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“Shine Buck” jailed for life for raping minor Page 10

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com WEEK ENDING january 28, 2018

ISSUE NO. 381

‘They want people to give up hope and migrate’ …Jagdeo blasts APNU/AFC for sugar industry’s crisis

See story on page 7

Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo addressing sugar workers and their families at Enterprise Community Centre on Tuesday

2 Guyanese among 46 arrested during immigration crackdown in NY Page 9

‘Farewell party’ turns into deadly final goodbye …as 2 dead, 2 critical following Page 13 accident

Dead: Romel Henry

Dead: Doesh Sukhu

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

2 Guyanese among 46 arrested during immigration crackdown in NY T

wo Guyanese were among 46 foreign nationals taken into custody during a five-day operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in western New York, targeting atlarge criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, and other immigration violators.

According to the ICE agency, one of the Guyanese is a 46-year-old female with convictions for forgery and larceny.

She will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of her removal proceedings.

The other Guyanese has been identified a 23-yearold male with convictions for driving while

ability impaired and harassment, following his arrest for menacing with a weapon.

He will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.

The arrestees (35 men and 11 women) included nationals from 16 countries including Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico, Thailand, Somalia, Jamaica, United

Kingdom, Ecuador, Israel, Trinidad & Tobago, Canada, Honduras, Belize, Guyana, Sierra Leone and India.

Of those arrested during the op-

eration, which was spearheaded by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), 23 offenders, or 50 per cent, had prior criminal convictions. Of the 23 non-criminal immigration violators, four are fugitives and six illegally re-entered the country after being deported.

“Operations like this one demonstrate ICE’s continued focus on the arrest of dangerous criminal aliens as well as those who enter the United States illegally,” said Thomas Feeley, field office director for ERO Buffalo, which covers 48 counties in western, central and northern New York State. “Illegal aliens

will not find safe harbor in New York.”

According to the ICE agency, some of the individuals arrested during the enforcement action will be presented for federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Those not being criminally prosecuted will be processed for removal from the country.

Individuals who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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EDITORIAL

Reintegrating deportees

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ccording to a recent US Immigration report, a total of 137 Guyanese were, for various reasons, deported from the USA in 2017. This, of course, is a significant increase when compared to the previous year (2016), which had seen ninetythree (93) Guyanese nationals being sent back home.

With regard to the rest of the Caribbean region, Haiti saw five thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight (5578) of its nationals being deported in 2017. Similarly, that figure represents a massive increase when compared to 2016, when just three hundred and ten (310) Haitians were sent back home. Also, in 2017, seven hundred and eighty-two (782) Jamaicans were deported; Trinidad and Tobago saw one hundred and twenty-eight (128) being sent back home, and The Bahamas saw ninety-five (95) persons being deported. Other CARICOM nations also saw a small number of their citizens being deported in 2017.

The report was very vague in relation to the reasons for the deportations, and also did not provide much detail regarding the background of the deportees. This, of course, has been a major problem for regional governments, which have always complained that such persons are forcibly being sent back to their countries of birth after years of living in their adopted countries, without adequate information in relation to the deportees’ medical and criminal backgrounds being provided.

CARICOM heads have complained bitterly that the practice was having a severe negative impact on the region, especially as it relates to crime and security issues. They have also noted that very little help is provided by the US and other developed countries in terms of reintegrating the deportees in their country of birth.

It is no secret that while some deportees try as much as possible to turn their lives around in their new environment, many of them gravitate towards crime, which in most cases places a huge burden on the State. For this reason, regional Governments have been lobbying the US authorities to be more understanding as to the tremendous negative impact the practice is having on countries. However, the US officials have resisted the argument that the deportations are to be blamed for the increase in violent crimes in the region.

It should be noted that the US has deported hundreds of convicted criminals to the Caribbean annually since 1996, when Congress mandated that every non-citizen sentenced to a year or more in prison be deported upon release.

Security officials in Guyana have routinely placed the blame for some high-level crimes on criminal deportees, particularly those crimes that occurred during the 2002 to 2004 crime wave that gripped the nation, when the Government at the time was forced to enact the 2002 Amendment to the Crime Prevention Act, which stated that any deportee who poses a threat to public safety can be placed under police surveillance.

Additionally, deportation has caused devastating psychosocial effects, not only for deported persons, but for other family members; and in particular their children, the vast majority of whom have been left behind in the US, Canada, or in a few cases other countries, and who have little or no contact with the deported parent.

There is no need to elaborate on the challenges that confront countries such as ours when persons who have migrated many years ago are sent back after serving their time in jails overseas.

What CARICOM governments need to focus on now is establishing an effective deportee resettlement programme for such persons, to cater for their smooth reintegration into the society; so that once again they can become productive and useful citizens. Many would want to believe that most of the persons who are deported are willing to reform their lives, but the absence of an effective and functioning support mechanism makes this process very difficult.

CARICOM and its partners must continue to lobby their US counterparts in relation to information and intelligence sharing regarding criminal deportees, in particular access to complete dossiers on medical and criminal histories. Caribbean leaders must also lobby for more financial and technical assistance to establish re-integration programmes within CARICOM member states, to ensure that each person who is sent back to their country of birth becomes a productive citizen once more.

In colourful displays and enthusiastic dancing, nursery school students participating in the first stage of the Ministry of Education Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) Children's Mashramani Competition 2018, dazzled all those who gathered to watch their performances at the National Track and Field Centre (Leonora Stadium) on Tuesday. The competition will continue with the competitions for the primary and then secondary school students at the National Track and Field Centre all week. (DPI photo)

‘Be the best you can be’ …President Granger encourages young people

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President David Granger with the young people who attended the luncheon at State House

resident David Granger has reminded young people of their crucial role in nation-building and urged them to seize every available opportunity to become the best they can be in whichever profession they choose in Guyana.

“You can be whatever you want to be and I do hope that while I am here, I will be able to give you that vision and that sense of purpose so that you can want to use the resources to venture into your profession of choice,” he said.

The President made these remarks at a special luncheon, which he hosted at State House for a group of youths drawn from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Bank Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and Ten (Upper DemeraraBerbice). The President pledged to host youth engagement activities as often as possible to ensure that youths in Guyana remain fully engaged with the country’s leadership and proposed that a youth conference to be held later this year.

Acknowledging that youth unemployment is a challenge his Administration has had to make a priority, the Head of State informed that Government is currently in the process of consolidating all of the youth programmes, including initiatives such as the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) and the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST).

“We are bringing all the youth programmes together to have a common core curriculum so that every child, whether or not he or she is a school dropout, who enters that programme will get common training, which will prepare him or her to get employ-

ment in Guyana. I don’t like to see young children, some of them who have left secondary school in the Rupununi for example, drifting over to Brazil to do menial work. I think they can stay here and get a good living, not only because oil is on the horizon but because we can produce practically every food that the Eastern Caribbean needs,” the President said.

In this regard, he outlined the prospects and the many opportunities that lie in entrepreneurship such as value-added and agro-processing ventures. The President spoke of the importance of education, which is intrinsically linked to employment.

President Granger urged students and young adults to pursue higher education, noting that tertiary education is mandatory for most jobs today. “The country is wide open and it is open to you… Your education will not only equip you for employment but it will also equip you for entrepreneurial activities so that you can become rich,” he said.

Speaking of the environment, he reminded those in attendance that they are the ones who will inherit the national patrimony and therefore, they must develop a greater appreciation and love for their country. “You will inherit this country… This is the most beautiful, the most bountiful country in the Caribbean… I want you to love your country, I want you to own your country, I want you to be the best you could be,” he is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

The event was coordinated by Deputy Director of Sport, Brian Smith.

The coordinator also assured that this event will be expanded to include an even wider cross-section of youths.

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Caribbean migrants sent record amount of money home in 2016 - World Bank W hile remittance flows decreased worldwide for a second consecutive year in 2016 – remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean, however, rose to a record high.

This is based on recently released data from the World Bank.

In analysing the figures, the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American think tank, based here, reported that globally, migrants sent an estimated US$574 billion to their home countries in 2016, a 1.4 per cent drop from 2015.

But, in Latin America and the Caribbean – together making up a region where many people say economic conditions are bad – remittances rose to US$74.3 billion, a 7.4 per cent increase from the previous year (US$69.2 billion), said the Pew Research Center.

It said Europe was the only other region in the world to see an increase, “and it was a much smaller one (up

0.9 per cent).”

Remittances are funds or other assets sent by migrants via formal channels, such as banks.

The think tank said the total amount of money transferred is likely significantly larger than what is reported, “because these estimates do not include the transfer of other assets, such as gifts, or informal monetary transfers.”

The World Bank reports only remittances sent via formal channels, the Pew Research Center said.

It said the increase in remittances to the region is primarily due to general improved labour market conditions in the US, which has helped boost migrants' capacity to send money home.

This improvement was especially evident in sectors such as information, construction and manufacturing, industries in which many Latin American immigrants work.

Among Latin

American and Caribbean countries, Mexico has long received the highest amount of remittances, the centre said.

In 2016, it said US$28.6 billion in remittances flowed to Mexico (up 9.3 per cent from the previous year) – a total that accounted for over a third of remittances to all of Latin America and the Caribbean.

After Mexico, Guatemala (US$7.5 bil-

lion), the Dominican Republic (US$5.5 billion) and Colombia (US$4.9 billion) received the highest amounts of remittances in the Latin America and Caribbean region in 2016, the Pew Research Center said.

As a share of total economic output (measured in gross domestic product), remittances were equivalent to 29.4 percent of Haiti's 2016 gross domestic prod-

uct (GDP); while for the Caribbean as a whole, remittances were equal to 8 per cent of GDP – a far higher share than for Central and South America (3.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively), the Pew Research Center said.

Despite the recent overall decline in remittances, it said the amount sent by migrants globally to their home countries in 2016

remains more than double that of 2005, when US$280 billion in remittances were sent.

Global remittances are expected to increase in coming years, because of anticipated growth in the US and European economies (where nearly half of the world's migrants live), and the appreciation of major currencies like the Russian ruble. (CMC)

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2018 LGE would confirm AFC’s “dead meat” status

Dear Editor, Khemraj Ramjattan had predicted before the 2015 national elections that his political party, the AFC, would become “dead meat” should it team up with PNC/APNU. Well, it subsequently contested the elections under the banner of APNU/ AFC, and with active campaigning by the party’s leader, Ramjattan.

Having teamed up with APNU, the AFC claimed that it brought in some 11% of the votes; and the AFC leaders and members were given some 40% of parliamentary seats and ministerial positions in the Granger-led government. The AFC faction was given large and important ministries, including Public Infrastructure, Agriculture, Public Safety, and the Prime Ministerial position, with attractive and substantially enhanced remuneration packages which motivated them, at every opportunity, to sing loudly for their supper without rocking the government boat.

This gives the facade of a powerful partnership with ministerial titles and parliamentary seats, but the PNC kept them in their places, so that they support without a squeak of opposition to all the actions of the PNC leader and President, who is dominantly and totally in control of the grouping, having remunerated them well, and with magnificent ministerial and job titles.

However, their conduct and performance of their lawful public duties can only be evaluated as third-rated. Their campaign was deceptive, fooling part of the PPP base, offering them “a good, and even a better life”. The AFC sold out to the PNC. The rice farmers and the thousands of sugar workers who were vindictively, spitefully, racially and politically discriminated against, dismissed, and placed on the bread line as the 2017 Christmas gift for themselves, their families, and surrounding communities, now agree and confirm the “dead meat” status of the ‘political prophet’ Ramjattan.

Let Trotman tell the nation of his half-hearted campaign, how many votes he brought to the coalition, and the secret Nassau understanding with Granger. Many, like prophet Ramjattan, predict that Trotman is easing his way back into the PNC with an eye on a leadership position in the PNC. The declared results of the 2015 elections gave the combination a one-seat majority with a onevote win of the seat for Region 8.

Some people argue that we have a Government with a seat which was won by one vote, and consequently a one-vote majority Government.

The reported declaration by Trotman and other AFC leaders that the AFC was considering contesting the 2018 local government elections independently is welcome news. The reality of this is good, and will confirm their status as “dead meat” or otherwise. It would be useful information for Granger’s assessment. The voters may be required to bury the “dead meat” AFC party, or freeze the meat. The voters will not be fooled again.

Yours faithfully, Joshua Singh

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Dreamers’ that manage Georgetown City Council responsible for current mess

Dear Editor, Georgetown our capital city was once famously known as the ‘Garden City, because of its sparkling ponds and canals, tree lined avenues and roadways, flowering plants, hedges, lawns, public gardens and cleanliness.

Today I think it would be more appropriate for its signature name to be ‘The City of Big Unrealistic Ideas and Plans that never materialize’ thanks to the dreamers that manage City Hall.

Whenever they mess up at the Council or something goes wrong in a major way, you always hear them come out and say they have a plan to fix it, which of course never happens. But the question is why did they not implement these ‘smart’ ideas before to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place rather than running around outing fires after the calamity occurs?

Only after a citizen is slayed by an

uncontrolled, irresponsible and untrained city constable that we hear of magnificent plans to have the national police train these ruthless city constables. All the years that vendors and citizens complain about the maladroitness of the city constables, nothing is done.

Indeed they are always praised as being the oldest security force and their wide ranging police powers are touted. Even when they sexually assault minors, it takes months and much external pressure for it to be addressed.

One of the latest most ridiculous grand schemes we have learnt coming out of City Hall recently, is a plan to convert public recreational space located in the upscale Bel Air Park area to accommodate grand luxury real estate for City Hall’s ‘Big Shots’. How preposterous. This is the same City Council that does not have money to complete renovations to the Kitty Market, that al-

lowed the wharf area aback of Stabroek Market area to collapse, that glibly operate in the ruinous City Hall building and claim not to have money to fix it, that owes the NIS, GRA and GPL suddenly has found the financial resources to build luxury homes for their seniors.

Then there is the scintillating idea of metered parking in the city which is raising its ugly head again. What will it take for these very sapient municipal administrators to understand that citizens are not necessarily objecting to paid parking, but are protesting the way it was done. There was no consultation about the idea in the first place, there was no tender or bidding procedure undertaken but worst of all this Council was duped into believing that the previous Council had approved the contract.

Sincerely, Mark Roopan

Contradictions and inconsistencies in Govt’s public information policy Dear Editor, “We expect ExxonMobil will try to rob us as much as they can, so it is now on us to figure out how best we can defeat them. It is a waste of time at this point saying that they can rob us. That is ABC. That is known. Let us start looking for solutions and safeguards. It is useful in this regard to point out the errors made by other countries and how we can be able to do better.”

This quote is taken from the lead story in the media, and the comment is attributed to Presidential Advisor Dr Clive Thomas.

Here we go again! Not so long ago, it was Imran Khan publicly express-

ing a personal view on an issue involving Guyana’s relations with India. Now you have Presidential Advisor Dr Clive Thomas remarking that Exxon will try to rob Guyana.

My issue here, like in Imran’s case, is not the merits or demerits of the views expressed, but the process/procedure.

ExxonMobil might well be out to “milk” Guyana, but it is not the Presidential Advisor’s place to say that publicly, unless that is the Government’s official position; which would be in contradiction to statements previously made by the President and several ministers, including Trotman, Jordan and Greenidge.

How could a senior government

functionary publicly imply that a major investor is a thief? This coalition Government needs to get a grip on its public information policy. It is running ragged with contradictions and inconsistencies, which could have a serious impact on its efforts to be re-elected in 2020.

I have enormous respect for Dr. Thomas. But if it was wrong for Imran, then it has to be wrong for Clive to be publicly expressing personal views as a senior Government functionary, which views may not be the official position of the Government of Guyana.

Regards, Wesley Kirton

A direct correlation between crime and unemployment in Guyana

Dear Editor, Wherever you go in the country and speak to business people, large and small, you will be told the same thing: business has slowed to a stop. Many small businesses have been closing their doors because of the fall in people’s purchasing power.

This is a clear indication that the economy has stagnated and is even in decline.

Thousands are losing their jobs daily.

The current news reports are mainly focused on the tragedy of the sugar workers, thousands of whom have been sent home even without severance pay. This is by far the worst incident of job losses.

Another demonstration of this is the regime’s disregard for our laws.

However, many workers and self-employed small loggers in the timber industry were also pushed out of employment. This was caused by the Barama Company having almost totally closed.

The BaiShanLin company was forced out of business, leaving hundreds unemployed. The impact is felt all over.

Some stores in Georgetown have had to lay off workers, while others have had to stagger them. This is creating under-employment. Many are not able to find work for the whole week.

Even the gold sector, where some growth in income was registered, is seeing a contraction in employment. Big companies have laid off persons, while small miners and even some medium scale operators have been pushed out of the in-

dustry. This is due to the withdrawal of duty-free concessions to them for machinery and equipment which they had enjoyed under the PPP/C Administration.

So much for the Government’s talk about small business growth. All hogwash! People are hurting seriously.

However, there is one area that has been experiencing some significant growth, security guards. A run through of the press since the “Change” took place would show this. More new security companies have come on the scene. They have been advertising for guards. This is practically the only form of employment in our country today which is growing.

Some of the security companies that were advertising include Professional Guard Services Inc., R.K. Security, Queensway Security Services Inc., Delta Security Services, BAMS Security Service, GEB Security to name a few. These companies have had several advertisements.

Outside of the security companies, many companies have been advertising for their own security guards. Some big companies — such as Caribbean Containers; National Hardware; Puran Brothers, some private hospitals, banks, etc. and those who can afford, have been employing watchmen for their homes.

Added to this is the growth of the Guyana Police Force. A look at the papers shows reports that for September 2016, some 57 persons were recruited; for December 2016, some 225 law enforcement officers graduated; March 2017,

some 85 persons were recruited for a course; June 2017, another 183 were added to the Force; in November 2017, a further 133 ranks were added.

The 2018 National Budget saw employment and local travel and subsistence costs were G$7.7 billion and G$1.1 billion respectively. This grew significantly from 2014, when the figures were G$4.3 billion and G$0.7 billion respectively.

These figures confirm what we all know: that crime has risen exponentially under this APNU/AFC regime. It has been responsible for almost all the new jobs since this regime took power.

Despite the huge jump in security personnel, police, army and private security, the crime rate continues to escalate.

It is known universally that there is a direct correlation between crime and unemployment. With the huge rise in unemployment due to the dismissal of thousands, it is expected that the negative impact on the economy would be great.

The stagnation is growing into a recession.

This is a very serious situation caused by sheer incompetence and the discriminatory practices of the regime.

It is time the regime reverse its anti-workers and anti-business stance and create jobs in the productive sector of the economy.

As important as security is, such a situation tells of a country in decline.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

news 7

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘They want people to give up hope and migrate’ …Jagdeo blasts APNU/AFC for sugar industry’s crisis

By Michael Younge

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pposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday urged scores of sugar workers and their families not to lose hope, but to continue to struggle alongside the People’s Progressive Party to secure the freedoms and gains which they have worked and toiled for over the past two and a half decades.

Jagdeo, addressing a crowd at Enterprise Community Centre on the East Coast of Demerara, disclosed that the Government had begun unveiling parts of a systematic plan to undermine the support base of the Opposition with the aim of changing the demographics of the country.

He said that if the Government’s plan succeeded and people lost hope in those communities that were devastated and adversely affected by the decision to reduce the sugar industry and eventually close it, then Guyana’s future would be jeopardised.

“I warned on the campaign trail that this would have happened and it’s happening now…

They want us to lose

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo addressing sugar workers and their families at Enterprise Community Centre

hope and to give up on the industry…they want people to migrate…so that they will (be able to) change the demographics of this country,” Jagdeo explained to the audience.

The Opposition Leader laid the blame for the woes being faced by 4763 workers squarely at the feet of President David Granger.

Jagdeo contended that the decision to fire thousands of workers without a clear plan was “not necessary” as he insisted that it was motivated by political ideolo-

gy.

“I can’t find any other reason outside of the fact that they want people to migrate and change the voting pattern,” he also contended as he questioned why it was so hard for the Government to utilise one per cent of its budget to keep the industry going as it looked for solutions to deal with the problems facing the industry.

“But they wanted to shut down sugar,” Jagdeo remarked.

Cutting wastage

Jagdeo, who was Guyana’s longest-serv-

ing President, chided Granger for allegedly peddling lies and distortions about the amount of assistance and subsidy that were granted to the industry under the previous Administration and by his own Government.

“Granger inflated the subsidy by 32 billion and I pointed out that since they took office, the subsidy has increased threefold…they put in about 10.5 billion over the past three years, yet in those years sugar workers did not receive a salary increase…they cancelled the (Annual Production

Incentive) API and that’s why I called for an audit of the money that went into the industry…,” he explained.

The Opposition Leader was adamant that the Government could find the money to pay the workers now by simply cutting the wastage of taxpayers’ monies on providing Government Ministers and functionaries with the ‘good and luxurious life’.

He dismissed the excuses made by Government as “nonsense”.

“Nagamootoo’s budget grew from 3.3 million for discretionary use…105 million in this year’s budget…that alone leaving out the 400 million we spend on his ministry that does absolutely nothing…personally per month we spend over 10 million on him alone in all of the cost…,” Jagdeo maintained as he told Enterprise residents that “they (Government) can tomorrow find the money…the money is there ….”

The Opposition Leader also advised residents that the Government could have easily passed a supplementary financial paper for $5 billion and pay

workers’ severance. “… but they are turning their own supporters against sugar workers and even our own supporters …. it is a clever strategy, but they want people to beg” as he explained that the Government saw no difficulty with spending millions of dollars on the importation of luxurious vehicles and other facilities, but could not see the need to pay ordinary, hardworking sugar workers their benefits.

“This is where the money is going … this is a wanton waste of resources,” he remarked.

“This is about punishing sugar workers, because they hope that we will just give up on this country, but we are not going to give up…the day we give up, there will be no future for this country and that is why we have to keep struggling to get the kind of country that we want…,” Jagdeo insisted.

The Opposition Leader’s meeting came at a time when scores of workers across the country are complaining about the hardship they are made to face as a result of being unemployed and without an income to sustain their families.

8 news

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Drama continues as NBS Issues affecting sugar not seeks to block former CEO the fault of APNU/AFC Govt from cashing G$59M cheque …Coalition members say during protest

Former NBS CEO Maurice Arjoon

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few hours after issuing a G$59.3 million cheque to its former Chief Executive Officer, Maurice Arjoon, the New Building Society (NBS) said it would be taking steps to “safeguard the sum” since it was only issued “to avoid confrontation.”

The Society, in a bid to prevent High Court Marshals from levying its assets, locked customers and staffers in its head office for over five hours.

The standoff came as Arjoon’s lawyers secured a levy for G$59 million in compensation following his wrongful dismissal in 2011.

NBS issued a three-page statement on Wednesday denying unlawfully detaining customers, Marshals and a Police Officer, claiming that it thought it was being robbed.

The financial institution claimed that subsequently members of the Guyana Police Force informed management that the men were Marshals executing a levy.

However, customers locked in the building reported that they were prevented from leaving by security.

“Assuming that they were correct to levy for the Pension Benefits, this payment ought to have been made from the Pension Scheme Funds and not the NBS assets. The Society will, therefore, seek to redress this illegal and improper conduct of Mr Arjoon’s representatives, his lawyers and the Marshals,” the Society noted.

NBS’s management also outlined that the dismissal of Arjoon and two other senior officers had nothing to do with the Berbice Bridge or the intervention of any Government officials at that

time. They added that the Society’s investment in the Berbice Bridge was a very lucrative one and has been proven to be a correct decision. It was maintained that Arjoon and others were seeking to cover up their failure to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in the performance of their duties.

The Board of Directors of the Society at that time unanimously agreed to the dismissal of the three officers for serious infractions, including gross misconduct and negligent performance of their duties. The payment of G$69 million by these officials in an unauthorised manner and under highly suspicious circumstances caused the Society to suffer a loss by reimbursing the account holder via a court order in the sum of G$71 million, the Society noted.

Building a case Following the illegal detainment of a number of persons, the Police said that they were hoping to interview all the persons who were locked in as they sought to build a criminal case against the Society’s management.

About 16:45h on Tuesday, a number of NBS staff was allowed to leave the building. Though they all refused to comment, two workmen who were locked in the building related to media operatives that they were prevented from leaving.

“The guard man locked the door.

When we told him we wanted to (urinate), he said to (urinate) right in there,” one of the workers related.

“All the customers and so talking to them and they ain’t want move. They ain’t want open the door,” the other said.

After Police gained entry into the building, they arrested several managers and security personnel for false imprisonment. They were later released on station bail as the investigations continue.

Inaccurate representation

Arjoon’s Attorney, Sanjeev Datadin, in a telephone interview with Guyana Times International said that the Society’s statement was “utterly preposterous” and did not accurately represent the events of Tuesday afternoon. He clarified that the Marshals arrived with a single Police Officer and presented the court order to the Inquiries Officer and were told to continued on page 9

against PPP officials in Berbice

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Some of the workers on the protest line as they showed their dissatisfaction with the PPP’s meeting

embers of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) on Wednesday picketed the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) as it held meetings in Berbice with displaced sugar workers.

The coalition members had gone to Edinburgh hoping to confront Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo but he was not there. Nevertheless, they then assembled at Angoy’s Avenue where another meeting was scheduled to be held in order to disrupt the meeting there which they eventually were successful in doing.

This eventually led to a confrontation between the protesters and some sugar workers, with the Police being called in to control the protesters.

The coalition’s Regional Chairman, Kirk Fraser, said they were not there mainly to picket the main Opposition party but the let people know the truth.

“The closure of the sugar estate is not as a result of the APNU Government but is one which is in keeping with ensuring that the Guyanese people receive value for money. The Government had put G$22 billion into the industry from 2015 to 2017 in which no returns is received from the industry. We cannot allow taxpayers’ money to go down the drain without receiving any financial return,” he posited.

Fraser says whenever the PPP or-

ganises a meeting in the region, the coalition will picket them in an attempt to bring clarity to the issue. He said the issues affecting the sugar estates are not the fault of the coalition Government but that of the People’s Progressive Party Administration, which he said, ran the industry into the ground.

“GuySuCo is at present bankrupt and as a result of that the Government would have chipped in to ensure that the worker’s efforts are recognised by giving severance to the workers.

If GuySuCo had filed for bankruptcy then the workers would have been on the breadline,” Fraser said.

Executive Member of the People’s National Congress, Barbara Pilgrim, standing on the picket line, told the media that had the Government done what it should have done, workers would have been worse off and devastated.

“When an organisation files for bankruptcy, the first thing that happens is that those who are your creditors are the first persons you have to pay. If that was the case and GuySuCo had to pay all of those that it owes then the worker’s severance would be the last thing that would be paid but because this Government cares for the workers, they are putting up several billion dollars to pay severance,” Pilgrim explained.

AFC Exec Member lands in trouble again …charged for assaulting plantain chip vendor

E

m b a t t l e d E x e c u t i v e Member of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Abel Seetaram on Wednesday appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court charged with illegally wounding his cousin, who is a plantain chip vendor.

It is alleged that on Sunday, January 21 at Number 11 Village, West Coast Berbice, Seetaram wounded Nateram Rabindranauth.

Magistrate Rhondel Weaver granted Seetaram bail in the sum of G$100,000 on the felonious wounding charge and ordered that he returns to court on February 7, 2018.

It had been reported that the two men had an altercation which led to the incident. It was also

reported that Seetaram and his son inflicted a series of blows on the father of one. The embattled politician’s wife was also part of the fracas.

On May 30, 2016, Seetaram was fired from his post as Special Representative to the Prime Minister. Back then, a release was issued stating that the Office of the Prime Minister has “terminated with immediate effect the services of Abel Seetaram as Regional Representative of the Office of the Prime Minister for Region 5”.

Reports are that his firing came on the heels of comments he made on social media, where he lashed out at the AFC for “disrespecting him” after members of the party held an outreach without including him.

He was also involved

Embattled AFC executive Abel Seetaram

in another incident a few days before which saw him crashing a new and expensive Governmentowned vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

Reports are that on May 8, 2016, Seetaram allegedly lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the fence of a businessman. He was subsequently charged with being an unlicensed driver, dangerous driving and breach of insurance.

It is alleged that it was not the first time he has been involved in such a situation which resulted after he became intoxicated.

NEWS 9

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Media workers walk out of GDF Officers Conference …claim they were disrespected

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group of approximately 19 media operatives on Thursday morning staged a walkout on the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Annual Press Conference hosted at the Base Camp Ayanganna.

The media – inclusive of both state and private entities- were invited to cover the Annual Press Conference for 09:30hrs.

As such, most of the respective members complied and arrived long before the given time.

However, upon arrival, instead of being directed to the conference room located in the Officers’

Some of the media operatives as they were exiting the facility

Mess, they were diverted into another building and asked to wait in a

Drama continues as NBS seeks to ...

from page 8

tiny room- which resulted in overcrowding.

While in the room, the media operatives reminded the GDF’s Communication Officer, Major Earl Edghill that they needed to arrive at the conference room in a timely manner, so as to allow for them to set up cables and cameras to provide the coverage.

Edghill asserted that he was aware of this, and maintained that the operatives will be escorted

to the room later.

At approximately 09:45hrs, the large group reporters/journalists, cameramen and photographers were taken to the conference room, where it was observed that the Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger had already arrived and his presentation was well underway.

In addition to this, the media was informed that no seats were pro-

vided for them.

Faced with what was described as disrespectful and discourteous service to the media professionals, all of the media entities, including the state media, with the exception of the Department of Public Information (DPI), walked out.

In an effort to convince the respective members to return and provide coverage, GDF personnel Colonel Michael Shahoud apologised.

Shahoud, posited that the media was not invited to cover the opening statement as it contained “some sensitive information which we would not want members of the public to be privy to.”

At this point, the observation that the DPI had been allowed access from the very inception, and were seen videoing the proceedings of the conference, was questioned.

However, Shahoud was vague with his re-

sponse, but noted that the GDF’s cameras were recording.

The Guyana Press Association (GPA) in a subsequent release expressed solidarity with the media entities that walked out, while describing the situation as “gross disrespect for those in the profession.”

According to the GPA, it “would like to use this opportunity to remind the Guyana Defence Force of the importance of the media, not only as a group but as a major partner that also works to ensure the integrity and sovereignty of this country. The media does not work in a vacuum and its members should be treated with the respect it deserves.”

The Association said further that “it is unfortunate that the GDF continues to engage the media in this manner even after repeated attempts to engage and work towards a better relationship.” (Ramona Luthi)

Attorney Sanjeev Datadin interacting with Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum during Tuesday’s lockdown

await the arrival of the Operations Manager.

He noted that this was complied with but after the lockdown, armed ranks arrived on scene.

“They were fully aware that there were court marshals who were wearing ID badges and fully aware of the court orders; they had the court order, it was handed to the staff – the staff went upstairs with the court order. They wanted to resist the levy and they locked the doors, which, by the way, is unlawful. Interfering with a marshal in the course of a levy is a criminal offence,” Datadin noted.

He further stated that his client would have already deposited the cheque and if the Society made any move to revoke that cheque, then it would be contempt of court.

“I would love to see what steps they want to do to secure the money.

There is a court order that say they must pay Mr Arjoon, and if they’re not going to pay the man, then surely they are all happily ready to answer the contempt charges,” he reiterated.

“Their lawyers wanted to give a cheque for G$10 million and then

we’re going to talk about the rest because they supposedly can’t write a cheque for the amount, a company that made billions in profit can’t write a cheque for that amount….,” Datadin added.

He noted that the story of being afraid of being robbed was “entirely a concoction of convenience”.

The case

The former CEO took NBS to court for his outstanding pension and other benefits in 2011.

Arjoon had originally sued the lending agency for some G$550 million in damages.

High Court Judge, Justice Brassington Reynolds subsequently ruled in the dismissed CEO’s favour, awarding him more than G$79 million in outstanding payments and benefits. The court also ruled that he should be paid a monthly pension of G$372,498.

The Judge further ordered that the former CEO should receive financial compensation for the damages he had suffered; and moreover, that he was entitled to his pension and severance benefits, in accordance with provisions stipulated in the laws of Guyana.

(Lakhram Bhagirat)

President David Granger and Minister of State Joseph Harmon share a light moment following the opening of the Conference

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“Shine Buck” jailed for life for raping minor …“I see no basis for showing you mercy” – Judge tells accused

By Shemuel Fanfair

F

ollowing a series of attacks on a young victim, Rohan Daniels, a logger, also known as “Shine Buck” was on Wednesday evening found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a child family member by a 12-member jury at the High Court.

The panel deliberated for about three hours and they were tasked with handing a verdict on four separate counts of child sex activity.

An 11-1 proportion found him guilty on the first count and a proportion of 10-2 determined that he was guilty on the third count. However, on the second count, the jury was unable to return a formal verdict (9-3 proportion), while he was unanimously found not guilty on the fourth count.

According to the particulars of the first and fourth counts for which he was found guilty, “Shine Buck” between April 12 and 13, 2014, and July 23, 2016 performed vaginally penetrative acts on the minor.

She was between 10 and 13 years old during the span of the attacks.

After hearing the jury’s decision, Daniels with a stony appearance was unrepentant when the court enquired if he had anything to say. “I am not guilty of this act; that’s all, thank you,” the soon to be convicted man related.

A relative of the Virtual Complainant read out the girl’s statement in court where the child outlined that she lives in discomfort and harbours difficulty relating to males. According to the victim, since the sexual abuse, she often has nightmares and bad dreams with constant flashbacks of the harrowing attacks inflicted upon her. She said she does not play with friends and spends much time self-harming herself.

“I want him to go away for life and I want him to die there; he will be judged by God. I want all men when they see people’s girl children, they must leave them alone,” the victim stressed.

“I feel messed up about what happened to me,” she added. During the trial, it was highlighted that the victim’s mother had walked in when one of the illegal acts were being commit-

UG students call on Govt to address ‘deplorable’ conditions on campus

S Guilty! Logger Rohan Daniels was found guilty on two counts of child sexual activity

ted.

In handing down the sentence, Sexual Offences Court Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall observed that she considered the nature of the offences, the circumstances under which the acts were committed and that the accused violated the child in the presence of other siblings and also when the victim’s mother was away at work.

Justice Ramlall stressed that Daniels expressed no remorse after being found guilty and said she saw no basis for the court to show him mercy. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for each count and the prison terms will run concurrently. The accused who attempted to shield his face with a book while being led away by Police will at the very least spend the next 40 years behind bars before he has the chance to be paroled.

everal students of the University of Guyana have called on Government to pay attention to the deplorable conditions in which they have to study and learn.

They also lambasted the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) for not doing enough to lobby for more meaningful infrastructural changes and upgrades to be effected at the Turkeyen Campus.

The students contend that since the coalition Government entered office, they have only been promised that the University would be transformed and modernised, with special emphasis being placed on upgrading its edifice and improving the quality of education on offer.

“It’s a very sickening situation. The campus buildings need repairs, the classrooms are filthy and not conducive to learning, and most, overcrowded. This situation has to change,” Kamini Persaud, a student of the Faculty of Social Sciences, explained.

“We need the administration and Vice Chancellor to place more emphasis on addressing the burning issues that are affecting our stay here. I think that it would take little to nothing out of these big officials to meet with the

students to listen to what can be done to make our lives better,” Jermaine Thomas opined.

The students have said that while the University has improved its registration process, there is still a lot of confusion when new students attempt to go through the process to become fully registered.

“The staff (are) most times rude, petty, and unhelpful. This is another area that I feel like the Vice Chancellor’s attention (should be called to). And maybe the Education Minister can intervene and provide the professionals here with some sort of training and development that would see them treating students and prospective students better,” another student who asked not to be named suggested.

The students feel that their elected facul-

ty representatives can do much more to advance these causes, but often become bogged down by their own personal situations and end up frustrated by the non-action by the University on many fronts.

“Security is also another issue that I feel strongly they should address. There are a lot of robberies taking place around the Campus, and when you have to leave here late at nights, it does be very scary,” Padma Persaud explained.

Students have, for years, been complaining about the deplorable conditions that they have to study in, but only when there are serious protests and lobbying by students is ad hoc work started, and then halted as soon as things return to normalcy.

Diamond man slapped with murder charge A n unemployed man of Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), who was identified as being the gunman who robbed and killed a Kaneville, EBD resident was on Tuesday arraigned for his murder before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Ryon Carter, of Lot 525 12th Avenue Diamond, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The capital charge stated that on December 13, 2017 at Kaneville, the 22-year-old man killed Ishwar Ramanah during the course of a robbery.

He was remanded until February 22 when he would reappear in court.

Ramanah, 30, called “Jack”, of 624 Macaw Drive, Kaneville, was shot to his abdomen when two armed bandits

Deceased: Ishwar Ramanah

invaded his home just after midnight.

Guyana Times International understands that the machine operator was attacked and relieved of a gold chain valued at some G$40,000 while at home.

Before leaving, one of the gunmen shot Ramanah.

The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent surgery.

He, however, died one month after the incident.

The Police were able to recover a spent shell casing of a small calibre weapon at the crime scene.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

APNU/AFC grinding Guyana’s once buoyant and promising economy into the ground …says Opposition Leader

By Michael Younge

G

uyanese will have to prepare to face the hardships that lie ahead as the Government continues to make blunder after blunder as it seeks to implement a host of projects which may not have any immediate positive impact or the ability to remove the daunting socioeconomic challenges facing the ordinary man.

In fact, they should be worried about the quality of life they are likely to have under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition Government which is squandering State resources and grinding Guyana’s once buoyant and promising economy into the ground.

These were the sentiments expressed by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo as he gave his outlook on the country’s economy and the performance of the incumbent coalition Government which has wielded Executive power since May 2015 after winning the General and

Regional Elections.

Jagdeo said the coalition has not lived up to many of the important promises it made on the campaign trail and is still unable to familiarise its Cabinet Ministers with the concepts of good governance, accountability and transparency.

He argued that when one looks at the rhetoric and statements attributed to several high-ranking figures in the David Granger Administration, one can easily understand the limitations of the Government, its inability to properly decode and read the mood of its citizenry, and the fact that no clear leadership is being provided with respect to how to achieve the targets set out in its manifesto in order for citizens to enjoy the “good life” in the shortest possible period.

The Opposition Leader said he was happy that the Guyanese are themselves seeing with their own eyes, the chaos that is taking place in every sector of the country. He said the David Granger Administration was incompetent, corrupt and arrogant as he lambast-

ed it for failing to attract and secure any meaningful foreign direct investment to the country’s ailing economy.

Policy confusion

Jagdeo said the policy confusion and poor policy implementation and evaluation were also responsible for the Government’s overall poor performance and the magnitude of problems that are facing the population which is now struggling to cope in the turbulent conditions brought on by a disillusioned Government.

Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said the PPP still believes good governance is premised on Government’s ability to adopt a holistic and multiethnic approach whenever it is rolling out policies and making decisions that can prove racially, socially or politically sensitive, given Guyana’s unique dynamics.

“They know we have the support to win the next elections… Our time is coming and we will work to ensure that we win handsomely because…We are a par-

ty for all of Guyana and not a single race… We still believe strongly that a country can only develop if all of its people move forward together,” the Opposition Leader said as he slammed the coalition’s piecemeal, divisive and irrational approach to handling the affairs of the country.

He said that it was regrettable that close to 25,000 Guyanese have lost their jobs since the coalition came to power with more and more workers being placed on the breadline because of the inconsiderate and irrational policies of the Government which puts profits above the wellbeing of people.

Corruption and incompetence

“Every week is a new corruption scandal”, Jagdeo opined as he said the coalition can never lecture anybody in this country again on issues related to transparency and openness. He noted that despite claiming that there was massive corruption under the PPP, the Government has not charged high ranking officials which libelled

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

and accused in spite of the multimillion-dollar Commission of Inquires established.

“Why is the Integrity Commission being disbanded…

Why you don’t want to trace people’s assets abroad….

Government Ministers are collecting bribes…

It’s almost impossible to win anything with public tendering now…”, he remarked as he gave examples of what obtains under the coalition’s stewardship of the economy.

He insisted the current Government would be going to the next elections with a “ton of baggage” under its belt as the cracks are being exposed on the coalition’s repainted walls.

Jagdeo heavily criticised the Government’s disregard for the Constitution and

Guyana’s financial laws as he equally expressed concern over the billions of dollars being wiped out from the public and paid as “settlement” in a number of judicial matters because of the incompetence of the Government’s Chief Legal Advisors.

“They are squandering more…they are borrowing more…consuming more… and squandering our future…They believe they know everything”, he said.

The Opposition insisted that the PPP will not drop its guard and remains dedicated towards fighting for workers’ rights and the rights of all law abiding citizens. He said too the party was more determined now than ever before to defend the gains made by Guyana and the right of its people to hold the Government accountable.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Cuban couple jailed Businessman, wife stabbed for forging permanent during daring robbery attack A resident card

A

Tahemiah Batista

couple, who found themselves in hot water after a Caribbean Airline Customer Service Representative realised that they were using a forged permanent Canadian resident card, were on Tuesday jailed.

Tahemiah Batista, 28; and Josiah Rodriguez, 29; both Cubans were slapped with a forgery charge and appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

They admitted that on January 20, 2018, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with intent to defraud, they uttered to a Caribbean Airlines Customer Service Representative one forged Canadian resident card in favour of themselves.

According to the facts presented

Josiah Rodriguez

by Assistant Superintendent of Police Steven Telford, the couple were outgoing passengers on a Canada bound flight when the card given to the Customer Service Representative was examined.

It was found to be fake. When questioned, Batista told officers that her boyfriend gave her the card which he purchased online for US$2000. She further explained that she was unaware that it was fake.

Rodriguez also explained that he was unaware that the card he purchased online was not authentic. They were both jailed for 9 months and are expected to be deported after serving their prison sentences.

UG to commemorate Dr Cheddi Jagan’s 100th birth anniversary pected to organise a series of exhibitions on the life and works of the late President, hold symposia at both campuses, and install a commemorative plaque at the Cheddi B Jagan Lecture Theatre, Turkeyen Campus.

The opportunity will be taken to raise funds to renovate the Lecture Theatre, and to increase awareness about Dr Jagan among the younger generation.

PPP activities

T

The late Dr Cheddi Jagan

o celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr Cheddi Jagan, the University of Guyana will be hosting a series of academic activities in honour of the late Guyanese President and co-founder of the institution in March this year.

According to UG Vice Chancellor Lloyd Griffith, the commemoration is intended to be consonant with the role of universities to facilitate discourse on significant personalities, policies, programmes, and events, analysing relevant aspects, some of which might be contentious.

Griffith stressed that the commemoration would not be a partisan pursuit, nor would it facilitate such, adding that he had recently convened the inaugural meeting of the 12-member broad-based planning committee tasked to recommend a comprehensive set of commemorative events.

The planning committee is ex-

Meanwhile, in honour of the late President, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will be hosting several activities throughout 2018 to mark his 100th birth anniversary.

Among those activities are an academic conference and special cultural events across the country.

The aim of these activities is to reflect on the life and achievements of the late President and co-founder of the Party.

According to the PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, the Party also hoped to spread more awareness among the youth population about Jagan.

From premier to chief minister and later President, Jagan is one of the noblest icons in Guyanese and Caribbean political history.

Further, activities to mark Jagan’s birth anniversary will not only be limited to Region Four (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), but would take place in all three counties. Activities are also planned for the Diaspora.

Cheddi Berret Jagan was born on March 22, 1918, at Plantation Port Mourant, British Guiana. He was a politician and union activist, who in 1953 became the first popularly-elected Prime Minister of British Guiana (now Guyana). He headed the country’s Government again from 1957 to 1964 and from 1992 to 1997.

Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD) couple are patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital after they were robbed and stabbed by four masked bandits on Monday.

The couple, Goeberdhan and Sangeeta Mahabir, both of Nowran Dam, Sisters Village, were injured about 21:30h, while Goeberdhan was in the process of closing his variety store – which is located in front of his two-storey home.

Guyana Times International was told that the elderly man had just closed his gate and was about to enter the shop – which leads into his house – when the bandits jumped the fence and pounced on him.

Two of the bandits, who were armed with knives – entered the house and attacked Sangeeta while the remaining two, who were also armed, remained with the businessman.

The two men assaulted the elderly man, while their accomplices proceeded to ransack the variety store, where an undisclosed amount of cash was found.

Just before leaving the scene, the bandits stabbed the couple several times about their bodies, before fleeing west.

The house where the couple resides

“He [Goeberdhan] got a stab to his belly, one to his head and he get a cut on his forehead and she, on the right arm, she got about five or six stabs there and on her back leg and on her back,” a relative explained.

The couple’s nephew, who resides a short distance away, told this publication that he heard screams coming from his uncle’s home and upon checking, he observed him on the ground in front of his shop, bleeding profusely.

“He told us that he was just about closing up and after closing the gate, he just walk back [towards the house] and four of them [bandits] jump the fence and two of them attack him and two of them run inside and attack his wife,” he said.

Another relative explained that a resident rushed the couple to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

They were subsequently transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

At the scene on Tuesday, this newspaper observed spots of blood inside the shop and in front of the yard.

In addition, it was reported that a hat, suspected to be that of one of the suspects, was found at the scene.

Guyana Times International was told that this is the third time within a one-year period the couple were robbed.

An investigation has been launched; however, no one has yet been arrested.

Miner killed after pit collapses at Konawaruk

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miner is now dead, and another is seriously injured after a mining pit collapsed at 35 Miles Konawaruk Backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) on Monday.

Dead is 23-year-old Handel Payne, also called “Daggie” of Kaneville Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Information reaching Guyana Times International revealed that Payne and others were working in the mining pit when a piece of the mud wall collapsed behind him and struck him in the mid-section. He reportedly fell unconscious by which time the water began to rise rapidly.

He was submerged and subsequently drowned. He was later pulled out and rushed to the Mahdia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Reports are another miner received severe injuries, and was currently hospitalised at the Mahdia Hospital. His identity has not been revealed.

The pit is reportedly owned by Collin Robertson, 34, of One Mile Extension, Wismar, Linden, who also worked as the jet man.

Back in 2015, 10 persons died in a mining pit in the Konawaruk area after it collapsed. The incident saw 17 miners being buried under a pile of dirt and rubble but seven of them made it out alive with varying injuries.

The others remained trapped un-

Dead miner: Handel Payne

der the dirt where they eventually perished. The 10 trapped miners were Leyland Jones, Jason Trotman, Vick Bernard, Frank Bernard, Desmond Martins, Raymond August, Brian Bank, Trevon Phillips, Nanmore Kurt and another man identified only as ‘Michael’.

The deaths were blamed on heavy rains in the area, improper mining design and poor safety practices at the mining camp.

Meanwhile, with respect to the mining death on Monday, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has launched an investigation. The body of Payne was transported to the Mahdia Hospital Mortuary to await a post-mortem.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Farewell party’ turns into deadly final goodbye …as 2 dead, 2 critical following accident

By Lakhram Bhagirat

W

hat was a bittersweet celebration for four close friends turned into a final goodbye for two of them when they met their demise following an accident at Cornelia Ida, on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) late Tuesday night.

Twenty-six-year-old father of one, Romel Henry, of Lot 20 Second Street, Windsor Forest, WCD and 26-year-old route 32-minibus conductor, Doesh Sukhu of Lot 12 Gap Road, La Jalousie, WCD were both pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital at around 00:30h on Wednesday.

It is reported that the duo were out drinking with two The mangled car

other friends; one of whom was expected to leave Guyana on Wednesday to permanently reside in the USA. According to the Police, investigations so far reveals that at around 23:30h on Tuesday, motor car PSS 413 driven by 25-year-old Mohammed Zahirulla Osman of Pakistan Street, La Jalousie with occupants Henry, Sukhu and 29-year-old Rajendra Nandalall of 58 Third Street, Windsor Forest, was proceeding East along the northern carriageway of the Corneila Ida Public Road, when Osman lost control of the vehicle.

After losing control of the vehicle, it crashed into a fence followed by a lamppost before coming to a halt in a yard on the northern side of the road.

Dead: Romel Henry

The driver and the occupants were rushed to West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where Henry and Sukhu were pronounced dead on arrival. While Nandalall was treated and sent away, Osman was transferred to Woodlands Hospital where he is a patient under guard.

When Guyana Times International visited the scene of the accident, it was cleared of all debris and residents reported seeing or hearing no accident.

Sukhu’s father, Paul Persaud, related that he got a call at around 00:30h and immediately rushed to the WDRH where he saw his only son’s lifeless body.

“I went to the Hospital and when I went there they tell me to identify the body. It was the two of them, I identified it,

and the doctors said that he died on arrival. His body was smooth but no major damage but the back of his head was bleeding,” he related.

“He went with a friend who was scheduled to leave the country last night and they went and have couple beers and they were heading back,” he added.

The elder Sukhu further stated that the Police are yet to inform the family of their findings despite repeated requests. He also explained that his son is a farmer and part-time minibus conductor.

The grieving father said he lived alone with his son and describes him as a humble, peaceful and kind individual.

Meanwhile, Henry’s mother, Saleta Parbudin, said she is unaware of the circumstances surrounding her son’s death since information is not forthcoming.

“I don’t know what time (I received the call) but my cousin called me and said that my nephew ah come with this car to come collect you to go collect Rome at CI (Cornelia Ida).

When they carry me, there is no Rome and they carry me to Best (WDRH). I didn’t get to see my son. I hear they said two persons dead already so me say ‘weh meh son?’ ‘Me want see meh son’ and me start scream and me run to the door at the Best Hospital and meh

Dead: Doesh Sukhu

brother and boujee (sister-inlaw) bring me home back and me nah get fuh see meh son, till today (Wednesday) meh nah get fuh see meh son,” the grieving mother related.

Fighting back tears, Parbudin added that her son came home from lunch around midday on Tuesday and went back out to his barbershop and never returned home.

Relatives who identified Henry’s body said the young man’s body was badly mangled and suspected his entire left shoulder and leg were broken. They said he also had a gaping hole to the side of his head.

Henry leaves to mourn his wife and nine-month-old son.

Both bodies are at the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour awaiting post-mortem examinations which are expected to be performed on Friday. Police investigations are ongoing.

14 news

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Banks DIH records G$4.2B after-tax profit

B

anks DIH Limited registered a G$4.243 billion after-tax profit for 2017.

This is against the after tax-profit of G$4.702 billion garnered in 2016, according to the company’s Annual Financial Report.

This result was produced because the company’s trading profit rose in 2017 by 22.3% over the previous year’s, although after-tax profit fell by 9.76% over the period, because of a one-off Chairman and Managing Director of Banks DIH Limited, Clifford Reis

gain in 2016.

The report, presented by Banks Chairman and Managing Director Clifford Reis, stated that, in the prior year, the company benefited from the one-off gain of G$1.4 billion accrued as a result of the disposal of the investment securities held in Banks Holdings Ltd and Desnoes and Geddes (Jamaica) Ltd, and because of the dissolution of BCL (Barbados) Ltd. The group’s net assets value per share has increased from G$31.72 to G$33.33, and the company has increased its dividend proposal to shareholders to G$1.04 per share unit, resulting in an overall cost of G$884 million.

“The improved results were made possible as a result of the increase in sales of our malt products, aerated and liquor beverages, and food products,” the Chairman noted in the 2017 Annual Report.

Reis said the company also benefited from the reduction in prices paid for several key raw and packaging materials, which included sugar and pre-forms.

“Prudent management of our asset base and financial resources also contributed to the overall results,” he added.

Stating that the global economy had experienced some shock as a result of the general elections in the US, he said there were marginal improvements resulting from the increase in commodity and oil prices.

The Banks Chairman and Managing Director also stated in his report that the implementation of the Environmental

Levy of G$10 per container on all non-returnable glass and PET containers had helped to reduce consumer spending, which ultimately affected retail sales.

In addition to that, Reis said, the company weathered the effects of an artificial increase in foreign exchange rates, which affected the acquisition costs for raw and packaging materials, plant and machinery spares, and capital equipment; in addition to foreign exchange and payment for goods and services.

Reis noted that the distribution warehouse was extended by an additional 15,900 square feet of new storage space; a new malt intake system was installed in the brewery; and the beer bottling plant benefited from the installation of a crate washer and a new cleaver brook boiler. Modernisation of the Trisco cookies and crackers lines was continued with the acquisition of new packaging equipment.

Citizen’s Bank

Touching on the performance of Citizen’s Bank, the Chairman stated that revenue was G$3.5 billion, compared to G$3.2 billion, an increase of G$287 million, or 8.8 per cent. Profit after tax was G$727 million.

Reis said that from a net profit of G$3.8 billion, a dividend payment of G$802 million was made, leaving G$3 billion for transfer to retained earnings.

He noted that the company performed well in 2017, but the uncertain global and local economic environments, together with the effects of changing global weather patterns, are factors which would adversely affect the company.

“We continue to examine areas in which we can diversify our business portfolio,” the Chairman added.

Meanwhile, the company also announced that its AGM will be held at Thirst Park on Saturday, January 27. At the AGM, shareholders will receive the financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2017, and the reports of the directors and auditors, among other activities.

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Govt committed to liberalisation of telecoms sector – Hughes

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espite promising a fully-liberalised telecommunications sector by the first quarter of 2018, Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes declined to give a timeline for its realisation in light of fruitful talks with GTT and its parent company, Atlantic Tele-Network International (ATNI).

On Monday, Minister Hughes reported that negotiations with GTT and its parent company for the lifting of the monopoly on the telecommunications sector have been fruitful, adding that one needed to take into context the fact that the companies have had the upper hand for over 20 years.

She added that both companies and the

Government want to leave the negotiating table with the best deal.

The negotiations to date have been conducted in an extremely cordial manner, she said, adding “if you recognise that GTT and ATNI have had a monopoly situation that have lasted for over 20 years, then you can understand that from the perspective of both parties

…GTT tax dispute takes centre stage

they want to ensure that they are coming to table to get the best…at the end of the day, on the Government side, we want to ensure that we get the deal that is going to be good for the people of Guyana.”

According to the Public Telecommunications Minister, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) wanted to make sure that Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

“they are covering all their bases from the financial end from taxes that would have been paid, from things that could be offered to the sector as a whole, so, therefore, the focus is not on getting this done in the shortest space of time, but making sure that we come up with an end gain that suits everyone.”

The liberalisation of the sector is heavily dependent on the settlement of a US$44 million tax claim against GTT. However, the company continues to enjoy the monopoly in international voice and data services until 2030.

Tax breaks

When asked about the granting of special tax breaks in exchange for the liberalisation of the sector in the shortest time possible, the Minister noted that queries on the financial and tax aspects of the negotiations

should be directed to the Finance Minister and Head of the GRA. “Those are some of the issues they are looking at; however, I will remind you that the environment provides for a liberalised environment, which means that everybody comes to the table to get and apply for the same terms and conditions; there are no special outcomes given to any particular company,” she noted.

“The Government is very committed to ensure that liberalisation comes in the fastest possible time; however, the tax issues do not come under my purview. Only the Minister of Finance or the Commissioner General of the GRA can deal with those aspects and, therefore, we are working very swiftly to ensure that we cover all of those areas,” she added.

End to monopoly

GTT and the Government began negotiations on December 9, 2016 hoping to put an end to the 26-year-old monopoly on the fixed line market. GTT has held sway in fixed line, international voice and data markets since 1990 and the initial 20-year contract was renewed in 2010 for another 10 years (until 2030).

The talks came following the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 2016.

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Greenidge to head Guyana’s delegation to India

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge

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ice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, will lead a delegation, including Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, to India for a meeting of the GuyanaIndia Joint Commission and for Inter-Ministerial Consultations scheduled for January 29 to

February 3, according to a release from the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs.

The visit will provide an opportunity for the two States to further enhance relations through an exchange of political dialogue as well as for the fostering of economic and cultural cooperation.

The Joint Commission facilitates talks between the two countries on all aspects of bilateral relations while the Inter-Ministerial Consultations allow for dialogue in areas of common interest at both the regional and global levels.

“Since the independence of Guyana in 1966 and the immediate establishment of political and diplomatic relations with India, our mutual relationship has been strong. Our ongoing social and cultural cooperation is a reflection of this close link,” stated Minister Greenidge.

“The visit is intended to set a policy framework for medium to long term cooperation,” he added.

While in India, the Foreign Minister is expected to sign and rat-

ify the Framework Agreement on the establishment of the International Solar Alliance, a platform through which sun-rich countries collectively address common challenges related to the use of solar energy. This will serve to advance Guyana’s efforts to establish a “Green Economy”, including through its renewable energy sector, as well as further solidify the bond between the two countries.

Also slated for signature is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the cultural exchange programme between the two Governments.

Guyana and India have already collaborated on several development projects in areas such as infrastructure, energy, information and communications technology (ICT) and agriculture.

Additionally, in 2016, the two States signed an MOU, which allowed for the creation of a Centre of Excellence in Information Technology.

Formal diplomatic relations between Guyana and India were established on May 26, 1966.

Brazilian prison escapee nabbed in Lethem

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olice ranks of the Mounted Branch stationed in Lethem, while on patrol on Wednesday in the Takatu River area, detained for questioning, a male with a foreign accent who upon seeing the ‘troopers’ began acting in a suspicious manner.

Shortly after, the detainee was positively identified to be Roger Batalha Rodrigues who, recently in the company of ninety-nine (99) others, escaped from prison in neighbouring Brazil.

Police Public Relations and Press Officer, Jairam Ramlakhan in a statement posited that Rodrigues, who at the time of escape was serving a sentence for vehicular theft, has since been handed over to law enforcement officials in Brazil.

According to Ramlakhan, “since the establishment of the Mounted Branch in Lethem on December 04, 2015, in an effort to combat crime in isolated areas, it can be said that the equine section of the Force has ensured that its presence is continuously felt; so far, a number of persons have been arrested, charged

Roger Batalha Rodrigues

and committed to prison for various offences including trafficking and possession of narcotics and possession of ammunition.”

The Section is currently headed Superintendent of Police Michael Sutton who is supported by Corporal Fitzgerald Adolphus and several other ranks with years of experience in the Mounted Section of the Force.

The Police PRO said that this section has in its pool of resources a number of fit stallions “that are always champing at the bit to stretch their legs on the wide open savannahs in running down those elements of society that have ran afoul of the law.”

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

First Lady rolls out more Guyana Govt moving training programmes ahead with plans to

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irst Lady Sandra Granger on Wednesday met with Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO), Jennifer Ferreira Dougall to discuss plans to implement projects such as the SelfReliance and Success in Business initiative in the Region during the course of 2018.

During the meeting, which was held at State House, the First Lady said that she was looking to collaborate with the Regional Administration to implement these projects with the aim of enhancing the lives of citizens of the Region. She explained that her office has been asked to train more women to be successful in their own business endeavours. “This year, of course, we will also have training programmes in child care and care of the elderly with the aim of having those people who

build law school

First Lady Sandra Granger and Region Three DREO Jennifer Ferreira Dougall

are trained certified by the Board of Industrial Training and we also have our [Information and Communication Technology] ICT workshops for adolescents and school leavers so those are some of the things that we plan to do this year,” she said.

The First Lady said that her office was currently planning for this year’s projects, and noted that she would be supported by the Education and Public Telecommunications Ministries in the implementation of some of the projects.

Ex-GDF’s rank trial

Judge, jury visit Agricola murder scene A s the High Court trial of former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Private Abiola Jacobs continued, Justice James BovellDrakes, the presiding judge, and the jury on Monday visited the home of murdered housewife Donna Taylor, 55.

On January 31, 2014, Taylor’s motionless body was found lying face up at her Lot 16-17 Agricola, Greater Georgetown home. Her throat was slit, her hands were behind her back, and her shirt was wrapped around her neck.

The defendant, Jacobs, was placed at the scene of the attack. She has, however, denied the allegation of having murdered Taylor, and has been on trial for the last few weeks.

The jury was recently told by Taylor’s daughter, Marcelle Collymore, that the accused, Abiola Jacobs, and her mother had had a fight on the day of her mother’s demise. This was also confirmed in the evidence of Police Superintendent Joel David, who testified that Jacobs informed him that she had spoken with Taylor on the day of her death.

Superintendent David had also observed that survivor of the at-

Former GDF rank Abiola Jacobs being escorted from court

tack, Samantha Sabbatt, had placed Jacobs at the scene of the January 31, 2014 ordeal. Sabbatt was an overseas British guest of the Taylors at the time of the housewife’s demise, while Jacobs was the estranged girlfriend of Taylor’s son, Bertrum Taylor, Jr. It is believed that Jacobs killed her ex-boyfriend’s mother over the differences she shared with the woman’s son.

According to reports, the murdered woman was attacked while in bed at some time after 23:00h. She was reportedly dragged to the back of the Agricola flat that she rented. Her body was discovered by a neighbor, who informed other relatives.

Samatha Sabatt was injured after she jumped

from the window of the two-storey house when persons invaded the Lot 16-17 Agricola property.

Taylor’s cause of death has been given as shock and haemorrhage due to incised wounds compounded with blunt trauma to the head.

Jacobs, of 55 Evans Phillips Park, Agricola, was arrested by Police just days after Taylor’s demise, and was subsequently charged with her murder.

The accused woman is being represented by Defence Counsel Adrian Thompson, while Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Mandell Moore are representing the State.

After Monday’s visit to the area, Justice BovellDrakes adjourned the matter to continue on Thursday.

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Attorney General Basil Williams

espite various contentions surrounding the process by which Guyana is planning to set up a law school, the country’s Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams says that Guyana will go ahead with its plans.

Williams is holding out that Guyana has not been refused permission to set up a law school. As such, preparations are being made to advance this process with the identification of space at the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus where the proposed school should be built.

The AG said, however, while UG has identified 15 acres of the 150 acres that it has, which is close to the area that houses the Forensic Laboratory, that would not be sufficient.

“We are right now in the process of the feasibility where we looking at all factors including the criteria in establishing under the auspices of the (Council of Legal Education) CLE … nobody can stop us from building a law school … we are founding members of Caricom and we feel that we have a right … We want to build a law school here,” he added.

While the CLE has agreed to establish a law school in Guyana, approval would only be granted after a feasibility study is conducted. Asked to provide

an update on this process which extends beyond finding a suitable location, the AG did not have this information readily available for the media.

However, this study is being conducted through a joint partnership with the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) and the Law College of the Americas (LCA), and the criteria of the University of The Bahamas, formerly The College of The Bahamas, to offer a law degree have to be applied.

Blame game

Again, Williams attacked CLE Chairman Reginald Armour. “We are saying that no international organisation is driven by the Opposition and we have an email sent from him (Armour) to (Anil) Nandlall assuring him that he will put the item on the agenda without consulting me, the sitting Attorney General for Guyana,” Williams said, explaining that this led to a partial delay in the setting up of the school.

However, despite the blame game, the AG said he was not yet ready to inform the CLE of the members of a committee that will meet with that regional body next month. Although naming the members of that committee, Williams said, “We don’t have to submit nothing to no CLE until we are ready. Mr Armour is not

in charge of the CLE. Mr Armour is a servant of the Council, including the Council of Ministers who told him that he couldn’t publish no statement that he did and he had to withdraw it.”

The Attorney General revealed that the members of Guyana’s committee include the Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Yonette CummingsEdwards; Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George; Retired Justices Duke Pollard, Claudette Singh and Rudolph James; Professor Harold Lutchman, and the Registrar of UG, Dr Nigel Gravesande.

Williams maintains that a Review Committee could not overrule a decision taken by the Council in 2017 in regard to the issue of whether Guyana should be allowed to build a law school.

The Attorney General had, in early December 2017, said in a statement that the CLE Chairman was relying on a report of a Review Committee to state that the CLE never gave permission to Guyana to establish its own law school after decades of lobbying for an alternative to the three existing law schools currently servicing the Caribbean.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall had queried if graduates of the proposed law school would be eligible to practise anywhere else in the Caribbean or the world, or whether graduates would be qualified to practise only in Guyana.

He also questioned the quality-control scrutiny, or steps taken to verify and authenticate the academic integrity and standards of the partners that would be assisting Guyana to set up the school.

Government announced in January 2017 it would start a project to establish the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas.

The JOF Haynes Law School is being established through a public-private partnership entered into between the Government of Guyana, the Law School of the Americas (LCA) and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC), and will add to the existing options available to holders of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Where are the investments?’

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hile the coalition Government has bragged that it was able to attract billions in investments for 2017, both Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and a United States Department of State report for last year refute this assertion.

In a November 12, 2017, column entitled ‘A fresh message of hope to drown out the noise’ Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo boasted of 240 investment projects worth G$187 billion in Guyana that are “now moving through the pipelines”. Then, in his January 14 column ‘My Turn’, the Prime Minister assured that G$187 billion in investments were facilitated by the Business Ministry last year.

This time, however, he stated that investment agreements were entered into for 136 projects. Very little specifics were offered and at a recent press conference, Jagdeo took the Prime Minister to task for the unsubstantiated and in fact conflicting figures he quoted.

“I saw it said; new jobs are being created, not to lose hope.

That is what Prime Minister in his column told sugar workers. And this is what he said.

Investment agreements were entered into for 136 projects valued at G$187 billion, via the Ministry of Business, last year.”

“Can you tell me where (is) this G$187 billion of investment we got?” Jagdeo questioned. “And how many jobs have been created? In fact, we

… Jagdeo challenges PM Nagamootoo to show proof

US report

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

have lost jobs, about 25,000 jobs, since this Government took office. We’re haemorrhaging jobs every single day, because of the state of the economy.”

Noting that this was equivalent to US$2 billion in projects, Jagdeo questioned the veracity of the quoted figure.

He urged Business Minister Dominic Gaskin to come clean and explain specifically which jobs were created.

“If you look at the balance of payment, you have an anaemic sum coming in. It’s dropped. Foreign direct investment has fallen dramatically,” Jagdeo said, adding that the coalition remains reliant on projects and investments attracted by the former administration.

Meanwhile, the 2017 US State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs investment climate report on Guyana has declared that the country’s long-term efforts to attract investors remain largely unsuccessful.

According to the report, the Government does indeed publicly encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). But it noted that success outside of Guyana’s extractive sectors remain limited.

“Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Guyana is actively encouraged and seen by the Government of Guyana as critical to Guyana’s economic development,” the report states.

“Numerous incentives are offered to investors. Despite these incentives, Guyana’s long-term record in attracting Private Sector investment remains poor.”

The report acknowledges the existence of the Guyana Office for Investment (GoInvest) and noted that new management, such as a Board and Chief Executive Officer, were recently appointed. It also acknowledged that incentives are provided for foreign and domestic investors, like duty-free concessions.

“Over the past decade, the [Government of Guyana] GoG enacted new laws or amended existing ones to encourage FDI, with mixed levels of success. Due to the State’s significant role in the domestic economy and the preference for centralised decision-making,

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

relatively large foreign investments often receive intense political attention.”

“The current Administration is roundly criticised for its poor record so far in attracting new FDI, even though leadership signalled its intention to attract FDI through its various Embassies and Missions abroad,” the report observes.

Amaila

According to the US State Department economic bureau, “political gridlock and infighting” is to blame for hampering Guyana’s development efforts in several instances. Relative to this, the report cites the example of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), which the coalition Government has official-

ly abandoned.

“The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), which would have been the largest capital project in the country’s history, fell apart after a decade of planning when the US developer and equity partner withdrew from the multinational development team in August 2013.”

“The company expressed concerns over political risk following objections to the venture by the then-Opposition party APNU,” the report continues. “The Norwegian Government subsequently conducted a new feasibility study on the AFHP and submitted the report to the Government.”

This is a reference to a report from Norwegian international consultant Norconsult.

The new report had in fact concluded that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) was the only realistic way for Guyana to achieve an emission free electricity sector. Norconsult had noted the merits of the project, such as its completed feasibility study and a higher plant load than the other alternatives.

However, the report had recommended the BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) public private partnership model is used. The consultant had urged that an international investor specialising in hydro power be invited to take a majority stake in the project. It is unclear whether this advice has been acted upon by the Government.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

GAWU boss faces heat over poor leadership …as hundreds more across sugar belt to go on breadline

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undreds of sugar workers and senior persons in the sugar industry are dissatisfied with the way the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) had handled the sudden closure of sugar estates along with severance benefits and other issues relative to the sugar industry, and they are calling on GAWU President, Komal Chand, to resign.

Guyana Times International spoke with several workers in the sugar belt, and they say they felt betrayed when GAWU agreed to accept that only some sugar workers who were dismissed would get their full severance at the end of January.

The meeting the workers were referring to was held between the Union and Government on Friday last, to discuss severance. The Union had initially stated its dis-

GAWU President Komal Chand

approval at having workers receive part of their severance; but at the end of that meeting, Chand was quoted in the press as saying that he was pleased with the outcome, as he noted that the Union is now committed to working with the Administration.

A worker from Enmore, who asked

not to be named, told this newspaper that the situation in the sugar industry has only worsened under Chand’s leadership. He claimed the Government which owned GuySuCo was committing genocide against sugar workers because with no jobs how will the thousands of workers and their

IAC wants speedy swearingin of new ERC members

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ays after the N a t i o n a l Assembly had approved the appointment of 10 members to serve on the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), the Indian Action Committee (IAC) is calling for the new appointees to be sworn in at the earliest date possible, so that they can commence work.

In a congratulatory statement on Sunday, the IAC welcomed the House’s approval of the new body.

“This long overdue decision, which the IAC has repeatedly called for, clears the way for the members to be officially appointed and swornin by H.E. President David Granger. This IAC is therefore hoping that this process can be expedited, so that the Commission can commence its work soonest,” the cultural body posited.

Furthermore, the Committee reiterated its position on the importance of the ERC, saying that the Commission is most critical in helping to foster social cohesion. To this end, the IAC urged “full national support” for the ERC, as well as full provision of the requisite resources so that it can carry out its functions efficiently.

Norman McLean

After months of consultations and delays, the National Assembly, on Friday evening, approved 10 persons from various organisations to serve as members of the ERC. The new members include Dr. John O. Smith from the Christian bodies; Sister Rajkumarie Singh representing the Hindu bodies; and Roshan Khan from the Muslim bodies.

The Labour Movement bodies nominated Norris Emanuel Witter as their representative; the Private Sector Organisations’ representative is MajorGeneral (Retd.) Norman McLean, while the Youth Organisations are represented by Deodat Persaud and the Women Organisations by Ruth

Neaz Subhan

Howard.

Additionally, the Cultural and Ethnic bodies appointed Barrington Braithwaite as their representative for Afro-Guyanese; Neaz Subhan represents Indo-Guyanese; and Ashton Simon represents Indigenous and Amerindian bodies.

Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton told the House that while it would have been more appropriate for the members to be already selected for such an important body, there were several hindrances to the process.

Nevertheless, he expressed satisfaction that the appointments have been approved. The last ERC was dissolved in 2011.

families survive. The sugar worker claimed that Chand has lost his zeal, and cannot now serve the interest of the workers anymore.

Another worker pointed out that in fact GAWU did very little for them since the issue of severance is directed by law and not the Union. According to the worker, GAWU should have been fighting for estates to remain open.

Another former estate worker feels that for GAWU to win the

battle in these difficult times the industry faces, the Union would need a new leader; one who has the capacity to represent and deliver.

“There are other good leaders in the Union who are being suppressed. He has served his time, and needs to give others a chance to represent the workers. The Union is lacking strong representation with Chand at the helm, and this is the time we need strength to fight,” the worker opined.

Contacted for a comment on the workers’ contentions, Chand told Guyana Times International he does not in any way feel he has betrayed the workers.

More dismissal

Meanwhile, several hundred workers who were retained at Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara and Wales estates to work with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) would soon be made redundant, according to GAWU. This comes mere weeks after hundreds of workers were dismissed

and the Government approved supplementary provision to offset partial severance payments to thousands of displaced workers.

GAWU claims being informed of this decision by the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo), and that the workers identified for retrenchment would be notified shortly.

These workers were mainly retained as the sugar company was seeking to provide certain services to the NDIA. Unfortunately, an arrangement in that respect has fallen through, and the workers are now facing redundancy.

GAWU, on Monday, said further expansion of unemployment in the sugar belt is without doubt making a “really bad situation even worse.” Given the absence of any plans to deal with the fallout from the closure of several estates and the fiasco that has surrounded the workers’ severance payment, this pending retrenchment has been described as “heart-rending.”

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Plans moving apace for Linden Town Week 2018

Poor infrastructure adding to rice farmers’ woes …as over 1000 acres remain uncultivated in Region 2

By Lakhram Bhagirat

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A section of the crowd at an event hosted during Linden Town Week 2017

he Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) has been moving ahead with ambitious plans to make Linden Town Week 2018 an unprecedented event that would leave ‘a footprint on the town’.

In the making is a ‘Visitors Park,’ to be established at the Kara-Kara Dyke, which is to be completed with benches, pathway, and all the other recreational amenities, along with a three dimensional “I Love Linden” signboard to greet visitors.

The latter is expected to be a 3D structure hoisted on a solid concrete base. This is in keeping with a 2016 Local Government campaign promise by the Council, after recognizing the need to promote tourism locally as one of its initiatives.

Meanwhile, the LM&TC, through the generous support of Jai Signs and Auto Sales Supply, will be erecting fourteen (14) street signs, seven of

which will be set up at Wismar while the other seven would be in Mackenzie.

According to the LM&TC, this necessary public/private approach to the event’s planning and execution would allow the Council to shoulder responsibility for a few of the community-based events, while allowing the stakeholders to undertake others in keeping with their corporate social responsibility to Linden.

Events such as the ‘All Black’ Party and the ‘Linden Town Week Pageant’, among others, will be franchised out through invitation for bids. In the process, expressions of interest are expected to be done via writing to the Council.

According to the LM&TC, applications for bidding of events will come at a cost of G$2500 dollars and G$1000 for non-profit organizations. Additionally, paying for vending spots will commence on March 5, and will run until March 23, 2018.

or years, rice farmers have been battling fluctuating paddy prices, crop infestation, flooded rice fields and a whole host of other issues, but for the farmers in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), those issues seem never-ending and to add to that, they have to now battle the poor infrastructure to cultivate and access their fields.

Regional Vice Chairperson Nandranie Coonjah explained that the farmers have been complaining about the lack of maintenance of the roads leading into their farms, saying very little is being done to assist them at the national level. She explained that currently, there are over 35,000 acres of rice under cultivation in the region, noting that this number represented a decline of over 1000 acres.

“Over 1000 acres… the farmers did not go into the fields. This is because of bad lands. Bad lands is a spill off of the intrusion of salt water from the previous crop.

So after salt water came into the rice land, they had lots of acres that were burnt so the farmers went back for one crop to plow and sow again. When they did this they came in very late so at the time of harvesting, they reaped late and the land damaged up so they could not have gone in back. The farmers are also calling for some intervention from the Government because nothing is being done to assist them,” she related.

She further related that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has been of tremendous help to the farmers in maintaining the drainage channels and providing technical support.

However, Coonjah added there is only so much the Authority could do, hence the reason she would have made representation to the Communities Ministry for the provision of two excavators to aid the work of the NDIA to boost the region’s capacity.

“The NDIA is not agreeing to work in undeclared areas and the farmers in the undeclared area have our con-

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder

cerns because they have a right to a livelihood, the region doesn’t have the capacity. We have to wait to see if we get the excavator but we saw nothing in the (2018) budget,” Coonjah related.

The Regional Vice Chairperson explained that undeclared areas refer to areas not in the control of the regional administration.

Rice farmers have since complained of the region’s inability to properly manage the dams that access their farmlands. On a visit to the region, several of the dams were in deplorable conditions, as farmers were forced to use the already badly deteriorated dams to spray insecticides on their growing rice plants.

The farmers are also calling for increased cooperation with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to tackle the production and protection aspects of their crop.

Additionally, they related that they would like to see more emphasis being place on the development of the rice industry.

“We can produce the rice, but we don’t have the market for it and that is what affecting us and we got to work together man,” farmer Mohindra Persaud told this newspaper.

To further cement the farmers’ plight, Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt said more than 80 per cent of the region’s 50,000 plus residents are directly or indirectly connected to the rice industry. He noted that the disparity in the prices for paddy is one of the major contributing factors for the lack of motivation for rice farmers to return to

the fields.

“Before 2015 and the early part of 2015, the price per bag of paddy was around G$3500 and now it has reduced significantly. It is around G$2200 and below. I’ve personally had discussions with the Minister of Agriculture asking him to have more interactions with our rice farmers of this region so that we can have more farmers or have a clearer understanding of what is happening in the industry and maybe potentials for the industry to be further enhanced and developed,” he explained.

He noted that despite his request, the Agriculture Minister visited the region no more than three occasions in the past year, despite it being one of Guyana’s premiere agricultural regions.

“We need to develop strategies to address in the first case the issue affecting the rice sector and here is where the Ministry with responsibility for agriculture and the Guyana Rice Development Board, they need to meaningfully engage all key stakeholders so that we may have a very clear understanding as to where the future of this industry is going,” Ramdatt added.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan in his 2018 Budget presentation noted that the rice industry was expected to record an output of 602,087 tonnes for 2017, an increase of 12.7 per cent over 2016. He credited the increase mainly to an additional 14,000 hectares planted for the 2017 spring crop and a further 74,481 hectares planted in the autumn crop.

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Husband ID’d as killer by prosecution’s star witness …as trial continues in High Court

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s the Miguel Barker murder trial continued at the High Court on Tuesday, a dramatic turn of events saw Shanieza Clarke being called as a surprise witness by the prosecution after she mysteriously disappeared from the Inner Bagotville, West Bank Demerara area following Donessa Barker’s death on April 30, 2015.

Miguel Barker called “Allan” was in hiding after his wife was brutally stabbed at Bagotville.

He was caught days after and was charged for the crime. He denied that he was responsible for his spouse’s demise and has been maintaining his innocence since his arrest.

However, Clarke con-

tended otherwise in her testimony via Skype from Suriname before the jury and Justice Navindra Singh on Tuesday where she chronicled events of “Allan” being seen with a knife on the night prior to his wife’s killing.

Led by Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken, Clarke stated that she met Donessa Barker, also known as “Vanessa” on Easter Monday in 2015.

The prosecution’s star witness told the 12-member jury that Miguel came to live at her father’s house at Inner Bagotville where she had also resided. Clarke highlighted that he had come to live there about one month prior to April 30, 2015, the day of his wife’s murder.

As her testimony continued, the witness recalled that on April 29, 2015, she, Donessa and a friend, “Kelly” went to a “wake house” and returned home after 23:00h.

According to her recollection, as they were having a conversation, she heard rustling in the bushes and her electricity suddenly went out.

She looked outside however to see her neighbours still had electricity. Sometime after, she said she looked through the window and saw Miguel Barker about 10 feet away, standing in the yard smoking a cigarette.

Clarke claimed that she and Donessa went into the yard and there

was Miguel standing with a knife in his hand, saying: “All man deserve a fair chance.” At this point other persons were present, and the witness told the court that she told these individuals to convince him to drop the knife.

“Allan drop the knife and continued to walk out. After Allan walk out, I picked up the knife and held it behind me,” the witness recounted.

Chronicling the events that transpired the following day, Clarke said she reported the matter from the previous night to the La Grange Police Station.

“I gave the officer the knife and make a report about the incident that happened on the 29th,” Accused: Miguel “Allan” Barker is on trial for his wife’s brutal and fatal stabbing

the star witness highlighted.

She further noted that on April 30 around 15:30, she was sleeping when Javonna Frank, her step-sister came to her home and woke her up and they had a conversation.

As Clarke’s testimony continued, she related that she, Javonna, and Donessa were talking about music when Donessa went to get her phone. She told the court that she later heard, “Oh gosh, Shanieza come now!” At that point, Clarke said that she armed herself with a cutlass which was under her bed and went towards the room the Barkers shared.

“I walked towards the room and I saw Allan Barker stooping at the window and he turned to the side and looked at me and I saw Vanessa Barker with blood on her face,” the witness noted from her recollection of events.

Clarke told the jury that after Allan looked at

her, she pushed the door and he jumped through the window.

“After he jumped through the window, Vanessa run out of the room and fell on the front landing. She was panting for breath and blood was shooting out from her neck and hand. After I saw it, I shake she and say ‘stay with me, I going and get help’,” Clarke observed, adding that neighbours helped her and the Police came afterwards.

Under cross-examination by Defence Counsel Maxwell McKay, the witness maintained that her story was true and that she indeed saw Barker through the tall Bamboo bushes and that she was able to do so from the light that shone from the neighbours.

Before the woman’s death, the couple had been married for more than a year. Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs and Narissa Leander are assisting with the State’s case.

Farmer dies after crashing into utility pole

A

n allegedly intoxicated farmer was on Monday afternoon killed after he reportedly crashed a car which he had not been given permission to drive into a utility pole at Chance Village, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Dead is 54-year-old Carl Richmond, of Lot 54 Strath Campbell Village, Mahaicony. Reports are the owner of the motor car, HC 6694, who resides at Republic Park, ECD, stopped to rest at

Richmond’s home.

However, Richmond, who was highly intoxicated reportedly collected the motor car unbeknownst to the owner and went for a drive. It was during this drive the unlicensed driver crashed into the utility pole.

Richmond sustained injuries and was rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigations are ongoing.

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

PNC’s nation

By Ravi Dev

W

ith the PNC back in power (under the fig leaf of “APNU”) and its leader, Mr David Granger, insisting he would fulfil the legacy of its founder-leader, Forbes Burnham, we should familiarize ourselves with some of the elements of that legacy. We begin with the notion of nation.

The PNC, during its first twenty-eight-year regime, accentuated the African element of Creole culture as the official culture, even as it made some innocuous accommodations to other hybrids, such as “GuyaneseIndian”.

Many insist Burnham had a “multicultural” approach for the state, since he introduced two Muslim and two Hindu festivals as national holidays.

Actually, that was a feint in Mr Burnham’s quest for total control over the state. Because the colonial state had privileged the Christian Church, the church retained great influence and authority on state matters, which Burnham would not brook.

In 1976, Burnham nationalised the schools of all the religious bodies. State recognition of Hinduism and Islam as ‘Guyanese’ religions simply served to dilute the old, established Christian influence (which had external guidance), while Mr. Burnham quickly moved to control the Hindu Maha Sabha and the Muslim Anjumaan so that the new kids on the block offered no challenge.

Mr. Burnham had a totally different position on “Culture”, which he saw as ‘secular” as opposed to “religious”. While the ambiguities of such a disjuncture are legion, Burnham accepted the homogenising premises of the European “nationstate” ideal. He fervently opposed “multiculturalism,” and summed up his position as “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”, which of course he would “mould”.

The question was: what practices would be the cultural markers to define the “one nation”, and to which all others would be assimilated? We can look at the record.

The symbols of a state signal its cultural orientation, since these are expected to ensure that the people can identify with the state at an emotional level. The colours of our flag, chosen by the National Arts Council, were the Garveyite PanAfrican colours black,

green and red (which were already the PNC’s colours), along with yellow from Ethiopia’s green, yellow and red, which most African countries had chosen as their Pan-African colours.

The National Hero was Cuffy – the African slave who had fought the Dutch in Berbice almost seventy years before Berbice became part of a unified Guyana. The National Anthem has no hint of an Indian raga, much less any words. Mr. Burnham, like many non-Indians, also had a problem with the Indian cultural fare over the airwaves. He mandated that on the Indian radio shows that played Indian songs (through private sponsorship) there were to be included an equal number of English language songs. There was no T.V. under Burnham, and we may now possibly surmise why. Mr. Burnham also demanded that “ethnic clubs” change their names; for instance, the “East Indian Association Cricket Club” changed its name to “Everest”.

However, Mr. Burnham accepted the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA) as the PNC’s de facto cultural arm – until 1973, when its head, Mr. Eusi Kwayana, declared that Mr. Burnham had sold out to Indian and Portuguese bourgeoise elements. The names of all organisations (except African ones) were changed, and Indian programs had to be mixed with English music.

Everybody was supposed to be “Guyanese,” and to say that one was an “Indian” was somehow a betrayal of the thrust to modernity.

In Guyana, there is great resentment generated in the Indian community by the insistence of the other sections that they can become “Guyanese” only by discarding their culture. That culture was not officially sought to be preserved; for instance, even though there is a “National” Museum, an African Museum and an Amerindian (WALTER ROTH) museum, there in none for Indians. The National School of Dance is bereft of an Indian repertoire.

Mr. Burnham went so far with his identification of African culture that he modified Marxist-Leninist theory, risking ridicule from orthodox quarters (“utopian”), to declare that Guyana’s economic model

would be the co-operative — based on the Ujaama socialism of Tanzania.

Mr. Burnham introduced Mashramani as the grand festival for Guyana, with its Creole-Caribbean Carnival inspiration hardly masked by the allegation that it was about “cooperation” and taken from the Amerindians.

We should evaluate the present firestorm over the PPP’s PIO MP attendees against the foregoing background.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Border controversy

Guyana prepared to call on UN Security Council to assist …if Venezuela decides to take military action

G

uyana is prepared to call on the United Nations (UN) Security Council if Venezuela ever decides to take any military action against this country, especially if the International Court of Justice (ICJ) upholds the 1899 Agreement and rules in the country’s favour to keep the boundaries in place.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge told Guyana Times International in a recent interview that if Venezuela ever makes such a move to invade Guyana, then it would mean that the country would be breaking the zone of peace based on the same agreement that was brokered and sanctioned by the United States.

Greenidge noted that if the matter is sent to the ICJ, the highest international judicial body in the world, and it is pronounced that the treaty is valid (which is the case), then Venezuela has no basis for being upset; and if at all there is basis to be upset, that basis does not extend to the point where Venezuela should even consider taking action against Guyana.

“If they take any military action, we are in a position to call on the UN Security Council to use the powers and liberties at their disposal to constrain them,” he explained, adding that all eyes will be on the Spanishspeaking country’s response to the final decision on the decades-long matter.

Vice-President Greenidge also brushed aside comments

suggesting that Venezuela would use similar tactics as obtained decades ago when countries like Haiti were invaded. He said it is highly unlikely that such moves would be tolerated, or even allowed to happen in the twenty-first century.

According to Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which deals with action in respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression, Article 42 says it could take action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore peace and security.

Such action may include demonstrations, blockades, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of members of the UN.

Challenge

In the meantime, however, the Government is making all the necessary preparations to challenge Venezuela at the ICJ over the border controversy, as it feels this will be the decision to be handed down by the UN following the expiration of the Good Offices process, which ended in 2017.

Minister Greenidge has said that while that decision is solely dependent on Secretary General António Guterres, who will determine if there was significant progress made in the advance mediation process; based on Venezuela’s obdurate posture, a court challenge might be possible.

Greenidge said Guyana has been preparing for this for a long time, especially af-

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

ter the matter was discussed at the UN. “Guyana has been preparing to go to court, because we understand that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon did say that the problem caused by Venezuela’s contention is a judicial one.”

Moreover, the Vice President has said that if Venezuela were prepared to argue that a legal agreement is null and void, then, in normal circumstances, it is only a legal body that can judge whether there is nullity. And that decision, according to him, could only be done based on clear and well established criteria.

“And that is what we were calling on the UN to do; that is: to refer the matter to an appropriate body, which is the ICJ. Because they agree, and we agree, that it is a judicial contention and it needs to be resolved by a court, or it

will not be resolved at all,” he added.

Greenidge noted that Guyana was still reasonable in facilitating the Good Offices process, although knowing fully well that 51 years have been spent on trying to resolve this controversy. Now that the process has ended on December 31, 2017, the Minister thinks that nothing significant had happened within that year, especially since Guyana’s Spanishspeaking neighbor had declined to join the process.

“That process started in 2017 and concluded by December 31, 2017. And what was supposed to happen?

I would like to say at this point, while not pronouncing on the process: it doesn’t follow that every problem on Earth can be solved by mediation, advanced or otherwise,” he opined.

Support

Greenidge also noted that the Guyana Government has managed to place the border controversy at the top of the international agenda, lobbying the UN Secretary General and gaining support from the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Commonwealth nations, and nation states.

While crediting the previous administration for attempting to deepen relations with Venezuela, the Minister said this did not exactly work out in the country’s best interest. In 2013, Venezuela’s Navy seized a survey boat which was being used by Texas-based Anadarko.

Venezuela said the ship had violated its waters.

During that time, Guyana argued that the boat was well within its territory.

“What we have sought to do since then is to work more closely with countries in Latin America from which Venezuela had, because of colonial experience, been able to mobilize sympathy, if not support,” he explained, adding that this matter has also drawn enormous regional support.

The Minister said, “What we understand is that there is a strengthening in the region of a belief in keeping this as a peaceful zone first of all.

No force (must be used) to resolve a controversy, and the countries believe in the sanctity of treaties and the rule of law; hence the response we have received.”

East Bank Berbice road project finally advancing

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ommuting will soon be stress-free for residents on the East Bank of Berbice (EBB), as the G$1.2B road rehabilitation project finally advances. The exercise, which commenced in August 2017 was delayed due to the obligatory removal of utilities; however, it is now back on stream.

Resident Engineer, Joel Tucker told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that works are ongoing in the Everton area which has fewer encumbrances.

He explained that the workers are currently widening the area which also involves full reconstruction. “Then we’ll add on our base course and we should be on target to do the asphalt layer or the paving, sometime early in February and this will be roughly about 1.3 kilometres of work of the 5km.”

Tucker highlighted that the work officially

The Overwinning area being prepared for rehabilitation

began on December 04, 2017, when the ministry received its first consignment of white sand.

The project will see

the construction of five kilometres of roadway from Overwinning to Everton, equipped with new features aimed at

bolstering road safety.

“We’ll have the installation of highway lighting coming from Stanleytown in

New Amsterdam right through to Everton, installation of guard rails; improvement in terms of traffic signage, and also

the horizontal road signage as well,” Tucker underlined.

According to the Resident Engineer, the project will also see four structures rehabilitated and completely reconstructed. These are the bridges at Gay Park and Edinburg Bridge, a culvert between Edinburg and Gay Park and a culvert at the Baptiste turn.

This multi-milliondollar venture is being executed by the Ministry’s Special Project Unit utilising its own equipment and employing persons from the EBB area. Contracts for the bridges and lighting were awarded to Yunas Civil and Building Construction Services and Cummings Electrical Company Limited respectively.

The scheduled deadline for completion of the project is August 3.

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Knowing your heritage

By Dmitri Allicock

G

uyanese children, accustomed to microwave ovens, computers, fast food and cell phones, are truly fascinated by the artefacts of their culture and time. It prompts the older generations to reminisce on the changes that they have experienced, and how technology – or its absence –has affected their lives and the lives of their descendants. So many of yesterdays comforts are now obsolete and being rapidly lost to the fog of history.

While the modern age of appliance and technology wizardry is available to Guyanese, it still remains a country of contrasting means and methods. There is nothing more fascinating for an older Guyanese to discuss or look at some of the implements and devices which were once traditionally used.

Functional household items The ‘flat iron’ The general name for the hand-held iron was the ‘flat iron’, consisting simply of a handle and a solid, flat, metal base, and named for the flat ironing face used to smooth clothes. Several flat irons were heated directly by the charcoals in the coal pot. The iron was held by a thick pad, removed from the heated coals and wiped with a cloth laced with a few drops of oil, soft grease or animal fat before

The flat iron

pressing clothing.

The charcoal iron was more expensive and generally used by tailors who fashioned some of the best suits ever made. These charcoal irons were used in the Victorian epoch, which represented an age of elaborate and elegant fashion.

The coal pot The history of the Guyana’s coal pot is obscure, but the form itself indicates that the clay versions produced today evolved as copies of colonial-era iron coal pots, and did not enter the archaeological record until the nineteenth century.

The historical relationship between clay and metal versions of the cook stove is very hard to follow, and continues into the present as inexpensive iron coal pots are now made in Guyana.

The abundance of wood for charcoal making would see the coal pot dominate a significant period of Guyana’s life. The coal pot was

sold at the market.

This stove required duct work and a chimney for the escape of the smoke. All the Demerara bauxite company houses built for their workers of Upper Demerara came equipped with this wood burning stove that was safe to use despite the open fire of the now attached kitchen.

The ‘pointer’ or ‘coconut’ broom The ‘pointer or coconut’ broom is made out of the stems of dried coconut leaves.

The manicole palm also provided a broom,

used for cooking and baking. The pot, with glowing embers of coal was placed into a wood crafted box- oven that was lined with asbestos and zinc sheeting. When a uniform temperature was reached, this oven made some of the tastiest bread and pastries though of Guyana. not as elThis egant as 'Pointer' broom meththe coconut. o d The manicole i s broom is used still for sweeping outlimitdoors and also edly used serves as a deterin outlaying rent by the believregions of the ers of the feared country and is n o w spook, the mythicomplemented with a cal Guyanese old variety of other systems soul or witch called of cooking and baking.

Ole Higue.

The cast iron wood burning stove The cast iron wood burning stove was primarily used in the early part of the 1900s.

Here again, the wood of Guyana featured extensively. Bundles of wood and charcoal were common and conveniently

The resourceful coconut palm tree provides endless products and is still a vital part of Guyanese life.

The pointer broom is generally used today for sweeping outdoors in Guyana and symbolises one of the things which make Guyanese abroad feel “at home”.

Many of the Guyanese diaspora still keep a pointer broom around as keepsakes

A coal pot

and showpieces to remind them of home and heritage.

Sewing machines Before the advent of cheap, mass produced factory clothing, the faithful sewing machine had the daunting task of keeping Guyanese clothed.

T h ‘safe’ The ‘safe’ o r

e

kitchen cabinet was used for storage of either food stuff or kitchen essentials.

Utilitarian cabinets like this were no-frills designs to simply serve its purpose.

The process of change

Sewing machines did not go into mass production until the 1850s, when Isaac Singer built the first commercially successful machine. Singer built the first sewing machine where the needle moved up and down rather than the side-to-side, and the needle was powered by a foot treadle.

The first sewing ma-

Evolutionary theorist, Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, or the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

Since the Industrial Revolution, when the speed of change accelerated, society has been transforming accordingly. It began with a shift from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial society. That

An old Singer sewing machine

chines, powered by hand crank or feet peddle, were a vital part of many homes.

led to a whole range of changes in lifestyle, family structure, culture and values.

The computer revolution, which started around 25 years ago, sent the rate of change into its exponential rise.

It is the hope that as we will adapt to the changing world that we take time out to reflect how far we have come and what may exist beyond the horizon of tomorrow.

The article aims to build appreciation within our young generation about how we have developed, so they embrace a technologically advanced age. It seeks to urge the younger generations not familiar with the gadgets mentioned in this article, to do research and try to connect with our rich Guyanese heritage.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

G

uyanese in the Rupununi had a vested interest in the outcome of an NFL football game for the second week in a row, as the Jacksonville Jaguars (Florida, USA) took on the Pittsburgh Steelers (Pennsylvania, USA) last weekend. But this was not just a game; it was friendly wager between the city’s zoos that created potentially significant benefits for Rupununi wildlife and the Rupununi people.

The terms were set.

If the Jaguars defeated the Steelers for a second time this year, the Pittsburgh Zoo would make a donation to the Rupununi Wildlife Research Unit, a coalition of researchers working to increase understanding and inform the management of some of Guyana’s most iconic species (including jaguars), and send the

RWRU supporters in Lethem turn out to cheer on the Jaguars

Jacksonville Zoo sandwiches from the famous Primanti Brothers.

If the Steelers won, the Jacksonville Zoo would donate to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium's Sea Turtle Second Program, a project that brings in sea turtles in need of urgent medical care to be

rehabilitated and then released back into the wild, and throw in some locally famous fried chicken.

Two weeks ago, the Jacksonville Zoo made a similar wager with the Buffalo Zoo, and it paid off.

Would Rupununi wildlife benefit for the second week in a row?

RWRU's human-caiman conflict team members show their support for the Jaguars.

This project is supported by additional funding from the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens through the Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission of Guyana

Kanuku Mountains’ rangers cheering on the Jaguars for the second week in a row at the Protected Areas Commission office in Lethem

In a high-scoring affair, the Jaguars took down the favourite Steelers 45 - 42. Thanks to four rushing touchdowns (including three by star RB Leonard Fournette) and a late TD pass from QB Blake Bortles to FB Tommy Bohannon, the Jaguars were able to outlast the Steelers and advance to the conference championship game. In what ended up being a backand-forth game that went right down to the wire, the Jaguars got enough big plays down the stretch to the put the game away, and ultimately secure another contribution to research and conservation in Guyana.

Dr Matt Hallett, founder of the Rupununi Wildlife Research Unit (RWRU), said: “The Jags performance this week more closely resembled their wild mascot… they stealthy and methodically moved the ball down the field before unleashing surgical scoring strikes with

deadly precision.

It was fun to watch. The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is known for its ability to stalk very close to its prey before making a kill with a single leap and crushing bite.”

Asked about how this resembled a back-andforth game that went down to the final seconds, Hallett added, “Every tough opponent refuses to go down without a fight, but the king of the jungle has the strength and endurance to overpower and subdue prey that are double or triple their size.”

For the second week in a row, American football will be benefitting wildlife in Guyana.

"When wildlife wins, everyone wins," said the Jacksonville Zoo said in a news release following the game.

On receiving another donation as a result of a friendly wager over football, Hallett shared, “We are honoured to be the beneficiaries of effort… and we are even more thrilled that both

zoos have seized the opportunity provided by such a popular sporting event to raise awareness and direct contributions to wildlife conservation.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the New England Patriots (Massachusetts, USA) at Foxboro Stadium in the AFC Conference Championship game today at 3:05 PM EST. No word yet on whether the New England Aquarium or Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo has stepped up for another friendly wager for the sake of conservation.

Follow the Rupununi Wildlife Research Unit on Facebook, rupununiwildlife on Instagram, @ RupWildlife on Twitter, or subscribe to their Rupununi Wildlife channel on YouTube. (By JJ Vitale, Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens; Tracy Gray, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium; Matt Hallett, Rupununi Wildlife Research Unit) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Cosmetologist jailed for The people of Haiti do cocaine found in roof …fined G$14M

Nickela Craig Singh

A

50-year-old cosmetologist, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was on Monday afternoon sentenced to four years in prison and fined over G$14 million after five kilograms of cocaine was found hidden in her roof.

Nickela Craig Singh appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and admitted ownership of the cocaine found in the roof of her home.

Singh pleaded guilty with explanation when the charge was read to her. The charge stated that on January 19, 2018 at Lot 237 Bretain Street, Soesdyke Public Road, she had in her possession 5.196 kg of cocaine.

According to the defendant, the cocaine was given to her to keep by her brother Junior Owen Singh.

She explained that when the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) ranks showed up at her home on the day in ques-

tion, she admitted that she was the owner of the said cocaine and even implicated others as a result of being confused.

However, CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford revealed to the court that on the day in question, officers from the anti-drug agency were conducting a raid at Soesdyke when they gained information which led them to the defendant’s home.

Upon their arrival there, Singh was the lone occupant of the house. When questioned,

she reportedly admitted to having the illicit drug stashed in her roof and even led the ranks to same.

She further signed a written statement of her confession in which she implicated her brother.

As such, she was taken to the CANU Headquarters where she was charged with the said offence.

Her attorney, Everton Lammy-Singh, implored the court to show mercy to his client as she did not waste the court’s time.

However, Chief Magistrate McLennan sentenced her to spend the next four years in prison and fined her G$14, 029,200 which is three times the street value of the drug found.

Junior Owen Singh is currently in CANU’s custody and is expected to be charged shortly.

A large quantity of foreign and local currencies was also found during the raid. Three of his vehicles, including an Escalade and an Infinity motor car, were seized along with three illegal firearms.

The cocaine found in Singh’s home

not deserve to suffer

By Ashley Anthony

L

et’s end this myth for good. The people of Haiti do not deserve to suffer – regardless if they practice Voodoo.

I am pretty sure most of us know this, yet we here in Guyana cling to this explanation, I think, because we are trying to rationalise why they suffer so much in comparison to us. We want to believe the world is fair, and that people get what they deserve, so on some level, we are trying to find a reason to blame Haitians for what has happened to them.

Some of us try to appear more “rational”, saying Haitians are poor simply because they are lazy, but this could not be further from the truth.

Those of us who did Caribbean History in school would have had to read about how Haiti fell into the state of poverty it currently is. Whenever we speak of Haiti, in the same breath, we say “the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere”, but we never say “the first Black Republic”, or “the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery”.

The Haitian Revolution, followed shortly after the French Revolution in 1789. The Revolution, which saw the passing of the rights of man and the citizen, brought up the question of how these rights would be applied in Haiti, and in 1791, uprisings began.

However Haiti’s struggle to independence, was just that: a struggle. Following the uprising, there was a gruelling battle between Haitians and the forces of the French and other European allies, which lasted for a good part of 12 years. After this war, on January 1, 1804, Haiti was officially declared independent. However, the war had emaciated the country, destroying infrastructure and plantations. If this wasn’t enough, in order to become diplomatically recognised by the French, the country was forced to pay an exorbitant sum of reparations (150 million francs), which it simply could not afford.

Consequently, it took out enormous loans with extremely high rates of interest from American, German and French banks to repay reparations. These rates of interest translated to Haiti being deep in debt even after finally paying off the initial reparations in 1947. The country began spending about 80 per cent of its budget on debt repayment by 1900. This does not even begin to cover the following periods of political instability and the 12 years of US occupation (after fear that Haiti would default on its debts).

And then after we finish that, we

have to talk about the corruption of Haiti’s own Presidents.

And then finally, we get to the issue of natural disasters.

The point of the story is that Haiti’s problems are not caused by the virtue of the people living in Haiti today. Although History is not the only factor, it is a huge one, most times ignored in casual conversation. Why have I chosen to talk about this? Trump’s comments of course! If you haven’t been paying attention, the President of the United States made degrading comments of the country as well of other African nations. He is even reported to have said that the US should be taking more people in from places such as Norway. Now I understand people are trying to defend the comment saying that the President referred to the country, but not the people from the country, and that the people had to know that their countries are “sh*tholes” since they wanted to leave so badly. Yet, my question is, if the country is not a reflection of the person, then on what grounds would the President have to say that they should take PEOPLE from other countries?

It is clear that he does not have respect for the people of those countries, and that he is perhaps guilty of blaming the people for a situation that they cannot control.

Haiti is not suffering because Haitians are lazy and unproductive, but because of numerous other reasons. The countless Haitians who migrate and become productive members of the US society prove this. Is Trump to say that he would prefer a Norwegian immigrant to a Haitian or African immigrant if they were both equally contributive to American society? Sounds a bit more racist when put it that way, doesn’t it?

Don’t be a part of the problem.

Don’t be a voice that denounces the people of Haiti. Read about the country, its culture and perhaps most importantly, its struggle.

Learn to see Haiti as more than just some conversational trope used to describe poverty, and correct people who blame Haitians for the suffering that they face. It is not their fault.

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Back flip…

I

…by AFC on sugar workers

t’s either that the AFC’s suffering from a Jekyll-andHyde Syndrome, or Nagamootoo and Ramjattan just did another back flip. Most likely it’s the latter, ‘cause when people are being pulled by strings like puppets, they can so easily be made to even stand on their heads!! Nagamootoo’s initial back flip over the weekend, as mentioned by your Eyewitness, was to admit that after FIFTY YEARS of opposing privatization of the sugar industry, he has suddenly seen the light. That this epiphany was realized just when he received that G$1.5million/monthly cheque, that SUV, unlimited air miles etc, was purely coincidental!!

Anyhow, after he and Ramjattan sat on the right hand of President Granger in a meeting with the sugar unions — GAWU and NAACIE – Nagamootoo boasted it ended on a high note on restructuring the sugar industry. In his column in the Sunday Chronic, Nagamootoo crooned: “The possibility that a 100% payout could be made to some of the affected workers was raised by President Granger and MYSELF during a meeting Friday morning with representatives of GAWU and NAACIE. Heading the delegation was Mr. Komal Chand, one of the most outstanding Guyanese labour leaders…”

Over in the Muckraker KN, however, the AFC, in its column of the same, launched into one of the most vicious attacks on GAWU and its leader since the late 1960s – no one other than KOMAL CHAND!!! Last we heard was Ramjattan was the Chairman of the AFC and Nagamootoo was its “political Advisor”. So what’s going on?? Like we said, it looks like their puppeteer just doesn’t care about how ridiculous his jerking them around (literally and figuratively) makes them look!

‘Cause it wasn’t just the viciousness of the attack… but it’s blatant rewriting of a history in which both Nagamootoo and Ramjattan were key figures. The AFC column claimed sugar production plummeted from a high in the 1970s — when PNC nationalized the industry — to half of that in the 1980s — reaching a historic low in 1990 solely because of GAWU strikes!!

No mention of siphoning off the profits of the industry via a levy, and spending NOTHING on rehabilitating the broken down factories. Or hiring political hacks to run the industry.

But if GAWU killed the sugar industry, who killed the bauxite industry, which witnessed the same HALVING of production in the 1980s compared to the 1970s? Why also was the value-added Alumina plant CLOSED!!

And more pertinently, how come sugar production doubled by 1992 from the 1990 production?

Could it be because Booker Tate replaced the PNC managers — and sugar workers’ salaries were increased to a living wage??

What say the backflippers?? …by the feral squeaker Finally, someone must’ve taken the PM’s feral squeaker behind the wood shed and given him a goooood paddling for his intemperate outburst against the Government of India, for inviting MPs rather than Ministers to their meeting of “MPs of Indian Origin”. That, the fella claimed, was done by India just to spite PM Nagamootoo: by inviting Jagdeo, who’s an MP, and not the PM, who’s a Minister!! It’s clear the PM — and by default all his flunkeys — have Jagdeo on their brain!!

Anyhow, the squeaker back-flipped and apologized profusely for his allegations. He claimed he didn’t realise folks could think his Facebook ranting about a friendly government and its ambassador – his ranting clearly identified him as the “Director of Public Information” (DPI), and tags the ambassador! — could be seen as an official government position!!

If he, as the Director of Public Information, couldn’t see this; then, for this alone, he should be stripped of his position.

But we all know this is just mamaguying, don’t we?? …by Thomas, the Marxist For all the fifty-plus years he was in academia, Clive Thomas was the archetypical Marxist who denounced “capitalist corporations” that “raped” the Third World.

Suddenly, now he’s in Government, he advises to not look at the Exxon contract critically!!

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38 feature

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or local tour operator and Managing Director of Rainforest Tours, Frank Singh, 2017 ended on a high note, which also signalled that 2018 was going to be a great year for tourism promotion in Guyana.

Late last year, Rainforest Tours hosted a Familiarisation Trip (FAM) for several members of Los Exploradores Hiking Club of Rio Claro, South Trinidad.

According to Singh, the ‘buzz’ created by the Trinidadian media about Guyana was phenomenal and a step in the right direction.

FAM Trips are by no means new to Guyana, and over the years, several tour companies, in

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

collaboration with the Government of Guyana, have hosted quite a number of these events, which have resulted in numerous international features and documentaries.

Singh further explained that the push behind the initiative was to explore avenues for heightened collaboration in the interest of ecotourism promotion in the two countries.

“The team from Los Exploradores was given the opportunity to visit Kaieteur and to get a first-hand look at the product. The Tourism Minister of Trinidad bought into it,” Singh proudly explained to Sunday Times Magazine, while he happily announced that several othThe group at Kaieteur Falls

er groups have already visited since the initial FAM in September 2017.

He mentioned that this was a direct result of

Members of the first tour to visit Guyana after the initial FAM Trip

the marketing efforts in Trinidad.

While there are many benefits of such exposure, the Managing Director

Alluding to upcoming initiatives, Singh revealed that his company will soon introduce weekend tours to Suriname,

Frank Singh (second from right), Managing Director of Rainforest Tours, and members of the FAM group while in Georgetown

emphasized that Guyana will continue to stand out with its unique tourism offerings, including aspects of eco, sustainable and adventure tourism.

One member of the FAM group, and journalist attached to the Trinidad Guardian, Shastri Boodan narrated his adventures in an article. An excerpt on Kaieteur Falls read: “The fog-like mist splits sunlight to create what seems to be one of the longest lasting rainbows on a sunny day.”

Singh explained that both Guyana and Kaieteur Falls were marketed, as he provided details of the marketing drive.

The first group to visit Guyana immediately following the FAM Trip here was a team of scientists, who came in November 2017.

which will be affordable and will guarantee that participants have an enriching and rewarding experience.

“This will be an allinclusive package, which will see our guests benefiting from one cover price for transportation, accommodation and meals,” he said.

Additionally, he stated that Rainforest Tours collaborates with the Government of Guyana and the private sector to host four safari excursions in Guyana annually: the North Pakaraima Mountain Safari; South Rupununi Safari; Bartica Safari; and the Sand Safari to Moraikobai, which was launched in February 2017. These events continue to attract local, regional and international participants every year. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

TrAvel & Tourism 39

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Breathtaking view of the Falls (Photo by George Bailey)

umerau Falls is one of Guyana's many beautiful and uncharted waterfalls. It is located on the Kurupung River a few miles before it meets the Mazaruni River in Region Seven, one of the major tributaries of the Essequibo River.

Fishing enthusiasts may find fishing near or at Kumerau Falls very exhilarating. This could be one of the best fishing or outdoors adventure locations in the region.(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Aerial view of Kumerau (Photo by George Bailey)

Yurong Paru

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he journey to the quaint, remote Makushi village of Yurong Paru may seem daunting to most, but to the ardent adventurer, the destination is well worth the long trek deep into the Pakaraima Mountains.

The community is part of the Karasabai sub-district, located in South Pakaraimas, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and is accessible by land.

Scenic view of a section of the village (Photo by Deon K Johnson)

With a population of approximately 375, the main source of income is derived from subsistence farming and cattle rearing - primary products sold are meat (beef and pork) and cassava.

Although small, the village is equipped with a primary school, health hut and teachers quarters.

Hospitality of residents is one of the commanding attributes of Yurong Paru – a village of simple joys.

A child from the village with a warishi on his back

The Falls is located in the vicinity of the Kurupung mountain (Photo by Nicholas Chuckasang)

View of Kumerau Falls from the abandoned upper Mazaruni road (Photo by Nicholas Chuckasang)

Children relaxing under the village's famous mango tree

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44 NEWS

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Govt seeking to phase out old age pension books

T&T man shot dead in bed, while girl, 17, …as digitisation of pension service picks up pace slept next to him

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s the Ministry of Social Protection (MoSP) continues its efforts to digitise the old age pension system in coastal regions, the exercise will see information technology being utilised to eliminate pension books. It will also establish a system where seniors will be allowed to use their National Identification (ID) cards to uplift their pension.

In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Director of Social Services, Wenthworth Tanner, was quoted as saying that the ministry is working

in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MoPT) to upgrade the system into an automated one. “…Currently, the system is primarily manual, we want to get the system automated and so that’s an ongoing process. We are continuing to work to get it onstream as soon as possible,” Tanner explained.

According to DPI, the Social Services Director said that an important aspect of the project will be the sanitisation of the old age pension database, which entails the removal

of deceased pensioners from the pension register. He said that the ministry is collaborating with the Registrar Office and funeral parlours in this regard and based on information gathered, the list will be cleansed.

On the issue of Guyanese who reside overseas and access pensions, Tanner said, “That is a bit more challenging given how the pension system is currently set up, however, these are things that will be addressed once the system is automated.”

The digitisation project is intended to ensure efficiency, accountability, and transparency in the distribution of Old Age Pension. It will reduce the need for workers to search various documents in order to retrieve information. Probation officers will also be afforded more time to conduct fieldwork and visitations, DPI said.

Garth Sansand

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Sangre Grande man was shot dead in his bed yesterday morning.

Garth Sansand, 28, of Machack Street, Foster Road, was shot in the head and died at hospital.

His 17-year-old girlfriend told police they were asleep in his one room apartment when she was awakened by explosions at around 1.30 a.m. Tuesday. Moments later she felt Sansand shaking and she looked over and saw blood oozing from his head.

Police officers of the Sangre Grande CID responded and paramedics took Sansand to the Sangre Grande Hospital where he died at around 4.30 a.m.

The teenager gave a statement to police on the incident.

Sansand’s killing took the murder toll to 46, according to an Express tally.

(Trinidad Express)

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46 feature

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Guyana - A diverse culinary mecca

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epperpot, garlic pork, cassava bread, cook-up rice and a wide array of curries are among the many offerings which characterise the unique culinary landscape of Guyana, and indeed visitors and locals alike can attest to lure of the mouth-watering options available.

A few months ago, a group of Canadian media representatives and travel agents spent three days in Guyana on a familiarisation tour, as tourism officials continue to enhance their drive to attract more Canadians to the destination. The visiting team comprised of owner and CEO of Roraima Travel, Syed Rayman; publisher of the Caribbean Graphic Newspaper, Tony McWatt; travel agent, Shararazad HackGill; and one of Canada’s top food stylists, Nathan Fong.

Guyana is attractive for many reasons: the rich culture, amazing wildlife, pristine beauty and its unique tourism offerings. With the amalgamation of the six cultures, undoubtedly the cuisine would stand apart from other destinations.

While Guyana’s ap-

Pepperpot is a Guyanese favourite, and many regional and international tourists as well

peal was unquestionable, with offerings such as Kaieteur Falls and the Essequibo, it was the view of Fong, one of Canada’s culinary ambassadors, that Guyana has a bright future in food tourism.

In an interview in November, immediately following his trip to Guyana, Fong shared his perspective with local representatives, which was publicised by the Guyana Tourism Authority.

“I think Guyana’s tourism has great potential; their culture and culinary background varies. Seeing the vast

richness of their cultural background - the Chinese, East Indians, African - it’s a melting pot of cuisines,” he expressed.

The fact that Guyana’s cuisine can be a major selling point of the destination has not escaped the notice of relevant authorities. In fact, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) partners with restaurants annually to host the Guyana Restaurant Week, which is a culinary celebration of restaurants and eateries in Guyana. During the designated period, partici-

pating restaurants offer an exclusive menu at a significantly reduced price; this in turn gives visitors and local foodies an opportunity to enjoy “specialty prix fixe menus from skilled local chefs”.

To further showcase Guyana’s culinary offerings and to stimulate the taste buds, several local publications educate the public and provide a guide to the many dining establishments in Guyana.

According to the World Food Travel Association, while there are many definitions of what “food tourism” is, the term has been simplified into the following: “The pursuit and enjoyment of unique and memorable food and drink experiences, both

far and near.”

This definition suggests that while we may not be aware of it, we are all “food travelers” by the mere act of going to a special restaurant, grocery store or eating out at our favourite place; which is even more evident by the overwhelming response to Restaurant Week over the years. The fact that visitors to our beautiful country can be attracted by our culinary diversity and offerings is another bonus.

Seeing its success, obviously there are numerous economic benefits of promoting food tourism.

The World Food Travel Association adds that a more engaged food and drink tourism strategy will be beneficial in many ways, including more visitor arrivals, more sales (rooms/ airplane seats/restaurant meals/wine/beer/car rentals/and much more), more media coverage, a new competitive advantage or unique selling proposition (that is, unique food and drink), more tax revenue to government authorities, increased community awareness about tourism in general and increased community pride about, and awareness of, the area's food and drink resources.

The organisation has added that its decade of experience in the food tourism industry has led to the conclusion that

approximately 25 per cent of visitors’ spending can be attributed to food and drink while traveling. This percentage, the World Food Travel Association noted, tends to be higher in more expensive destinations and lower in less expensive destinations.

Alluding to the importance of food tourism in the Global Report on Food Tourism, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) also noted that the main aim of the study is to highlight the economic, social and promotional importance of gastronomy in the development of local and national economies and its impact in the tourism and travel industry.

“The growth and resilience of the Food Tourism segment has become increasingly evident in recent years, as destinations and businesses have become aware of the positive benefits not only in tourism development, but also in the value chain of gastronomy as part of the national or local economy,” UNWTO concluded.

Given Guyana’s rich potential to become a prime ‘food destination’, it is a definite and welcomed possibility that this country can harness the power to stand out in the region and attract more visitors.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Flavours of India can be enjoyed right here in Guyana (Photo from Guyana Restaurant Week Facebook page)

A plate of hot cook-up rice is another favourite meal in Guyana

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Coulda, woulda, shoulda in suga

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atiricus was anxious to get down to the Back Street Bar. This was his usual disposition on a Saturday evening, but this time there was an extra spring to his steps. After all the stick he’d taken from his buddies about his KFC party, today he’d be able to hold his head up high.

“How do you like my fearless leaders, Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat, solving the crisis in the sugar industry?!”

Satiricus burst out, as soon as he took his seat.

“Solved the sugar crisis?” demanded Hari. “What the arse you talking about Sato?”

“Didn’t you read Nagga Man’s column, ‘Sugar and Politricks’, in the Sunday Chronic?” asked Satiricus aggrievedly.

Everyone around the table nodded.

“My leader outlined the plan he came up with, and which Pressie had the unions agree to next Friday,” said Satiricus with a smirk. “What a guy!!”

“Nagga Man mek up da plan?” asked Cappo in disbelief. “Suh who a play politricks?”

“What do you mean?” asked Satiricus truculently. “If it wasn’t for Nagga Man, the half severance woulda never been paid.”

“Budday! Da na no fava; de law seh dem shoulda get dem whole severance,” said Cappo. “Me a talk ‘bout all de jab he seh ‘e guvment fin’ fuh dem suga worka.”

“Yes, Sato,” said Bungi, who had gone and found the Chronic with Nagga Man’s column and was pointing to it.

“Read da an’ tell me which suga worka get dem jab!”

Hari read slowly to the table of friends: “2,448 persons received technical training in the fields of graphic design, photography, orchard establishment, leather craft, climate-smart agriculture and book-keeping.”

“I’m not sure,” Satiricus said. “What about the rest?” he said.

Hari obliged: “Some 301 micro-enterprises received grant funding in the amount of US$421,000.”

Satiricus shook his head in disbelief, “No. I don’t think those were for sugar workers.”

“Nagga man t’ink beca’se abee bin fetch cane, abee brain saaf!” said Bungi. “He a de waan wha play palitricks!”

“I give up,” said Satiricus, holding his head. “I coulda been at home!!”

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Lessons from the past

By Anu Dev

“I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. “Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death” – Leonardo da Vinci

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his side of the New Year, especially since I’m on the final leg of my Med School journey, I’ve been getting a bit reflective about the past few years. I’ve especially been thinking about one of the courses called PECH (Professionalism, Ethics and Communication in Health), which we had to take in our first 2 years in addition to our medical courses.

The purpose of the course was to train us to become “well-rounded doctors”– not just some jaded automatons treating diseases instead of treating the actual human patient.

At the time, I did more than my fair share of complaining about the additional work I had to do for this course, but now that I’ve spent the past two years in the hospital interacting with patients, I can appreciate the importance of such a course. I think anyone who’s ever stepped into a hospital has had at least a few instances when they’ve had to deal with a medical professional who really wasn’t very

essays. We were supposed to select news articles, videos, or even TV shows, reflect on what feelings they evoked, and then write down our thoughts on the matter. And it wasn’t that bad, except for the part where our tutors kept telling us that we needed to dig deeper and pour out more of our feelings into these essays, and it all felt like impromptu (and unwanted) psychiatric sessions. Kind of an extended Woody Allen movie.

But at least the course forced us to take the time to reflect on the things around us. In this current time, when the Internet is so accessible and there’s so much information accessible, so much information just filters through, doesn’t stick, and we don’t think much about all of this new information.

At the time, a piece of new information might cause you to think, “Oh. That’s interesting.” You’d pause for a moment, and then you’d keep scrolling and move onto something new, and probably forget about that

other thing. We don’t really process and internalize much of this information.

Of course, much of it isn’t really worth retaining.

And this is where your ethical values come in handy: so that you have a framework — in addition to the purely “medical” or “scientific” rules — to evaluate information. I don’t think there’s a prize out there for remembering all of the details of celebrity marriages.

But some of it you should at least try to think about — how the issue might impact on you, on your life, and on the people around you. It’s nice to step out of your personal bubble and take a genuine interest in the things you read, hear, or see, instead of letting them pass you by.

So, slow down a bit in your incessant scrolling through information. Take some time to actually read though an article, and pass it through your ethical screen before commenting, instead of forming an opinion off of just a headline.

Shutdown…

Dead Meat.

Again

atiricus was on cloud nine!! Someone less particular might say he was in pig’s heaven – since he was smiling like the cat that just swallowed the canary! It was a new year…and, as he mused to himself – it was going to be a new beginning. He’d thought so before, but had been brought back to earth by the fellas at the Back Street Bar. This time they wouldn’t be able to mess with his head.

“Eh! Eh! Sato, ole fr’en’,” said Bungi ,as Satiricus eased into his seat and downed his waiting beer in one practiced gurgle. “Like yuh win Latto, or somet’ing?”

“Naaah!” smiled Satiricus as he signalled for another beer. “Better than that! In fact, so much better, the drinks are on me!!”

“Well, this I have to hear,” said Hari. “So you going to share the good news with us, or what?”

“Don’t you fellas read the papers?” Satiricus wanted to know.

“Me read dat yuh KFC party seh dem ‘gree fuh na pay dem cane-cutta dem sev’rance!” said Cappo with some heat.

“It’s the same half-empty cup you fellas always seeing!” smiled Satiricus. “Didn’t you see our leader Trotty say our KFC will be going alone at the LGE?” “Me read da,” said Bungi. “But me na bin t’ing yuh guh wan’ fuh ta’k ‘bout dat schupid idea!!”

“What you mean, “stupid idea”?” demanded Satiricus.

“Alyuh always blaming my KFC for mixing up with Pee-an’See. Now we can start being free!”

“An’ dat is why it schupid,” said Cappo. “Who yuh t’ink gun vote fuh KFC now afta all wha alyu guvmnent do?”

“Budday!” exclaimed Hari. “It’s like you rape a woman and you think she’ll give you lodging!! Why would anyone vote for the KFC??”

“Well, they voted for us before!” said Satiricus not so effusively as before.

“Dis time na lang time!” smiled Bungi “When alyu na even get waan pa-cent, lemme see wha’ Pee and See gun do?”

“Drap de dead meat in de garbage!” chuckled Cappo.

Satiricus fell quiet.

professional at all. And working in the system, I’ve seen doctors at both ends of the spectrum — some impatient and snappy, and others endlessly patient and caring. For the most part, I’ve worked with doctors who fall somewhere inbetween, just people trying their best to do their jobs the best they could.

There were a few takeaways from those PECH courses that proved to be useful even outside of a medical setting.

First of all, there’s the notion of integrating work and action with the acquiring of knowledge itself — all within an ethical framework. I come from a tradition that insists that information isn’t knowledge when one hears it, or even cogitates upon it and integrates it with other ideas. It becomes “knowledge” when it is put into action. And “informs” you. So PECH was not entirely a novel experiment.

In our first semester, a big portion of our assignments for PECH was to write a series of reflective

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…in government

ews of the “shutdown” of the American Government is dominating our newsfeed. This fourth shutdown in the past quarter of a century is interesting since it’s related to Trump’s immigration shakeup. While Guyana wasn’t identified as one of the “sh*thole” countries Trump insisted he wanted to radically cut immigration from, we’re undoubtedly on his list.

After all, if Haiti heads the list, and we’re just above them in the poverty hit parade, what’s our claim to fame in sending hordes of immigrants to the US? Our hordes get a free pass because of the present American immigration laws that allow naturalized citizens to sponsor parents and adult children etc. This will be changed to a Canada-like system wherein immigrants have to ‘qualify” according to criteria, such as skills etc that can help America. Nothing to quarrel about with that, is there? The (moral) fly in the ointment are the hundreds of thousands of “dreamers” – children of illegal immigrants who’d been given permission by Obama to stay if they registered – who’ll now be deported.

Anyhow, what’s of greater interest to your Eyewitness is the PROCESS by which the shutdown was brought about, which is due to the STRUCTURE of the American Government. There, they have a REAL separation of powers between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. And when it comes to spending – and it’s money that makes the world go ‘round, in case you forgot – it’s a matter of the Executive proposing and the Legislature disposing.

And in this instance, one House of Congress that forms the American legislature –the Senate – has balked at paying the salaries of government bureaucrats who aren’t deemed ‘essential”, like, say, soldiers. The Government has to SHUT DOWN, since there aren’t bodies to do the job!!

Now, even though we say we have a “democracy” in Guyana, where there is “separation of powers”, there

isn’t really. Think of it. The Members of the Executive – the Ministers – are also MPs in the Legislature, and the latter tongues are hanging out to do the Executive President’s bidding!! Especially those MPs who want to become Ministers to enjoy the perks!!

So the American Government shutdown demonstrates that democratic forms of government can be varied to suit the needs of the country. The American constitutional framers didn’t want to appoint a President who’d be a dictator like the King they threw out. So they “balanced” his powers with that of the Legislators, who’re independently elected and aren’t in the Cabinet.

We, however, have a co-joined Executive and Legislature – with only the Judiciary to take them on. And which is now being subverted.

Shouldn’t we also separate our legislature to prevent a dictatorship? …of sugar Your Eyewitness was just reminded by a friend of how devious and downright low this Government can be to those it considers not its supporters. And sugar workers are by definition in that category. Think of what’s now dominating the headlines – yup! – the 50% severance payout! With this GAMBIT – and a gambit it is – the President has effectively removed the debate and focus from his unilateral sugar estate closures, promises of land and alternate employment, to sugar workers!!

Didn’t think of it that way, did you? Neither did your Eyewitness. Workers – and even the Opposition — are going to be so focused on getting the remaining 50% severance they’ll be even praising the Govt when they finally get it in their hands!! Never mind the Government’s callous closures and firing of 5700 sugar workers and dooming their communities into an endemic life of poverty for another generation.

But who thinks that far ahead? Not those who’re only fixated on getting the balance of their severance! …and ‘woulda, coulda and shoulda’ President Granger said, in the security area, it’s been 20 years of “woulda, coulda, shoulda”. Your Eyewitness didn’t know he was a fan of Brian McKnight. But on the sugar workers, he should remember Brian’s refrain: “Shoulda been a better man!”

48 Bollywood

SRK receives Crystal Award at World Economic Forum

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ollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, Hollywood star Cate Blanchett and singer-songwriter Elton John received awards at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday for their work raising awareness about human rights issues.

Shah Rukh, one of Hindi cinema’s most globally known faces, has been feted as he is a founder of the non-profit Meer Foundation, which provides support to female victims of acid attacks and major burn injuries through medical treatment, legal aid, vocational training, rehabilitation and livelihood support.

Talking about receiving the honour, SRK quipped, “Extremely charged that I’ve had this amazing opportunity, this award, being recognized like this for minuscule work that I did, I’d like to do it with even more fervor. What is even more pleasant is that India is here in full power.”

He has also been responsible for the

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creation of specialised children’s hospital wards and has supported child care centres with free boarding for kids undergoing cancer treatment.

On the stage, he thanked the ladies of his life for his values. He said, “I want to thank my sister, my wife and my little daughter for bringing me up well and teaching me the value of requesting, sometimes imploring and begging a yes from a woman, instead of forcing it upon her.”

Earlier, the 52-year-old actor shared his excitement about receiving the award with Cate Blanchett and Elton John in a series of tweets.

The Crystal Award is given by the WEF to artists who make a positive change in society.

The awards were presented at a ceremony in the village of Davos, in the Swiss Alps, where some of the world’s top policymakers and executives have begun gathering for the annual meeting. (Indian Express)

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he festival of Basant Panchmi marked a new beginning for Bollywood actor Prateik Babbar. Prateik on Monday got engaged to 27-year-old writer-director-editor Sanya Sagar.

The two have known each other for years but got into a relationship in 2017 after Sanya returned from London.

The actor got engaged to his lady love at a roka ceremony at her farmhouse in Lucknow in the presence of immediate family including Raj Babbar, Smita Patil’s sisters and Sanya’s parents to solemnize their long standing relationship.

While the wedding dates are not out yet, the couple plans to spread their happiness in three states – Delhi, Lucknow and Mumbai, respectively.

Prateik took to Instagram to announce the news of his engagement with an adorable picture. He wrote, “”holy snappp!.. that just happened!”

While the duo can’t hold themselves back from expressing shock or excitement in the picture, we can’t help but notice the couple’s adorable chemistry.

Prateik Babbar states, “I have always been a very guarded person when it involves my private life. Infact I went down on one knee and proposed to Sanya at Time Out 72 music festival in Goa in December and no one knew about it till she brought it up with her parents. Since

Arjun Kapoor on his journey in Bollywood: Highs were amazing, lows a teacher

Hrithik Roshan begins his ‘Super 30’ journey on an auspicious note

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fter many debates and discussions over his personal life, Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan will finally be in the news for his professional side. The actor’s upcoming project Super 30 is ready to roll. Hrithik took to social media site Twitter to update his fans about the good news.

The actor wrote, “On the auspicious day of Saraswati Puja and Basant Panchami, I am beginning my journey of Super 30 where I am playing

role. His dedication towards his work and the kind of versatility he exhibits as an actor is very inspiring. Being a rooted and passionate person myself, I feel that he will bring an emotional depth to my life on screen. I am excited to see Hrithik as Anand Kumar essaying my emotional journey. I totally trust Vikas with my story and I am confident that he will make a sensible and heartfelt film about me and what I strive to do,” Anand had said during

my grandfather passed away last year, we wanted to keep the festivities low key and hence will plan the wedding only next year. Yesterday was the happiest day of my life as Sanya brings a lot of stability and kismet into my life and I am someone who has always endorsed the idea of wedlock and brood. Currently the mood at home feels like it’s not the roka but the wedding with everyone having being so anxious about the preparations over the last one month but we are just regaling in this new found status.”

On the work front, Prateik Babbar has shot for Mulk, in which he would be sharing the screen space with Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, social thriller Mulk revolves around the real-life struggles of common people.

The Bollywood actor, who started off his filmy career in 2008 with Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, would also be seen in a negative role in Baaghi 2, starring Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani. (Indian Express)

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is involvement with Hindi films began when he assisted in the direction and production of films like Kal Ho Naa Ho, No Entry and Wanted, followed by an acting debut in 2012 with Ishaqzaade. Actor Arjun Kapoor says his journey so far has been a mix of highs — which were amazing — and lows that have been good learnings.

Arjun has celebrated success with films like Ishaqzaade and 2 States, and faced failures with duds like Aurangzeb and Tevar. With just six years’ expe-

rience and 10 film to his credit, is he happy with the way his career graph is headed?

“There is no reason to complain.

The excitement is to do better and more. That’s the energy that keeps me going. You have a quest for more. Like I said, I can’t complain. The highs were amazing and the lows were a teaching phase. It’s been surreal to say the least, and I hope it continues this way,” Arjun said.

Arjun, son of producer Boney Kapoor and Mona Shourie, has a positive approach to competition in the Hindi film industry, which is attracting huge numbers of newcomers but continues to be ruled by veterans like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.

Arjun says it was an “outstanding experience” working for the film, which has been extensively shot in Pithoragarh, Gurgaon and New Delhi.

(Indian Express)

Irrfan Khan and Dulquer Salmaan starrer ‘Karwaan’ to release on June 1

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a teacher for the first time. May the Goddess of learning bless this effort.”

Super 30 is based on mathematician Anand Kumar’s life. Anand, who is based in Patna, is popular for tutoring IIT aspirants who belong to a less privileged background.

Anand had earlier said in an interview about the film that he thinks Hrithik is the best actor to portray him on screen. The mathematician had said that he is hopeful about the film since Hrithik is deeply passionate about the project.

“I am happy that Hrithik will play me because he is the best choice for the

an interview.

According to reports, Hrithik has also been appointed a coach from Bihar who is helping him perfect his local accent. Since Hrithik is known in showbiz for his perfectionist ways, it comes as no surprise that the actor is giving it all to the project.

There have been reports doing the rounds that Kumkum Bhagya fame Mrunal Thakur has been approached to play the female lead in the film.

However, there hasn’t been any confirmation about the same from the makers’ end. (Indian Express)

rrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan and Mithila Palkar starrer Karwaan is all set to release on June 1, 2018. The film is produced by Ronnie Screwvala.

Karwaan belongs to the slice-of-life genre, where three oddballs try and find some balance in life by going on an unconventional journey.

While Irrfan has had a successful run in the industry with his last two releases Qarib Qarib Singlle and Hindi Medium, Karwaan will be Malayalam star Dulquer Salmaan’s first Hindi feature film.

Debuting along with him in the film will be internet sensation Mithila Palkar.

Not only the actors, but the captain of the ship, director Akash Khurana, will also be working on his first full-length feature film with Karwaan.

The movie has been shot in the beautiful locales of Kerala. The actors are excited about the project and are already done

with the entire shoot.

“Honestly, I do not take my stardom seriously, only work. I know my fans love me because of my work. Yes, if they are my fans, they will come to watch me in theaters even if the film is not so good…But if I am continuously delivering bad films, no one will come to watch me,” Dulquer had said at an event.

It was also recently confirmed that Dulquer has signed another Bollywood project with Sonam Kapoor. The two will be seen sharing screen space in the screen adaptation of Anuja Chauhan’s book The Zoya Factor.

“He (Dulquer) is on board but we will make an official announcement about him and the film in a week or so. We are waiting for Padmaavat (row) to settle down (the film releases this Friday) and after that, we will announce the film,” a source told indianexpress.com. (Indian Express)

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Priyanka Chopra promotes her next Hollywood film ‘A Kid Like Jake’

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F

rom the beaches of France where Dunkirk took place to a historic Toronto theater where Shape of Water was filmed, fans can visit many of the real-world destinations depicted in this year’s Oscar-nominated movies.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME For the Italy depicted in Call Me By Your Name, head to the town of Crema, about an hour from Milan in the northern Lombardy region. Actor Michael Stuhlbarg says the setting was “exquisitely beautiful. … It was a character in the film.”

DARKEST HOUR At London’s Churchill War Rooms museum , visitors can see the map room, cabinet room, Winston Churchill’s bedroom and other locations depicted in the movie about Churchill’s early days as prime minister during wartime. The museum was even visited by the movie’s stars, Gary Oldman, who portrayed Churchill, and Lily James, who played his secretary. An exhibit called “Undercover: Life in Churchill’s Bunker” shows how typists like James’ character sometimes lived and worked there around the clock.

The museum on King Charles Street is open daily (admission, $29).

DUNKIRK The movie Dunkirk was filmed on location in the northern French port city where Allied soldiers were evacuated from the beaches in 1940 by a flotilla of more than 800 ships.

Guided tours include sites like the beaches, the East Mole breakwater where most evacuations took place and the cemetery where some 800 soldiers are buried. Visitors may also tour the Musee Dunkerque 1940 when it reopens in April following renovations, or have tea on the Princess Elizabeth, a paddle steamer that made four trips as a rescue ship and is now a floating restaurant.

TONYA Tonya Harding is from Portland, Oregon, but the movie about her ill-fated skating career was shot mostly in Georgia, including at a rink where the public can skate: Duluth Ice Forum.

LADY BIRD Lady Bird is set in Sacramento, California, hometown of director Greta Gerwig. Most of the interiors were filmed in Los Angeles, but The Sacramento Bee says Gerwig put some of her favorite Sacramento spots in the movie, including the McKinley Park rose garden, Fabulous

40s neighborhood and the river walk near Tower Bridge.

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Where can you find the oceanic planet Ahch-To from Star Wars: The Last Jedi? On a remote island off Ireland’s west coast, Skellig Michael. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site where an ancient Christian monastic order built stone beehiveshaped huts. Other Star Wars scenes were shot in Malin Head on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal; Loop Head in County Clare; Ballyferriter in County Kerry; and Brow Head near Crookhaven, County Cork. Ireland’s tourism agency promotes the destinations at http://www.Ireland.com/starwars .

THE POST The movie about The Washington Post’s coverage of the Pentagon Papers was mostly filmed outside of Washington. A building in White Plains, New York, stood in for the newspaper building, and Brooklyn, New York, subbed for some shots of Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood, according to Destination DC, Washington’s tourism agency. You can, of course, see the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, and you can see the exterior of the American Stock Exchange building in New York, though it’s no longer in use. You can also stay in the room where the actual Watergate break-in took place, known as Scandal Room 214 at the Watergate Hotel . The movie’s final scene depicts the discovery of the burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters there, which led to the Watergate scandal.

THE SHAPE OF WATER The old movie theater featured in The Shape of Water is in Toronto. Auditorium scenes were filmed at the Elgin, a theater that opened in 1913 at 189 Yonge St. and is today part of a Canadian National Historic Site. Tours offered Thursdays at 5 p.m., Saturdays at 11 a.m. ($12 cash, check website for occasional cancellations). The marquee shown in the movie is Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Ebbing is a fictional place.

The movie was shot in North Carolina, and North Carolina is promoting a three-day itinerary to filming locations in Sylva, Dillsboro, Black Mountain, Asheville and Maggie Valley in the western part of the state.

(Indian Express)

riyanka Chopra has become a global star in almost no time. After starring in ABC series Quantico in a lead role, she has two Hollywood films in her kitty and in both of them she stars with bigwigs of American film and television industry. When she left abroad from Indian shores, she was one of the biggest actors in Bollywood and had worked with the biggest studios and filmmakers in the business.

While Priyanka’s character in Quantico Alex Parish was the one that made her a household name in the US, her upcoming films might just make her one of the most famous actors in Hollywood. She had also gained fame with her work in Baywatch alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Indian actors have worked in Hollywood before, but Priyanka may be the only one who is authentically Hollywood

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now.

At the ongoing Sundance Film Festival, Priyanka was seen promoting her upcoming film A Kid Like Jake with the cast. She posted photos of herself with her co-actors on her Instagram profile. Apart from Priyanka Chopra, the cast includes names like Homeland star Claire Danes, The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, and Octavia Spencer who was last seen in The Shape of Water. The

fter an illustrious career of more than five decades, veteran actor Morgan Freeman has taken home the biggest honour in the entertainment industry. The 80-year-old actor, who was honoured with the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award, acknowledged how momentous this achievement was for him.

In his acceptance speech, he said, “These moments in life usually call for an entire litany of thank yous. I can’t do that because I don’t know all of your names, so I won’t try. This is beyond an honour. This is a place in history. I want to say thanks to SAGs for this enormous honour”.

After a couple of playful jokes with award presenter Rita Moreno, and the necessary thank yous, Morgan went on to give a few adjustments that could be made to the SAG statue in the future years.

“I wasn’t gonna do this, but I’m gonna tell you what’s wrong with this statue. It works from the back. From the front, it’s gender-specific. Maybe I started something”, shared Freeman.

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scar nods for women and minorities drew many of the headlines in Tuesday’s nominations, but this year’s Academy Awards also mark a breakthrough for transgender filmmakers.

Yance Ford, the director of the documentary Strong Island and a trans man, became the first transgender filmmaker nominated for an Oscar. His film, a Netflix release about Ford’s investigation into his brother’s 1992 murder, was nominated for best documentary.

Sebastian Lelio’s A Fantastic Woman, Chile’s Oscar entry, was also nominated for best foreign language film. It stars Daniela Vega, a trans actress, as a transgender singer mistreated in the aftermath of her boyfriend’s death.

Alluding to those nominations, as well as those for films featuring prominent gay characters such as The Shape of Water, Call Me By Your Name

film, directed by Silas Howard who is known for his work on acclaimed Amazon Prime Video series Transparent, is scheduled for a premiere at the festival tomorrow.

Priyanka Chopra has also spoken extensively on issues that are plaguing Hollywood and film industry in general. Though her fans in India wait to see her back on the Bollywood screens, she is clearly meant for bigger things.

(Indian Express)

Rita, who was presented with this award five years ago by Freeman, called the actor a “national treasure”.

She said, “Morgan is way more than just an actor, narrator, producer, humanitarian. This man is a national treasure. Morgan likes to say that if you become a star, people are going to go to see you. And if you remain an actor, they’re going to go see the story you are in”.

Freeman rose to fame in the 1970s with a part of children’s TV show The Electric Company and in the following decades has become one of the highest box office stars of all time; he has raked in 4.316 billion dollars total box office gross, an average of 74.4 million dollars per film.

Morgan won an Oscar in 2005 for his role in Million Dollar Baby (2004), and he has received Oscar nominations for his performances in Street Smart (1987), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Invictus (2009). (Indian Express)

and Lady Bird, GLAAD applauded the Oscar field.

“It’s a big day for LGBTQinclusive films at the Academy Awards. Films like The Shape of Water, A Fantastic Woman, Lady Bird, and Call Me By Your Name not only have complex, detailed, and moving portrayals, but prove that audiences and critics alike are hungry for stories which embrace diversity,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD president and CEO. “These important stories move the needle forward on LGBTQ acceptance at a time when media images are often the front lines for marginalized communities.”

Some had hoped Vega would become the first transgender actor nominated. Hollywood has come under increasing criticism for celebrating trans stories played by non-trans stars, while failing to cast transgender actors.

Hilary Swank (Boys Don’t Cry), Jared Leto (Dallas

Buyers Club), Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) and Felicity Huffman (Transamerica) have all garnered Oscar nominations for trans roles, with Swank and Leto winning. But the transgender stars of Sean Baker’s 2015 film Tangerine escaped Oscar notice, too, though the film’s Mya Taylor won an Independent Spirit Award.

Lelio said Tuesday he sees A Fantastic Woman as a love story “that happens to happen to a transgender woman.”

“For me, it has always been a film about the limits to our empathy,” Lelio said. “About what we are willing to allow from others, where we draw the line in terms of which people are legitimate or which acts of love are legitimate or not.”

Transgender people have been nominated in other Oscar categories. The composer Angela Morley received two nods, for 1974’s The Little Prince and 1976’s The Slipper and the Rose. (Indian Express)

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Youth or experience?

AAG’s Commonwealth Games conundrum

Compton Caesar

By Michelangelo Jacobus

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ith little over two months remaining before the Commonwealth Games kick off at Gold Coast, Australia in April; the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) seems to have a conundrum on their hands concerning the selection of their five-member team to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the games.

Speaking to an official from the AAG on Tuesday, Guyana Times International Sport was informed that the early 2018 season ‘developmental meets’ are being used as measuring sticks of sorts to identify athletes who would be in contention for a spot on the Commonwealth team.

However, it was also revealed that the selection would be made strictly on athletes who are present at these local meets; this stance if it is a reality is a definite brew for controversy as top experienced athletes such as Winston George, Brenessa Thompson and Troy Doris are all overseas competing on the circuits.

As recent as a month ago, in December, AAG boss Aubrey Hutson in an exclusive interview with this newspaper had pointed out that while AAG had its most successful year in 2017, he is faced with either picking experience or going with the potential of youth with the make-up of the team

either being led by the likes of veteran athlete Winston George or young and upcoming track stars Daniel Williams and Compton Caesar.

Winston George has been arguably Guyana’s best male athlete over the years but at age 30 is entering the twilight years of his career; Williams on the other hand has his entire future ahead of him. While the AAG has

U-18 400m silver medal is no easy feat and is often taken for granted, at his age performing on the biggest stage in his age category, the trajectory for Williams can only go up and the future appears truly limi t less.

C o m p t o n Caesar is one of the most pow-

erful sprinters that Guyana has seen emerge in recent years, he won Guyana’s first CARIFTA 100m Gold medal in brilliant fashion; however he is also a work in progress and the more exposure Caesar faces will only continue to mold him into a world class athlete. Aside from Williams and Caesar, Troy Doris should be right up there in contention for a spot.

The female component of the team however does not face such a difficult choice as jumpers Chantoba Bright and Natricia Hooper along with either of Brenessa Thompson or Kadecia Baird are miles ahead of other athletes on the distaff side.

Whatever the eventual selection of the team, the AAG should be fair and considerate while thoroughly examining the pros and cons of the team make up.

As Hutson said “If I want to go medal hunting I’ll take Winston (George), if we’re pushing development we’ll take Daniel (Williams) and Compton Winston George (Caesar)”.

Daniel Williams

come under fire in the past for ‘focusing too much’ on the youth athletes; Daniel has already shown a glimpse of the talent and potential that is brimming just below the surface, a World

Blend of youth and experience will play key role in this year’s competition - Crandon

By Clifton Ross

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uyana Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon is backing the new-look Jaguars 50 Overs team to break the more than a decade-long jinx as they seek to add the elusive Regional Super 50 title to their collection.

After announcing their side for the upcoming Regional Super50, selectors dropped a surprise with six newbies in the squad. Among those who will start their 50 overs career with the Jaguars include; Chandrapaul Hemraj, Ramaal Lewis, Keemo Paul, Ricardo Adams, Clinton Pestano and Sherfane Rutherford.

Coach Crandon told Guyana Times International Sport that he believes the team’s blend of youth and experience will play a key role in this year’s competition. “I think we have a good balance and blend of players with some experience guys and some guys now coming through from the 4-days. Most of the guys have been playing good cricket in the local league so it’s about making it work when we get to Antigua and hit the ground running,” said Crandon.

Following a comprehensive title defence in the 4-Dayers, the Jaguars now turn their attention to the seemingly intangible Regional 50 Overs title which has been out of their clutches for almost 15 years.

Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon working with newcomer Clinton Pestano in the nets at Providence on Wednesday

Speaking about the team’s chances overseas, Crandon stated that with the knowledge of Antigua, most notably the Sir Viv Richards Ground where they played an invitational T20series a few months ago, he is certain that once the players are fully acclimatized then it will be easier for them going forward.

“Definitely we’ve looked for a bit more energy and positivity in the squad this year and we have decent knowledge at Sir Viv Richards ground but we will still have to settle in and get acclimatized,” he explained.

Crandon said that he was especially happy with the mix of experience and youth in the team as it will help to further develop the games of the younger Jaguars. The former national player was most certain that while his team has not been able to break the 50 over title jinx, given the make-up of the team

and the form of most of his players, all Guyana needs is to win a few matches to get their momentum going.

“It’s a good team, I’m very optimistic about their chances because it’s a long time the title has eluded us and we really want to bring the title back to Guyana. It’s not going to come easy, its hard training and execution but once we do that, we can win games,” Crandon declared.

Players will assemble on Friday January 27 at Providence as the Jaguars host their solitary practice match before winging out for Antigua on Sunday, where they open the competition versus Kent in Group B at the Viv Richards Cricket Ground on January 31.

The other zone is being played in Barbados and begins on January 30 while the final is set for February 24 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

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The hard work has paid dividends – Johnson “A

fter the first season we spoke and said teams will get close to us and the last two seasons, teams have pushed us and we came back stronger and I think out of the four titles, we played our best cricket this year.”

Those were the words of an elated Guyana Jaguars captain Leon Johnson as he reflected on another stupendous season at the helm of the new powerhouses in Regional First-Class cricket.

For the fourth consecutive season, the coveted Headley/Weekes Trophy remains in the possession of Guyana and the Test batsman is optimistic about winning a fifth.

“This is four straight and it’s a good feeling since we put in a lot of work before the season start and it has paid dividends to the coaching staff and rest of the team. It is a job well done

Captain Leon Johnson seated alongside Guyana Cricket Secretary Anand Sanasie and Cricket West Indies Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams, teammates and coaching staff with the symbol of Regional First-Class cricket supremacy, the Headley-Weekes Trophy

and hopefully we make it five next year.”

Guyana join Barbados (1977-1980) and Jamaica (2008-2012) as the only teams to win the title for four consecutive seasons and they also managed to replicate their 201516 season by playing unbeaten after ten rounds.

Etching his name into the annals of history, the Test player contended

the feat ranks high on his pedestal of accomplishments.

“I think it is right up there, probably with sportsman of the year last year. It’s not easy to win four championships in a row. For this competition, I think we are the most outstanding team and it shows since we have played unbeaten.”

One highlight of the

Jaguars has been their camaraderie both on and off the field which has bailed out of some precarious situations. It meant individual brilliances were a crucial factor and Barbadianborn all-rounder Raymon Reifer has been one of those players whose consistency has been unmatched though he has only played three match-

es.

“We had Raymon from the inception of the professional league and he has picked up 80 odd wickets in four years and his batting has improved. He is a Test player now and still very hungry. He has learnt a lot as when he came he was a bit inexperienced.

He is a good find for us.”

Next season is expect-

ed to commence OctoberNovember this year and the 30 year-old said they will reflect on the season since it was not perfect and look to address those areas. However, their focus now is on their bid to do a ‘double’ by winning the upcoming Regional Super50 title. (Akeem Greene)

Permaul, Smith and Bramble top PLC charts

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eft-handers Devon Smith of Windward Islands Volcanoes and Veerasammy Permaul of Guyana Jaguars were the top individual performers in the 201718 Cricket West indies Professional Cricket League (PCL) Digicel 4-Day Championship which ended on Sunday.

Smith gathered 1,095 runs at an average of 84.23 to cover himself in personal glory. He became the fourth batsman to score more than 1,000 runs in a single WINDIES first-class season and establish a new record for the most runs in a single WINDIES firstclass season.

It was a remarkable achievement for the veteran left-handed opener, considering he reached the mark in just 10 matches. He earns the Viv Richards Award and a US$1,500 cheque.

Permaul collected

exactly 50 wickets at 18.90 apiece.

It is the second time that the left-arm spinner has finished with the most wickets in a season.

He earns the Courtney Walsh Award and a US$1,500 Veerasammy Permaul tops the bowling charts for the second time in his career

prize.

Jaguars’ Anthony Bramble effected 45 dismissals, comprising 42 catches and three stumpings, and was the leading wicketkeeper this season and takes the Deryck Murray Award and a US$1,500 cheque, the same amount that has been secured by Jonathan Carter along with the Clive Lloyd Award for holding 17 catches in the field.

Two other individual awards, chosen by the selection panel of Cricket West Indies, have been announced.

John Campbell of Jamaica Scorpions has earned the Malcolm Marshall Award and a US$1,500 payday for being the top allrounder, having accumulated 603 runs at an average of 43.07 and collected 19 wickets at

24.52 apiece.

Shermon Lewis of Windward Islands Volcanoes has won the Andy Roberts Award and a US$1,000 cheque for being the most promising fast bowler.

He collected 30 wickets at 21.70 apiece in his first full season of the

#D4Day. Champions Guyana Jaguars also pocketed US $36,000, comprising US $15,000 for winning the Championship and US $21,000 for winning seven matches.

For winning each match, the teams gained US $3,000. As a

result, Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions earned US $9,000, and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Windward Islands Volcanoes and Trinidad & Tobago Red Force pocketed US $6,000.

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Guyana to host Women’s World T20 …Final heads to Antigua

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ntigua and Barbuda, Guyana and St Lucia were announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the venues for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018, which will be staged from 9-24 November.

Hosts Windies will defend the title they won with an eight wicket victory over Australia in Kolkata in 2016.

Stafanie Taylor, who was named as captain of the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2017, won the player of the series award in India and is expected to once again lead the Windies in front of a passionate home crowd.

The three venues were selected by Cricket West Indies through a bidding process and have been ratified by the ICC. The preliminary round matches will be held at the Guyana National Stadium and Darren Sammy Stadium in Saint Lucia, while Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda will stage the two semifinals and the final.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson

said: “We are delighted to have Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana and St Lucia on board as hosts for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 later this year.

“Of course, Windies women are the reigning ICC World Twenty20 champions and I’ve no doubt they’ll be looking to defend their title on home soil. We are keen to build on the momentum from this summer’s Women’s World Cup and I’m sure the players can rely on a warm welcome from the legendary cricket fans in the West Indies and we’re all in for a great experience in the Caribbean.”

ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 Tournament Director Jennifer Nero added: “We are excited to be hosting the very first standalone ICC Women’s World T20. This will add to the established passion for women’s cricket throughout our Region.

This is significant not just for the advancement of the sport of cricket but also for the potential for sharing with the world the many irresistible of-

Windies Women will defend their World T20 title in familiar conditions in the Caribbean

ferings of the beautiful countries of the West Indies.

“We welcome cricket fans around the world to the home of the reigning ICC Women’s WT20 Champions to celebrate with us as we host the world’s best women cricketers in this highly competitive tournament infused with all the tru-

ly festive and uniquely Caribbean flavors.”

Windies captain Stafanie Taylor said: “As Captain of the defending champions, we are keen on defending our title and since we know we will be at home, we want to use this as an opportunity to welcome the world to the region for top-class competitive Women’s cricket.”

The hosts will be joined by New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and world champions England who have all achieved qualifi-

cation.

The remaining two spots will be taken by Bangladesh, Holland, Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand, Uganda or United Arab Emirates, all of whom will compete in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier in the Netherlands from 3-14 July.

The November event in the Caribbean will be the first stand-alone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 after the past six events were played alongside the men’s event.

The Caribbean hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007 and then staged the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010 when the league matches of the women’s tournament were played in St Kitts, while St Lucia hosted the two semi-finals. The final in Barbados was played after the men’s final and was won by Australia when they beat New Zealand by three runs.

The details of the tournament, including groups and fixtures, will be announced in due course. (ICC)

Ramdhani scores gold in Canada

Guyana’s world rated badminton player Narayan Ramdhani in action in the championship match

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uyana’s National Badminton Champion and Olympic medal prospect; Narayan Ramdhani won the Championship at the VCR Jack Underhill Open Singles Tournament played at the Vancouver Rackets Club in Vancouver BC, Canada over the weekend.

Ramdhani won the Gold Medal in the Open Men Singles Competition and Bronze in the Open Men Doubles.

In a release to the media from the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA), it was noted; “this is a great achievement considering last year he got the Bronze Medal in Singles at this tournament and this year he won the gold which shows that his training is progressing at the Shuttlesport Badminton Academy in Vancouver

where he is based for over a year and a half now. There is no doubt that he has a consistent high record over the last 8 years.”

This is also his second gold in a stretch as he won the Under-23 Men Singles at the 2017 VRC Remembrance Day Open Badminton Tournament in Vancouver, BC, Canada last year (2017).

The Matches played leading up to his Victory in the tournament were: Open Men Singles: First round: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Eric Tung: 21-13, 21-11 Quarter final: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Boyuan Zhang: 21-8, 21-11 Semi-finals: Narayan Ramdhani defeated David Tsai: 21-17, 21-15 Final: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Mandinu Desilva 21-19, 21-16 Open Men Doubles Round Robin: Narayan Ramdhani & Zach Fan defeated Joshua Chang & Eric Tung: 2119, 21-15 Narayan Ramdhani & Zach Fan defeated Jake Ching & Eric lau: 15-21, 21-15, 21-19 Narayan Ramdhani & Zach Fan lost to Jordan Beatty & Mandinu Desilva: 21-19, 9-21, 21-10 Narayan Ramdhani & Zach Fan lost to Stevie Fung & David Tsai: 1321, 15-21 Narayan will be taking part in a number of tournaments leading up to the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia in April 2018 where he will be representing the Golden Arrowhead.

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Sri Lanka dismantle Bangladesh for 82 and storm into final Sri Lanka 83 for 0 (Tharanga 39*, Gunathilaka 35*) beat Bangladesh 82 (Mushfiqur 26, Lakmal 3-23, Chameera 2-6) by 10 wickets

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uranga Lakmal decked the Bangladesh middle order, Thisara Perera swung blows in the middle, Dushmantha Chameera and Lakshan Sandakan wiped out the tail, and a hail of sixes carried Sri Lanka's openers to a paltry target of 83.

All up, Sri Lanka required only 35.5 overs to complete the 10-wicket win - 24 overs to dismiss the opposition, and 11.5 to run down their score. The hosts, meanwhile, were guilty of complacency perhaps, their place in the final long secured, and with little to gain from this game. It is these two teams who will now contest Saturday's final.

Imrul Kayes has been added to Bangladesh's squad for the tri-series final against Sri Lanka on Saturday. Imrul had been excluded from the team for Bangladesh's third and fourth matches. He struck a first-class century in the BCL in that period.

Having conceded 320 to the same op-

position only six days ago, Thursday was a Sri Lanka bowling fantasy. The short ball proved profitable for the quicks again, as it had done against Zimbabwe on Sunday. Lakmal, Chameera and Thisara were sharp and intense, and Sandakan extracted rapid turn from a wearing Mirpur square. So effective were these four bowlers that Sri Lanka's other frontline spinner - Akila Dananjaya - was not required to bowl a single delivery. Lakmal took 3 for 21, and the others two wickets apiece.

It was in the third over that the mayhem began, when Anamul Haque threw his bat at a Lakmal delivery and redirected it to the stumps via his inside edge. This united Bangladesh's best batsmen of the series - Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal - but they would soon be parted by a piece of electric fielding by Danushka Gunathilaka.

Tamim pushed a ball square on the off side and set off for the run, but swooping to his left from point,

Thisara Perera (Daily News photo)

Gunathilaka pulled off a velvet-smooth pickup and threw down the stumps, leaving Shakib several metres short of his ground. Tamim himself would soon be victim to another piece of Gunathilaka athleticism. Unable to control a bouncer from Lakmal, he sent the ball high off the splice, behind square on the off side. Tracking

the ball from backward point, Gunathilaka dived to complete the catch.

Mushfiqur Rahim was the only Bangladesh batsman to make an attempt at piecing together the innings, batting securely for a while after his team had slipped to 34 for 4. His efforts, however, were not supported by the men at the other end. Sabbir

Rahman soon ran at Thisara and hoisted him to mid-on. Abul Hasan then edged Thisara to the wicketkeeper, to leave Bangladesh at 71 for 6. Suddenly, with only the tail for company, Mushfiqur himself was soon out attempting a scoring shot, when he bunted a slower Chameera ball to short midwicket.

That was Chameera's first wicket in eight matches, and he soon had another - Nasir Hossain caught behind on the leg side. Sandakan, who had been menacing throughout his six overs, closed out the innings, spinning one ball past Mashrafe Mortaza's swing, before Rubel Hossain holed out to long-on.

Gunathilaka - playing this match in place of the injured Kusal Perera - ensured the chase began quickly, as he struck Mashrafe Mortaza for successive leg-side fours at the end of the first over. Upul Tharanga had himself began to open his shoulders when he was dropped at cover by Tamim, but the remainder of the chase was as smooth as it was fastmoving.

Gunathilaka struck three sixes - off spinners and quicks the most impressive of which was the swat off Mustafizur Rahman over deep midwicket.

Tharanga's two sixes came down the ground, and all told, the pair hit 46 of their 83 runs in boundaries. (ESPNCricinfo)

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