always dreamt of being a part of the pageant world, but knew that she would find it clashing with her studies so she chose to hit the books and rest the heels. Now, that she is not hitting the books as hard as she used to, Amelia has the time to sashay over into the pageant world in order to fulfil a deep desire.

Over the next months, you will see her face quite often as she was just recently revealed as one of the contestants vying for the Miss Earth Guyana crown and a chance to represent the world’s number one eco-tourism destination on the big stage sometime later this year.

Amelia, a teacher by profession, grew up on the East Coast of Demerara in the village of Good Hope. Coming from a large family meant that her childhood was fun filled with lots of

stories to tell. She credits the different personalities in her family for shaping her into the person she is today.

Education has always been at the forefront of Amelia's life and it is something she treasures. It is her belief that hard work leads to the accomplishment of all goals hence her reason for pushing harder than normal. While a student at St Joseph High School, Amelia loved Mathematics and one can imagine how crushed she

was when she failed the pre-CSEC trial examination.

“I never gave up hope. I joined the Add Math class, which was out of the curriculum. I'd come into school extra early and give up lunchtime; however,

my teacher at the time didn’t believe I'd pass. Although the SBA was really difficult; I was determined more than ever to at least prove him wrong. Coming down to the end, we had a new teacher and this one was more inspirational. I passed with a Grade 3 and a distinction in CSEC Math,” she recalled.

“A year later I went on to being a Math teacher and majored in same. CPCE was definitely a challenge, since I had classes after work.

But my c o l -

leagues and I worked hard together towards the common goal.

All the group study and peer teaching, I finally graduated with credit.”

Amelia’s passion for nature and keeping the environment healthy led her to join the movement with the Miss Earth Guyana Pageant, since she sees it as an opportunity to not only boost her confidence and selfesteem, but to also make a positive contribution in society through her Beauty With A Cause Project. The Miss Earth

Guyana Pageant organises and participates in a variety of environmental and educational projects with the aim of educating the public and encouraging them to preserve and protect the environment.

Amelia’s Beauty With A Cause Project is the 4R PLUS initiative. The core of this initiative is to reduce, reuse, recycle and respect; preserve, learn, unite and push. self-awareness.

It aims at bringing youths together so that they can promote environmental sustainability while learning and becoming self-aware; thus improving their mental health.

“I foresee the assistance given to construct an official 4R PLUS Centre, made partially with recycled materials. Here, persons will be able to meet and discuss new projects in keeping the environment clean as well as keeping workshops and classes to teach persons of the importance of environmental perseverance,” she explained.

In order for her to achieve her goals, Amelia knows that there are several steps to be taken. She chose this project because it brings together both her dedication to nature and her students. If she gains the title, Amelia plans to expand her project from the community level to a more national platform.

“Everyone deserves some amount of support, but I believe I should be rooted for because Miss Earth Guyana organisation has already given me opportunities to make a difference with my project. 4R PLUS has already been implemented in Stewartville Secondary School where students are recycling bottles and even brought from home to be used in the project instead of disposing of it with other garbage. They have taken on leadership roles and there has been a dramatic improvement in their behaviour. I can't wait to work hard on a project like this during my reign. “ With her mother as her role model, Amelia is bound for greatness. She is passionate about everything she does.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

36 NEWS

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Father, son face High Court trial for accountant’s murder T he trial into the 2015 murder of Suresh Nandkishore also called “Ravo” commenced on Tuesday before Justice Navindra Singh and an empanelled 12-member jury at the Georgetown High Court.

On trial are 54-yearold Sukhdeo Dharamdat called “Toney” and his son, 25-year-old Eshwardat Dharamdat called “Bruddow”. The men are accused of killing Nandkishore on February 3, 2015, at Handsome Tree, Mahaica Creek. The duo denied the charge against them in court on Tuesday.

On February 6, 2015, the older Dharamdat and his two sons Eshwardat and Chaitram Dharamdat made their first court appearance at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and were charged with the murder of Nandkishore.

However, the younger son, Chaitram Dharamdat, was killed in the Camp Street Prison fire back in 2016, leaving the two accused to stand trial.

At the trial’s com-

Dead: Suresh Nandkishore

mencement, the two accused were represented

by Attorneys Brandon De Santos and Alanna Lall.

The State’s case is being led by Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy in association with Abigail Gibbs and Teriq Mohammed.

Taking the stand was the deceased brother, Parmanand Nandkishore, who is the prosecution’s star witness. Nandkishore, who is the older brother of the deceased, told the court that at about 11:30h on February 3, 2015, his father, Bhopaul Nandkishore, and the now-dead man asked

him to assist them in repairing a fence on their plot of land in the backdam at Mahaica.

He further told the jury that about 15 minutes after arriving at the land by boat, the older Dharamdat [Sukhdeo] approached his father inquiring about what they were doing, after which he left. However, after another 15 minutes’ interval, the said accused along with his two sons returned, this time armed with cutlasses shortly after which an argument ensued.

The court heard that when the three victims decided to leave the land, the older Dharamdat attacked the deceased, pushing him to the ground where he dealt him a blow to the head using a piece of wood.

The older Nandkishore went to his son’s rescue but was also hit in the head by the younger Dharamdat [Eshwardat] and fell into a nearby trench. Meanwhile, Parmanand, who witnessed the attack on his family members, was dealt several cuffs, chops and lashes about his body with a cutlass

and a piece of wood by all three of the Dharamdats, during which he pretended to be dead so the attackers would leave.

The court was further informed that after the three attackers left, Parmanand left his father and brother behind as he managed to escape and seek help from neighbours.

Parmanand Nandkishore related that on February 5, 2015, he was present at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary where he identified the body of his deceased brother.

While under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, the witness denied that his now dead brother was armed with a cutlass after a captured video of the incident revealed that the older Dharamdat was heard shouting “why you chap meh”.

Nevertheless, Nandkishore maintained that he was the last to see the accused and he sustained no injuries during the alter-

Accused: Eshwardat Dharamdat (left) and his father Sukhdeo Dharamdat

cation.

M e a n w h i l e , Bopnarine Singh, a neighbour, who also testified on Tuesday, said that on the day of the incident he received a telephone call from his father, after which he immediately left his home via his motorcar.

He informed the court that upon arrival at the Nandkishore’s home he observed Parmanand covered in blood and subsequently transported him to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was admitted a patient.

Neurosurgeon, Dr Amarnauth Dukhi, who prepared the medical report for Bhopaul Nandkishore, during his testimony informed the court that the victim suffered from traumatic sub-haemorrhage, short for traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, which is usually related to severe head injuries and unconsciousness resulting from a rigid hit on the head in cases of car accidents or a fall.

The matter continues.

North Pakaraima Mountain Safari kicks off this weekend

T

he 17th Annual P a k a r a i m a Mountain Safari is expected to kick off on April 13 as close to 100 persons including tourists from Korea and North American countries seek to explore the scenic beauty of Guyana’s mountainous regions.

The safari is organised by the Pakaraima Safari Club and Rainforest Tours in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Administrations of Regions Eight and Nine and the Communities Ministry.

It will run for eight days and will see explorers seeing the sights of 14 indigenous villages throughout Regions Four, Eight, Nine and 10 mainly Karasabai, Tiperu, Rukumoto, Morabaiko, Yurong Paru, Monkey Mountain, Tuseneung, Paramakatoi, Kato, Kurukabaru, Itabac and Orinduik.

Some 20 4X4 vehicles along with 13 motorcycles of voyagers will then visit the Orinduik, Cheong and Lehilibar Waterfalls before continuing their journey to Lethem where participants will experience the Rupununi Rodeo.

According to Assistant Safari

Members of the head table at the launch of the 17th Annual Pakaraima Safari

Coordinator Lisa Smith, three such safaris are hosted annually, however, the North Pakaraima Safari is the biggest of them all.

“It is once again an exciting time for Rainforest Tours as we seek to promote adventure nature tourism through an event such as this. This safari is our biggest safari for the year and the overlying journey has created a special impact in the lives of many safarians who continue to participate yearly with family and friends. This year’s event seeks to promote

adventure, nature and domestic tourism in Guyana providing substantial economic benefits to the local community and residents, creating community awareness understanding and support for tourism development and to conserve and protect the natural environment as well as assuring respect to customs, tradition and cultural heritage of the local people” Smith highlighted.

GTA’s Deputy Director, Carla Chandra said that the Pakaraima Safari takes the cake as the

ultimate up close and personal experience in Guyana.

According to her, the excitement starts as soon as the journey out of Georgetown begins and as such, the safari is one of the reasons why Guyana was awarded the number one eco-tourism destination in the world.

“By now I trust that everyone in Guyana is aware that we just was recently won the number on eco-tourism destination award in the world but in order for us to stay on top we can only do so by improving our product, our experience and our

sustainable practices” Chandra encouraged.

Junior Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Valarie Garrido Lowe described the safari as a wonderful experience which is unmatched.

She applauded Frank Singh, one of the key organisers, for his commitment to the continued promotion of the safari and recognised its growth.

“I’d like to thank him for his sustained effort in this Pakaraima Safari going every single year, it is not an easy task but I think that it has grown and people are

coming on board quite willingly now and he has limited spaces and its really great. As a Government, we will, of course, make good roads there especially with the impending oil” the Minister revealed.

She noted that Guyana’s attraction is in the hinterland and as such, encouraged Guyanese to take the journey.

GuyOil, which continues to support the event, will this year be donating footwear to several villages along the Pakaraima Mountains.

FEATURE 37

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S

elena Guyadeen is a feisty 19 year old from Goed Fortuin on the West Bank of Demerara with a passion for promoting a harmonious environment. She believes that for far too long there has been this disconnect between the environment and people and is here to encourage them to reconnect through her platform as part of the Miss Earth Guyana Pageant.

The Sunday Times Magazine recently has a chat with Miss Guyadeen and here is how that conversation went: STM: Have you always been interested in pageantry?

SG: I would say yes. When I was in my early teens I always imagined participating in modelling and pageantry.

STM: Why the Miss Earth Pageant?

SG: I chose it because I realise we as humans cause so many harms to our environment and Earth itself unknowingly and sometimes we know, but don't ever pay any attention. If I could change this, I would do my very best. I believe in being the change you desire to see.

STM: What do you know about the Miss Earth Pageant?

SG:I know that the Miss Earth

P

ageantry has always been a dream of Phelicia Adams, and it is something that she constantly talks about, so when she was afforded the opportunity to join the Miss Earth Guyana Pageant, she jumped at the chance.

The pageant allows her to pursue two things near and dear to her: her love for nature and pageantry.

She grew up in Parika on the East Bank of Essequibo, where her love for nature developed.

Growing up around nature made Phelicia aware of what is needed to be done to preserve what we have and how we can advance the green agenda. “In my childhood days, I was always a lover of sports especially cricket, football and run-

ning. Being the only sister to two brothers from my mother, I was considered a tom-boy growing up. I occupied my childhood days with lots of outdoor activities and quality time with family. Even though living in a single-parent home was challenging, I still knew how to get up every day and give thanks for my life and I always knew that God has great plans for me and my family,� she related.

STM: Why the Miss Earth Pageant?

PA: As an ambassador who believes in being the change. It would be an honour to recreate Guyana in a new picture as well as to showcase to the world all the wonders that Guyana has to offer, since I believe it's my

duty as a woman to love and care for the earth.

The Miss Earth Guyana Pageant will give me the opportunity to empower young people like myself for betterment.

STM: Tell us about your Beauty with a Cause Project?

PA: My Beauty for a Cause Project focuses on Re-create under the theme "Recycle, Reduce, Reuse and Educate for a sustainable and green Guyana. The initiative aims on promoting an eco-friendly environment through beautification of communities and educating the youths of today on the importance of implementing the 5RS in their everyday life. The steps that are required to achieve my Beauty with a Cause are togetherness, respect, communities' outreach constantly with community members and team work.

STM: How do you see the Miss Earth Guyana organisation advancing your Beauty with a Cause?

PA: The Miss Earth Guyana organisation will advance my project because it does not only educate young people about environmental protection, but impacts for a change in which we all

Pageant is a worldwide pageant whereby females from all across the globe from age 18-28 can participate.

Miss Earth origin is located in the Philippines every year, each country participating Miss Earth winner goes to the Philippines or either Oceania to participate for the Miss Earth worldwide crown. Miss Earth Organisation is not only an organisation but is like a family. Young women who participate are in safe hands and from there they become more confident such as myself.

STM: Tell us about your Beauty With A Cause Project.

SG: Disharmony of the environment - Harmony between the environment and humans is too corrupt and a balance needs to be struck.

Disharmony of environment is quite common. Have you seen deforestation in Guyana? Have you seen the garbage in Guyana? I think you see it every day. And I know we hardly take care of our environment and we need to change that. Maybe a year won't do much, but it will be a start.

STM: What steps would be required for you to achieve the goals of your Beauty with a Cause?

SG: Firstly, I'll need a team to cooperate and communicate with me and mostly the citizens of Guyana. A

can see benefits for our communities.

STM: Why did you choose this project?

PA: I live in an area where things are available for young people to occupy their time, and knowing for a fact that most depressed areas don't have such resourc-

team that will help me seek out help from our fellow Guyanese. The rest is still yet to be discussed.

STM: Why did you choose this project?

SG: Because nature can survive without humans, but humans cannot survive without nature. And this being the reason why I made it my duty to be an ambassador to save Earth, so that our upcoming generation won't have to suffer for our deeds when we could change it.

STM: Why should you become the next Miss Earth Guyana?

SG: I not only have the qualities in bettering my beautiful Guyana but to also help my fellow Guyanese to learn about protecting our earth. We cannot just sit and expect stuff to be done for Mother Earth, but to also get up and help in doing so and not just by giving orders. I choose to participate because I read about it and then wondered to myself if so many young females could do it, why can't a normal girl do it.

STM: Is there anything else we should know about you?

SG: Yes. That I believe if I could make it this far, other girls out there in Guyana could do it too. All it takes is a bit of courage and the rest is up to you. Besides I'm always here for help.

es, it hurts my heart. So I decided to take on this major project, because I see it as one that will impact the lives of young people and communities.

My project strives for betterment.

STM: Why should you be the next Miss Earth Guyana?

PA: As an ambassador who believes in being the change, it would be an honor to recreate Guyana in a new picture as well as to showcase to the world all the wonders that Guyana has to offer.

I believe it's my duty as a woman to love and care for the Earth.

38 FEATURE

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Marvel at Kaieteur Falls

Five times higher than Niagara Falls, and said to be the world's largest single drop waterfall by the volume of water flowing over it, this is one of the great wonders of the world. The beauty of the setting, the lack of visitors, and the power of the water all helps.

There are several viewpoints to admire the falls, but make sure you explore the surrounding area and its unique microclimate too. Look for the tiny golden frogs in the leaves of the giant tank bromeliads, and seek out the beautiful Guianan cock of the rocks.

Explore Georgetown Guyana’s capital city, home to around 240,000 people, certainly has its charms.

Its British and Dutch heritage has resulted in some beautiful colonial buildings, even if many are crumbling. Mix in a strong Caribbean influence, and you have a pleasant melting pot of culture. Sights are low-key but include the dazzling white St George’s Cathedral, one of the largest wooden structures in the world. Friendly manatees hang out in the ponds in the botanical gardens and National Park, taking grass from visitors.

This little-visited South American country is stuffed full of amazing wildlife, waterfalls and wild experiences, as Wanderlust's editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes discovers...

Birding All that forest and water has resulted in Guyana boasting over 900 species of birds. If you’re really lucky you may get to see the largest raptor in the Americas, the harpy eagle. Sometimes referred to as the “flying wolf”, this huge eagle can carry off sloths and monkeys in its claws, which are the size of a grizzly bears.

But the most recognisable bird, which just about every visitor wants to see is the Guianan cock of the rock. The males are a striking orange in colour, with a halfmoon crest on their head, and feathery tendrils from their body. They are best spotted at leks, the parade grounds they use for displaying themselves to females in a bid to capture her interest. Kaieteur Falls and Iwokrama have well established ones where you have a good chance of a sighting.

Ogle giant river otters Over the years, you may have seen film footage of a remarkable lady in South America who was raising orphaned giant river otter cubs. If so, it was almost certainly the late Diane McTurk, and filmed at Karanambu, her family ranch in the Rupununi. Indeed any footage of giant river otters by the BBC and other crews may well have been filmed here.

Diana went on to build an eco lodge to host visitors and help fund conservation.

Although Diana passed away in 2016, her family continue with the lodge and with the work to protect otters, including any orphans. Boat trips explore ox-bow lakes which are home to river otters and myriad species of birds. Monkeys and sloths are frequently seen in the trees, while anteaters roam the open savannah and you may be lucky enough to see one on a morning game drive.

Stay in a community-owned lodge Guyana is a shining example of how community-owned lodges can work, with several Amerindian communities now running successful places to stay. The result is that jobs are created, money goes into the community for education and healthcare, and traditional culture is conserved, as is wildlife, which is fiercely protected rather than being hunted.

For the visitor, they are getting an immersive experience and unique insight into a culture. So a win-win all round.

Good examples to stay at include the Rewa and Surama Eco-Lodges, both of which offer excellent river and land-based excursions in search of unique flora and fauna.

Walk the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway The million-acre Iwokrama Reserve protects one of the last pristine rainforests in the world. Not surprisingly, it has a rich diversity of flora and fauna, with around 200 species of mammal, and 500 birds calling it home, as well as black caiman, giant river otters and jaguars. The Iwokrama Canopy Walkway gives a unique perspective of the forest, and can be visited (with guides) at all times of day and night.

Munch on a meal at Backyard Café Chef Delven Adams lived and worked in the US until coming back and turning a hobby into Georgetown’s hippest and most magical restaurant that really is in his backyard. You have to pre-book, and there is no menu - rather you discuss what you like and what might be available with Delven.

While you can just have a meal, for the full experience we recommend taking a market tour with Delven first, shopping for fresh fish, sampling fruit along the way, sipping on fresh coconut milk, and meeting many of the local characters. Then enjoy the freshly cooked results of the shopping expedition, savouring beautiful dishes crammed with flavour. (Wanderlust)

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Urica Primus: Growing up in Guyana’s mining sector U nlike some other women who were drawn into mining, Urica Primus grew up in a family where mining formed the backbone of the family, where 80 per cent of her aunts and uncle were miners. Additionally, growing up, Urica was like a shadow to her uncle John Charles. Now that means everywhere he journeyed to, she was there, whether that entailed purchasing engine parts, loading trucks, taking engine parts to be repaired, she was there.

By age 10, Urica was taking care of small aspects of the family business. She related that “they would send you to do things on your own, like if they were loading trucks and they had to go and collect something, they would give you the money and say, look go and collect it. Or if workers come out and they had a lot of workers paying at once, then you would start like writing the receipts and letting them sign, so you got involved, really hands-on at an early age and as you can tell, from not only our work, there is very little that would be going around me that I wouldn’t get involved in, especially if it’s something that you know affects not only your family but day to day life”.

She added that during the August holidays as children, they would go and spend time in the interior and return. The executive of the organisation pointed out that the atmosphere during the 1990s, with respect to mining, compared to the atmosphere at present, is far different.

Even when Primus moved from Bartica to Georgetown to attend secondary school, she still remained actively involved with the procurement of items, hiring of staff and sending staff into the interior in addition to other aspects of the business.

At just about 19, Primus got her own mining operation. That basically meant moving from managing both the finances and human resources to going into the business fully.

Subsequently, Urica became the second Vice-President of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation in 2012.

She then moved up the ranks, becoming the first Vice- President. Then in 2015, she was elected the President of the organisation.

The Guyana Women Miners Organisation looks not only at the industry but the representation of women on both sides of the spectrum,

Urica Primus

including women within the extractive sector, women who live within mining communities, women who are impacted by mining and so on.

The President of the organisation said there has never been an organisation offering representation to women in mining, providing services or providing assistance that would lead to the development of skills in the industry.

Looking at the work of the organisation, the President noted that there are a number of areas that the body has been addressing which are aligned with issues that she has been aware of for years. Issues she would like to play an active role in finding solutions for.

Over the years, the President of the organisation, who is currently pursuing a Degree in Psychology, has quite comfortably been able to garner the respect of members within the organisation. A major factor in support from other members, according to her, is that people often respect one’s actions as compared to tones.

She added that treating people with respect as well as acknowledging the input from every member of the organisation, whether it is time, assisting victims, going into the field or simply dropping off letters, people are more open to working with you when offered respect.

Working together as a collective would have seen the organisation growing in membership and other fronts. At 24, Primus was not only heading the organisation but also making representations on the Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). The President of the organisation doesn’t see age as a factor in getting things done rather, it’s the conduct that counts.

She noted that “coming from a mining background, the ups and downs in mining really humbles you and it teaches you not to take anything for granted, when it comes to how you use your time, how you allot your finances, how

you plan for your future because there is nothing that is certain or you can say well within the next five months this is what I am going to do. It’s different from when you are working a 9 to 5 job, when you have a fixed salary. One of the things that most miners can tell you during the down periods, you really have a sense of how genuine

some people are and how genuine people aren’t”.

She was quick to highlight too that some jokes should not be taken for granted because people often say things that they want to say while joking around. That aside, the President is a fervent believer that other members of the organisation should get equal opportunity in terms of training, whether locally or internationally.

The organisation also lends in-depth personal support to members who would have had a miscarriage to hospitalisation to business expansion and beyond.

“We have members who have small businesses, we have tried to connect them with other businesses that they can now widen their markets, did their in-

troduction letters for them, create social media accounts for them and teach them how to brand themselves. So there is so much you can do if you stop living in a ball or in [a] box or limiting yourself that this is your mandate and you have to stick to this. Life doesn’t work like that. At the end of the day, there is so much that persons need help with and there is so much that we need to develop as a country in general that you can’t forsake anyone’s needs or forsake anyone’s issues and you also have to as much as possible remember that the whole world is not about you” the President of the organisation added.

The organisation is currently conducting Project Management Training for roughly 10

women in the organisation and this is being facilitated through Cerulean Inc. This is conducted every Saturday and extends to members outside of the capital city through the use of technology.

The Natural Resources Ministry also sponsored a trade show preparation training held on February 16, 2019, for members and non-member miners who were preparing to attend Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) to market their mining properties Additionally, the selfless President of the organisation feels women need to be respected more in society and this can only start with how they are treated.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Manari bypass in the Rupununi, in Region Nine, was officially opened on April 6 by the Guyana Government.

The bypass, which cost of approximately G$83 million, was constructed by JR Ranch Incorporation through a collaboration between the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Natural Resources.

Climate change policy nears completion S takeholders were, on Wednesday, urged to be more active in the fight against climate change as measures are being taken to complete the final draft of Guyana’s National Climate Change Policy and Action Plan (NCCPAP). During the fourth engagement held at Cara Lodge, which was aimed at adjusting the draft produced from previous consultations, participants discussed the national goals for climate change.

While providing stakeholders with an overview of the NCCPAP, Project Consultant, Dr. Kalim Shah stated that the vision of the policy and action plan can be achieved through twelve “high-level” goals which were identified through previous consultations.

NATIONAL GOALS FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE No. National Goals 1 Reduce climate related loss and damage across all productive sectors.

2 Promote community development and redirecting economic activity away from vulnerable areas.

3 Reduce poverty, loss of livelihoods and food insecurity.

4 Promote a clean and healthy environment for all.

5 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHSs) across all sectors.

6 Transition to climate resilient infra-

Participants at the Stakeholder Validation Workshop for the National Climate Change Policy and Action Plan (NCCPAP).

structure and integrated physical land use plans.

7 Promote holistic development planning utilising environmentally friendly materials.

8 Build institutional and human capacity to plan and respond to climate change.

9 Adopt new technologies and early warning systems.

10 Develop and implement sustainable land management best practices to combat land degradation with focus

on the Hinterland.

11 Transition to renewable energy sources and energy efficiency practices.

12 Improve availability of and access to climate change data and information.

Guyana’s climate change policy integrates the socio-economic and environmental challenges of climate change into national sustainable development planning, that generates strategic actions at all levels for

adaptation, mitigation and resilience.

Shah emphasised that as Guyana moves towards implementing a climate change strategy, there is the need for engagements on all levels from both the public and private sectors.

“We don’t want things to be working in parallel, we want the building of resources and capacities and different kinds of capital to tackle climate change, so we do need to have that sort of unifying

approach and again this is what the policy does.”

Head of the Office for Climate Change, Janelle Christian, in her remarks, stressed that informal environmental practices become “ingrained in our policy”.

Christian added “we need to ensure that action is taken across all of government, horizontally and vertically way down to the community level,” explaining that it is the people on the ground that are most af-

fected by climate change due to rising sea levels, droughts and floods.

The development and implementation of a Climate Change Policy and Action Plan are in line with Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) Vision 2040. The Stakeholder Validation Workshop was attended by representatives from key public and private sector agencies who play an integral role in the fight against climate change.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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rom a very young age we learn about the types of pollution and how they affect our daily lives as well as how they threaten the very existence of the human species. We learn that land pollution is the deterioration of the earth’s surfaces through the direct or indirect misuse of land resources by man. With the effects of global warming and climate change now more than evident, more emphasis is being placed on the preservation of Earth.

It is not often that we see a beauty pageant with its sole focus being earth’s preservation and not physical beauty. The Miss Earth Pageant is one such pageant and it is inspiring girls with a passion for environmental conservation to jump in and give it a shot. One such girl is 23-year-old Kataina Phillips, who was recently revealed as one of the finalists for the Miss

M

iss Earth is an annual international environment-themed beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. Along with Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss International, this pageant is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants – the most coveted titles when it comes to international pageant competitions.

The reigning titleholders dedicate their year to promoting specific projects and often address issues concerning the environment and other global issues through school tours, tree-planting activities, street campaigns, coastal clean-

ups, speaking engagements, shopping mall tours, media guesting, environmental fairs, storytelling programmes to children, eco-fashion shows, and other environmental activities.

For her entry into the local leg of the pageant, 19-year-old Sunita Sears is going to be heavily focused on educating the population about her campaign ‘REDUCE’. The Renew Environmental Discipline to Unify Communities Effectively (REDUCE) initiative aims to educate persons on the importance of maintaining our environment for a cleaner, greener country. This will be

Earth Guyana competition.

As part of her Beauty With A Cause campaign, Kataina came up with the Protecting Our Planet Against Land Pollution (POPALP) initiative.

“Land pollution is one of the major pollutions our planet faces and it’s increasing daily. With my project, I intend to bring awareness to all so as to reduce this problem significantly. Because my Beauty With a Cause focuses on land pollution, I believe it’s one of the most accessible areas we can target when dealing with environmental issues. Hence, it’ll be a great project for the organisation to work with. Since I’m already aware of what my goals are for this project and what I want to achieve, my next step will be defining the work. I’ll then create a plan to work with. And lastly, execute my project,” she informed.

done mainly through education on pollution in its varying forms, and its impact on environmental and social health as well as the image of the community.

It is a known fact that Guyana is a victim of land and water pollution by plastics, and by extension, air pollution. With great emphasis being placed on addressing this, proper education on the disposal of non-biodegradable wastes is necessary as is the management of such waste products through the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle initiative.

Though the entire community will be impacted, the focus is mainly on the young people of Sunita’s community of Bare Root on the East Coast of Demerara.

It is understood that in Guyana, the older generation are somewhat stuck in their traditional ways of disposal which include: dumping of garbage in waterways which lead directly to the rivers and the ocean; dumping of garbage on vacant land and government reserves; and burning of garbage in large heaps, all of which have negative impacts on our environment.

“As a result, reaching the younger generation with my platform would mean I have a positive impact on the way forward to manage the community. The younger generation will put into practice the proper way of management

She notes that land pollution is one of the major issues our environment is greatly affected by and after doing some research, she decided on the POPALP project, which aims to help reduce the problem and possibly eliminate same in the near future.

Kataina has some knowledge of the pageant world, having been crowned Miss Earth Mahaicony in 2014.

“Winning the Miss Earth title would give me an even larger platform, which mean it’ll be my responsibility to help bring awareness to all about environmental issues and ways we can find solutions. With the project I’ve decided to work with, I’ll be able to have the entire country as well as other countries playing their part in protecting and caring for Planet Earth,” she declared. (Guyana Times Sunday magazine)

and disposal which will further influence the older generation to get it the right way. Also, the younger generation will further train their children in the right way. I firmly believe that a truly natural and clean environment enhances the aesthetic beauty of the community as well as promote a healthy environment where all, both young and old, can work and play,” Sunita stated.

She is going to embark on a massive education drive to push her project since it is one that she takes pride in. if given the chance, the aspiring physician’s associate will serve in the best interest of the environment. She developed this project on account of the fact that many of the youths are not aware of recycling initiatives and how they can impact their lives.

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Book Review

By Dr. Vishnu Bisram

D

harma and Plantation Hinduism: Explorations and Reflections of an Indian Guyanese Hindu (2019), written by Dr. Ramesh Gampat, helps us to understand Hindu Dharma as it is practiced in Guyana and by extension Hindu communiGuyanese ties in other parts of the globe (Hindu Guyanese diaspora). The examination of what is believed and practiced led the author to the conclusion that some aspects The Guyanese brand of Hinduism does not square up with Sanatana Dharma or Vedānta. It is a refreshing perspective of Hinduism. Dr. Gampat major thesis that permeates the entire book is that the brand of Hinduism practiced in Guyana is not consistent with Sanatana Dharma.

Dr. Gampat is a former economist attached to the United Nations and has spent considerable number of years abroad advising coun-

tries on economic and human development.

One would never tell that man who is a scholar in economics would demonstrate such a comprehensive grasp of Hinduism, the Dharmic tradition of his ancestors and of himself.

The book is original, comprehensive and a timely discussion of the Guyanese brand of Hinduism. The book offers primarily factual information on Hindu practices and commentaries of the views of the author on these practices. The arguments are well articulated, and evidence documented, supported by anecdotal and empirical evidence.

It is an important academic treatise, a kind of encyclopedia Hindu practices and beliefs, complemented by definitions of Hindi and Sanskrit terms that are commonly used in Guyana and worldwide.

The book is staggeringly comprehensive. It includes virtually all that is practiced in Hinduism in Guyana and more. One can-

not think of what is left out. But one must not get carried away that everyone practices Hinduism in the manner described. Almost everyone, however, depends on the pandit’s worldview of Hinduism and his instructions to engage in rituals and other practices.

Dr. Gampat defines important terms and concepts including plantation Hinduism” – the kind of Hinduism practiced on the plantation that came from India and evolved over time into commerce between pandits and ordinary Hindus and between ordinary Hindus and gods.

He takes issue with the kind of liturgies being uttered by the pandits in mandirs and at pujas at home or in Ramayana and bhagwat discourses in Guyana and its Hindu Diaspora because of inadequate knowledge and training of pundits to deliver expert liturgies. He contends that pandits tend to preach and encourage others to follow what is actually not in the scriptures or

what they themselves do not practice. He acclaims that yajman become too dependent on the pandits or purohits who exploit them commercially.”

There is no evidence in the book of any bias against any particular individual or against pandits. Dr. Gampat is not against pandits; he simply wants them to become better educated and knowledgeable about their religion since they are the leaders and have to guide others.

He writes at length about the devotional “bhakti” tradition.

He also addresses illiteracy among Hindus and how the faith accommodates women, low-caste men and illiterates. He critiqued Dr. CheddiJagan, the Indian political leader, for embracing Marxism as his faith, to the detriment of Hindus and other Indians. Jagan had a lot of influence on Hindus but not on Hinduism. Hindus considered Jagan as their God even though Jagan did not believe in a God. Jagan used the pandits for his own political ends that were detrimental to Hindus and Indians. The author also made references to the persecution of Hindus (Indians in general) by the Forbes Burnham dictatorship. And he notes that in spite of repressive colonial rule, missionary activity, and Burnhamism,

Hinduism has survived.

The book does a fantastic job at shedding light on some of the main aspects of Hinduism which readers take for granted but about which people need to be reminded. Major topics addressed are: Indian immigration, name origins, festivals (Diwali/Divali and Holi/ Phagwah), religious gurus (some of who exploit the uninformed and ignorant which the author condemns), caste system, practices in the Hindu Guyanese diaspora, Hindu philosophy, kharma, dharma, murti pooja, sanskars, rituals (Pinda) after death, Burnhamism and discrimination against Indians, and identity, among others. Two chapters examine the proselytization efforts of Christian Missionaries.

He also tackled the division in Hinduism between the Sanatanists and Arya Samajists.

One may consider the book a history of Hinduism in Guyana, but the author makes ample use of politics, economics, sociology, and anthropology to clearly bring out his points and in enabling readers to understand the state of Hinduism going back several decades. The multi-disciplinary approach adds variety and color but also helps the reader to understand the issues.

Gampat’s book helps us to understand some of the vast number of spir-

itual texts used by religious minded Hindu Guyanese and spiritual leaders when performing kathas or pujas.

I am impressed by the vast amount information, views and research included in this book. The good news is as that the book is written in three parts. Each part can be read independently of the other.

It is a great book. It is an erudite comprehensive analysis of Hinduism in Guyana, none like it has ever been written in the west or even in India.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding Hinduism as practiced not only in Guyana, but around the greater Caribbean region, USA, Canada, UK, Holland, and parts of India. Even those who are well-versed with the concepts of Hinduism may take something or other from the book. It is impossible not to admire a book that strides so intrepidly into such a controversial area, to seek to right the practices of Hinduism and to encourage pandits to become better in that profession. Anyone who reads the book will have a deeper understanding of Hinduism and why Caribbean Hindus accept certain beliefs and practices. It will also force pandits to become more learned. (Guyana Times Sunday magazine)

44 NEWS

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Time to start the discussion on prostate cancer’ – founder of Cancer Foundation

G

Dwayne Butters founder of the James Courtney Butters Prostate Cancer Awareness Network and Ministry of Public Health, Men’s Health Coordinator, Dr. Dennis Bassier at the launch of the network at Herdmanston Lodge.

uyana’s first Prostate Cancer Foundation was formally launched on April 8 at the Herdmanston Lodge in Queenstown.

According to DPI, in an exclusive interview, founder Dwayne Butters said the organisation’s launch, on his birthday, was significant as it also marked 16 years since his father’s initial diagnosis. Butters explained that for men, particularly those of African descent, they are most likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 40 or after, hence the decision continued on page 47

Touchy…

Y

…AG

ou’d think Attorney General Basil Williams would’ve been kissing Nigel Hughes’ ring every chance he gets after the latter saved his blushes in the wake of the NCM. After all, if Hughes hadn’t gratuitously tossed his “half-man” straw into the roiling waters, Williams and his PNC crew would’ve been yesterday’s news by now. He, his President, Prime Minister, party leader and the entire PNC Administration had stoically accepted their fate – which was dashed by their backbencher Charrandas Persaud.

They all then grasped at Hughes’ straw that claimed an “absolute” majority of 34 was necessary and headed to the courts. Where they’ve been given a reprieve till May 10 to get their rigging plans in place. So why would Williams now viciously lash out at Hughes who merely suggested that with the Administration banking on oil after 2020, the legislation regulating the sector wasn’t up to snuff and the AG has some responsibility for that?

Williams incredibly insisted that “the Government” was responsible for legislation and he, as Minister of Legal Affairs, was only responsible for “drafting” legislation proposed by the Government. Really??

So the legislation would drop from the skies into the “Government’s” lap?? Isn’t the Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General part of the Government – more specifically, that part responsible for the legal aspects of its business? Especially when his Legal Ministry’s website declares – “Our Mission: To ensure that proper legal services are provided to the Government”??

If we’re entering the most transformative phase of our nation’s history with oil, wasn’t it the responsibility of Williams to ensure that the Government be provided with “proper legal services”? Hughes wasn’t saying that the experts in oil legislation should’ve sprouted by magic in the AG’s office, but couldn’t he have requested the hiring of such experts from outside, until we cultivate some home grown ones??

Isn’t this what he’s been doing in most of his new cases with all those high-priced QC’s after his losing streak became worse than the West Indies against England in the last T20 series?

But all Williams could come up with was to snidely snipe that the Constitutional Reform Commission Bill drafted by Hughes’ Steering Committee was so badly drafted it had to be “salvaged”. Imagine that!! Williams didn’t even realise he was indicting his Government for falling down on their constitutional change promise!!

Hughes shot back that maybe the President and PM would’ve been “salvaged” if Williams had been on his toes for the NCM. But Hughes probably forgot that after the NCM, Williams insisted he knew 34 votes were needed and just didn’t tell anyone.

He didn’t want the PPP to know how many they needed to switch!! …Housing Minister This PNC Government – let’s call a spade a spade, shall we? – has committed more corrupt acts per annum that even its first iteration, much less than the PPP. And it isn’t just a matter of the intensity but the perversity about the mindset of the PNC when they commit fraud and corruption in the identical areas they’d accused the PPP. Don’t they think that once forewarned, the populace would be forearmed?

So here we have it, the PNC started ripping into Irfaan Ali, the moment he was elected as the PPP’s Presidential Candidate, by alleging “corruption” when he was Minister of Housing. Then, lo and behold, the CH&PA admitting that when the HUSBAND of the PNC Housing Minister Yearwood is executing housing contracts under her watch there has to be a CONFLICT OF INTEREST! And this didn’t occur to the Minister when she asked her husband, “How did your day go, dear?”

Even after said husband’s unpaid sub-contractor wrote letters to her and the President?

But then Trotman never enacted that Ministerial Code of Conduct, did he? …Prime Minister PM Nagamootoo’s one bitter sore loser. Eight years after Ramotar pipped him in his bid to be the presidential candidate for the PPP, he’s still maligning the man!

But then he’ll never be President, will he?

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46 NEWS

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

CDB Chairman urges Bank to transform and evolve for the Caribbean

T

he Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) must not view its ongoing transformation as a finite exercise but must continue to evolve once this phase is completed, so that it can respond effectively to the changing needs of the Region.

According to a press release from the Bank, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Development and current Chairman of the CDB’s Board of Governors, Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis emphasised this point yesterday whilst addressing Staff during her official visit to the Bank.

“I would like to be certain that the Bank remains dynamic and relevant. I know that you have in your arsenal, a transformation that you’re going to be following through with. But I wouldn’t like it to just be a transformation that gets to a point and then stops. It must be something that is continuing to evolve,” she stated.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Development and current Chairman of the CDB’s Board of Governors, Camille Robinson-Regis

Robinson-Regis’ visit comes ahead of the 49th

Annual Meeting of CDB’s Board of Governors which

Trinidad and Tobago is hosting in June. While at the Bank, the Chairman also met with CDB President, Dr. Wm. Warren Smith and the senior management team.

The Chairman emphasised the long-standing and deep-rooted relationship between CDB and her country, which is a founding member of the Bank and one of its largest shareholders.

“Trinidad and Tobago has a very long history with the Bank and because of our history, we are very proud of the work that the Bank does … [w]hen the Bank was getting [started], Trinidad and Tobago, because of our position, played a very pivotal role in ensuring that the Bank was well respected as it began its work,” said the Minister.

In his remarks, CDB President, Dr. Wm. Warren Smith also highlighted the pivotal role which Trinidad and Tobago played in the Bank’s formative years.

“…. Trinidad and Tobago helped to finance the early work of our institution; and so we feel a very strong sense of respect for and indebtedness to that shareholder country,” stated the Bank’s President.

Robinson-Regis pointed to the Bank’s connectedness to the Region as a key strength.

She traced her own deep connection to CDB to her father, Charles Robinson, who was a staff member when William G. Demas was President of CDB. “The Bank …. is one of those institutions like UWI … that means something special to the people of the Region …. even though we have relationships with other development institutions, ….

CDB is the Bank that really reflects us most closely and knows what we need,” added Robinson-Regis.

June’s meeting will mark the fifth time that Trinidad and Tobago has hosted CDB’s Annual Meeting.

Caribbean leaders attend inaugural disaster response ministerial in US T

he United States Department of State says senior leaders from 18 Caribbean countries are on Thursday attending the historic launching of the USCaribbean Resilience P a r t n e r s h i p Ministerial in Miami, Florida.

On Wednesday, the State Department said that Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan will host the launching of the twoday ministerial, “a new collaborative effort to build regional capacity to confront disaster response and promote resilience.”

“Leaders will discuss new opportunities for collaboration to enhance the region's preparedness and response efforts,” the State Department noted.

Caribbean countries represented at the meeting are: Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Guyana; Grenada; Haiti; Jamaica; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago; and the Dutch islands of

Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan

Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten.

The Caribbean Emergency Disaster Management Agency and the Regional Security System will also attend, the State Department said.

Senior officials from several US departments, agencies and offices will attend the event including the Miami-based US Southern Command;

the US Agency for International Development; the Federal Emergency Management Agency , the Federal Aviation Administration and the US Geological Survey.

“Deputy Secretary Sullivan's engagement with our Caribbean neighbors, with the support of a broad coalition of the US government, will reaffirm

the United States' strong commitment to the Caribbean,” the State Department said.

The launching of the US-Caribbean Resilience Partnership Ministerial comes on the heels of a meeting United States President Donald Trump held last month with a select group of Caribbean leaders at his Mar-a-

Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump met with five Caribbean leaders – the prime ministers of the Bahamas, Jamaica and St Lucia, and the presidents of Haiti and the Dominican Republic – with Venezuela clearly dominating the discussions.

Trump promised new investments in the five Caribbean coun-

tries as a result of supporting Washington's bid to oust Venezuela's President Nicolas Madura.

The US Department of the Treasury said it was imposing new sanctions on the South American country purportedly in response to the kidnapping of a top aide of Venezuela's Opposition Leader, Juan Guaidó. (CMC)

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WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Race, class and politics

By Ravi Dev

Do we need… T

B

…politicians? usiness tycoon Yesu Persaud was quoted as asking whether Guyanese need politicians.

This was within the context of calling for folks to see themselves as only “Guyanese”.

“Let’s look at Guyana as a country that belongs to all of us. Not a segment (for) Africans, Indians, Portuguese, Amerindians. We’re supposed to be one people, one nation, one destiny”, he said.

Now, there’s a whole heap of Guyanese who’ll agree with our most successful liquor baron; and why not? After all, it implicitly shifts the blame for our divisions away from ourselves and onto that favoured whipping horse – politicians!! But before we get to that not inconsiderable hitch to Guyana becoming a utopia, we have to answer the man’s question: Are politicians necessary?? Well, we don’t have to argue about the issue theoretically, we’ve got thousands of years of experience when societies had no politicians. We were ruled by kings and queens, and even some kings who were queens!!

Did Henry VIII have politicians?? Did Louis XIV? No siree Bob!! If anyone dared to ask for even a discussion on the king’s proclamation, it was “Off to the Tower” at best, or “Off with his head!!” at worst. Or maybe it was vice versa?! Just ask Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England, who literally lost his head when he dared question his King, Henry VIII’s insistence that he divorce his wife Catherine, who “wouldn’t” bear him a son!!

Politicians, the successful businessman probably forgot, were invented when the folks of what became the United States decided they’d rather rule themselves – that is, have a democratic government – than be ruled by a king.

The challenge, of course, was that unless there was some “body” or institution whose members were actually elected to run the country (as its government), they’d end up with the law of the jungle. And that’s how “politicians” inevitably come in.

There is, of course, the suggestion by Plato that we should be ruled by philosopher kings and an aristocracy. There have already been responses to Mr Persaud’s proposal that maybe he ought to be our philosopher king. The name of Clifford Reis, who runs a more diversified liquor conglomerate (he has beer in addition to rum) was also floated.

The problem with these “Philosopher Kings” is that there’s no guarantee that they’ll be benign – even if they were trained to rule with humility. Karl Popper later wrote that this kind of thinking led to totalitarianism.

But your Eyewitness returns to his first riposte, dear reader: that the fault lies not in our politicians, but in ourselves. Haven’t studies shown that it is we who separate into groups – which politicians then mobilise?

Can we take the mote…? …dual citizen MPs This debate about “dual citizens” just keeps meandering on like Old Man River. The AFC now suggests we eject the constitutional bar! The latest argument offered is that the Guyanese diaspora has a lot of highly skilled persons who’d be of great help to us once oil starts coming in. Now, there’s no question that that’s a fact; but what does it have to do with the price of bora at Bourda Market??

To get to the kernel of the matter, why is it that dual citizens must be eligible for executive positions in the Government (MPs or Ministers)?

Or is the argument that only those who have executive experience in their second country can be eligible?? But even with that criterion, your Eyewitness believes folks are missing the point – maybe deliberately. And that point is: since these dual citizens are willing to renounce their second citizenship – which they can do quite easily – then there’s no problem. And that’s the problem, isn’t it??

Like with the EU and Theresa May, they want Brexit – but also want an Irish backstop!!

he strength of a “class” lies in the economic interests of its members; but generally, it fails to satisfy the affective emotional need of man to belong to a wider collectivity.

The salience of ethnicity is based on its accomplishment of both tasks – it is simultaneously instrumental and expressive. A person is born into an ethnic group, and especially – as in Guyana – if it is simultaneously a racial group, he can hardly jettison it. If he attempts to do so, he risks great psychic damage to his “self”, because so much of his personal identity is enmeshed with his ethnic identity. His ethnic group is the home, the womb to which he can always return, and from which he cannot be turned away. It is the only social grouping that accepts him for what he is, and not for what he does.

This reflection of the group’s ethnic identity in the individual’s identity has several consequences. Firstly, attacks on the group are equated with attacks on the self. Every Indian winces when he hears, “Coolies are cowards”. But accolades on the group also elicit similar identification reactions. It is for this reason that lower class members of an ethnic group are the most vociferous supporters of the ethnic politics of their upper classes.

For in addition to promising the economic rewards (the instrumental purpose of ethnicity), which may or may not be delivered, there is the psychological boost which will certainly be delivered in knowing that his group is ruling.

In the modern world therefore, ethnicity is particularly susceptible to politicisation.

In a world of scarce resources and powerful, all-pervasive states, ethnic political entrepreneurs do not find it difficult to persuade fellow group

members that their economic interests are better served if their ethnic group controls the state. The affirmation of themselves as a people and the economic interests served mutually reinforce each other.

Secondly, if it is felt that the ethnic group’s interest is threatened, the individual can be motivated to defend it at almost any cost: it is literally a matter of the latter’s survival.

It is for this reason that ethnic conflicts are so intense. We see this dynamic operating quite clearly in the wake of the PPP’s successful no-confidence motion. African Guyanese are convinced that if the PPP returns to power — as do Indian Guyanese with the PNC — they will be faced with “extinction”. It does not matter whether this is a perception or not: as Thomas’ Theorem states, “If men define their situation as real, they are real in their consequences”.

Thirdly, an individual can rise out of his economic class, but not from his ethnic group, which makes the former not an inescapable fate. This very openness of “class” makes its hold on members very tenuous. Every poverty-stricken individual has a dream

of “striking it rich”, not as a member of the “blessed” poor, but on his own. Class position is one of the several social roles an individual performs on a quotidian basis, and the greater the possibility of the individual escaping his class position, the less will be his class identification. It is an article of faith in the Indian community, for instance, that if they work hard and the Government does not discriminate against them, they can rise in class position.

Even if this possibility is only a myth for most, as in the US, class loosens its hold.

Fourthly, a person’s conception of self is formed to a large extent by the socialisation provided by his primary (read ethnic) contacts during his early years. Thus by the time the individual enters the wider world of economic and wider societal concerns as a young adult, the new influences are much more diffuse, with the class role etc., typically not as intense as the ethnic one.

The dominance of race over class does not imply that class — or for that matter any other orientation, affiliation, segmentation, differentiation etc — has disappeared: within each ethnic group, they are alive and well. In this sense, class is more fundamental.

Class and ethnicity both exist objectively, and the subjective preponderance of one over the other depends on the situation and context, as the two interact dynamically within the nexus of the personality of individuals.

In multi-ethnic, multi-class societies such as Guyana, situations that appear to threaten unrelieved domination by one ethnic group over another will trigger “ethnic” responses. Hence the desperateness of our ethnicised politics.

‘Time to start the discussion on prostate cancer’... from page 44

to launch the foundation on his birthday.

Butters noted that there is much stigma attached to prostate cancer, primarily due to the ‘Digital Rectal Examination’, necessary to determine one’s status. “Persons start to panic because of the perceived humiliation of having a prostate examination done.” He added that he wanted to “start the conversation. Recently I’ve built a very strong relationship with my father so I’m using this platform and I’m using his experience and his journey as the ideal opportunity for us (males) to start taking stock and it’s about

men’s health in general.”

November will mark the start of a month of activities to raise prostate cancer awareness. Interested persons can contact Dwayne Butters on telephone numbers (Guyana) 592687-6911 or (Canada) 647-9014884.

The foundation is partnering with the Ministry of Public Health, Men’s Health Department whose Coordinator, Dr. Dennis Bassier was in attendance at the launch.

Butter’s message to all men is to seek information about their health before it’s too late, “Two out of seven men are likely

to be diagnosed and if you’re of African descent, it doubles the risk.”

Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed and the leading cause of related deaths in men. James Courtney Butters resides in Atlanta, USA. A true survivor, he was also treated for colon cancer in 2015 and fitted with a ‘pacemaker’ in 2018.

A moment of silence was observed for a relative, former Chief Executive Officer of Global Seafood Distributors, Allison Butters-Grant who succumbed to cancer on January 13.

48 Bollywood

Vivek Oberoi cancels press meet after EC stops release of PM Narendra Modi biopic

A

ctor Vivek Oberoi, who is playing Narendra Modi in PM Narendra Modi, the biopic on the prime minister, cancelled a scheduled press meet here on Wednesday after the Election Commission banned its screening during poll period.

The EC’s order came a day before the film was to be released.

Oberoi was scheduled to speak to media-persons in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city in the afternoon, but he cancelled the meet after the EC announced its order.

The first phase of Lok Sabha polls starts on Thursday.

The EC banned the biopic’s screen-

ing during poll period, saying a film that subserves purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed in the electronic media.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by a Congress activist seeking stay on the release of the biopic and said the EC would be an “appropriate” place to seek the redressal.

The plea sought deferment of the biopic’s release till the completion of the Lok Sabha polls, alleging that it was designed to “manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters.

(Indian Express)

Varun Dhawan: If Kalank works, it’ll give me confidence that I’m on the right track

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here is always the pressure to live up to the viewers’ expectations but Varun Dhawan says it also gives him the confidence to constantly swim against the tide in his film choices.

The actor, who will next be seen in period drama Kalank, says he feels this pressure with the release of his films and he is keeping his fingers crossed for the latest one, which hits the theatres next week.

“It is difficult (to live up to the expectations) when you do something.

And if it works, you have to keep defending that and live up to that name.

‘Kalank’ is a test… I feel responsible for this film. If it works, it will give me the confidence that I am on the right track,” Varun told PTI in an interview.

The actor debuted with “The Student of the Year” in 2012 and has established himself as a versatile talent with back-to-back hits in both commercial and middle-of-the-road proj-

ects.

“I have always tried to swim against the tide like after ‘October’, I did ‘Judwaa 2’. I always try to do something that gives me thrill artistically.

If I am not enjoying the character that I am playing, then it will reflect on the screen.

“Luckily, in my case, the stuff that I am enjoying as an actor, even the audience has loved it. I have always tried to put myself in their shoes. I was an audience before I became an actor. I am a fan of cinema,” says Varun.

It is the first major multi-starrer film of Varun’s career and features A-listers such as Madhuri Dixit, Alia Bhatt, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur.

“It is more interesting to do multistarrers. I believe actors should be cast for their acting capabilities and not for their stardom. All actors in the film suit the characters they are playing,” he says. (Indian Express)

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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aya Bachchan, who turned 71 on April 9, was flooded with birthday messages from her fans and family members. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan left adorable wishes for the Bachchan matriarch on their respective social media accounts.

Aishwarya posted a click of herself with mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan and daughter Aaradhya and wrote, “Happiness always.”

Jaya Bachchan, also a parliamentarian, was last seen in a cameo in Ki & Ka. (Indian Express)

A

ctor Kangana Ranaut is all set for her next directorial. After the hit film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, Kangana will soon be back on the director’s chair with ‘an epic action drama.’

“I am on the verge of announcing my next directorial venture. It is an action film — an epic drama. It has taken a lot of my time. Currently, we are putting everything in order, but we have locked the script. We will be doing a photoshoot. A poster will also be released,” Kangana said in a statement.

While speaking about her next directorial, Kangana admitted that procuring finances for a film with a female lead can be an issue. However, considering how Manikarnika broke several records at the box office, she feels it is not going to be a challenge for her.

“There are a lot of great stories to be told and actresses today are bringing a lot of business too. I am happy with the way Manikarnika worked for me — as an actor and also as a director. Now is the right time to start work on my second directorial project,” Kangana Ranaut remarked.

Meanwhile, Kangana has many interesting projects in her kitty. She recently wrapped up Panga, which is her first project with Ashwini Iyer Tiwary. She also has Mental Hai Kya up for release this

B

ollywood actor Shahid Kapoor will be seen as a rebel with a broken heart in Kabir Singh, which is an official Hindi remake of Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy. In the film’s teaser which was unveiled on Monday, we saw Shahid in a lean avatar.

The actor is known to get into the skin of his characters. According to the makers, he has shed over 14 kilos to essay the role of a young medical student.

Shahid Kapoor’s trainer Samir Jaura shared details about the physical transformation that the actor underwent for his two distinct looks in the film.

Samir said, “It was the first time since Ishq Vishk (2003) that Shahid would be seen as a college goer. So, I put him on a strict 1400-1500 calorie a day diet, along with extensive cardio sessions to achieve a lean look.”

year.

Apart from that, Kangana Ranaut will be soon seen as former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in a biopic.

The film will be bilingual and will be titled Thalaivi in Tamil and Jaya in Hindi. The biopic will be helmed by Vijay, who is known for directing movies like Madrasapattinam and Deiva Thirumagal.

Talking about the project, Kangana told indianexpress.com, “I was planning to make my own biopic. The work was going on but Jayalalithaa’s story is very similar and a far bigger success story than mine. When I heard the narration, I found it so similar (to her own biopic). We will be doing the film mainly in Tamil. It will be released in Hindi as well. I will learn Tamil.” (Indian Express)

Shahid Kapoor also had to completely change his regime for the second half of the film which sees the protagonist set out on a self-destructive path after losing the love of his life.

To ensure Shahid looks like a puffy, groggy alcoholic, Samir shared, “We had to design his workout in such a way that he looks bigger but not muscular. The original character is a doctor, so it would be inauthentic to have a doctor with six-pack abs.”

Kiara Advani will be seen playing Shahid’s love interest in Kabir Singh. The film is helmed by Sandeep Vanga. The original film had featured Tollywood heartthrob Vijay Deverakonda in the titular role.

Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Murad Khetani, Krishna Kumar and Ashwin Varde, Kabir Singh will release on June 21. (Indian Express)

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Y

ou might have heard the story by now: That Marsai Martin pitched Little, a modern spin on Big, to Universal Pictures at age 10. It’s true, she did, but that precocious move was preceded by another, more impressive act of rebellion and a pivotal moment in putting her on the path to becoming the youngest executive producer ever: She fired her agents after the first year of “black-ish.”

The ABC show, in which she plays the Johnson’s whip-smart daughter, Diane, was on its first hiatus and Martin and her family wanted to know what opportunities there were.

“They were like, ‘You should just stick to “black-ish,” just chill, take a break,'” Martin said.

Besides, the agents explained, there weren’t any roles for a young black girl out there. But the Martins persisted and suggested creating something themselves.

“They kind of just laughed at us. They didn’t see the vision. But I think they didn’t see it because they saw what I looked like: A little black girl that no one would want to see,” Martin said. “So, we fired them.”

Four years later, it’s almost ancient history for the now 14-year-old sitting in the conference room of Genuis Productions, the company she founded, as she prepares for Little to hit theaters nationwide Friday.

The office space is a projection of Martin herself, with accent walls in her favorite color blue, her and her baby sister’s preferred snacks in the break area (Goldfish crackers, rice crispy treats, etc) and a PS4 in the lobby (as well as her NAACP Image Awards). Her own office is well on its way to having the Alice in Wonderland-feel she wants with “grand plants” and colorful throw pillows. There’s also a very teen-appropriate Polaroid wall, and a perfect view of the Universal sign out the window.

“It’s a creative spot for me and a place where I can express how I feel and just get my mind in a cool place where I can just come up with anything I want,” Martin said. “I’m very grateful and doing it with my family is even better.”

After the break with the agents, “blackish” creator Kenya Barris helped nudge Martin in the right direction, securing a meeting with his friend, producer Will Packer, who’s been behind such high-profile hits as Girls Trip and Night School, to hear her idea.

“I didn’t expect much, because, you know, I hear a lot of pitches and most of them aren’t great. I said ‘Listen, I’m sure she’s sweet. I’ll do it as a courtesy,'” Packer

G

al Gadot has penned a heartfelt letter to Shazam star Zachary Levi, welcoming him to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

Levi is making his DCEU debut with David Sandbergdirected superhero film, which also features Asher Angel, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Djimon Hounsou.

In the DCEU, he joins Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and Henry Cavill’s Superman, among others.

said. “And she comes in and she’s got this fully thought out, really coherent, cohesive narrative, with characters and themes. I was like, ‘She’s how old again?'”

Her story would be about bullying and female empowerment.

“We wanted it to be as authentic as possible… even though it’s a fantasy, bodyswap film,” Martin laughed.

She stars as the young Jordan Sanders, a science-obsessed teen who is bullied so much in high school that she grows up to be an insufferable bully herself, as the head of a major tech company. The adult version of Jordan is played by Regina Hall, who Martin had worked with on “blackish.” Rounding out the cast is “Insecure’s” Issa Rae (“a creator like me”), as Jordan’s undervalued assistant.

Martin loved the whole development process and is glad that it took a few years for filming to start, allowing her to mature a little bit into who she is today. And then, this past February, something even bigger came along: Martin got a first-look deal with Universal, too.

“It was so exciting, but to be honest, I didn’t even know what it meant at the beginning,” Martin said. “I was like, ‘Oh cool!

What is that? Like, OK, this seems very professional. Am I in it now? Like is this some Jordan Peele-type stuff?'”

When she realized that it meant the studio gets first dibs on anything she creates, she was thrilled.

“I was like, ‘Oh, OK! So I can create whatever I want?’ I thought that was so cool because this mind has a lot of things,” she said. “I can keep creating things that people don’t get to see often.”

She knows it’s unusual to be wielding this much creative power in Hollywood at this young age, but she also enjoys catching people off guard.

“It’s like, ‘Oh, snap, THIS girl, created this film?’ And it’s kind of shocking,” she laughed.

Her life is pretty crazy right now promoting “Little” and developing new films and television projects. She’s homeschooled with a tutor, which she prefers, and she doesn’t have any regrets about missing out on the high school experience.

“I used to be the shy kid who would barely raise her hand or speak her mind,” she said.

Even now she suffers her own share of self-consciousness.

“That’s something that I have to work on: Self-confidence and loving myself,” she said. “Your girl gets a lot of anxiety. It’s OK. It’s a learning process. I feel like a lot of kids my age get it, whether they’re in the industry or not.”

When she does have a moment to unwind, she plays “gruesome” video games like “Mortal Combat,” gets facials, massages, cooks and sometimes just watches YouTube. But even then her wheels are spinning about possible collaborations with her favorite YouTubers.

Down the line, she wants to direct and write and, basically, do all the things.

Packer, for one, is convinced she will.

(Indian Express)

HOLLYWOOD 49

The Lion King trailer: Jon Favreau’s live-action film looks promising

T

he trailer of the live-action adaptation of The Lion King is out. Directed by Jon Favreau, the trailer gives a glimpse inside the world of the jungle ruled by Mufasa.

Disney’s The Lion King first released as an animated film in 1994 and has achieved cult status over the years.

In this trailer of Jon Favreau’s The Lion

King, we see Simba’s childhood, his early years with Mufasa, we also get a glimpse of Rafiki and the trailer concludes with Timon and Pumbaa.

The animals of the jungle are computer animated and have been voiced by Donald Glover (Simba), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), John Kani (Rafiki) and Beyoncé (Nala). Billy Eichner and

Seth Rogen play Timon and Pumbaa respectively. James Earl Jones reprises his role as Mufasa.

He voiced the character in the 1994 film as well.

The 1994 film was known for its strong storytelling and has carved a space in the hearts of fans for telling a compelling emotional story. The music of the film, with tracks like “The Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata,” have been a part of the pop culture.

Hans Zimmer, who gave the music for the 1994 film, has returned for this film.

Jon Favreau earlier directed the live action version of The Jungle Book and received a lot of acclaim for it.

The Lion King releases on July 19 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

(Indian Express)

they never listen to my ideas anyway, so who needs ’em?” he added.

When asked about his favourite film in the franchise, Hamill said it is the 1980 film, The Empire Strikes Back, which, according to the actor, looks at the often not-so happy endings of the stories.

“I guess I’d probably have to go with ‘Empire’, only because it was so unexpected to have the protagonist be so soundly defeated, losing the hand and the dad Vader, all of it was pretty unex-

pected.

“And it was so cerebral: Yoda is such an important addition to the mythology and I thought it was so clever of George, the concept of the Force, so that you could talk about religion and spirituality without making people uncomfortable. So for that alone,” Hamill said.

The actor is expected to be back as Luke Skywalker in the franchise’s upcoming Episode IX, which is expected to release later this year.

(Indian Express)

A

ctor Mark Hamill believes the audiences might be suffering from the Star Wars fatigue.

The 67-year-old actor is the original star of the franchise, having played the role of Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ original trilogy.

After missing out on the prequel trilogy, Hamill reprised his role in JJ Abram’s Force Awakens and Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi.

During an interview with the Awards Chatter Podcast for The Hollywood Reporter, Hamill agreed that in the aftermath of under performing spin-off Solo: A Star Wars Story, the audiences might be a little tired of the franchise.

“Yes. I’m not gonna tell them how to run their business, but is there a possibility of ‘Star Wars fatigue’? Yeah, I think there is,” the actor said.

“I’ve experienced it, to a certain degree. But

Gadot shared her welcome message on Twitter, writing, “SHAZAMING the world!!! Congratulations on opening weekend!

This movie is so fun, you all need to see it! So proud of you @ ZacharyLevi! Welcome to the universe brother! We’ve been waiting for you. Celebrating you from 8,000 ft,” she added, while sharing a photo of Shazam and

Wonder Woman action figures together in the snow.

Shazam, which opened on April 5, raked in 159.1 million dollars worldwide in its opening weekend. Meanwhile, Warner Bros studios has started planning for a potential sequel and has reportedly tapped writer Henry Gayden for it.

A source with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap that Sandberg and producer Peter Safran are also expected to return. (Indian Express)

50 SPORT

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Who makes your all-time World Cup XI?

O

ne thousand and fifty-seven: the number of players to have made the starting XIs in all World Cup matches. It's a much smaller pool to look at when considering an alltime World Cup XI, but there are still plenty of interesting decisions to make when you consider the talent available.

Would you pick only from champion sides? A hundred and one players have been in winning sides in World Cup finals. How about the trio of Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, and Ricky Ponting, all three-time winners? Or Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge and Andy Roberts, from the trendsetting West Indies team that won the first two titles and missed out on a third? Or Steve Waugh, who won World Cups 12 years apart. Not to forget the other ODI greats who lifted the trophy: Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Joel Garner, Kapil Dev, Muttiah Muralitharan, MS Dhoni, Sachin

Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shane Warne, and Wasim Akram, to name a few.

Wouldn't picking only from among champions be cruel to those whom many felt should have experienced World Cup glory? Martin Crowe and Lance Klusener stepped up in 1992 and 1999, but their teams lost to the eventual champions in the semi-finals. Or the talented Sri Lankan group of Lasith Malinga

(remember his four wickets in four balls), Kumar Sangakkara (hundreds in four consecutive matches), Mahela Jayawardene (a hundred in a World Cup final), and Tillakaratne Dilshan (check out his World Cup record).

Or are you looking at those who stepped up on the big stage? Mohinder Amarnath, Aravinda de Silva, and Warne put in Man-of-the-Match performances in a semi-final

and final in the same edition.

Unlike in real situations, where team managements often have to make adjustments to cover for limitations, your restriction is that you have only 11 players to pick. Take the openers, for example.

Whom would you pick out of a potential list that includes Dilshan, Gilchrist, Jayasuriya, Mark Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Saeed Anwar

and Tendulkar?

And how about balancing the XI? Would you go with five specialist bowlers, or four bowlers and an allrounder?

Or would you have two or more allrounders in the XI? Whose leadership would you trust to inspire this team? And would your team be covered for all conditions?

ESPNcricinfo's staff is already undertaking this exercise, picking their XIs, from which we

will derive a composite World Cup team for the ages. We are also looking for a readers' all-time World Cup XI. Send in your XIs before April 20th to fanfare@cricinfo.com with the subject line "World Cup XI".

Example of XI format: Player 1, Player 2, Player 3, Player 4, Player 5 (c), Player 6, Player 7 (wk), Player 8, Player 9, Player 10, Player 11.

(ESPNCricinfo)

WBC welterweight Unpredictable Guyanese champion looking to build Windies could be boxing ring in Berbice handful: Holder G Jason Holder

C

aptain Jason Holder believes West Indies' unpredictability will make them a formidable prospect at the upcoming ICC World Cup in England.

The Caribbean side, two-time winners of the competition, are currently ranked ninth in the international rankings and are not among the favourites to win the title.

However, Holder said the Windies' recent performances would have caught the attention of opponents, especially with the way they batted and bowled in their drawn 2-2 series against England.

“A lot of the teams see us as a dangerous side because they are a bit unsure about what we can produce on any given day,” Holder said.

“I just think what we have seen in the recent past has given us a lot of confidence and what we can achieve.

It's just a matter for us to go out there fearless and play.

“I think the beauty about what I have seen from our batsmen is that a lot of them are playing free. That's the way we need everybody to play, that's

the way we get the best out of them.

And our bowling I think will get there as time rolls on, but there is definitely room for improvement.

“There is no better place to make a mark than in the World Cup. The event is seen as a significant tournament, and no doubt they will be looking to get it done.”

Owing to their poor ranking, West Indies missed out on automatic qualification for the May 30 to July 14 showpiece and were forced into the alternative qualifiers in Zimbabwe last year.

While not at their best, the Windies reached the final to secure their World Cup berth, before going down to eventual winners Afghanistan.

Holder said once his side continued to play consistently there is optimism of a positive outcome at the World Cup. West Indies will have one final ODI tour prior to the World Cup, when they engage Bangladesh and hosts Ireland in a Tri-Nations Series in early May, and Holder said it is important they use the outing to finalise their preparations. (CMC)

uyanese WBC welterweight champion Nazir Sulaiman wants to build a boxing ring in Berbice.

The world champion boxer has plans to further develop the sport of boxing in Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

For years, Nazir Sulaiman has been assisting young boxers in Berbice with gear as he tried to develop the sport in the Ancient County.

Now he wants to take it a step further by ensuring that a boxing ring is built in Berbice.

Most parts of the ring have already been acquired and the boxer is seeking land on which he will construct a building which will house the ring.

“If I get the land I will construct a building which will have the ring and around the ring there will be sand bags, speed bags, floor bags and so forth. It’s a couple of years now that I have been waiting for a place.

As soon as I can get a place and construct a building, I will start shipping down the stuff for the ring.”

Along with former national bantamweight fighter Darius Ford, Sulaiman has been providing assistance to local fighters; mainly from the Ancient.

“We don’t care where you come from, if you

Guyanese WBC welterweight champion Nazir Sulaiman

need any boxing gear and you contact us we will be willing to help. It is one way to put the kids on a good path in life and discipline them. Eventually our plan is to set up a boxing gum in Berbice.”

Giving preference to the location, the champion boxer said New Amsterdam or Rose Hall Town are preferable.

These two communities have in the past produced the bulk of the boxers from Region Six. Berbice has been able to produce both national and Caribbean champions.

Sulaiman noted that when many boxers from the region are about to take on their first fight, it is the first time they enter a boxing ring.

“There is not enough

training for them inside the ring and this affects their performance,” he added.

Whenever there is a boxing encounter in Berbice, there rig is always transported form out of the Region.

Sulaiman says it is time for Berbice to own a boxing ring.

“Not just the ring, but we need to keep on supplying the boxing gears that they need. All they have to do is to contact us and let us know what they need…”

In 2014 Sulaiman won the US National W e l t e r w e i g h t Championships, in 2015 he won the New York title, and in 2018 he won the WBC Armature title.

At 66 he fights armature.

(Andrew Carmichael)

SPORT 51

WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 2019| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Ambrose passes Virat Kohli achieves double honour as Wisden the Antiguan baton 2019 is published to Alzarri Joseph V W

hen Alzarri Joseph dismissed David Warner with his first ball on IPL debut to start his record-breaking 6 for 12 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, many would have assumed that to be his most memorable wicket so far. Perhaps, they weren't aware of his first Test wicket.

At St Lucia in 2016, in his third over on Test debut, he got one to rear up on the batsman at 141kph. It was fended awkwardly to the slips. The batsman was Virat Kohli.

So Warner or Kohli? As a 22-year-old, growing up watching a lot of T20 cricket, maybe Warner? Maybe not. "I am not trying to look at T20 cricket at the moment," Joseph had said in 2016 while playing the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. "I am looking at Test cricket. I like it."

That's one of the things that sets Joseph apart. Unlike many others in their early twenties who first play in the T20 leagues and then move on to the international stage, Joseph played his first-ever T20 match barely a month before his Test debut. In fact, IPL 2019 is only his third T20 tournament, after featuring twice in the Caribbean Premier League (2016 and 2018).

But who is this Alzarri Joseph, who keeps taking these big wickets on the big stage?

At six feet and four inches, Joseph has the height for a fast bowler. He comes from All Saints in Antigua, and grew up idolising local heroes Andy Roberts and Curtly Ambrose.

Joseph was first seen on TV at that Under-19 World Cup three years ago, when he was beating England batsmen with his pace and swing. His fastest ball in the tournament was clocked at 147kph. He was extracting good bounce from back of a length in Asian conditions, and he was almost always picking early wickets, just like he did against Sunrisers.

He ended the victorious World Cup campaign with 13 wickets from six matches, at an astonishing average of 13.76 and economy rate of 3.31. Joseph was already being touted as the next Kagiso Rabada then for his ability to mix the short balls and yorkers well.

He set things up for West Indies in the tournament final by removing India's top order single-handedly and set up a small chase. One of those wickets was of India Under-19 captain Ishan Kishan, who was trapped lbw with Joseph's early movement. Kishan and Joseph now share the Mumbai Indians dressing room.

"Now, he has an even better rhythm," Kishan said of Joseph on Tuesday. "He is looking even better, he has improved his line and length and reads the batsmen much better. His ball skids and because of his height, he gets a lot of bounce which makes it difficult for the batsmen."

After that final in February 2016, Ian Bishop, one of the commentators of the tournament, had said Joseph was "ready" for international cricket. Just five months later, Joseph made his Test debut.

Up until the Under-19 World Cup, Joseph hadn't met his hero Ambrose, but when he flew back home from Bangladesh with the trophy, Ambrose was part of the welcoming party at the airport. What was Ambrose's advice to Joseph?

"I am Antiguan, you're Antiguan and I am proud. Anytime you need any advice or any help and as long as I am on the island, you can call on me anytime.

"I've watched most of the games and you have the fast bowler's streak; you don't smile much … and I like that about you.

You are very aggressive but I just want to say that it's now the work will start.

"Now that you are in the eyes of the

world everyone will be watching you so I want to say to you just keep working hard, maintain your fitness, continue to develop your skills."

In a few months, Joseph would go on to work with his role model - Ambrose was bowling consultant of West Indies when he made his Test debut. The prized cap was handed by another West Indies legend Joel Garner at St Kitts, the country that was also home of his CPL franchise.

As a kid, Joseph grew up bowling to his father, who played a bit of cricket for the Empire Cricket Club in All Saints, in their backyard. From there, he was coached by former West Indies quick Winston Benjamin in Antigua.

Joseph grew up idolising Dale Steyn, hence honing his skill of swinging the ball away from right-hand batsmen. Putting his pace and swing to good use with his control, Joseph has gone on to become a vital cog in the West Indies ODI pace attack too.

Just before his international debut, Joseph bowled to the touring Australians in the nets in St Kitts and then stand-in coach Justin Langer was impressed. "He bowled fast, beautiful yorkers - and what an athlete," Langer said in June 2016.

Just before the Test series in England in 2017, Andy Roberts was asked about West Indies' pace attack and he said: "He's (Joseph) young, I think he's probably the fittest of the lot in terms of not breaking down and he also swings the ball a bit which is not common.

"Jason Holder, Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel are more seamers. They seem to hit the deck a lot harder and try to get legcutters and offcutters whereas Alzarri Joseph, especially early in the innings, will try to swing the ball."

At the end of 2017, Joseph suffered a stress fracture in the back that kept him away from international cricket for nearly 10 months. After slowly being drafted back into the ODI side, Joseph missed the Test tour of India late last year because of recovery, but was soon playing Tests again, against England earlier this year, although not in ideal conditions.

Joseph was playing his first Test in front of his home crowd when he lost his mother because of brain tumour before the start of the third day's play. Joseph stayed strong mentally, his team-mates showed solidarity, and he continued to play. He bowled a seven-over spell that morning and got the big wicket of England's captain Joe Root for the second time in the game.

Joseph showed then that even during the darkest of days off the field, he was not going to lose his on-field habit. Of taking the biggest wickets of the opposition, a habit he continues. (ESPNCricinfo)

irat Kohli's reputation as the outstanding cricketer of his generation has been further enhanced by a brace of accolades in the 2019 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, which is published today (Wednesday).

Kohli, who will lead India's World Cup campaign in England later this year, has been named as the Leading Cricketer in the World for an unprecedented third year in a row.

gles in England in 2014," said Wisden's editor, Lawrence Booth.

"His Test batting, especially in England, was magnificent, while his 50-over form moved to a new level - if that was possible."

Elsewhere in the 2019 Wisden, the Almanack's 156th edition, Booth reflects on another eventful year for the sport, which included the fall-out from Australia's ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town , and the retirement

He has also achieved one of the few accolades to have eluded him in his career so far, by being named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, the oldest individual award in the sport.

Jos Buttler and Sam Curran were also named among the five cricketers, following their key roles in England's summer campaigns, alongside Rory Burns, Surrey's championship-winning captain, and Tammy Beaumont, the outstanding player in another successful year for England's women.

Kohli's fellow Indian, Smriti Mandhana, is the Leading Cricketer in the women's game, after racking up 1291 runs across limited-overs formats, including 13 half-centuries, while Rashid Khan, the Afghanistan legspinner, is the Leading Twenty20 Cricketer for the second year in a row.

Kohli, however, was the sport's dominant figure in 2018, making 2735 international runs at 68.37 across all formats, more than 700 more than his nearest challenger, England's Joe Root.

In that time, he scored a remarkable 11 centuries in 37 innings, seven of which came on India's tours of South Africa, England and Australia, traditionally three of toughest venues for overseas batsmen.

His form on the Test tour of England was particularly outstanding - although India slipped to a 4-1 series defeat, Kohli himself made 593 runs in the five Tests at 59.30, including hundreds at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge.

And, as a consequence of making such a big impact on the English season, he was finally named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, an honour that dates back to 1889.

Wisden states that "excellence in, or influence on, the previous English summer are the major criteria for inclusion as a Cricketer of the Year", and seeing as Kohli had managed just 134 runs at 13.40 on his previous Test tour in 2014, this was his first real opportunity to claim an exclusive honour that - unlike the Leading Cricketer award can only be achieved once in any player's career.

"Despite finishing on the losing side, India captain Virat Kohli shone with the bat, laying to rest his strug-

of England's leading Test run-scorer, Alastair Cook, who features on the front cover alongside England's leading wicket-taker, James Anderson.

"There was more to him than met the eye," Booth wrote in his Notes By the Editor. "Sluggish between the wickets, he was fitter than anyone.

Possessing only three strokes against the seamers - the cut and the pull grew scarce as bowlers cottoned on, leaving the nudge off the hip - he made more Test runs than any other left-hander or opener.

"And he took his only Test wicket while impersonating Bob Willis. When Radio 4's "World At One" cut to a clip of Cook "doing what he did best", that wicket is what they came up with, as if his 12,472 runs had passed them by.

"But in one respect Cook was no paradox: for mental strength, England has never seen anyone like him. Even his parting shot - 71 and 147 against the world's No.1 side [India] - required him to rediscover the edge he said had deserted him. We shouldn't have been surprised."

In Cook's absence, Booth is pessimistic about the prospects of England's Test team uncovering another top-order batsman to replace his grit and resolve - not least given the advent in 2020 of the ECB's new competition, The Hundred, a format about which he is scathing.

"Quite what a 100-ball tournament will do to England's search for a Test top order does not bear thinking about," he wrote. "If only someone at the ECB had been on hand last year to explain why they thought it a good idea to stake cricket's wellbeing on a form of the game played nowhere else in the world."

"England's openers were once the envy of the world; gutsy, stoical, pragmatic, they may even have embodied a certain Britishness. Now, it's a pleasant surprise when one survives until lunch."

"It is not easy to see what can be done while the domestic schedule treats four-day cricket as an inconvenience … unless the Championship can reclaim the turf of high summer, the flow of hopeful young openers will slow to a trickle." (ESPNCricinfo)

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Regal Masters full of confidence ahead of Florida Cup R

egal Masters will wing out for Florida Cup 2019 full of confidence after winning a specially organised four-team tournament at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground, Thomas Lands, Georgetown last Sunday.

After overcoming Fishermen Masters in the semi-final, thanks to a swashbuckling unbeaten 102 from Eric Thomas, the yellow and green army then disposed of Mike’s Wellman by six wickets in the final to add another title to their collection.

Setting an imposing 157 runs to win from 15 overs, Regal Masters run chase was off to a perfect start with eventual Man-of-the-Match Throy Kippins and Eion Abel racing to 72 in seven overs before the latter was bowled by Greg DeFranca for 28. Kippins who was fourth to be dismissed then added 35 with fellow Berbician Rudolph Baker who clobbered 32 (9 balls; 5×6) and 28 for the third wicket with Samuel Kingston (10). Rawl Reid (2 for 12) almost spoiled the fun for the Florida Cup champions when he accounted for Baker, Kingston and Kippins (40 runs; 2×4; 2×6) in the space of two overs.

When Kippins was spectacularly snapped up by Reid running back to his own bowling at the end of the 13th over, Regal Masters still needed 18 runs to win from 12 balls with two new batsmen at the crease.

However, in the very next over, Mohendra Arjune took Latchman Kallicharran to the cleaners, taking him 21 runs to ease to victory with six wickets in the hut with an over to

68 (4×4; 5×6) was supported by opener Greg DeFranca who made 31 (5×4; 1×6) and Eon Lovell with 31 (1×4; 4×6).

All of the bowlers had their work cut out on the small outfield but Arjune snared 2 for 46 and was ably supported by Kippins (1-28) and leg-spinner Tyrone Sanasie (1-29).

The tournament was organised by Wayne Jones who gave Regal Masters much needed match practice ahead of the Florida Cup, which gets underway on Friday April 12 and runs until Sunday April 14 in Fort Lauderdale.

It is the 15th edition of the international tournament and more than 30 teams from Canada, Guyana, New York, Florida, Orlando and Minnesota are expected to compete in three categories; All-Stars, Masters Over 40 and Legends Over 50.

Regal Masters are the defending champions of the Masters category and have ended their long period of intense preparation in perfect fashion to head to North America gunning for a title repeat. Along with Regal All-Stars, they are the only teams in the tournament from Guyana.

Man-of-the-Match Throy Kippins (left) collects his prize for his hard work

spare. Arjune finished on 18 not out from five balls (3×4; 1×6) and David Harper was on one not out when the target was reached.

Earlier, attacking right handed opener Lloyd Ruplall played some attractive strokes to get Wellman to a competitive 156 for 4 from their 15 overs. Ruplall who carried his bat for

Concacaf Gold Cup: Golden Jags to clash with USA in Minneapolis on June 18

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uyana’s National Senior Men’s football team, the Golden Jaguars, will have an uphill task ahead of them as they prepare for the impending Concacaf Gold Cup. Following the Gold Cup draw that was hosted in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening, it was revealed that Guyana will compete in what can be considered one of the toughest groups. Being drawn in Group D, the Golden Jaguars will have to battle with Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of America.

The boys hailing from the land of many waters will play their first game on June 18 in Minneapolis Minnesota, against hosts USA. Their second game day will be on June 22 with a match up against Panama in

Cleveland, Ohio. Their final game will be against Caribbean counterparts and longtime rivals Trinidad and Tobago in Kansas City, Kansas.

Present at the draw and speaking on behalf of the Golden Jags was Head Coach Michael Johnson. The event’s host was full of praise for the coach who was appointed just last year and managed to lead the team to the Gold Cup, but a humble Johnson diverted some of the praises to his hardworking team.

“Thank you for congratulating me, but it’s not just me. There’s a huge team behind me, the staff, the technical director, the players, the fans, it’s been a collective effort. And also they’re people who have gone before me who put a brick in on this long journey,” the Golden jaguars Head

Coach stated.

When questioned about Guyana’s readiness, Johnson was confident about his team’s abilities in the next level tournament.

“We’re going to enjoy it. Nobody really gave us a chance to get here, and I’d imagine nobody would give us a chance to get out the group but I have a group of players who I’ve got really strong belief in and on any given day we can beat any team in this Concacaf so we’re hoping to be prepared and we’re hoping to be ready for the competition,” he confidently said.

The Golden Jags qualified for the Gold Cup just a few weeks ago, on March 23, after pulling off a scintillating 2-1 win over Belize who were also competing for qualification. (Jemima Holmes)

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West Indies changes give Pollard World Cup hope

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ieron Pollard last played an ODI in October 2016 but may still have hopes of making it to the West Indies World Cup squad because of a new set-up running Cricket West Indies (CWI). After smashing his highest IPL score - 83 off 31 balls - to help Mumbai Indians edge Kings XI Punjab in a last-ball finish in Mumbai on Wednesday night, Pollard was asked if he thought he would be picked in the World Cup squad that will be announced later this month, and he indirectly said anything could be possible.

"Every time I get the opportunity to play, I want to do my best," Pollard said.

"There has been a lot of turmoil in West Indies cricket over the last couple of years.

We have seen in the last couple of weeks there's a change. Pollard was one of the guys blacklisted. The most I can do every time I step on the cricket field is try to put runs on the board. There's people there who have the job to select and whatever and let's see how that goes. As I said, I'm 31 years, Chris Gayle is still playing, he's 39, and he's whacking it all around."

Pollard was referring to Dave Cameron's controversial reign as the CWI president coming to an end last month when Ricky Skerritt, a former West Indies team manager, beat Cameron by an 8-4 margin in the board elections. Cameron had several fallouts with senior West Indies players, especially Darren Sammy who led them to two World T20 titles.

When asked if West Indies could be one of the stronger sides at the World Cup, given the form of some of the West Indies players in the IPL, Pollard said: "Yeah, of course you can say that. But again, as I said that's why there's people‌we have a new chairman of selectors, there's a new president of the cricket board, and as I said you take it as it comes. Last year, you might

not have been asking me that question.

Yes, I scored runs tonight so all sorts of questions will come but for me it's just about enjoying cricket and doing my best with my God-given talent.

"We know what we can do and I think Chris batted superbly. A fellow West Indian is [Andre] Russell‌he's smacking the ball and it's great to see the way he's hitting the ball and [Sunil] Narine. These guys are having a good tournament and again, when your mind is free, you just go out and enjoy cricket. You don't think about much because there are a lot of opinions, there are a lot of things, but it's people as close to you and what they think matters."

Pollard had recently returned to the T20I squad for West Indies when in October it emerged that the door was opening for some senior players to feature in the World Cup. CWI officials had stated that availability for domestic tournaments was a requirement to be picked for West Indies squads, and they advanced the domestic 50-over competition (Super50 Cup) from February 2019 to October 2018 to avoid a clash with any T20 leagues. CWI had said if the players featured in the Super50 and performed, they could be picked for the World Cup. Pollard represented his domestic side Trinidad & Tobago in all seven games but with unimpressive figures - 69 runs from seven innings to average under 10, and took three wickets in the 50 balls he bowled in the tournament.

However, Pollard then went on to score 284 runs in the PSL in 13 innings at a strike rate of 173.17, and take five wickets, for Peshawar Zalmi. In the IPL, he has so far scored 179 runs in six innings, with two unbeaten knocks, to average 44.75, and is striking at 194.56. (ESPNCricinfo)

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