Guyana Times International

T20 Tournament continues this weekend in Brooklyn, Queens Page 50

INTERNATIONAL THE BEACON OF TRUTH

for FRee distribution guyanatimesinternational.com

You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com WEEK ENDING October 15, 2017

ISSUE NO. 366

Guyana’s Tax Boss confirms no reduction in VAT planned See story on page 5

...as Private Sector cries “what we don’t want is an overtaxed sector”

Thousands jobless since APNU/AFC took office ...Jagdeo tells Diaspora in Canada

Governor Cuomo reminds New Yorkers to register to vote in upcoming election Page 4

…deadline is October 13

Page 8

Trio remanded over brutal murder of elderly women Page 16

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 3

Two held over daring robbery of Chinese Supermarket T

wo men - one of them a 17-yrold were on Wednesday evening apprehended by Police ranks moments after they allegedly committed a robbery on a Chinese Supermarket located in Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

According to Police “D” Division Commander, Leslie James during a telephone interview with this publication on Thursday, the incident occurred at around 20:00hrs. Based on information received, the proprietor of the Golden World Supermarket, located at lot 302 Parika Highway, EBE, was in the process of closing up her entity when two males entered and carried out the daring robbery.

The entrepreneur identified as a wom-

an named Jin Li Luotold police that the teen whipped out a gun and pointed it at her, while instructing his accomplice to empty the cash register. The perpetrators then managed to flee the scene with the undisclosed sum of cash and a quantity of cellphone cards.

Luo immediately ran over to the Parika Police Station which is located a short distance away and related what had transpired.

Police responded promptly, resulting in them pursuing the suspects into the vicinity of Bushy Park, and after failing to heed warnings, one of the suspects –identified as a Zeelugt resident- was shot.

He was quickly apprehended and taken back to the Parika Police Station, where he gave

police the names of two other accomplices.

As the search continued in the same area, police were able to arrest the bandit who was found muddied, and hiding in a ditch.

The injured Zeelugt teen was taken for medical attention and is presently under police guard, while the other is still in custody.

Police “D” Division Commander, Leslie James also explained to this newspaper that a weapon, suspected to be the firearm used to conduct the robbery was retrieved.

However, there are speculations that the weapon may be a toy.

Nevertheless, he asserted that this can only be confirmed after a ballistics test is conducted.

Investigations are ongoing.

One of the suspects captured on CCTV footage from the business-place

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

INTERNATIONAL To contact: Guyana Times International

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

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

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The novel ‘The Guyana Contract’, by awardwinning GuyaneseAmerican journalist/ author Rosalind Kilkenny McLymont, was recently launched at The University of Guyana. (In photo: Ms McLymont presents a copy of her novel to UG Librarian, Ms Gwyneth George)

EDITORIAL

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Right action

ver the past few years as the Government settled into office, there has much discussion about morality – or conversely and more frequently, its lack in governance and in the rest of society. In Government, the predilection for corruption has astounded even its loyalists, while in society, the murders and general violence continue unabated. The solutions or at least the approaches to address this moral decline have taken two forms – encoding morality into law then seeking enforcement through legal sanctions and through the creation of institutions that herd individuals into approved behaviour.

But these approaches have revealed fundamental flaws in their implementation. We have enacted so many laws to reduce stealing, for instance, but we would be hard put to claim they have had any noticeable effect on stealing of one sort or another. Currently, there is the debate as to whether the laws on child molestation have deterred any paedophiles.

On the governmental front, it appears that members spend more time trying to subvert the rules than on following them.

We can point to the recent case of cocaine being pilfered by Policemen, who are members of the institution dedicated to preventing such actions.

So what are we to do? One approach, in a sense, would have us look backwards – or even go backwards. Our present framework for judging morality focuses on rules that we are supposed to follow. In one scenario, our duty to act in a particular manner is defined a priori – say in accordance to the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant, and the subsequent rules enforce the prescribed behaviour. The other approach – popularised by Jeremy Benthan – would have us act so as to increase the overall happiness of humans. Together these “Enlightenment” ideas summarise the present liberal approach to desirable action. Both lead to an exaltation of the individual and his/her rights.

But before these approaches, there was the Greek view, popularised by Aristotle, that we were supposed to live a good or virtuous life. Being good, according to Aristotle, consists in a creature (whether plant, animal, or human) acting according to its nature – its telos, or purpose. Each individual must practise and cultivate virtuous behaviour. The telos for human beings is to generate a communal life with others; and the good society is composed of many independent, self-reliant groups. Ancient Indians also held to this ideal and called it “Dharma”.

In the past few decades, this ancient approach has been given new life by the philosopher Alisdair MacIntyre, with his book, “After Virtue”. The most damaging consequence of the Enlightenment, for MacIntyre, was the decline of the idea of a tradition within which an individual’s desires are disciplined by virtue. And that means being guided by internal rather than external “goods”. Today, we have the result that everyone looks out for Number One, and maximises what he can acquire for himself, by any means necessary.

The best option in this time of great moral crisis is a return to the virtue ethics of the ancients. Moral rules are too abstract and too rigid, and it is difficult to apply them to complex situations and decisions. If we each are motivated from within to be a better person, then no matter what institution we are placed in, we have a greater chance of doing the ‘right thing’.

Conversely, no matter how well we design the institution, nonvirtuous members will look for and find ways to subvert those rules.

Aristotle talked about the ‘middle way’ – avoiding extremes not only in the big things but in everyday life. Buddhism encourages ‘mindfulness’ whereby we try to always have on our minds, the consequences of our actions. Moral behaviour can begin with the good practice of a profession, trade, or art: cutting cane or cutting hair. In other words, the virtues necessary for human flourishing are not a result of the top-down application of abstract ethical principles, but the development of good character in everyday life. Let us give it a try in Guyana.

Governor Cuomo reminds New Yorkers to register to vote in upcoming election …deadline is October 13

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overnor Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday reminded New York State residents that this Friday, October 13, is the last day to register to be eligible to vote in next month's general election.

Applications must be postmarked no later than October 13 and received by the New York State Board of Elections no later than October 18. New Yorkers can easily apply to register to vote, or change their enrollment information, by using the state's online voter registration application service on the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles' website, a release from the Governor’s Office said.

"Voting is essential to democracy, and we urge all New Yorkers to register to vote and make their voices heard," Governor Cuomo said. "With more ways to register to vote than ever before, I encourage everyone to ensure your information is up to date so you can participate in the election."

To apply to register to vote using the DMV website, customers must enter information from their New York State driver license, permit, or non-driver ID, their date of birth, current zip code, last four digits of their Social Security Number, and their email address. The information provided is validated to ensure accuracy and security. Previously, New Yorkers needed to sign up to create a MyDMV account to register to vote online. Last year, a new site was created that allows applicants to visit the voter registration application page on the DMV website.

If you are already registered to vote but wish to change your party affiliation, you must do so by Friday to vote in primaries in 2018.

Since Governor Cuomo launched the MyDMV auto-

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

mated online system in 2012, 950,717 New Yorkers have registered using DMV's online voter registration applications, including 438,318 first-time voters. Building on this success, in July, Governor Cuomo announced a series of aggressive executive actions designed to expand voter registration opportunities for New Yorkers, including an executive order which directs every state agency to make available voter registration forms and to offer assistance in filling them out.

Terri Egan, DMV's Deputy Executive Commissioner said, "We at DMV are glad to have made it simple for people to go online and start the process of registering. We want to make it convenient to maximize participation in our democracy."

If honorably discharged from the military or if you have become a naturalized citizen since October 13, you may register in person at the board of elections up until October 28.

Changes of address for the general election must be processed

by October 18 to be eligible for the November election.

DMV does not approve or deny voter registration applications. Upon completion, DMV

sends the voter registration applications to the County Board of Elections for review and action. Once processed, the county will notify the applicants either that they are registered to vote or that additional information is needed to complete the application. Additionally, New Yorkers can use the New York State Board of Elections' website to check their voter registration status.

To be eligible to vote in New York, you need to: be a United States citizen; be 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you file the form (note: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote); live at your present address at least 30 days before an election; not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction; not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court; and not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

You can read more about the process for registering to vote at the DMV website or at New York State Board of Elections' website.

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana’s Tax Boss confirms no reduction in VAT planned ...as Private Sector cries “what we don’t want is an overtaxed sector”

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he Guyana R e v e n u e Authority (GRA) has not been privy to any planned reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) when the Budget for 2018 is presented in six weeks’ time.

The bombshell was dropped on Thursday on the final day of ‘Business Summit 2017’ when GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia on Thursday formed part of fiery discussion panel on ‘Taxation’ in Guyana and was joined by vocal social activist and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mark Wenner, Opposition Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall and Private Sector Representative, Deodat Indar.

Statia is in fact, advocating a reduction in the personal income taxes paid by workers—a mea-

sure that can in fact alleviate the inherent loss of disposable income, a result of previous increases in other taxes paid.

The panel discussion followed a presentation by Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, who had lamented the more than G$10B taken out of the pockets of the average Guyanese as a result of the 2017 Budget taxation measures.

The Commissioner General, during his time in the spotlight and under interrogation from participants of the Guyana Business Summit 2017, was quick to point out that he was in no way a policy representative of the Government but was at the summit as a technocrat.

The Commissioner General during his exchange on the Business Summit panel discussion

The panel on ‘Taxation’ in Guyana included; (from left) Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) representative, Mark Wenner, Commissioner General Godfrey Statia, Opposition Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram and Private Sector Representative, Deodat Indar.

also criticised its content saying he attended under the impression, “it would have been an intellectual discourse in how we go about” solving the problems that exist within the system.

According to the Commissioner General, two thirds way into the allotted time for ‘taxation,’ the discussions were yet to center on the

‘meat of the matter.’

Lambasting the forum, the Commissioner General said the administration and its related agencies must first be apprised of the tax related woes that impede the Private Sector in order to be able to formulate a plan reminding those in attendance at the Marriott Hotel, “there is no quick fix.”

Turning his attention to the ever controversial application of the Value Added Tax (VAT), the Commissioner General, told participants, inclusive of business leaders and elected representatives, “as far as I have been told there has not been any further consideration in reduction of VAT.” Statia’s comments

were not contradicted

by Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma and come a short time after Teixeira had told the Business of an opposition proposal for the rate to be reduced to 12 per cent—initially promised by the coalition administration.

Responding to the continued on page 9

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Tax reform appears to have been relegated to the back burner

Dear Editor, President Granger did not mention the phrase (tax reform) once in his "2015 manifesto" message, while his PM Candidate stated that his team “proposes to restructure the tax recovery system, not to oppress the wage earner, but to catch the tax dodger”. But after some two and a half years, although the Government’s Tax Reform Committee made sweeping recommendations, tax reform appears to have been relegated to the back burners.

I want to focus on one particular set of tax measures against the backdrop of the Guyana Business Summit 2017; I speak specifically of Corporation Taxes (CTAX). According to the Ram & McRae website, there are three rates of CTAX in Guyana – a 30% rate that applies to non-commercial companies, a 40% rate that applies to commercial companies except telephone companies and finally a 45% rate for the telephone companies.

If one just observes the CTAX rates in Trinidad as an example, they have a basic rate of 25% and a band of 35% that is applied to the oil and gas industry. If you are a company in Guyana, and you have a legal choice, which country would you prefer to pay your taxes? Guyana at 35%/40% or Trinidad at 25%/35%!

This situation has opened a door to a practice called transfer pricing that allows companies to avoid paying their fair share of taxes in Guyana legally.

It is called tax avoidance. In reality, the tax burden is exported from Guyana to another country with a lower tax rate, allowing that company to bypass the Guyana treasury. In reality, there is such a company called Guyana Stockfeeds (Trinidad) Ltd which is a subsidiary of Guyana Stockfeeds Inc (Read the Annual Report).

The solution to increasing the CTAX payment to the Guyana treasury is simple - reform the tax system. But it requires a phased reduction of the CTAX rates. A strategic starting point is a reduction of the rate from 35% to 25% for the non-commercial companies (mainly the dwindling manufacturing sector).

That one concession will make a world of difference to the investment landscape.

I disagree with the minister's excuse that tax reforms will have adverse budgetary consequences. It has been empirically proven in many instances that any reduction of the CTAX will directly enhance the investment climate, generate new jobs and new tax payments. Reduction in the rate of taxes is a flow, not a spot transaction and thus to quantify the impact of the tax reform, one must quantify the cost-benefits over a period of time (let us say a year) and this is what the minister has refused to do. Rather he is focused on the spot position and his “book losses” at a particular date. But that is a "bean-counting" mentality.

Any reduction in the CTAX will result in the freeing-up of hundreds of millions of new dollars for new investments.

The ideal principle of taxation is “broaden the base and lower the tax rates”. The principle goal of tax reform is to promote economic well-being and drive aggregate demand – new investments, enhanced productivity and a living wage. Instead, the Minister of Finance Mr Jordan continues to delay the implementation of the recommended tax reforms that even Mr Statia advised (he sat on the Tax Reform Commission).

It is time for the minister to wake up and cut through the fog and if he does not understand the core concepts, why isn't he buying expertise to help him. For how long more can Guyana bear a Minister in training behind the 8-ball? At this stage of the game, we should not be discussing the reduction of the CTAX rate for the private sector; it should have been a well-advanced process already reaping the benefits from the increased investments, augmented productivity and expanded wages for the workers which would have all been feeding into the expansion in aggregate demand and by extension the economy.

Sincerely, Sase Singh

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Still no Local Govt Commission in place Dear Editor, I refer to an article captioned “Local Government Commission (LGC) will be given some consideration – Granger”, which appeared in sections of the media. The article stated, “Granger told reporters at State House, when asked about the establishment of the commission, that he was abroad for about a fortnight, resulting in this and other matters being held up.”

For the record, the PPP submitted its nominations to the LGC since July 2016, and Granger be-

ing out of the country for two weeks has very little to do with the delay in setting up this Commission.

If Mr Granger cannot count, July 2016 was 66 weeks ago, and his being away for two weeks was nothing but a puerile excuse.

Some might want to say that Granger is absolutely incompetent and not in control of his Government. I myself was caught in that cul-de-sac for a while, until I realised that this incompetence may really be a mask for a plan to march dictatorship back into

the corridors of power in Guyana.

These deliberate presidential actions that mirror incompetence are really schemes grounded in subterfuge and deception to weaken the institutions of the State, such as the LGC. To deny a nation its LGC because you got a sound thrashing at the local polls exhibits evilness of a special order. This is the punishment to the people for voting against Granger in the local polls.

Regards, Albert Allen

Majority of Guyanese citizens want President to name GECOM Chair without any further delays Dear Editor, An opinion survey I conducted for the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) last week found that the overwhelming majority of the nation wants President David Granger to appoint, without any further delay, the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission from the latest (third) list of six nominees submitted by Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo last month.

Gecom has been without a Chair since last February, when Dr Steve Surujbally resigned from the position. The Commission’s critical election work has been largely suspended since that time.

Jagdeo nominated twelve potential chairpersons, but they were all rejected by the President as not being “fit and proper” because they were not all former or sitting judges or potential judges.

The Chief Justice recently ruled that the Chair does not have to be a judge, as President Granger had required.

Dr Jagdeo submitted a third list, comprising a judge, potential

judges and a former Gecom Chair.

Almost all of the respondents interviewed in the poll are in agreement with the Chief Justice that any fit and proper person can be appointed Chair of Gecom, and that the nominee or appointee does not have to be a judge. They are of the view that all 18 nominees of the Opposition Leader are qualified to be Chair of Gecom, and that the President should not further hold up the appointment from the latest list.

Voters express suspicion that the Government is dragging its feet on the appointment of Gecom Chair as a strategy to delay elections, due by mid-2020. Without a Chair, Gecom cannot engage in registration of voters and prepare a new list for an election.

Respondents also voiced concerns that, without a Chair, there could be contamination of the electoral list, with ineligible registrants that could affect the outcome of an election.

The poll randomly interviewed 392 likely voters, to yield a demographically representative sample

of 43% Indians, 30% Africans, 16% Mixed, 10% Amerindians, and 1% other races of the population. The poll was conducted by using the live interview method. The results of the poll were analyzed at a 95 per cent significance level, and a statistical sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points was found.

Asked if they support the ruling of the Chief Justice that the Chair of Gecom can be any fit and proper person who is not necessarily a judge, former judge, or qualified to be a judge, 79% concurred, with only 3% disagreeing and 18% not offering a response (largely not having knowledge about the issue).

Asked if the President should appoint the Gecom Chair now, 85% said yes, with 2% saying “no” and 13% not offering an opinion.

But many expressed reservations on whether the President would proceed to appoint a Chair, because they feel he wants to choose his own person to head Gecom.

Sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

Turmeric factory in Region 1 will result in many positives Dear Editor, The recent commissioning of the Turmeric factory in Hososroro Hill in Mabaruma in Barima-Waini will provide immediate economic empowerment to the region through job opportunities among other benefits by empowering the people and creating jobs in these communities.

More than 50 farmers from turmeric producing communities of Region One, namely Arukamai, Barima River, Aruka River, Hotoquai, Port Kaituma, Morawhanna, Hobodia, Yarakita, Aruau, Koberimo, St. Anslym, Kachi Kamo, Black

Water, Kamwatta, Wauna and White Water have benefitted from planting materials, technical ad-

vice and training through the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) The farmers are now assured of a ready market at the turmeric processing factory which can process one ton every three days in terms of processing and drying. Through this factory, fresh turmeric will also readily be available for export to neighbouring districts and regions, thus creating more markets.

Sincerely, Shauna Williams

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

New Demerara River crossing

news 7

Govt engages Houston residents over compensation for land, property

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fficials from the Public Infrastructure Ministry on Monday met with residents of Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on the possible acquisition of their land for the new Demerara River bridge.

The residents were told that the Legal Affairs Ministry would be responsible for negotiating any compensation for the acquisition of the land and property.

During the engagement, Greene explained that the “first grassroots community meeting” was an effort by the Ministry to foster a transparent process as the project gets underway.

Even though the project is in its initial stages, Greene emphasised that community engagement from the get-go was a necessity.

“We want to ensure that you are informed every step of the way,” Greene said. She added that all of the previously identified homes might not be affected upon the determina-

Senior Engineer Ronald Roberts, of the Public Infrastructure Ministry, explains alignment details for the new Demerara River bridge to residents of Houston, East Bank Demerara during a recent engagement within the community

tion of the final design of the bridge; nonetheless, all of the residents would be privy to the necessary information.

The proposed alignment of the new bridge and additional project details, including findings from the Feasibility Study and Design, were also shared with the residents.

The residents were informed that more

detailed economic, social, and environmental impact assessments would be conducted when the project moved beyond its preliminary stages and these assessments would take into account many of the residents’ concerns.

According to the residents, their main concerns were being evicted from their properties without adequate notice and not being ad-

equately compensated.

The residents also shared that while they had no issues with relocation, they would prefer new homes on the East Bank of Demerara or somewhere close by.

“We’ve established lives for ourselves in this area; we’re accustomed to this life and we want to continue those lives as best as possible,” one resident explained.

In turn, the Ministry officials emphasised that sufficient notice would be given if the removal of homes became necessary.

Furthermore, the officials shared that the Legal Affairs Ministry would be negotiating directly with the residents on compensation while the Lands and Surveys Department would be conducting the valuation process to ensure that residents were correctly reimbursed for their homes.

The residents expressed their appreciation for the meeting with the Ministry officials and said that the meeting quelled much of their fears.

“Today’s (Monday) meeting was very informative and I appreciate the Ministry coming and making us aware of what’s going on, ‘cause all the time we didn’t know anything about what was going on.

Now that they’ve come, we feel a bit more comfortable with the process and whatever has to come in the future,

we will try to cooperate with whatever has to be done,” Rantwi Rupnarain, a Houston resident for 60 years, said.

The new Demerara River bridge, which will connect Houston on the East Bank and Versailles on the West Bank, will be a medium-level bridge with three vehicular lanes and a central movable part in the form of a lift span to allow for the passage of ocean-going vessels.

The project will also include the construction of two flyover bridges and 11 kilometres of connecting roads on the eastern and western banks of the Demerara River, providing seamless connection to the existing road network.

The new bridge is expected to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce travel time and distances, and provide a level of service never before experienced on Guyana’s roadways.

Construction is scheduled to commence in 2018.

8 news

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Massive unemployment, heavy taxes since APNU/AFC took office

…Jagdeo tells Diaspora in Canada

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is currently on an outreach to the Canadian Diaspora where he told the overseas-based Guyanese about the hardships facing the country.

Jagdeo was at the time joined by Danny Doobay, former Honorary Consul General to Canada, Mani Singh of the Association of Canadian Guyanese (ACG), and Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali. The activity, which was hosted by the ACG, heard the Opposition Leader’s dim report on the Guyana economy, which is being compounded by a rapid loss of jobs across traditional sectors and with little hope to be gleaned from the emerging oil and gas sectors.

“Few are expecting the promise of new oil revenues to trickle down to the average Guyanese. More likely, as already seen with

this Administration, the benefits will accrue to a select few…The model is already in place and one does not have to look far for examples of this works. Just look at Members of Parliament salaries, which have doubled – while ordinary Guyanese come under increasing economic strain,” Jagdeo told the Toronto-based section of the Guyanese Diaspora.

The Opposition Leader in his outreach reported that ever since President David Granger took office in 2015, 25,000 jobs have been lost – a situation compounded by the introduction of 200 new taxes.

“Guyanese people of all stripes, religion or ethnicity are bearing the brunt of the hardships brought on by an administration with no realistic vision and no strategic economic plan…

Instead, they use meaningless slogans…these slogans are devoid of any

substantive definition as to what they mean, and are unsupported by policy underpinnings to make them reality.”

According to Jagdeo, “from the time the Granger Administration took over, Guyana has regressed”. He told the ACG, “While it has always been recognised that Guyana has the natural physical potential to allow all Guyanese to achieve a measure of prosperity… that great promise of the future is regretfully now slipping away – even in the face of developments in the oil and gas sector.”

The former President told Guyanese living in Canada that President Granger failed to see or be concerned with the people side of the equation.

“The industry sectors are not single companies or single plants, where closure, albeit painful, can be contained. Entire communities – families

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and team also engaged Guyanese at Rotilicious, Ajax, Ontario

and the country’s social well-being – depend on the jobs in each of these segments.”

He told the gathering, “not only is President Granger blind to the social cost of neglecting these industries in the form of broken families, increased crime etc, he also fails to recognise the economic impact in in-

Govt’s tax-oriented approach to growth among key factors responsible for deteriorating economy

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he Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is gearing to table a slew of Budget measures it wants to see for 2018 – the proposals coming days before Finance Minister Winston Jordan is set to present the coalition’s third annual Budget.

The measures have been documented in a Parliamentary Motion piloted by Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and

PPP/C Member of Parliament, Irfaan Ali, along with party Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira.

Parliament formally emerged from its recess this week, but there would not be any sittings until after October 21.

This obtains since several Members of Parliament, including the Speaker of the National Assembly, are on an engagement in Russia.

The PPP/C parliamentarians – in presenting the

menu of measures – insisted Government’s tax-oriented approach to growth and policies is among the key factors responsible for the deteriorating economy and pointed to the introduction of increases for every category of taxes on income, property, production and consumption, and international trade, including environmental taxes.

The Finance Minister on Monday announced that there would be no new

taxes in Budget 2018, but the Opposition members contended that the 200 new taxes alone that were imposed in the last budget were currently costing Guyanese G$10 billion in disposable income.

According to a draft copy of the motion seen by Guyana Times International, there has been a marked effect on the business community, “there is a marked reduction in the overall demand for goods and services”.

The motion attributed this marked reduction to the reduced disposable income, “dwindling sugar and forestry sectors that employ in excess of 40,000 persons directly, the downsizing of many businesses and reduction in investment in agriculture”.

According to the motion, the PPP/C, in calling for an affirmation of the adopting of its menu of measures, will point to the fact that Government in addition to dismantling the local productive sectors has also been depleting the foreign reserves/savings of the country while escalating its debt.

“The Government expended US$18.3 million from the Bank of Guyana’s net foreign assets, thereby reducing the net foreign reserves from US$633 million in June 2016 to US$574 million in mid-2017, the lowest-ever recorded in over seven years,” the PPP/C motion

creased social payments by the Government, reduced income taxes to the treasury and loss of other essential services now provided by these industries – services such as the upkeep of infrastructure or clearage of drains and canals without which entire communities would be flooded.”

He said the President

offered up petroleum as the “transformative” magic bullet; however, while oil was indeed another pillar in Guyana’s promise, the industry would only create 1000 direct and indirect jobs locally, compared to the 25,000 jobs that have already been lost under this Administration.

- Opposition

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

outlines.

In addition to Government dipping heavily into the foreign reserves, the PPP/C contends that external debt increased by US$53 million to US$1 billion.

In arguing for the inclusion of its own list of measures, the PPP/C in its motion argues that Government continues to “crowd-out”, outstrip and deprive the Private Sector of much-needed credit for investment.

According to the motion to be presented to Parliament for a date for debate, “there is no shadow of doubt that the economy is in a dire state; indicators are showing strong signs of distress and imminent economic failure with a severe shortage of foreign exchange, the decline of key foreign revenue streams such as sugar, bauxite, forestry and even rice to an extent, while concurrently the Bank of

Guyana foreign reserve continues to be depleted and servicing our external debt will become more burdensome.”

The political Opposition insists the Finance Minister needs to admit that his framework of fiscal policies and tax-oriented solutions have contributed to this state of affairs and have successfully dis-incentivised the economy, and, therefore, urgent and immediate measures need to be taken to reverse this economic decline”.

The PPP/C, in laying down the gauntlet, further contended if Government was serious about national development and the ‘good life’ for all Guyanese, it needed to urgently change its policies and support the Opposition proposals “urgently introduced to stimulate the economy”.

Finance Minister Jordan on Monday met members of the local press corps to provide an update on his imminent 2018 Budget, but did not commit to a reduction of any of the existing taxes.

On the matter of consultations with the political Opposition ahead of the budget preparation, the Minister downplayed the hiatus, along with the PPP/C’s request for pertinent documentation.

Budget 2018 will be presented to the National Assembly on November 27.

NEWS 9

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Legal showdown looms over Broadcast Amendment Act …as Freedom Radio hauls Broadcast Authority to court

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reedom Radio Inc has filed a constitutional challenge in the High Court, over the Administration’s imposition of an ‘onerous’ increase in the annual broadcasting fee and the expropriation of its airwaves during ‘prime time,’ for Government broadcasts.

Nandlall and Associates on Tuesday filed the legal challenge calling on the court to place on hold the enforcement of several provisions in the Broadcasting Act until the determination of the Judiciary.

Freedom Radio Director, Irfaan Ali, in a sworn affidavit filed by former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, claims that provisions in the Broadcast Act, expropriates the business’s airwaves causing it to lose on its revenue during ‘prime time,’ this, without compensation.

Unconstitutional Ali in his affidavit seen by Guyana Times International, states Freedom Radio Inc is in the business of selling airtime for reward and the provisions look-

Freedom Radio Director Irfaan Ali

ing to be enforced by the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) are not only onerous but are in fact unconstitutional since it violates guaranteed and protected rights and freedoms.

The coalition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration had amended and recently assented new broadcast legislative provisions.

These provisions compel local broadcasters to broadcast Government programmes under the ambit of ‘public service programmes.’

The ‘public service’ programmes were heavily criticised during the parliamentary debates on the amendment and were lambasted as tantamount to nothing but Government propaganda.

Freedom Radio Inc is owned and managed by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which in its legal challenge notes, “between the hours of 06:00h and 22:00h are considered prime-time; this means that these hours attract the highest rates of rewards.”

The affidavit documents that an hour

during this period can easily be sold at a more competitive rate – higher depending upon the particular day of the week – and as such the demand by Government in fact ‘expropriates’ money from Freedom Radio without compensation.

Freedom Radio argues in its legal challenge that the move is in fact unconstitutional since it violates fundamentals rights and freedom which enjoy protection under the Constitution of Guyana.

Onerous fees

Freedom Radio Director Ali, in filing litigation, has also pointed to the drastically altered fee regime which is now being charged under the principal Act. Ali in the sworn affidavit stated that the fees have been increased to G$7.5 million annually, up from the G$2.5 million previous payments.

Freedom Radio Inc previously paid G$2.5 million annual for its Broadcasting Licence in addition to another payment of G $633,600 for its Spectrum/Frequency.

These fees were paid over to the then National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU); the predecessor to the Guyana Broadcasting Authority which came into being with the assent of the amended broadcasting laws by Head of State David Granger.

Under the new regime, the Administration introduced a zoning system and charges fees for each zone.

According to Freedom Radio in its challenge, with the new zoning system, the fee “for a broadcasting licence to broadcast in the very areas that it is now transmitting would skyrocket from G$2,500,000 annually, to over G$7,500,000 annually.

Damages

Freedom Radio has since approached the court calling for a Conservatory Order, prohibiting the Broadcasting Authority, from implementing or acting in accordance with – in any manner whatsoever – enforcing the provisions of the Broadcasting Amendment Act 2017, Act No 20 of 2017, until

the hearing and determination of its Fixed Date Application filed.

The company in is application is also looking to have a Judge award damages in excess of G$1 million for breach of the Radio Guyana Inc’s – a duly registered limited liability company – fundamental rights and freedoms.

The political Opposition had on Friday last reminded that despite calls from the Guyana Press Association, Caribbean Association of Media Workers, Reporters without Broader and other major organisations representing the cause of journalism and freedom of the press to the Government to withdraw the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2017, “the Government ignored all these calls, passed the Bill in the National Assembly.”

President Granger has since assented to it and upon the directions of the Prime Minister; the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has begun to enforce its provisions.

Guyana’s Tax Boss confirms no reduction ...

from page 5

in the 2018 Budget.

The PPP, she said is looking to have Government immediately remove all forms of taxes and duties on fuel for the agriculture industry, on inputs for the agriculture industry including machinery, equipment and spares in

various aspersions cast as a result of the imposition of a range of new tax measures in the 2016 and 2017 budgets that has led to the annual erosion of some G$10B in disposable income, Statia said, he would prefer to see a reduction in the income taxes paid.

The Commissioner General told those in attendance that the benefits the administration was looking to see passed on with its reapplication of VAT on a range of commodities did not filter down town to ordinary man.

“I would have preferred a decrease in personal taxation and let the increase disposable income cover that (shortfalls)…there is

mixture of things to be done,” Statia cautioned, as ideas were bandied on which of the several taxes charged should be reduced. IDB Representative on the panel Dave Wenner had used his time to lament that Guyana is listed— tied with Haiti—as having the highest business taxes.

The fiery discussion panel came subsequent to a presentation to the Business Summit by PPP/C Member of Parliament Gail Teixeira—on behalf of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo—who updated the Summit on some 124 proposals that the political opposition has submitted to Parliament for inclusion

addition to removing the burdensome GRA administrative measures put in place.

Local entrepreneur, Captain Gerry Gouveia, present for both days of the historic confab upbraided insinuations that the private sector somehow was operating

in a predatory manner like vultures and wanted to pay less taxes in order to use the larger profits for their own purposes.

Gouveia was adamant, “what we don’t want is an overtaxed sector.”

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘My career has been shattered’ …says Deputy Solicitor General on being sacked over AG Williams ‘vendetta’

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he Public Service Commission (PSC), with a mere six hours remaining before its term expired, terminated the services of Deputy Solicitor Prithima Kissoon, after arrogating on itself the powers of the President to invoke a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) later used as the basis for her dismissal.

This course of action was taken despite the PSC never pronouncing on the complaints filed against Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.

The revelations have been made public by Kissoon, who in a chronology of events shared with Guyana Times International, said she remained silent throughout the ordeal since her complaint against Williams to the PSC, because public servants are prohibited from making comments in the public domain, but now that she has been dismissed “this shackle is removed”.

The very public spat between the Attorney General and his Deputy Solicitor had made the news in recent months, but came to a finale on August 31, 2017. Exactly six hours before the life of the PSC came to an end at midnight on August 31, 2017, Kissoon was

Former Deputy Solicitor General Prithima Kissoon

served with a dismissal letter at 18:00h at her residence by the Personal Assistant of the Attorney General, Andrea Marks. This was subsequently followed by an official dismissal letter on the letterhead of the PSC. Lamenting the situation, the now former Deputy Solicitor General in her now public statement said a new PSC would convene and the complaint by her against the Attorney General would never have been addressed.

According to Kissoon, “my good name has been filched,

my character assassinated, my career that I worked so hard to build in the public service for the past 10 years lays shattered at my feet, but my integrity and ethics are rock solid.”

Kissoon had her services terminated purportedly at the recommendation of ‘an illegal’ CoI that had been set up by the PSC. According to the now former Deputy Solicitor General, “realising that the life of the PSC was about to expire, the PSC acted arbitrarily and ultra vires its powers when it purportedly appointed a Commission of Inquiry…It is only the President who can appoint a CoI, which must be duly gazetted and follow the rules of the procedures under the Commission of Inquiry Act Chapter 19:03.”

She said this unlawful CoI was constituted with indecent haste on August 18, 2017, and issued a summons on August 21, 2017, for Kissoon to appear before it on August 23, 2017, and the PSC came out with the verdict of dismissal on August 31.

Kissoon was sent on leave earlier this year with the permission of the PSC, but had later found that the Legal Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary objected to her leav-

ing the country while on leave and a decision was taken to withhold her salary.

The debacle came to the public’s attention in January 2017 when Kissoon lodged a formal complaint to the PSC against the Attorney General.

She said Attorney General Williams “had visited upon her harassment, verbal abuse and had effectively prohibited her from performing her duties all in an effort to oust her from her post as the Deputy Solicitor General, whether by lawful or unlawful means, and was seeking their intervention and a remedy against the conduct of Mr Basil Williams SC, the Attorney General”.

She was informed in March 2017 by the PSC that she should proceed on administrative leave with immediate effect, pending the outcome of investigations into several court matters that she had conduct of.

The AG had launched a probe into cases which Deputy Solicitor General Kissoon was involved in, following a ruling handed down by the Court of Appeal, dismissing a State-sponsored appeal against a High Court decision that quashed a private criminal charge against Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Attorney General Basil Williams

The Appeal Court ruled that the appeal was null after Kissoon had conceded to a claim by Jagdeo’s lawyer that the Attorney General was not a proper party to the proceeding.

AG Williams has since blamed Kissoon for the outcome of the case.

However, although he has blamed Kissoon for the loss, Solicitor General Sita Ramlall, in a letter to the editor, had pointed out that Williams had insisted to Kissoon and herself, that he be named as the plaintiff in the appeal when he was not a party.

Top Cop says notorious killer was planning to skip country

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aw enforcement officials have confirmed that notorious criminal Royden Williams, called “Smallie”, who was recaptured on Monday, was planning to skip the country.

Williams, also known as Mark Royden Durant, was travelling in a public minibus when Police

stopped the vehicle and conducted a search at Weldaad, West Coast Berbice.

Members of the media were told on Wednesday during a press conference at the Public Security Ministry that the Police had gathered intelligence that assisted with the recapture of Williams.

Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine revealed that Williams was becoming increasingly desperate a few weeks before his recapture and Police had to dismantle his support base.

“In pretty quick time, he was virtually left alone.

But he was still in contact

with someone from his support base, which we had destroyed. And the indications were the move to exit,” he explained.

The acting Top Cop also revealed that those who happened to have provided assistance to Williams, including members of his family, were charged accordingly. He Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine

said no one was spared.

“I remember from some of the calls I received from the corporate community, expressing concerns about the fact that these guys were still out there and we were taking a bit long to apprehend them. But it has paid off and thankfully by the grace of God … due to our hard efforts, we have not had such an experience,” the acting Top Cop said.

Ramnarine believes the mere fact that the Police were not keen on providing detailed information on the investigation and operation to recapture the prison escapees also contributed to the success. “It was an absolute need, for security reasons not to disclose some of the things we were doing,” he added.

Asked by the me-

dia whether any reward would be given to those that have assisted the Police in finding Williams and other prisoners who formed part of the escapee list, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said that the matter would be looked into and compensation would be given where due.

The Police have said that Williams would be charged for escaping prison and since his recapture, he has been placed in solitary confinement.

They have given all assurances that the notorious criminal would not be allowed the slightest opportunity to escape prison for a second time.

Williams escaped from the Camp Street Prison on July 9, 2017. He is believed to be the mastermind behind the prison riot and fire that facilitated the escape. He was last spotted on August 31, 2017, in Linden.

Williams was in the company of Uree Varswyck, another prison escapee, who was shot dead during a Joint Services intelligence-led operation at Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

According to a Police statement, Williams managed to escape on foot.

Williams was on death row for the Bartica Massacre.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Ramnarine berates ranks for Guyanese sugar workers, families facing tough times “Smallie” nude photo leak

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cting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has berated his fellow law enforcement ranks over a photograph of convicted Bartica massacre killer, Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie” that surfaced online which was taken while he was stripsearched after being nabbed in Berbice. The leak raised many questions for citizens who have been actively debating the issue on social media.

While such searches are in keeping with standard operating procedures, Ramnarine said on Wednesday that the act was completely unethical.

“This nude photograph is the most unfortunate, unethical, insensitive action but unfortunately it originated when he was being interviewed having returned to the prison and a directive was given, because he had a number of tattoos about the body and you had to remove the clothing to take pictures and some insensitive, irresponsible person decided to do just more than that,” the acting Commissioner highlighted.

In February 2017,

…communities that were once vibrant now on the brink of poverty

Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie”

Williams was sentenced to death by hanging along with Dennis “Anaconda” Williams for the massacre but “Smallie” fled death row at Camp Street, and took others along with him in July. The prison was burnt and a warden was killed during the escape.

Williams, also known as “Mark Royden Durant” was on the run after he broke out of the Camp Street Prison earlier this year. He was nabbed in Weldaad, West Coast Berbice on Monday evening. The acting Commissioner condemned the actions of

the persons who leaked the photo, informing media operatives at the Public Security Ministry that investigations within the prison system were launched on Monday.

The person found culpable will be subjected to disciplinary actions.

Following the leaked photo, the human rights observers criticised the person who shared the post on social media but many of social media users found the convict’s treatment favourable and in keeping with that acts that he was found guilty of.

E

Struggling Wales residents along with GAWU officials on Monday

ver since the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate in December of 2016, some 1700 workers have been directly affected, and thousands of persons in the Wales and surrounding communities have been indirectly affected. Almost 10 months after the shutdown of the Estate, many workers claim that they are having difficulty gaining consistent employment even as they continue to cope without receiving their termination benefits.

These issues were reiterated on Tuesday when sugar workers and housewives gathered at

the headquarters of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) in Kingston, Georgetown where they complained of not having enough funds to meet their basic needs or to cover the educational needs of their children.

“If you [are] willing to do a business, nobody won’t support the business, because the finance not coming and people don’t even want to shop because of the children and the expense in the home. I have a son who writing CXC and everyday he got SBA, use the Internet, ink but we can’t get it because me ain’t working, the husband

ain’t working so we glad if we could get we severance,” a mother living in the area pointed out.

Another aggrieved housewife and mother of five, Salima Bacchus shared similar sentiments, saying that her husband, Haseer, a former cane cutter, is only finding work in carpentry sometimes for one or two days a week. She further lamented her difficulties in being able to pay her bills.

Gordon Thomas, an ex-tug captain at the Estate, was one of the few who secured his severance package, but he felt that it was necescontinued on page 12

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Opposition urges Tender Father, son, worker charged Board to stand ground for gruesome murder and ensure compliance of Berbice labourer with procurement laws

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Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

ecent decisions by Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan to usurp the powers — as set out under law – of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) have caught the eye of the Opposition.

The body has since been called on by the political Opposition to “stand its ground” and administer the legislative requirements, as outlined under the laws of Guyana and to protect its supervision of national procurement.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP) has since written to NPTAB Chairman Berkley Wickham, and has called on him to take immediate steps to ensure that the agency ensures that Ministries comply with the laws of Guyana.

The formal complaint was inked by former Minister within the Finance Ministry and Opposition frontbencher, Juan Edghill.

The correspondence has also been copied to the Communities Ministry Permanent Secretary, Emile McGarrel; Public Procurement Commission (PPC) Chairperson Carol Corbin; Auditor General Deodat Sharma; Public Accounts Committee Chairman Irfaan Ali and each of the Chairpersons of the Regional Democratic Councils across the country.

According to Edghill, in his complaint, “we have been advised that the Ministry of Communities has written and requested that each Regional Administration submit two nominees to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities for their Regional Tender Boards; the letter indicates that the Regional Chairman should nominate one nominee and the Regional Executive Officer nominate the other.”

Edghill reminded that the PPP/ C’s contention is “that it is solely the National Board (NPTAB), by statute as laid out in Sections 17 (1), 19 (1) and (2), that has such responsibility”.

According to the PPP Executive, the law does not provide for any such role by any line Ministry, and, in this particular case, the Communities Ministry cannot become involved in the process of the appointment of the Regional Tender Boards.

The Opposition has since called on the NPTAB in light of this development to take immediate steps to invoke the relevant sections of the Procurement Act and ensure that they were complied with by all Ministries.

“In this particular case, we call on the Board to immediately advise the Ministry of Communities to desist from further action on the appointment of the Regional Tender Boards, and, furthermore the NPTAB assume responsibility and communicate directly with the respective Regional Democratic Councils on their two appointees to each Regional Tender Board in keeping with Section 19.”

The complaint by Edghill comes on the heels of similar lamentations by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who, during his weekly press engagement, had raised concerns about the Executive wanting to take on functions which fall under the purview of the PPC. According to him, with the establishment of the PPC, functions undertaken by the NPTAB should have ceased in 2016.

The Opposition Leader had at the time observed that “a prime candidate for a Police audit in the future will be the Central Tender Administration. They are complicit in a ton of illegalities”.

Guyanese sugar workers...

from page 11

sary to support his fellow workers. At the GAWU gathering, he noted that the community of Wales was a far cry from the prosperous area which was seen in the past.

“It pains us that communities and people that were once so vibrant, happy and joyful are now forced to contend with greater unemployment, crime, destitution, misery, staring poverty and other anti-social behaviour,” Thomas lamented. He noted that workers who used their severance to purchase

cars were contending with saturation of the market, coupled with fewer passengers travelling on the roads.

He highlighted that many of his colleagues who were able to secure jobs in the wake of the closure are confronting issues of “lesser wages” and “reduced work opportunities”.

Father of six, Romeo Charles had worked with the Estate for 20 years before being retrenched.

He said that many residents were going hungry but were afraid to admit

their plight.

“It ain’t easy for people right now in Wales and all what we asking the Government to do is ensure that we get we severance because we deserve it. It’s not something that we begging for. We work we whole life with GuySuCo tirelessly and it not we fault that the estate close, is they close it,” Charles observed.

After several months, the High Court is still to list the severance matter before a judge. (Shemuel Fanfair)

A

Bharrat Ramsaywack

businessman, his 16-year-old son and a 19-yearold employee have been jointly charged with the murder of the Bloomfield Village resident.

B h a r r a t Ramsaywack, 42, a cattle farmer and businessman of Number 55 Village, along with his teenage son and Mohanlall Sewsankar, 19, a labourer were jointly charged with the capital offence.

It is alleged that between October 2 and 6, 2017, at Number 55 Village Corentyne, Berbice, they murdered 21-year-old Mahendra Ghanie of Bloomfield Village, Corentyne.

The trio was unrepresented and said nothing

Mohanlall Sewsankar

to the court during the proceedings.

M a g i s t r a t e Rabindranauth Singh remanded Ramsaywack and Sewsankar while the teenager has been sent to a juvenile holding facility.

The matter has been transferred to the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court and will continue on October 18. Reports are the Police have since received confession statements from the trio.

It had been reported that the 21-yearold Mahendra Ghanie, also known as “Sanjay”, of Lot 198 Bloomfield Village, had gone to the home of his employer on Monday to collect G$70,000 which was

owed to him. However, he never returned. This prompted family members to launch a search for him.

It was also reported that one of the suspects had confessed that he and his sons accused Ghanie of stealing two of their goats and one of his sons lashed him to the head with a piece of wood, allegedly resulting in his death.

In an attempt to dispose the body, they allegedly chopped the deceased into pieces and then took the dismembered body parts to the side of the yard on Monday evening and used dried coconuts and dried palm branches to burn it.

475,202 ounces of gold declared thus far

…Ministry predicts higher declaration by year-end

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he Natural Resources Ministry is moving ahead to achieve its projected target of 700,000 ounces of gold declared for the year 2017, reporting a 475,202 gold declaration thus far.

This is according to the Ministry which is now predicting an increased production for the last quarter of 2017.

The 2017 Budget has set the target of 694,000 ounces of gold, but the Ministry is aiming for 700,000 ounces.

World market prices are being credited with the recent declaration of enhanced production by Guyana Goldfields Inc, one of the two largescale mines in Guyana.

The Ministry revealed that small and medium-scale miners have thus far produced some 309,787 ounces of gold while the two large mining operations – Guyana Goldfields and Troy Resources recorded a production of 117,002 ounces and 48,412 ounces respectively.

Total export earnings as at September 29, 2017 stood at US$603,980,775 compared with US$575,869,243 for the same period last year. As such, the Ministry is applauding all miners “for their dedicated effort despite challenges experienced by the industry, both locally and glob-

ally”, and is seeking to “surpass 2016’s record production of 713,000 ounces”.

Not only did 2016 record an unprecedented declaration earning the country some US$730,915,229, but small and medium-scale miners accounted for some 70 per cent, while Guyana Goldfields and Troy Resources contributed the remainder.

The Guyana Gold Board recorded 451,490 ounces of gold in 2015, surpassing the 380,000 ounces targeted.

It was then Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman revealed the Ministry’s target for 700,000 ounces of gold for the year 2017.

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President Granger ignores Private Sector calls for clarity on Govt policies

H

ead of State, David Granger on Wednesday pointedly blanked several direct calls made by Private Sector leaders for clarity on Government’s economic development policies such as taxation, oil and gas and energy, and instead lashed out at the business community for not investing more.

Granger was at the time delivering the keynote address at the opening of “Guyana Business Summit 2017”, which got underway on Wednesday at the Georgetown Marriott.

Organised by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) with support from the Inter-

American Development Bank (IDB), the activity saw in attendance scores of business leaders and representatives, members of the diplomatic community, representatives of the donor community and members from each side of the political divide.

Granger, in scolding the business sector, said investors have been coming to Guyana from across the world, including the Americans, Brazilians, British, Canadians, Chinese, French, Indians and Russians.

“All are investing in Guyana, why can’t you… why should Guyanese have to be reminded…

Guyanese should have no good reason for not increasing investment in their country,” the President said.

In lashing out at the Private Sector representatives for failing to invest in the country, the President said Government has been working to create a more enabling environment.

He told the Private Sector it would have to position itself in order to take advantage of emerging opportunities since it has the expertise and experience to drive economic development.

The President also used the occasion to lament the lagging ratio of commercial banks operating in Guyana, saying Government has been encouraging this industry to expand its services to other zones.

Unanswered questions

Addressing the opening of the Business Summit, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Deodat Indar, speaking in the stead of PSC Chairman Eddie Boyer, was among the representatives to throw out direct questions ahead of the President’s remarks.

Directly addressing the President at the third-ever such gathering to be held in the nation’s history, the Private Sector representative said the consensus among the business leaders was that the country could not depend on the oil and gas sector alone.

He said the Private Sector was of the view that there was need for a diversification of the economy, but that there also needed to be clear signals being sent from the Administration to investors and the business community at large.

Turning to President Granger – seated in the first row of the conference

room along with Business Minister Dominic Gaskin – the GCCI President called on the President to clarify his position on a range of issues.

“Please clarify Government’s approach to economic development,” Indar requested and listed taxation policy, incentive programmes for business, strengthening democracy, and ensuring the rule of law as a few of the main concerns.

Indar said the Private Sector wanted the Head of State to clarify how Government intended to work with the business community to create jobs.

The oil and gas sector – a hot button topic throughout the course of the first day – also saw appeals from the Private Sector.

The business leader told President Granger the PSC wanted a better understanding of precisely where and how the revenues from that industry would be spent.

Government, he reminded, is the biggest spender.

Such clarity from the President “will assist the Private Sector on where and when to invest”.

The GCCI President – reading a prepared statement from PSC Chairman Boyer – told the opening of the Business Summit the confab had been organised, for the coming to real solutions that would bring marked benefit with regard to national development and not “another talk shop”.

Good Life

Delivering the keynote address, Head of State Granger instead pointed to inherited problems still to be solved and repeated that Government has “been working to creating an environment supportive of social economic development linked to the objective for good life for all”.

The President said the Administration had inherited an anarchistic colonial ‘three counties’ system which divided the country into Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice.

This, he said, posed significant administrative problems and as such, Government has started the process of re-balancing the public service along with the entire economy.

The opening of the twoday forum also heard from Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association head Shyam Nokta, who, in his appeal ahead of the confab, told those gathered of the need to look at the bigger picture.

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Trio remanded over brutal murder of elderly women …mother of alleged mastermind charged for taking dead woman’s money

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Steven Andrews and Phillips Suffrie

ne week after they allegedly murdered two elderly women during the course of a robbery, three Albouystown men were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday, charged jointly for the capital offence of murder.

The alleged mastermind, Christopher Imran Khan, 25, along with Steven Andrews, 26, and Phillips Suffrie, 23, are accused of killing 87-year-old Constance Fraser and 75-year-old Phyllis Caesar between October 2 and 3, during the furtherance of a robbery.

Although they were not required to plead, the trio maintained their innocence and contended in court that their constitutional rights were trampled upon. They claimed that they were not cautioned or made aware of their rights to a lawyer and were beaten

by Police to secure confessions.

The lifeless, bound and gagged bodies of the two elderly women were discovered on Tuesday last in their South Road, Georgetown home. A few days later, Andrew and Suffrie were among the four persons arrested after Police received information about their potential involvement in the homicides.

They reportedly confessed to the murder, but claimed that Khan was the mastermind.

The alleged mastermind was subsequently nabbed in Pomeroon River, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, where he allegedly made the confession, describing how the master plan unfolded and the gruesome details as to how the women met their demise. According to the alleged confession, the initial plan was to rob the elderly women. The men reported-

ly confessed that it all started when Khan went to the women’s house to do some works and upon realising that they lived alone, he conspired with his accomplices and hatched a plan to commit the robbery, just a few days prior to the execution.

Khan and his accomplices climbed into the veranda where they opened one of the windows to gain entry into the house. The men allegedly confessed that Fraser and Caesar slept in separate bedrooms and as such, they entered the first bedroom waking the elderly woman and demanding that she surrender money and other valuables.

The dazed woman sought to raise an alarm and the defendants allegedly responded by stuffing her mouth with pieces of cloth, choking her and killing her almost immediately. The men ensured that the second victim met her end in the same manner before ransacking the house for money and valuables.

The men will make their next court appearance on October 26.

Meanwhile, a sobbing Seeta Khan appeared before the court of Magistrate Fabayo Azore, charged for receiving stolen money from the prime suspect in the double homicide.

The 36-year-old mother of three, who resides in Cooper Street, Albouystown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which detailed that between October 2 and October 3, 2017, she received G$60,000 in cash from Christopher Imran Khan knowing same to be feloniously stolen property of Constance Fraser.

Seeta Khan claimed she was taken on a shopping spree by the accused and was never in possession of the monies at no point in time.

She was granted bail in the sum of G$25,000 and ordered to return to court on October 25.

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CJIA suspends night flights …CAL shifts to Eugene F Correia Int’l Airport

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Croal’s dismissal

Bulkan’s excuse “lame attempt” to defend political witchhunt - MP Ganga Persaud

Ongoing expansion works at CJIA

n order to facilitate the expansion project currently underway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, East Bank Demerara, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has announced the temporary suspension of nightly operations so as to allow for construction works.

This disruption to both incoming and outgoing flights will take effect on October 13 and is expected to last until November 3.

Reports indicate that stemming from the partial closure of the CJIA, regional carrier Caribbean Airlines

(CAL) has considered shifting its operation of their night flights into the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle, on the East Coast of Demerara, with the use of its smaller ATR72 aircraft during this period.

CAL indicated that in order to minimise disruption to their customers, it will operate services from Ogle to the Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, on the days where flights cannot operate to and from CJIA. The carrier further noted that the flights out of the Eugene F Correia International Airport

will operate as BW463 and BW464, to accommodate passengers who are already booked to fly within this period. As a result, these flights will not be available for sale.

Flights BW483 (POS/ GEO) and BW484 (GEO/ POS), initially slated to operate through CJIA, are those which have been affected on specific days during the suspension.

Meanwhile, other airlines are yet to announce their intentions for this period.

The expansion works ongoing at the CJIA are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Former PS Colin Croal

Member of Parliament Ganga Persaud

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

ore than two years after Government had allowed Colin Croal’s contract to expire and then remove him by default from his post, the Government’s excuse for firing this former permanent secretary is not holding water with some.

Member of for the Parliament Opposition, Ganga Persaud, described the reasoning proffered by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, as a “lame attempt” to defend a political witch-hunt.

“Colin Croal was a permanent secretary.

Every ministry would have a permanent secretary who will have not only centralised, but national, reach and coverage for every sphere of the ministry. It’s his mandate,” Persaud said.

“So Mr. Croal, or whoever would have been Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government — now Communities — would have had that reach to interface and interact through the normal communication channels,” Persaud explained.

Stressing that the minister needed to comprehend the fact that Croal was supposed to have centralized authority, he attributed the minister’s statement to finding an excuse for firing the permanent secretary because of political affiliation.

“He selected (an excuse) that is not tenable. What is clear (is that) the more Mr Bulkan speaks, (the more) it is exposing Government’s tendency to discriminate against

people because of their perceived political affiliations. That is the kind of message he is bringing across,” Persaud declared.

“I think it is a very lame attempt at seeking to defend political witch-hunting, political discrimination, and (it is) denying (a) Guyanese of (his) right to work; irrespective of his competence, just based on their perceived political affiliation,” Persaud explained.

Minister Bulkan had, days ago, defended his decision to effectively dismiss Croal — who had served in three ministries under the previous administration — by claiming that he did not have confidence in his ability to function under a new system. This was in response to social commentator Christopher Ram’s questioning the decision not to have Croal serve as a permanent secretary under the new administration. Ram, in a recent critique directed towards President David Granger, had urged the Public Service Department to carry out an audit of the persons dismissed since his administration took office, together with their qualifications and experience.

“There are a lot of discarded and unused brains available, but, unfortunately, they seem to lack the further qualification of the right race. Glaringly, this is true of the permanent secretaries under the PPP/C, but let me give two examples in which an explanation was in fact offered”, Ram had said.

Ram had pointed to Croal, who “holds

an MBA and served creditably as permanent secretary in three ministries. He is not implicated in any wrongdoing, but was effectively dismissed by the Granger Administration because he was on the PPP/C list for the 2015 elections.”

Minister Bulkan, in response, had stated, “The fact is, though, that the decision to not renew his contract was mine alone…I acted based on my own deliberate judgment.” to According Minister Bulkan, after consideration, “I concluded that based on the record of centralized government embraced by the regime in which Mr Croal functioned, I did not feel confident of his ability or readiness to function in this Administration, one which has as core values the philosophy of strong, autonomous, and empowered local government organs and a decentralized system of multi-tiered government.”

He noted, too, that, “Mr Croal was effectively dismissed, in that his contract of employment was not renewed.”

Ram, in his critique of the President, had said, “Being on an electoral list appears to have been a qualification for top jobs in the Granger Administration for the hierarchy of the APNU and AFC parties, some of whom are paid high salaries determined on the whim of persons of equally suspect expertise for doing work for which they have no academic or professional qualifications or experience.”

M

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

“I’m truly grateful”

Passengers to get refunds as Dynamic formally closes Guyana operations - says son of former Chancellor on being admitted

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ollowing its pull out of the local market, Dynamic International Airways has committed to honour all its financial obligations.

In a statement issued on Monday, the airline disclosed that it suspended its operations on October 3rd to facilitate its reorganisation of its Chapter 11 Case under which it has filed for bankruptcy.

The airline said it remains committed to honouring all outstanding financial obligations, whether to passengers, airport authorities, or the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority.

The company has said that those passengers who had booked to travel with its chartered service out of Guyana and New York beyond the October 3 suspension date would be issued a refund on the unused portion of their ticket.

However, the airline has disclosed that it is soon to enter into discussions with an interested party about serving the Guyana/New York Market under a new arrangement, which is permitted as it seeks to reorganise.

“The new arrangement, known as an ACMI agreement, would al-

low Dynamic to serve the Guyana/New York market”, Chief Executive Officer of the airlines noted. Further, the airlines thanked Roraima Airways for its service as its local partner in Guyana.

The voluntary Chapter 11 petition was filed

by Dynamic Airways with the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of North Carolina.

This chapter of the Bankruptcy Code generally provides for reorganisation. Moreover, Chapter 11 allows a debtor to propose a plan of reorganisation, to keep its business alive and pay creditors over time.

This includes the lawsuits from Hajj flights that Dynamic operated in 2014 for Air India, and an arbitration award against Dynamic Intl., finding that the airline was in breach of contract by failing to pay commissions to BKP Enterprises in connection with the Hajj flights.

Just a month after filing for bankruptcy, one of the airline’s creditors had moved to the courts to force the airline to liquidate its assists; Dynamic then owed some US$1.19 million.

to the Guyana Bar

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he son of former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh was on Wednesday admitted to the Bar after taking his oath to serve the country in the capacity of an Attorney-at-Law. Sworn in with high praises was Nirvan Singh, following an application presented by former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, which was accepted by presiding Justice Brassington Reynolds.

Singh began his tertiary education at York University in Canada, after which he returned home in pursuit of his Bachelors of Law in 2014.

Upon completion of his LLB at the University of Guyana, the young Singh then moved on to the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad, where he received Legal Education Certificate.

In putting forth his petition, the former Speaker of the National Assembly pointed out that Singh has thus far been attached to several entities, which speaks to his experience as a well-rounded young professional. For a number of years, he was attached to the Cameron

Newly admitted Attorney-at-Law Nirvan Singh is congratulated by Justice Brassington Reynolds, as his father, former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh, mother and brother share in the celebratory occasion

and Shepherd Law Firm, operated by the former Speaker.

As such, Ramkarran highlighted that he has no doubt that the newly admitted attorney will produce work of high quality and standard.

Justice Renolds shared the same views, indicating that Singh has had a front row seat to the great works of his father. On that note, the presiding Justice welcomed Singh to the legal fraternity and urge him to not only follow in his father’s footsteps but to leave his own footprints in the field as well.

Moreover, he noted that Singh’s petition comes at an opportune time, where there is much advancements in Guyana’s fairly short legal

history, some of which can be attributed to the strides of former Chancellor.

Meanwhile Singh, who just so happened to be sworn-in in the very same courtroom as did his father, in his admission remarks relayed, “I appear before the court today with a deep sense of fulfillment having worked so hard.”

The most recently inducted Attorney at Law continued on by saying that the country can look forward to him showcasing integrity and representing his clients with honesty.

While speaking with Guyana Times International, the young lawyer revisited his journey to fulfilling this longstanding dream and ex-

pressed his anticipation for the road ahead.

Underlining that becoming a lawyer requires much hard work, dedication and belief in self, the young Attorney went on to offer words of advice to those in pursuit of a similar path.

Singh stated, “Just work hard, maintain a sense of confidence and ambition and believe in yourself. Having an unwavering support system is definitely important. I didn’t do this by myself, I had tremendous help and I’m truly grateful.”

Nirvan Singh will now commence his career as an Attorney-at-Law and looks forward to the opportunity to contribute to the jurisprudence of Guyana.

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President Granger commissions Turmeric Factory in Region One

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resident David Granger, today (Sunday), emphasised the importance of agriculture to the development of Barima-Waini (Region One) even as he visited Hosororo to celebrate National Tree Day and to officially commission an ambitious move towards agro-processing and value added production through the Hosororo Turmeric Factory, which is a tangible demonstration of Government’s commitment to transforming the economic landscape of hinterland regions and the country as a whole.

President Granger first attended the National Tree Day 2017 event, which is celebrated in October each year since 2015 as part of the ‘Agriculture Month’ calendar of activities. He told residents, regional officials and Ministry of Agriculture officers that Region One holds great agricultural production potential, which can transform it into a prosperous economic hub, once it is utilised in a sustainable manner.

The Head of State also used the opportunity to call on regional and municipal leaders to work with residents to craft a strong, effective agricultural plan, which will guide the process of development in their respective villages and help them to secure a better quality of life as it has the capacity and land space to intensify its agricultural efforts.

“You call yourselves Region One, then I want to make you number one in terms of agricultural production. We are

President Granger plants the first fruit bearing tree (an Avocado tree) at the 'green' park, which is still under construction

by Mr. Augustine Solomon

blessed to be given land like this and when we speak of National Tree Day we are speaking of protecting this gift…the best Avocado pear I have ever had comes from this Region and there is no reason why you cannot be number one in agricultural production,” the President said.

This was supported by Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Mr. Sydney Allicock, who said that food security is important in these times of climate change and unpredictable weather and Guyana can play a role in the provision of high quality, nutritious, wholesome foods to the Region. “We have to take stock of what we have within our communities so that we can benefit from them,” he said.

In this regard, the commissioning of the turmeric factory falls squarely in line with President Granger’s push towards agro-processing and is a tangible example of what is possible for the Region. The factory will utilise tur-

meric from small farmers in the Region.

Dr. Oudho Homenauth, Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), said that this project is one of the transformative projects the Ministry of Agriculture through NAREI is working on to promote agro processing and sustain the livelihoods of small farmers.

Guyana currently imports 166 tonnes of turmeric each year, but with the factory up and running, it is anticipated that by 2019, it will be able to satisfy local demand and also produce enough product for exportation. The small farmers of the Region, Dr. Homenauth said, will be the main beneficiaries of the project. “All money will remain in this Region for the development of this Region,” he said. NAREI is also making plans for expanding production to include black pepper and ginger and has already planted 50 acres of the

former.

President Granger said that National Tree Day has a role to play emphasising the importance of agricultural production so that more agro-processing projects can be a reality. Beyond production though, he noted that the replanting of trees has an important environmental function and called for a Trees Action Plan, which he said, should be implemented by all municipalities so that Guyana can move closer to its goal of a ‘green’ Guyana.

“Every year we will move from region to region taking the message of the importance of trees to our country, to all regions, to all communities and to all citizens.

And I would suggest the Trees Action Plan and one element of that plan is that you should not forget trees after today but embark on a plan that would deal with the natural regeneration of plants and protecting those existing plants.

Under this plan for regeneration let us see all

communities with small community parks where people can go with their families, where schools and churches can go and let us focus on populating indigenous trees,” he said.

In this regard, the President expressed his gratitude to Mr. Augustine Solomon, a resident of Hosororo, who plugged his own resources into the construction of the ‘green’ park at the Hosororo Community Ground, where he, along with Minister Allicock, Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Noel Holder and Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan all planted avocado trees as part of the National Tree Day event at Hosororo.

Noting that he would like to see the establishment of a Botanical Garden in every region, the President said that the second aspect of the Trees Action Plan deals with leaving a legacy for the next generation so that they can understand how important it is for trees to not only be planted but protected as well. “Tree Planting day provides us with an opportunity to inform all Guyanese to care for trees wherever they are.

We have an obligation to provide for other generations. Let us use National Tree Day as an opportunity to let the next generation to know that we care for them so that Guyana remains green.,” President Granger urged residents.

Minister Bulkan, in his remarks, said that National Tree Day is not a fad nor a passing fancy, but a response by the

President and his administration to the global warming and climate change. “This is not an academic issue for us. It is a real one given that we are below sea level by as much as two metres in some places and it is on the coastal strip where majority of our population lives. We have to be concerned with global warming and climate change. This year, almost all of our regions have experienced the effects of climate change.

Trees are, therefore, essential to our wellbeing,” he said.

Minister Bulkan noted that his Ministry has been playing its own part and has launched a project, which aims to plant 10,000 trees within the next 36 months all across Guyana. So far, over 1,000 have been planted at five locations across three regions.

Minister Holder said that the importance of trees particularly in the protection of the environment and the agricultural sector cannot be over emphasised.

“Climate change depends on planting trees. Trees take out the carbon dioxide out of the air and provides habitat for animals.

Agriculture remains one of the most important sectors in Guyana and the change in climate can have serious impacts on the agriculture sector.

Agriculture will be on the sectors most affected by climate change. Region one has an important role to play and we will continue to raise the profile of these communities,” he said. (MotP)

T&T prison officer shot dead by ex-convict

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lans for birthday celebrations turned to funeral arrangements yesterday, after prison officer Richard Sandy was killed by an ex-convict he knew while liming at a bar in Gasparillo.

The father of five died around 4.20 am at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the San Fernando General Hospital after he underwent emergency surgery, where his right leg was amputated.

Sandy, who would have celebrated his 47th birthday today, suffered massive blood loss after the bullet severed a major artery in his thigh.

A prison officer for 22 years, Sandy was attached to the Rations Room in the Portof-Spain prison.

He was liming at the Colonnade Restaurant and Bar at Caratal Road, Gasparillo, with his colleague when the ex-convict,

whom they knew, accosted them around 9.05 pm on Saturday. The T&T Guardian was told the ex-convict, who lives in the area, first engaged in small talk with the officers, asking them if they remembered him, before shooting Sandy.

The ex-convict, age 33, was released from prison four months ago and has charges for arms and ammunition and shooting with intent before the court. He was still on the run up to late yesterday.

As word spread about Sandy’s passing, several colleagues, friends and family gathered at his Ibis Drive, Pleasantville home, where he lived with his wife of 14 years Jennifer Sandy and children.

Jennifer said her husband left with their neighbour, who

Richard Sandy

is a prison officer, to have a pre-birthday drinks. She was told the suspect pointed a gun at her husband’s colleague and the officer hit away the man’s hand.

“Being the mediator, which he (Sandy) loves to be, he always tries to mediate

and calm a situation. He tried to talk to the guy with the gun, the ex-prisoner, and with that he shot him in his right leg,” she said.

Sandy did not express any fear to her about his safety, but she said a year or two ago her husband got a threatening letter from a prisoner. However, she said the authorities accused him to setting up the prisoner to write the letter.

“How could somebody set up somebody to write a threatening letter saying they coming to rape and kill your wife and children and murder you? And they just discard it and they never did anything about it, the prison,” she complained.

She said the authorities need to treat all threats against prison officers seriously.

Also appealing to men

to put down the guns, she said, “Fellas of Trinidad and Tobago, put down the gun, because you all are destroying good families. My husband was a very family-oriented person, loved his kids, wife and family. You all just come and snatch him away, just like that, in an instant.

“I do not know what the Ministry of National Security, what they do, what they sit down in their offices and do because we are at the will of these murderers out here.”

Jennifer said her husband loved to cook and they had already bought the chicken to barbecue for his birthday.

Sandy has two children with Jennifer, aged two and 14 and three older children from a previous relationship.

Officers of the Gasparillo Police Station and Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations. (Trinidad Guardian)

22 NEWS

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Ramjattan admits some Police ranks lack training to deal with domestic violence

By Jarryl Bryan

I

n recognition that crime, including domestic violence, remains an entrenched problem in Guyana, the Government is admitting that there are Police officers still not appropriately trained to handle such sensitive issues.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, admitted as much during an interview on the sidelines of an event with members of the media on Friday.

The minister acknowledged that, as a result of this, some of his officers fall short when reports are actually made to the Police stations.

“It is always a difficult thing. Some of my officers are not aware of how to deal with some of these (cases) because they have not been trained on that.

They might have a basic training on what the definition of domestic violence is in accordance with a law enforcement perspective. So some of them don’t have the capacity, and thus will be unable to deal with a situation like that,” he related.

“Some Police stations do not have that capacity. So sometimes (officers) go and the woman tells them, ‘Just a min-

ute, that’s the man that (will provide for) my children’. So (the women) don’t want to testify in court after (they) would have filed (a report). All of these things cause hesitation, and hamstring the Police Force.

“But, indeed, every report has to be investigated, and that is now the instruction,” he explained.

The minister expressed a willingness to partner with relevant professionals, such as sociologists, to come up with a strategy. Admitting that study data on the issue in Guyana’s context is limited, Ramjattan said there is scope for professionals, including media personnel and sociologists at the University of Guyana (UG), to get involved.

“We have to do something societally. And I will be asking press people too — sociologists, and the people at the University here — to help in that process, because it is an extraordinarily difficult thing.”

“We thought that the more poor, or those in want, (would) do these things (robbery), and then we had a graduate who went to China (robbing) a bank. It is really something that is totally unusual, against the norm,” Ramjattan explained.

He noted that poorly developed anger management skills are one contributing factor to crime being committed. With this in mind, the Minister hinted that anger management could be introduced to the school curriculum.

Ramjattan’s comments came just one day after the brutal murder of a Police officer and the suicide of her alleged assailant.

The officer, Kenesha Sheriff-Fraser of West Coast Berbice, was attached to the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam, Berbice. Her murder follows a string of other victims who met their deaths at the hands of their partners.

“The domestic violence and the domestic murders are giving me some sleepless nights,” Ramjattan said.

“Indeed, it has to do with a lot of contributing factors. Some (have) to do with parenting and how they were brought up.

We know about that.

We know about the nature of the depressed.

Depression causes some of these issues, and I have been speaking to doctors and they indicated as much,” he explained.

“Relationships that have gone sour and peo-

ple who do not know how to control anger (are also responsible). Anger management is something that we may have to bring to communities and also teach at schools.

It’s a terrible thing. And our society is bleeding too much too often and with intensity. These days, that is not really a Guyanese society,” he declared.

Ramjattan said Region Six, East Berbice/ Corentyne, appears to account for a large percentage of such crimes.

Therefore, the minister noted the importance of,

through studies, ascertaining exactly why this was so.

“I’ll be honest with you: I haven’t done any major study in relation to it, although I’ve been asking for some of the reasons from sociologists Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and doing a bit of reading. But it It is understood that is not clear in my from January to May, 41 mind the cause, exceptpersons were victims of ing there may be a lot of homicide.

Though worrycontributing factors. But ing, it is a reduction when I will try, we will talk to compared to last year. people.”

On Sunday, October 8th, Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the PPP/C Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali engaged the Guyanese Hindu community at the Devi Mandir in Pickering and the Pranav Ashram in Toronto.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

2 years later, President yet to name nominees for Local Gov’t Commission

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t has been over two years since the APNU/AFC coalition came into Government and promised to establish the Local Government Commission (LGC), but the Commission is yet to materalise; prompting observers to speculate that the process is being deliberately stalled, since President David Granger is yet to name his nominees for the commission.

Over one year ago, Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo submitted his nominees and re-submitted the list earlier this year.

On Friday, State Minister Joseph Harmon, at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, told reporters that the Government is anxious to have the commission established, in keeping with the administration’s commitment to the Guyanese people.

“We have seen recently the nominations from the Leader of the Opposition. Those nominations did not cap-

President David Granger

ture some other recommendations which were made to the Leader of the Opposition… He has submitted his recommendations, and we will work with what we have; and I believe that in the short space of time, his Excellency would make a pronouncement on that,” Harmon said.

He noted that when the APNU/AFC Administration came into office, the establishment of commissions, re-

introduction of the Local Government Elections, and conducting commissions of inquiry were priority developments in order for them to understand the playing field in which they were operating.

Article 78 (a) of the Constitution of Guyana sets out that “Parliament shall establish a Local Government Commission, the composition and rules of which empower the

Albion teenager killed in early-morning accident

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he Arjune family of Albion, East Berbice/Corentyne was thrown into a state of mourning when their youngest child, Mark Arjune, was killed following an early-Sunday morning accident on the Strathspey, East Coast Demerara road.

Police say they are investigating the circumstances that led to the accident. Initial investigations revealed that, around 04:40hrs, the driver of motorcar PPP 6666, Dellon Davison, 29, of William Street, Kitty Georgetown, was under the influence of alcohol and was proceeding east along the roadway at a fast rate when he swerved to avoid hitting a cow and crashed into a GPL post.

Arjune, front seat passenger in the vehicle, sustained severe internal injuries, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Another passenger of the car was identified as 36-year-old Allen Batson of Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown. He, too, was injured, but is said to be in a stable condition; while the driver was treated for minor injuries.

Meanwhile, Mark’s elder brother, Kevin,

The late Mark Arjune

said he received a call at around 05:00hrs, informing him of the accident.

He immediately rushed to the GPHC to investigate. He explained that when he arrived at the hospital, he was told that his brother was in a critical state.

“When I reach at the hospital, I asked to see Mark Arjune and the nurse tell me to sit. And when I sit I still ask to see my brother, and they say that a doctor have to come and talk to me. So when the doctor tell me what is he state, I still asked to see him; and when I saw him, he was already dead and on a bed,” Kevin related.

“I go and try to wake up he and shake he up, but his face and headback had lil bruises and so, and my brother didn’t make it; he died. I called

my parents and told them, and they came home, and then he was taken to the mortuary,” Kevin added.

Mark had recently moved to Colidingen, ECD to take care of the family’s chicken business; and according to the property owner, Mala Looknauth, he had left home at around 23:00hrs on Saturday with a group of friends, heading in the direction of the city.

She said the accident occurred a few metres away from his home.

“I was shocked when I woke up this morning to hear that Mark die… His parents come this morning and make all the arrangement for his body and funeral to Berbice,” she related.

The Police have said their investigations are ongoing.

Commission to deal with, as it deems fit, all matters related to the regulation and staffing of local government organs, and with dispute resolution within and between local government organs.”

The Commission would, among other things, have control over who is appointed as officials in the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and other local authorities. In addition, it would have to approve budgets for the NDCs. By law, the Commission is to be made up of eight members. These members will include four nominated by the Government, one from the unions, and three nominees from the Leader of the Opposition.

Former acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba and former Local Government Ministers Norman Whittaker and Clinton Collymore were nominated as the PPP/ C’s representatives on the Local Government Commission.

In addition, the Committee on Appointments had recommended that Andrew Garnett, of the Guyana Local Government

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Officers Union, be appointed as the union representative. This means that the Government is the only stakeholder yet to fulfil its responsibilities to nominate representatives to the Commission.

In the 2017 budget, G$30 million had been allocated for the LGC, but it is almost the end of 2017 and the constitutional body is yet to be established.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan had told the Parliamentary Supply Committee last year that the commission would be operationalized by the end of 2017.

In November of last

year, Harmon had said that background checks are being conducted on the persons shortlisted to function as Government Commissioners on the Local Government Commission.

Minister Bulkan submitted the list of names to Cabinet.

However, Harmon had said that the law requires the persons named be vetted, to ensure they meet the requirements to hold the office and to carry out the roles and responsibilities contained within.

He noted that one of the requirements is that persons identified must be of “high integrity”.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

President honours 69 awardees at 2017 Investiture ceremony “I will continue to serve my country”, Chancellor pledges as she receives Order of Roraima

By Shemuel Fanfair

I

t was an evening of reflective dance pieces and patriotic songs that mirrored the devotion of the 69 persons who were honoured last Friday evening for their outstanding contributions to service and to the advancement of Guyana over the course of their lives.

Receiving the night’s highest honour from President David Granger was acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who expressed much humility and appreciation for being adorned with the Order of Roraima

It took a few seconds for President Granger to attach acting Chief Justice George’s CCH, which prompted lighthearted laughter at Friday’s ceremony

(OR). She was honoured for her contributions to law and administration.

Established in 1976, the OR is the second highest possible honour

The Military Service Medal was conferred on: Lieutenant Colonels Lawrence Fraser and Ramkarran Doodnauth of the Guyana Defence Force, while the Disciplined Services Medal for Meritorious Service were Assistant Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie, retired Deputy Chief Fire Officer Winston McGregor, and acting Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels. In photo, Army Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Patrick West and Fire Chief Marlon Gentle pose with awardees

that one can be invested from the nation, and

is limited to only 35 living Guyanese persons.

Speaking after receiving the honour, Chancellor Cummings-Edwards indicated that moving forward, she would continue to work for, and be of service to, her country.

In a brief address to the gathering, President Granger noted that his Administration would maintain the tradition of bestowing awards yearly, and that the names of the honourees would continue to be announced on

of Honour (CCH); 44 the Golden Arrow of Achievement; and 14 the Medal of Service.

Additionally, 2 received the Military Service Medal (Lieutenant Colonels Lawrence Fraser and Ramkarran Doodnauth of the Guyana Defence Force), while 3 were honoured with the Disciplined Services Medal for Meritorious Service. These were Assistant Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie, retired Deputy Chief

Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana’s Education Director, Moeenul Hack received the CCH. In photo also is Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack

May 26, Independence Day. He stressed that a national honour system is about highlighting and rewarding a person’s service, which he noted can increase the country’s wealth in science and technology and can safeguard the nation’s interests.

“Awards are not ornamental; they are not bestowed capriciously, awards celebrate the common good,” he noted.

He stated further that such symbols embody the high values of citizens’ successes, and added that the younger generation can take their example from their older counterparts who were bestowed with the honours.

Of the ceremony’s 69 honourees, 1 received the Order of Roriama; 5, the Cacique Crown

Fire Officer Winston McGregor, and acting Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels.

Acting Chief Justice Roxanne George and Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque received the CCH. Medal of Service honourees included Denise Dias, for her work in road safety and domestic violence awareness, and veteran journalist George Barclay.

Golden Arrow of Achievement awardees were Environmentalist and aviation businesswoman Annette Arjoon-Martins, journalists Enrico Woolford, Adam Harris and Julia Johnson, and businessmen Hemraj Kissoon, Jose Da Silva and Guyana Revenue Authority Commissioner General Godfrey Statia.

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akarinta and Kwaimatta are two scenic villages in the North Rupununi where the indigenous villagers hold true to their traditions.

Yakarinta is closer to Annai, and Kwaimatta to Karanambu Lodge – all in the North Rupununi region.

Yakarinta The area that is now Yakarinta was known as “Konowaije” by the Makushi people; named after a bush in the area. The Carib people called that same bush “yakarmiti”, which is the name the village originally came from.

The first Makushi person who came to the area was Charley Brown. He came from north of Yakarinta. Later Sidney Benjiman, a fellow Makushi, ended up joining him in the area during a trip to Georgetown. Later other settlers from Pikiriikire came and joined the area. At this point,

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

the community was largely controlled by the Anglican Church.

The community has now grown into a village in the Rupununi, Region Nine, and mostly speak Wapichan.

In Yakarinta, there is a nursery and primary school, health post, church, women’s sewing centre, village office, teachers’ quarter, guest house and a community centre.

Kwaimatta Kwaimatta means “the place”. Kwaimatta started out as an out-station of Kwaimatta Ranch. A few vaqueros (cowboy) families had resides near Kwaimatta and so it eventually grew large enough to become a satellite of Massara. The people in the village speak Makushi.

In Kwaimatta, there is a health post, primary school, village office, teachers’ quarters and a hot meal kitchen. engage in farming, fishing and hunting activities, while Villagers in Kwaimatta in Yakarinta villagers engage in farming, fishing, hunting,

Yakarinta Primary

Tractor heading to Yakarinta making bricks and crafts. (Info on villages from Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. Photos by Neketa Forde)

Tractor crossing river in Yakarinta

Houses in Kwaimatta

Kwaimatta Primary School

Scenic landscape in Yakarinta

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Freeman St robbery/murder: Injured brothers return home

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wo weeks after bandits invaded an East La Penitence family, killing one member and injuring two others, the surviving brothers, one of whom was listed as critical, have returned home to North America.

This is after two masked men, one armed with a handgun, had stormed the Lot 194 Freeman Street residence on the morning of Sunday, September 24, just as the Saheed family was preparing for the death anniversary of their father.

Fazal Saheed, a 58-year-old businessman of Albion, Corentyne, was shot several times about his body, and later died while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Meanwhile, his brothers: Shalim Saheed, 53, of the United States of America, and Tallim Saheed, 50, of Toronto, Canada, were hospitalised at the Georgetown medical institution for a number of days as a result of injuries sustained in the attack.

Tallim Saheed was shot once to his shoulder, with the bullet exiting under his armpit, whereas Shalim Saheed was

left nursing several gunshot wounds to his stomach, and was said to be in an unstable condition.

The youngest of the siblings was discharged from the hospital early last week, and has managed to return home to Canada without much medical complications. However, his older brother, who had to undergo reconstructive surgery to his intestines, has not yet recovered from his injuries.

Nevertheless, Shalim Saheed was flown out of Guyana on Sunday, and was greeted by an ambulance at the airport in New York.

While speaking to the Guyana Times International on Sunday, another sibling, Guyanabased Raymond Shaheed, told this publication that Tallim Saheed “is out of the woods” and Shalim Saheed is “barely mobile.” However, he remains hopeful for the full recovery of his brothers.

Just days after the fatal robbery, three persons residing within the area confessed to carrying out the brutal attack and were subsequently taken into police custody.

On Tuesday last, two of the teenagers implicated in the murder appeared

2 remanded over G$25M theft

T

The duo charged: Gary Grant and his alleged accomplice, Seon Clarke

he two men who were reportedly caught stealing from the Chicka D Restaurant located on Vlissengen Road were on Monday re-

manded to prison when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Forty-one-year-old Gary Grant and his alcontinued on page 35

before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, arraigned on the indictable charge.

Eighteen-year-old Stefon Howard and 19-year-old Shawn De Santos, both residents of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, were not allowed to plead to the charge. The men were unrepresented at their arraignment, and were remanded to prison. The duo is expected to reappear in court on October 19, 2017.

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A volunteer gives back to the elderly in providing love and companionship

By Ashraf Dabie

R

ecognising the need for special care by the elderly in Guyana, young entrepreneur Abbigale Loncke has created a service to fulfil these needs adequately. However, for Abbigale, it is not just providing a service; it is about supplying love and companionship.

Abbigale began her career as a Care Officer in London, at the Orchard Lodge Resource Centre (secure prison for boys), while pursuing her degree back in 2006.

In 2011, she returned home (Guyana) and subsequently became the first counsellor at the Sophia Care Centre, mentoring an excess of 100 children who were attached to the institution. During her time at the Centre, the passionate young woman managed to re-integrate over 40 of the young residents back into their respective communities.

However, after spending three years

working with the children at the Sophia Care Centre, Abbigale was forced to make a difficult decision: leaving due to the deteriorating health of her grandfather, who was at the time living in her care.

Desperate for assistance in caring for her grandfather, Abbigale went on a search to find a facility that offered comprehensive care and support to the elderly, especially those requiring additional attention and even medical assistance. It took two years of scouring the country for her to realise what she was looking is nonexistent.

Her unsuccessful search prompted her to establish a home care agency that aids families in providing care for the sick and elderly the Community Health Care Agency, located in Georgetown.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Abbigale recounted the source of inspiration behind her passion in caring for the elderly. “After my grandfather fell sick and needed extra care at home, I decided to start an agency to help families, like mine, who were in need of care and support at home.

From 2013 to now, we have rebranded into Community Health Care, which for us means taking care of the health of entire communities - physically, mentally, socially.”

Abbigale listed a few services that set her establishment apart in caring for the elderly: companionship care, dementia and Alzheimer care and support, personal/grooming care, nursing care, live-in care and assisted living care, where individuals can live in a facility with their peers and still maintain their independence.

“We also provide a ‘Meal on Wheels’ service, which delivers healthy meals daily to the homes of individuals in Georgetown, Berbice and Essequibo. All

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meals are pre-planned and we work with state-of-the-art facility fosterany health or medical restrictions,” she ing healthy pointed out. daily lifeAbbigale noted that thus far the highlight of her career was particstyles among Guyana's seipating in former U.S. President nior citizens.

Barrack Obama’s Young Leaders of We would conthe America’s Initiative (YLAI). This tinue to expand initiative provided the opportunity for the reach of our the entrepreneur to be mentored by several well-established companies in the services throughout Guyana to U.S. for a period of six weeks. It also exnot only posed the young activist to differproent business platforms and business models, which resulted in the restructuring her company and its objectives.

Stemming from her participation in the YLAI programme, the Agency has managed to pair its mission, which is to take care of Guyana’s most vulnerable individuals, with a strong social responsibility to give back to those who are in need of support. The company has grown Abbigale Loncke to the extent where it is now able to offer employment to a number of women, and for this Abbigale vide care, but also provide employment for women. By supporting Community is extremely proud.

Besides being a timely business ini- Health Care Agency, you will be givtiative, the Community Health Care ing back in so many different beneficial Agency has created a volunteer drive ways,” Abbigale declared. which welcomes members of the public For more information, call 659to give of their time to elderly individuals 0239 or 617-9415 in Georgetown; 771who are alone and need assistance, but 4529/648-4302 in Essequibo; and 680are unable to afford such services.

9307 in Berbice. Also, visit Community “We aim to be the leading agency Health Care Agency on Facebook.

In commemoration of the Month of for elderly care in Guyana. This means our programmes would continue to ex- the Elderly, observed internationally in pand and our staff would continue to bet- October, Abbigale said her Agency is ofter the care we provide. Our next goal is fering a special 15% discount on all serto finalise the opening of our Day Care vices that cater for the needs of the elderCentre for the Elderly. This would be a ly.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Preserving our literary heritage

Edgar Mittelholzer

By Petamber Persaud

V

ery often, and too often with immense gratification, I get the urge to put aside the reading of current books in preference to delving into those published a while back, especially reprinted rare and out-of-print material.

This browsing is not too difficult for me for I am accustomed to ‘marking up’ my own books, highlighting words, phrases and extracts of interest.

For instance, while flicking through “Beacons of Excellence: The Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lectures – Volume 3, 1986 – 2013”, I stumbled

on the following passage: One of the most exciting things about literature is the way earlier texts… are rediscovered or re-read in the light of new developments in writing and reading. Writing, in other words, is not a once for all time act that closes with the final full stop, and nor is reading a fixed or stable single act of passive reception. Reading is fluid, adaptive, processual and constantly changing according to the needs of the times.

The above passage was delivered by Dr Jane Bryce in 2013 at the 15th lecture series of the Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lectures and published

by the Caribbean Press in 2014. The “Beacons of Excellence”, in three volumes, were compiled and edited by Andrew O. Lindsay.

The idea of The Caribbean Press surfaced during Guyana’s hosting of Carifesta X in 2008. The idea was later fleshed out by former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and Professor David Dabydeen.

Within months, the idea was manifested with the printing of the first 12 titles of The Guyana Classics Library, which included “The Discovery of Guiana” by Sir Walter Raleigh, first published in 1596; “The Coolie, his right and wrongs” by John Edward Jenkins; “Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana” by Charles Barrington Brown; “The Chinese in British Guiana” by Sir Cecil Clementi; and “Guianese Poetry: covering the hundred years’ period, 1831-1931” by N. E. Cameron.

Each title carried its own scholarly introduction and a series preface.

The series preface, written by Jagdeo, is instructive and informative. This preface declared that “The Guyana Classics Library will republish out-of-print poetry, nov-

els and travelogues so as to remind us of our literary heritage, and it will also remind us of our reputation for scholarship in the fields of history, anthropology, sociology and politics, through the reprinting of seminal works in these subjects. The Series builds upon previous Guyanese endeavours, like the institution of CARIFESTA, and the Guyana Prize.

for which he came or the knowledge where he may find it…the words “No”, “We haven’t it”, “I don’t know”, should never be heard. We try to live up to that rule, but of course, there are limitations imposed by the collection of sources at hand, and our Reference Library has still a lot more to grow, but we try to do our best at all times.

to be interested in what they read…

In a previous article about the National Library, I highlighted the contribution of Andrew Carnegie indicating that “his is not the only name of substance nor is his most fundamental gift of establishing the library the only noteworthy contribution carrying the library into its 108th anniversary this September

Public Free Library (British Guiana), now known as the National Library

I am delighted that my government has originated the project ….so that all Guyanese can appreciate our monumental achievement in moving from Exploitation to Expression…”

While searching for material of interest concerning the National Library, which is celebrating its 108th anniversary - ‘In Service To The Community’ - I discovered the following pieces in Kyk-over-al, issue 8, June 1949: The Reference Department The policy of all libraries is that no one should be allowed to leave without having either received the information

The Young People’s Section The other day while looking through a book on sewing … I came across a scrap of material with some stitching one it. This had been demonstrated in the book and obviously the borrower had been painstakingly practicing what was shown. This set us thinking and gave us an idea. The word “competition” kept going through our minds. With the result, we soon hope to have a competition…Any piece of work, which they have done…and which they learnt through a library book, we shall ask to be presented to us for a display at an exhibition at which two prizes…We aim at encouraging them

in the year 2017”, inferring that there are many other signal and significant contributions. For instance, the first 50 years in the life of the library, its destiny fell into the hands of the first two librarians: Ms Emily Murray (1909 – 1940) and Ms Ruby Franker (1942–1962).

When we think about books and libraries, we seldom spare a thought for the custodians of books and libraries.

These custodians play the most vital of roles in maintaining the relevance of books and libraries. (To be continued) Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

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I

n the eighteenth century, the authorities ordered each plantation owner to build and maintain a public road and bridges to connect to the two adjacent neighbouring plantations.

The original width of the roadway was 16 feet, but this was later increased to 36 feet, and rough red bricks, made from burnt clay, were used to surface it. This road was deemed a public right of way, and if the plantation owner refused to build or maintain it, the government authorities would carry out the task and then demand payment from him. If he could not meet the payment, his land could be sold by the West India Company or the Berbice Association to recover the cost.

When the British took control in Guyana in the early nineteenth century, a Commissioner of Roads and Bridges was given

cost if the government was forced to carry out the task.

The plantations which were purchased by ex-slaves after 1838 experienced early problems in raising money to maintain the public road and bridges, with the result that they were, at first, in a state of disrepair.

However, when these "proprietary villages" established forms of local government and levied their own local taxes, they were able to obtain funds to carry out maintenance.

Relatively swift movement along the coastal roadway was hampered by the rivers flowing to the Atlantic Ocean. Privately operated ferries, which included boats, barges and large rafts, moved people and good across until later in the nineteenth century when wooden bridges were built across the Boerasiri, Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary, and Canje Rivers as well

Postcard shows roads in Georgetown in the 1890s

Demerara and Berbice) and large steamers were used to maintain this service.

Since almost all the plantations were located on the coast or the lower river banks, the interior forest and savannah areas had very few roadways, and the

Main street, New Amsterdam 1860

the task of supervising the maintenance of the public roads and bridges. Plantations that did not keep the public road in good condition faced the penalty of being sold to recover the

as the Anamoromise Creek flowing through No. 66 Village to the Corentyne River.

Government-owned ferries continued to operate across the larger rivers (Essequibo,

local Amerindian population used mainly tracks and pathways, or the rivers, to move from one settlement to another.

As the population grew, the need

for the movement of an increased volume of goods arose.

In March 1837, only twelve years after the first iron railway was built in England, the British colonial authorities commenced plans to build and operate a railway between Georgetown and the Mahaica River.

Early that month, government officials met with all the proprietors and representatives of the estates on the East Coast of Demerara to discuss the proposal of constructing the railway. This proposal received unanimous support since the estate owners felt that the railway service would drastically cut the expenses for transporting sugar and other goods to Georgetown and, thus, reduce overall the cost of sugar production.

As a follow-up to this meeting, a committee was soon appointed to take responsibility for building

the railway between Georgetown and Mahaica. Eventually, a joint stock company, the Demerara Railway Company, was formed to organise financing to run the entire operation.

The company, soon after, hired Frederick Catherwood, a British civil engineer with experience in the construction and operation of railways in England, to carry out the project. On his arrival in Guyana, he surveyed the East Coast route, and later he also mapped out the proposed line to be taken for a railway on the coastal area between the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers.

The main problem the company faced was that of raising the necessary finance in Guyana because many sugar planters claimed they were almost bankrupt as a result of the loss of their slave labour due to emancipation. Since they could

2 remanded over G$25M theft...

leged accomplice, Seon Clarke, 47, stood before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to the charges against them.

The duo denied that between September 20, 2017 and October 5, 2017, they broke into the Chicka D Restaurant and stole an ice maker along with other items valued in total G$25 million.

Clarke was also charged separately

for assaulting a Police Officer and behaving disorderly.

Police Prosecutor Adoni Innis told the court that the men broke and entered the recently-closed business place owned by businessman Deonarine Singh.

Police, however, received a tip and swooped down on the location where they caught the men in the act.

In an attempt to escape lawmen, Clarke

not raise the required capital, two-thirds of the shares were acquired by investors in Great Britain and Holland.

The delay in raising capital forced the railway plan to be delayed until 1845, when legislation was finally enacted to regulate the constitution of joint stock companies for carrying on public works and to authorise the acquisition of land for such purposes. The passage of this legislation enabled the company to raise the required funds in London very quickly. A total of 100,000 British pounds was required, but the company was able to acquire double that amount.

To be continued (Text from “The Guyana Story From Earliest Times to Independence� by veteran retired Guyanese diplomat, Dr Odeen Ishmael)

from page 31

pulled out a knife and advanced towards a Policeman. He reportedly punched the officer in his eye and managed to escape, but was later subdued by public-spirited persons and handed over to the Police.

Grant, who managed to escape later, turned himself in to the Police.

Magistrate Latchman remanded both men to prison until October 30, 2017 when the case will be called again.

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assava is a primary food source for most indigenous peoples of Guyana.

Many indigenous groups eat cassava in the form of cassava bread and farine, as well as regularly manufacture fermented cassava beverages.

According to Terry W. Henkel in his study “Parakari, an indigenous fermented beverage using amylolytic Rhizopus in Guyana”, most indigenous cassava fermentations involve prolonged cooking and exposure to salivary enzymes as the method of initially breaking down the starch to sugars (amylolysis), which subsequently are fermented to ethanol.

Parakari is a more complex cassava fermentation using an amylolytic mold in place of salivary amylolysis. In other words, instead of chewing, indigenous peoples utilise fungus to break down starch to sugars.

While fermented beverage

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

production is nearly universal among indigenous Amazonians, parakari is unique among New World beverages because it involves the use of an amylolytic mold (Rhizopus sp., Mucoraceae, Zygomycota) followed by ethanol fermentation, he states.

Among the Wapishana of Aishalton village in the Rupununi whose fermentation process he studied, thirty steps were involved in parakari manufacture, and these he notes exhibited a high degree of sophistication, including the use of specific cassava varieties, control of culture temperature and boosting of Rhizopus inoculum potential with purified starch additives.

During the fermentation process, changes in glucose content, pH, flavour, odour and culture characteristics were associated with a desirable finished product. Parakari is the only known example of an indigenous New

B

efore the fishing rod of today, the indigenous people created ingenious fishing traps to sustain their daily lives. Some of these traps are extremely complex with one-way valves, bait chambers and floats, while others were primitively basic. Nevertheless, all fishing traps had one common trait - all evidently adapted to specific functions and ultimately different species of fish.

According to the late Denis Williams in his book “Prehistoric Guyana”, “the second great petroglyph tradition of the Northern

Amazonia is represented by the Fish Trap Series…” which show the frequency and importance of fishing in indigenous communities.

Fishing was good in those early times. As early as 2000BC, small bands of “hunter-gatherers”, as Williams described them, would fish in pools, rivers and streams in the

World fermentation that uses an amylolytic mold, likely resulting from domestication of a wild Rhizopus species in the distant past.

Henkel states that only three of the tribes currently manufacture parakari: the Wapishana, Macushi and Patamona.

Production of parakari among the Wai Wai, who live to the south of the Wapishana in extreme southern Guyana, was noted early in the 20th century but now has ceased due to suppression by missionaries.

In his study Henkel finds that the origins of parakari fermentations are lost in antiquity.

The overwhelming prevalence of fermented beverages throughout Meso- and South American indigenous cultures indicates a long-term, pre-Columbian pracEarly stages in the preparation of parakari (Terry W. Henkel) tice. long history. The Wapishana ginning of time”; they have Parakari production, with its noted that the beverage has no cultural memory of a time exceptional degree of microbial been around since the “be- without it. manipulation, certainly has a

“productive rainforest” to trap their next meal.

The stratification of food refuse at the Pedra Pintada rock shelter on the Parima River in Region Nine shows occupation there to have lasted between 2,000 BC and1, 000 BC. This ‘refuse’ was said to indicate the heavy reliance on fish, fresh water snails and various small reptiles and mammals. This is further exemplified by the exploitation of the Kassikaityu River (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), as illustrated by the Kassikaityu petroglyphs, which

Fish trap locations also differed in accordance with various habitats.

Certain traps were anchored on the river bed, while others were supported on the platform of the water current or just below the surface, and sometimes barriers across waterfalls.

Fish trap locations and designs were specific to particular water bodies, depending on the geographic area, surface shapes and features.

Not to mention, the indigenous fish traps and baiting procedure “evidenced by petrographic data” implies a “wide knowledge of the habits and haunts of various fish species and of their respective food preferences”.

Notably, the indigenous community was monitored in their fishing exhibitions to limit exploitation.

According to Williams, “seA Spring Basket Fish lective extracTrap, a trap that pops tion was guarout the water when anteed by the a fish is caught imposition on a nearby rock exposure of a range of fish indicated “four kinds of fish traps: traps known to be effective in taking the Maswah, Box Trap, Cylindrical particular species of a given pool”.

Hence, choosing a fish trap for Fall Trap and the Spring Basket Trap”. fishing was crucial to the hunt, the Aside from selective harvesting, species caught and the amount takthe different types of traps indicated en home at the end of a given fishlocation, design, and baiting proce- ing trip. (Information taken from dure utilised by the indigenous com- “Prehistoric Guiana” by Denis munity.

Williams)

The Maswah, a trap that is usually placed where there is flowing water such as the bottom of a waterfall

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Institutions…

O

…to recognise and honour

nce again, your Eyewitness is more than a tad befuddled – this time by the National Awards handing out ceremony. Here it was, Prezzie explained, “The national honour system is about service”: concrete service to the country and community in some way or other. But he was hard pressed to understand both the rhyme and the reason for some of these awards.

Right up there were the awards to the three journalists who’d been servicing the PNC’s interests through thick and thin these past three decades – Adam Harris, Enrico Woolford and Julia Johnson.

Is the PNC equivalent to “Guyana” once again – as Comrade Forbes had decreed – so that service to the PNC is service to Guyana? Your Eyewitness knows this newspaper isn’t in the running but was there not even one veteran reporter from the Stabber News worthy of recognition?

And if (as APNU/AFC maintains) removing the PPP from office in 2015 was the greatest service to the nation in 23 years, just from the journalistic sector, didn’t Freddy Kissoon and his boss, Glen Lall, perform greater yeoman service??

And while not full timers, who filled more column inches that Chris Ram and Anand Goolsarran to get the PPP out? Are their services not worthy also? Do they not also bleed? But these fellas have shown some independence afterwards. The lesson is: only total loyalty will be rewarded!

Another enigma was 10th VC of UG, Ivelaw Griffith – who, your Eyewitness believes, wouldn’t mind if Prezzie address him as Chancellor Griffith X. And that’s not the “X” of Malcolm X, who rejected the slave title “Little” and used the “X” to signify his unknown lineage. No siree Bob! This Griffith is talking about Chancellor Griffith the 10th!!

Now, your Eyewitness doesn’t mind old pals getting a squeeze; but honestly, Prezzie, what “service” has ex-YSM member Griffith done for Guyana since he was hired in a not-so-transparent process one-and-a-half-years ago? Is it because of the brown nosing “Renaissance Magazine” that burnishes his crest? Or because he just made the Army Officer’s training module a UG Diploma…or proposed the army retirement age be raised?

So, with the press and the university in hand, Prezzie handed out awards to the new Chancellor and Chief Justice of the Judiciary. Your Eyewitness won’t even mention the incestuousness of the Chancellor, who heads the Committee proposing awards, bagging the top award!!

But what took the cake of the evening of backslapping was the Prison Chief getting an Award!!

After 17 prison deaths, two escapes, and the torching of the Camp Street jail!! …for elections In the wake of Prezzie taking his sweet old time getting around to looking at Opposition Leader Jagdeo’s THIRD list of nominees for the GECOM Chair, the state controlled Chronic bigged up a statement from the US Ambassador. In bold Banner headlines, it screamed: “GECOM not in crisis!!” Implying that everything was hunky dory with Prezzie’s footdragging.

The headline demonstrated that the DPI — into which GINA’s being merged — has already taken over the propaganda machinery. It failed to mention that the ambassador actually said GECOM wasn’t in crisis – as yet!! And who’ll quarrel with that? The ball’s in Prezzie’s court to ensure the crisis never materialises!

Because as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow morning, when Prezzie unilaterally appoints Justice La Bennet – who he’s had in his sight from day one – and the Opposition Leader takes him to the courts… there is gonna be a crisis. Even if Prezzie thinks the local Justices are “safe” (esp after their awards!) the various appeals will take time.

And elections have to be held in 2020!! …on procurement The deadline for bids to be prequalified to construct the “Demerara Ming Swing Bridge” has been extended. Nothing to do with the late entry of the UK firm BAM!!

The bidders have already signed that they can’t protest!!

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Guyanese begin returning home from hurricane-ravaged countries

T

he first batch of evacuated Guyanese from the hurricane-hit British Virgin Islands (BVI) returned home on Monday aboard a Trans Guyana Airways flight and were welcomed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Citizenship Minister Winston Felix, Civil Defence Commission head Chabilall Ramsarup and representatives of Trans Guyana Airways.

As the Trans Guyana Airways flight landed at the Eugene F Correia International Airport on Monday and brought with it three adults and seven children, tears of joy began to flow coupled with sighs of relief from relatives.

Those evacuated from the hurricane-ravaged island are Randy Ragnauth, Avril De Santos, Nanshalee Foxe, Brianna Foxe, Nia Ashanti Gill,

Rhondalisa Flatts-Gill, Jared Newman, Janice Callwood, Coran Penn and Cameron Foxe.

Minister Harmon was there to welcome them home and noted that it was the second flight that brought Guyanese home. He said in the coming days, there will be more flights facilitated by Trans Guyana Airways and Jags Aviation to bring Guyanese home. He said Government is working

to have the flights returning Guyanese home completed by this weekend.

Additionally, Harmon indicated that returning citizens who do not have any relatives or place to stay would be given accommodation at the Hugo Chávez Centre in West Berbice.

“Once the news got around that we are bringing people home the number of persons in St Martin moved from 43 to 116. We understand that will happen and people now have a clear understanding that the Government of Guyana is working with the Private Sector and we are going to do everything in our power to ensure that our citizens are cared for,” Harmon told reporters.

Meanwhile, Minister Felix explained that the Ministry is focused on assisting citizens who lost their personal documents while adding that they are also focused on getting the right documents for children who need to attend school.

“We will be assessing the documentation needs for those who lost their passports and birth certificates and generally for information purposes to have an idea of all who return. There are children whose schooling must be addressed and that information would be collected soon. We will continue interviewing them and do all that are necessary,” Felix said.

During the hurricane, Guyanese businessman Derek Ragnauth lost his life. His son, Randy, was one of the evacuees and told reporters that he ex-

perienced storms before but the hurricane was beyond his imagination.

He said during the storm, he was at his sister’s home and that although the house was protected, the force of the winds destroyed the building. He added that his father had stayed behind at his business and the following morning they learnt of his death.

Several of the relatives of the evacuees said that they are thankful for the assistance rendered and are now putting into place systems to make them more comfortable.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

City Hall shuts down 5 businesses over health and safety violations

By Lakhram Bhagirat

T

he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown, on Monday took the decision to suspend the operations of five businesses in the City for various health and safety violations, with the common thread being the owners operating unregistered businesses. Four of the business folks have a three-month period to get themselves in order while another has six weeks.

The decision was taken at Monday’s statutory meeting at City Hall when four of the five operators appeared before the full Council. This is the first time, since its election, that businesspersons appeared before this Council.

Acting head of the M&CC’s Meat and Hygiene Food Department, Abiola

Acting head of the Meat and Hygiene Food Department, Abiola Baker revealing the details of the charges against the business owners

Baker, charged Orin Isaacs and Luanna Noel, Rajkumarie Singh, Brian and Deon Carter, Nadia Singh and Peggy Hoenkirk of violating the city’s food and health codes. Baker and Isaacs operates a soup snackette in Castello Housing Scheme, West La Penitence; Rajkumarie Singh has a food restau-

Major drug shortages hit Region 2 …health centres in Pomeroon affected

P

eople’s Progressive Party Councillor Arnold Adams has reported at the Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) statutory meeting for the month of October that there are major drugs shortages within the region.

Addressing his fellow Councillors, Adams said the majority of drugs are short supplied to the Suddie Public Hospital from the MMU; explaining that when this happens, health centres throughout the coast are left without essential medicines.

“Suddie Public Hospital is the hub for medication distribution, it’s the mother if they don’t have then all other centres don’t have, people are suffering and we need to address this issue,” Adams said.

Adams, who is the Chairman of the Health and Sanitation Committee, said over 90 per cent of drugs are in short supply at the hospital. He said basic injections as well as saline are also scarce. Adams further related that many patients are often asked to purchase their own medications from pharmacies, which he described as unacceptable.

At the meeting, Adams called on the Public Health Minister

to investigate the massive drugs shortage within the region.

Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt, in commenting on the issue said an analysis of the region’s budgetary allocations and expenditures for 2017 shows that Region Two was given G$186,099,000 in its 2017 Budget. Of this amount, Ramdatt said only G$2 million was released up to the end of September 2017.

He therefore said that it must be made clear that the Regional health officials have done all that is necessary to secure the much-needed financial resources to procure drugs and medical supplies.

At a recent meeting held at the Finance Ministry, the matter engaged discussions and a commitment was given that available funds from the region’s allocation will be released.

Ramdatt said while he is pleased with such a decision, his major concern is for the authorities to closely review the systems that are in place so that Region Two can have adequate medical supplies.

He said the reality is quality health care and the people are affected while adequate financial provisions are available in the budget.

rant at Sheriff Street; the Carters operate a bakery and restaurant at Sophia; Nadia Singh a burger snack-

ette at Sheriff Street; and Hoenkirk a liquor and food restaurant at Duncan Street.

None of the five businesses has the necessary documentation that would permit operation of any sort, more so a business that deals with food. Some of the outlets that are being closed have been notified since 2015. In addition, the employers and employees failed to produce valid food handlers’ certificates and Baker reports that they would prepare ready to eat foods in the unsanitary conditions using unsanitary utensils.

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green allowed each of the busi-

ness owners the chance to defend themselves and to tell the Council why they should not be permanently shut down.

As a result of their explanations, they were given a six-week suspension pending their registration. These businesses have been operating their businesses for approximately 10 years.

Chase Green told the Council that although these businesses fall within their constituencies, they should look at the bigger picture when voting on the resolution since the wider public’s health is involved. She added that she is in no way trying to permanently close down businesses hence the reason

for her suspending the operations until they can comply with the health and operational codes as set out in the laws of the municipality.

The issue of non-compliance of the regulations and bylaws governing food establishments is something that has been ongoing for years.

The M&CC continues to play its role in ensuring that citizens who are purchasing fast food are consuming food that is prepared in sanitary conditions. Only recently, the M&CC held a workshop with persons who operate food business on safe food practices. They were also encouraged to get their food handlers’ certificate.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

of 55 Photography “…Clients will always come back to you when you treat them with respect…”

Fidal Bassier

F

or Fidal Bassier of 55 Photography, that means being honest, humble, sincere, dedicated to producing quality work, and always striving for excellence. “You know, basic human qualities” with, he later adds, “a little bit of detachment. Things don’t always go the way you want them to. It’s all about serving the client and the clients’ needs. In

the end, it’s what the client wants and trying to meet the client’s needs”.

The registered business owner got into photography on account of his daughters, now 11 and 8 respectively.

When they were born, the proud papa could not stop snapping photographs of his little girls and from there his interest grew, with him reaching out online to local photographers, some of whom, among them Kojo McPherson, were happy to share their knowledge for which he is quite grateful. In 2010, Bassier made the transition from amateur to professional photographer. “The first job I was paid for was a wedding…” the former St Joseph student, who is particularly known for

his stunningly beautiful wedding shots, recalled.

There are many lessons he has learnt throughout the years, primarily the importance of networking with other photographers – professionals, amateurs and even persons utilising their cellphones for casual shots – to grow the field of photography locally. A member of the Guyana Photographers Facebook group, which is open to the public, Bassier said no one could do everything on their own, at a certain point we need other professionals’ help to grow. He says the 3000-strong group, who have come together to share ideas, knowledge and techniques, always have activities happening to keep inter-

est high, including contests, and persons can also post photographs for critiques. Some members of the group even offer classes for beginners and others who joined as novice photographers now own their own photography business.

“I am always learning. Different people have different thoughts and ways of doing things,” he would later conclude in his calm, soothing voice, after highlighting that the flexibility of photography enables him to set his own schedule and spend lots of time with his children and wife.

When asked what inspired him, he said simply, “Religion. I am a Baha’i and it’s all about the oneness of humankind and the elimination

of prejudice….I see beyond the material to the humanness.”

His advice to budding entrepreneurs is to “do

something you love doing almost every day, [because you will be doing it almost every day]”. “Be continued on page 47

44 news

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana Govt collects G$900M in taxes for oil and gas activities T

he Finance Ministry has collected approximately G$900 million in taxes from activities connected to oil and gas for the first half of 2017.

This was revealed

by Finance Minister Winston Jordan during a press conference held at the Ministry’s boardroom on Monday.

Minister Jordan was responding to questions posed by the media.

Companies in the oil and gas industry have to pay withholding taxes. The tax is paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). It is a tax levied on income (interest and dividends)

from securities owned by a non-resident.

Minister Jordan noted that the sum “might have been the resolution of one or two issues that were pending with some of the companies”.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

These taxes are in addition to the revenues that Guyana is expected to begin collecting when oil production commences in 2020. The Government has a production sharing agreement between Exxon and its partners and itself.

Guyana will receive a royalty of two per cent on gross earnings and benefit from 50 per cent of the profits from the sale of petroleum once production commences

in 2020.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister noted that the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) will be available for public consultation early next year. He noted that the Ministry is currently reviewing comments from partners before it is submitted to the commonwealth consultant, who helped in the initial drafting of the legislation for the establishment of the SWF.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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Revisionism…

Hearts…

D

…bleeding for killers

id you, dear reader, know yesterday, was “World Day against death penalty”. Yep!! There’s a day for that also. Well if the UN took time to declare such a day, maybe we ought to think a bit about it, shouldn’t we? One of the local worthies, who makes a living at this sort of thing, declared that the death penalty is about “revenge” rather than “deterrence”.

Well, golly Miss Molly! If a person’s already been killed, what’s the use to HIM on whether the killer’s deterred from killing again?? The poor person remains as just “dead meat”. Your Eyewitness isn’t about to speculate about any hereafter…just about justice for the dead in the here and now.

Why label the act of retribution “revenge”?

God said he’s the one to dole out retribution – not that its wrong, didn’t he? So our state’s simply executing (pardon the pun) God’s will for HIS inattention. (The killer WAS allowed to do his dastardly deed, wasn’t he?)

Anyhow the local bleeding heart echoed the worthies at the UN and declared “no state should execute its citizens”. How about sentencing 1700 workers to a slow death by closing down Wales estate without providing any alternative employment? That’s OK? Doesn’t malnutrition lead to a shorter lifespan and death? Aren’t some going to be plunged into despair and kill themselves?

Shouldn’t she condemn these executions of the state?

And then what does the UN say about the hundreds of thousands of citizens being killed by bombs dropped from five miles in the sky or from drones controlled from 10,000 miles away? Shouldn’t there be a day of mourning for the executions and condemnation for those states commit such atrocities?

The problem with most bleeding hearts, they get caught up with the information they’re fed from up north and just unthinkingly regurgitate it. Banning executions is now the popular “Liberal” cause. But wasn’t it Liberalism that introduced hangings to begin with? Right here in Guyana, thank you?

Tomorrow we’ll be commemorating the

Maafa or Holocaust against People of African Origins. Wasn’t it a Liberal Britain that was one of the main perpetrators of these mass killings that were worse than executions? Will the bleeding hearts show up at the seawall?

The point of it all, is hanging and other forms of executions are all part of an interlinked Liberal order that every now and then pretends to reform itself (like “abolishing” slavery) but its beat of overriding oppression has only morphed into another, deadlier, form.

What we need is not reform – but root and branch change where the poor and powerless are given justice. And a Liberal order ain’t gonna do it. …beating for gambling Looks like this government’s left hand mightn’t know what its right hand is doing but not to worry – its heart isn’t divided for sure: avarice and greed are the watchwords!!

The latest eruption is over these gambling slot machines – otherwise known as “onearmed bandits”, for good reason. They rob you as good as an choke-and-rob artiste you may encounter in the (dark) streets, when you pull down that “arm”.

Seems the government – via its dynamic Finance Minister – bypassed the legally authorised entity regulating gambling in the country and authorised the Guyana Lottery Company to install the aforementioned one-armed-bandits in bars across our (now despoiled) land! And why would the FM do this if it means breaking the laws of Guyana?

Well, he said Guyana would get 24% of the take, by encouraging Guyanese to gamble away their hard-earned money.

Your Eyewitness therefore has a suggestion. Why doesn’t the FM ship coke to the states? That’s also illegal – but the return is 2400%!! …falling in love Jagdeo criticised Trotman’s lacklustre performance at COP 25 in Paris back in 2015. What he didn’t know was Trottie and a member of the delegation found the charms of “Gay Paree” too distracting.

Now they’re married. Isn’t that sweet!!

Y

…and the PNC

our Eyewitness would concede we all revise our history — especially at the personal level — to present a better face to the world. But if we want to maintain our credibility, we have to keep the revision within tolerable limits, don’t we? Like Trotman claiming he’s suddenly an expert in the petroleum industry!! Folks have to pick themselves off the floor – suffering from paroxysms of laughter when they hear that whopper!!

And it’s also the same with institutions — perhaps even more so — because of their higher profile. So when the Chronic reports with a front page banner headline that Pressie boasted at the occasion of the 60th anniversary of his party, “The PNC proud of record”, both Pressie and the Chronic widened their credibility gap to a chasm the size of the Kaieteur gorge!

And Pressie even chose to be specific, citing “the introduction of a proportional representation (PR) system for elections”!!

Now, even every schoolchild and his illiterate uncle know PR was introduced by the British in a cynical move to oust the PPP from office.

They’d done this in 1953 by sending troops into the then British Guiana, but the other PR — Public Relations — fallout made them choose a more surgical approach.

Never mind they’d tutored us for over a hundred years that the Constituency (Firstpast-the-post – FPTP) System was the best method of electing leaders. And (this was the clincher) it was the system they’d used for the said hundred years, and still do in jolly old Blighty!! But in the 1961 election, which the PPP won under FPTP, they saw that if the UF and PNC had joined forces under PR, they would’ve won. And the PNC is PROUD of carrying out the callous plans of the British, whom they’d castigated as “imperialists”??

Then there was the boast about “Guyana’s development as a testament of PNC’s leadership”. What development? Economic?

By 1980, the McIntyre Report announced, we’d sunk to the bottom of the Caribbean barrel — just above Haiti! The same year, in his Budget speech, Finance Minister Carl

Greenidge confessed that Guyana was officially “bankrupt”. Politically, elections were rigged routinely, and the PNC’s legitimacy was so low they couldn’t find a place at Third World Leadership meetings – especially after Walter Rodney’s assassination.

Socially, the country was as divided as ever — save for a growing number of African Guyanese who flocked to the banner of the WPA in disgust at the failed policies of the PNC. Your Eyewitness could go on, but what’s the point? Studies have shown the party faithful hear what they want to hear.

And the rest lack conviction. …and racial profiling Guyanese woke up and discovered a “Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGPAD) has been in our midst, and they’ve announced their findings.

This group comes out of the UN-sponsored “International Decade for People of African Origin” initiative, but your Eyewitness does believe they’ve lost sight of their mission.

Now, these folks are supposed to be looking into matters that affect ONLY African Guyanese negatively, right? So how come they’re recommending prison reform. What’s going on here? Isn’t this racial profiling? Is it only African Guyanese who’re jailed?

Now, if they say there are more African Guyanese in jails here than members of other groups, why aren’t they examining the record of the US, where African Americans are 37% of the jail inmates even though they’re just 10% per cent of the population.

And how dare they compliment David Granger’s ‘Five Bs’ Initiative.

Don’t they know a PPP MP was censured for suggesting the programme was mainly for African Guyanese children? …of imperial mandate Pressie boasted about the PNC wrenching “independence” from Britain. So how come the latter’s High Commissioner, like the Governor of old, boasted he’s directing governmental policies — most recently selecting the Demerara “Ming Swing” Bridge contractor?

Didn’t you wonder why there was the extension for contractors’ pre-qualification?

BAM!! BAM!!

The dangers of consuming alcohol, smoking during pregnancy Think for 2; don’t drink or smoke for 2 (The following was written as the intro to a CAPE project five years ago. Intimations of future career specialisation?)

I

t is said we are what we eat. When it comes to a pregnant woman, her child is not only what she eats but whatever enters her bloodstream by whatever route. During pregnancy, all nine months of it, it therefore behoves the mother to always remember that whatever she eats, her baby eats and whatever she drinks, her baby drinks.

In the same way most mothers would not contemplate putting alcohol in their baby’s milk, they should not even consider drinking alcohol or using drugs while pregnant because the effects on the developing foetus are just as toxic.

The baby may not be conscious of the effects while in the womb, but after birth, and years after, the baby will continue to suffer from the effects of its mother’s folly. Alcohol passes easily through the placental barrier and the foetus is less equipped to eliminate alcohol than its mother.

Furthermore, the babies are affected more by the exposure to alcohol than the mothers, since the developing foetus cannot break down the alcohol as the mother and consequently, the

foetus receives a higher concentration of alcohol. Babies born to mothers who used alcohol are likely to be born with low birth weight, small head circumference, developmental delays, organ dysfunction, facial abnormalities, epilepsy, and poor coordination.

Nerve and brain disorders are especially prominent if the alcohol is imbibed during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, since it is during this timeframe that complex brain development occurs. Such exposed babies are born with poor motor skills and poor learning abilities.

Physical deformation of the brain itself may also occur, with small head size and other abnormalities such as cerebellar hypoplasia. If alcohol is consumed during the first trimester, it interferes with the migration and organisation of brain cells, causing structural deformities.

During the third trimester, damage can be caused to the hippocampus, affecting memory, emotion and the encoding of auditory and visual information. Babies who suffer from growth deficiency, the three facial deformities, central nervous

system damage and prenatal alcohol exposure are said to suffer from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Drinking alcohol is not the only bad habit a pregnant woman should endeavour to break: smoking is another one that is just as deadly.

Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, with lead and cyanide being just two of the 60+ carcinogenic chemicals. The nicotine from cigarette smoke narrows blood vessels in the umbilical cord[1]; effectively decreasing the amount of oxygen available to the baby. Additionally, the carbon monoxide present combines with the haemoglobin of the red blood cells carrying the oxygen thereby decreasing the oxygen capacity of those cells.

Babies born to women who smoke are usually underweight due to their underdeveloped bodies. Their lungs may not even be able to work on their own due to delayed lung development caused by nicotine. These babies are also especially vulnerable to asthma and other respiratory ailments.

Furthermore, babies whose mothers

s m o k e d during the first trimester of pregnancy Anu Dev are more likely to suffer from heart defects at birth. Nicotine also retards brain development: the developing brain being particularly sensitive to low oxygen levels, especially affecting the areas of the brain that control breathing. Additionally, nicotine is poisonous to the areas of the brain directly involved with heart and breathing functions.

Passive smoking – inhalation of second-hand smoke – also affects the baby and may lead to underweight babies being delivered. The smoke that burns off the end of a cigarette and escapes into the air actually contains more harmful substances (tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine) than the smoke inhaled by the smoker.

So pregnant mothers-to-be, stay on the straight and narrow. At least for the nine months.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Teachers union urges Govt to complete salary negotiations before year-end

A

s the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) continues to await word on salary increases for teachers after nearly two years of stalled negotiations, the Union’s General Secretary, Coretta McDonald, is calling on President David Granger to urge his Ministers to ensure that a deal is reached before the end of the year.

The last multi-year agreement between the Education Ministry and the GTU ended in 2015 and since then, teachers have been waiting for a finalised new deal.

McDonald told Guyana Times International that the Union is hopeful that an agreement could be made before the start of 2018.

“We are pleading with the President so that he can plead with his Ministers to have us complete our salary negotiations before the end of 2017, we would have completed 2016, nothing has happened in terms of the proposals we submit-

GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald

ted. We don’t want to complete another year and not having that proposal being signed off and being implemented,” she observed.

GTU had suggested a 40 per cent increase in salaries across the board for public school teachers in its December 2015 proposal. The Union had hoped that negotiations and a new agreement could have been completed before mid-2016 but as the situation remains unchanged, McDonald stressed that teachers must be recognised for the service they have been offering the nation.

“We are asking you to please recognise our teachers for what they are worth and please have your Ministers honour the agreement,” the GTU General Secretary explained.

Once signed, the deal will have to be retroactive since it is a multiyear agreement that would span the period 2016-2020.

Earlier this year, the GTU General Secretary contended that teachers across the country were anxious to know when they would receive benefits of the proposed five-year agreement.

In the previous agreement, the GTU managed to get a five per cent increase over the course of five years for teachers countrywide, but McDonald had explained that the GTU would like to now see implementation of 45 per cent in 2017 and 50 per cent for the following three years (2018-2020) for all categories of teachers.

In May, McDonald sug-

gested that the reshuffling of Permanent Secretaries at the Education Ministry could be partly responsible for Government not being able to meet at the bargaining table. Talks had begun with the GTU and former Permanent Secretary Delma Nedd, where the nonfinancial matters of the proposal were only discussed.

Nedd was removed from that position and replaced with Vibert Welch earlier this year. He was formerly attached to the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry. Additionally, former Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine is now heading the Public Service Ministry within the Ministry of the Presidency, while the former junior Education Minister Nicollete Henry was recently promoted to the post of Education Minister.

It is unclear when the substantive discussions on teacher’s salaries will begin.

Hang ‘em high!!

S

atiricus was still on a roll now that his old buddy Cappo had returned from his (illegal) sojourn in New York. He, Cappo, was keeping the fellas’ throats quite lubricated at the Back Street Bar with the greenbacks he’d brought back. That he also regaled them with his life and times in the Big Apple didn’t hurt. Cappo, on the other hand, was interested in what had gone down in his native land in his absence. Thus, the conversation and the beer flowed like Amaila Falls.

“Suh wha’ time Rum Jhaat a close dong bar now?”

Cappo wanted to know. “Me know ‘e cyaan close dong abee Back Street Bar…but me wan’ fuh tek ayu a Tong fuh wan drink!”

“Still two o’clock in the morning,” Hari smiled. “But you know by then you’re long gone under the table!!”

“But wha’ mek ‘e a close bar an’ ‘e guvment a open gamblin’?” asked Cappo. “Gamblin’ mo bad!”

“Really?” asked Satiricus. “Why you think so?”

“In New Yark, dem open wan casino whe all dem

Guyanese live in Queens,” Cappo reported. “Yuh nah wan’ fuh know wha’ happen!”

“Tell abee, na,” said Bungi, who sounded all proud and proprietary about his old cane-cutting partner.

“All dem Guyanese bais who use fuh drink pan Liberty Avenue now a get free drink a de casino,” said Cappo.

“That sounds good,” said Satiricus.

“But now dem cyan drink AN’ gamble!” reported Cappo. “An’ den tu’n mo’ bruks dan Begga’ Man Polo!!”

“But we had a casino already running in Guyana, Cappo,” said Satiricus. “And that didn’t happen here.”

“Like yuh fuget only las’ year me guh a New Yark,” said Cappo with a laugh. “Abee ardinary Guyanese cyaan go and gamble a da casino!”

“But Cappo,” interjected Bungi, “if abee can drink and gamble all abee money, abee guh tu’n jus’ like New Yark!”

“Suh who seh Rum Jhaat and ‘e guvment na wan fuh bring progress?” said Cappo, as even Satiricus laughed.

Doomed people S

atiricus walked over to the Back Street Bar with an added bounce to his step. His old buddy Cappo was back, and it wasn’t just that he was taking care of the beer, he was giving his friends the lowdown on life in the Big Apple and beyond.

“Budday! Ah wan good t’ing me lef,” Cappo said as they settled down to bend their elbows. “Look how dem maan close de estate!”

“But now you’re back, what will you do?” asked Hari. “They’re looking for cane cutters at the remaining estates!”

“Cut cane?!” Cappo snorted so vigorously his beer almost vented through his nose. “Wha’ me guh do dah fa?”

“Well, what else will you do?” Satiricus asked in concern, even as he polished off his beer, and Bungi joined them.

“Me an’ me fr’en Bungi guh tu’n contracta,” said Cappo with a smile, as Bungi greeted him with a slap on the back.

“Abee guh buil’ house.”

“Contractor?” exclaimed Hari. “What the heck do you

know about constructing houses?”

“Wha’ yuh t’ink me bin a do since me lef’ Guyana?” asked Cappo. “Me l’arn fuh buil’ house in wan place name Ske-neck-tady.”

“Really?” asked Satiricus sceptically.

“Ske-neck-tady like how Wales an’ Rose Hall guh tu’n,” Cappo said gravely. “Dem use fuh gat wan fa’ktry da does mek big-big generata. But ‘e close dong an’ 30,000 people lose dem jab!”

“Jesus Christ!” exclaimed Hari. “What happened?”

“Well, most people lef’ and de res’ start fuh use drugs and t’ing,” Cappo reported. “De whole tong tun run dong, like Wales a’ready.”

“And…?” prodded Satiricus.

“Some Guyanese fram Richman’ Hill buy up plenty house fuh wan dallah a piece, an’ start fuh fix dem up and sell dem to adda Guyanese!” said Cappo “You kidding me!” exclaimed Hari.

“No really,” insisted Cappo. “Today Guyanese rebuil’ mos’ a Ske-neck-tady. And da how me get wuk and larn fuh buil’ house!”

“Let’s drink to that!” said Hari.

“Leh abee pray fuh Wales an’ Rose Hall,” said Cappo sadly.

Bolt to start 'Heroes in Act!on' Run/Walk Usain Bolt

F

A L M O U T H , Trelawny - The world's fastest man Usain Bolt will start the Heroes in Act!on Run/ Walk on Sunday at the Falmouth Cruise Port in Trelawny at 7:00 am.

The event is being staged by the JN Foundation in partnership with the Usain Bolt Foundation.

“This year's event promises to be one with a difference,” said Bolt, who pointed out that, “This is not a competitive event, but one for family and friends celebrating heroes and running for a good cause.”

“The proceeds from the event, which takes place under the theme 'Run For Our Heroes', will be donated to the Trelwany Infirmary to upgrade and refurbish the facility, which houses 62 senior citizens,” he said.

Saffrey Brown, general manager of the JN Foundation, said that preparations are in high gear for the third staging of the event.

“The response to the event from the public has been encouraging with about 10 sponsors on board. We therefore anticipate a successful run/ walk on October 15,” she said.

Mayor of Falmouth

Councillor Colin Gager said the historic town was in high anticipation of the event and stands ready to welcome patrons who will participate.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase the town of Falmouth so that the Georgian architecture can be seen.

I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy themselves,” he said.

The mayor noted that he was also happy that Trelawny Infirmary was this year's beneficiary for the run.

Meanwhile, the general manager of JN Foundation pointed out that people who are unable to physically participate in the event may donate to the cause via the crowdfunding platform, ISupportJamaica.com.

“Log onto the ISupportJamaica website at: www.isupportjamaica.com and donate.

Also encourage your friends and families to pledge to this cause,” she stated, noting that the site is safe and secure.

The run/walk will culminate in a post-run celebration and awards ceremony in Falmouth, featuring entertainment

by Ding Dong and Kevin Downswell.

(Jamaica Observer)

Fidal Bassier...

in it for the long haul,” he emphasised, noting that after five years in business you may still be struggling, but if you have a good product and service, “you will survive and thrive”.

“Success is always thriving to better yourself and business. Always

from page 43

try for excellence, to build your capacities. I don’t think there is any one point where you can say I have made it – because it sets up a barrier [to growing, to improving, to betterment]”.

Contact: 653-5832, FB @ 55 Photography

48 Bollywood

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sunny Leone and husband Daniel Weber celebrate daughter’s 2nd birthday in Arizona

S

M

aking Big B’s 75th birthday extra special, filmmaker Karan Johar has announced an upcoming project with Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in the lead.

Titled Brahmastra, this fantasy adventure will hit the screens on August 15, 2019.

Ever since reports about Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor being roped in for a movie together emerged, fans have been waiting for more details about the project with bated breath. And now, putting all rumours

to rest, Karan Johar has revealed the film’s title – Brahmastra.

Earlier rumoured to be titled Dragon, this fantasy adventure, helmed

by Ayan Mukerji, will be one of Bollywood’s rare trilogies, the first of which will hit the screens next year.

Only a few days ago, reports about Ranbir Kapoor having to undergo training in horse-riding and gymnastics for the film had surfaced online.

In an interview with PTI, Ayan talked about the film and said, “There is a lot of action in ‘Dragon’,

so there is a lot of training, like gymnastics kind of training, horse-riding, fighting and lot of physical stuff that Ranbir will have to do. And then there is internal work, like to get the spirit of the character right. Ranbir has to observe the flavour of the film and communicate it with the audience. We are trying to imagine things, this (fantasy) world, and work accordingly.” He also added, “In its core, it has romance as an element but it has got a new flavour to it. With every film, I am trying to evolve and grow.” (Indian Express)

V

eteran Bollywood actress and former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) head Sharmila Tagore feels there are very few scripts written keeping in mind “elderly” heroines, while the same is not true for their male counterparts.

“So many scripts are written for elderly male actors; these things are not happening for female actors. The girls have to be very young and the man can carry on forever,” Sharmila said.

“One has to accept that life doesn’t stop there (at a young age). In my time, life stopped at 30 or 40, but it doesn’t have to because life carries on and there are a lot of interesting phases in life which they (the audience) might like,” added the actress, who had made her acting debut at the age of 13 with Satyajit Ray’s “Apur Sansar” (World of Apu), the last in the celebrated Apu trilogy.

She went on to receive many awards, including multiple National Awards, for her strong portrayals in films like “Mausam” and “Abar Aranye”. Her other powerful roles include “Nirjan Saikate”, “Anupama”, “Kashmir Ki Kali”, “An Evening In Paris” and “Aradhana”.

She is also the recipient of the Padma Bhushan. Sharmila still faces the camera once in a while, and she has observed changes in the industry.

“When we were working, acting was not considered a very good profession…. now that has changed. From then to now, films have become a very coveted profession and the roles of women are getting stronger. Films like ‘Piku’ and ‘Neerja’ being made and doing well proves that,” she said.

She also feels that while the multiplex culture has helped filmmaking evolve, it has taken away the charm of the big screen phenomenon.

“In our time, when two or three big films were ready — for example, films of Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor — then

smaller films had to wait for their release. But now, films like ‘Newton’ get released, a ‘Masaan’ gets released and get a good niche audience.

“The screen phenomenon that we had, that was really wonderful to see… watching films with mixed crowds. Multiplexes don’t get that because you have a very niche, elite crowd; nevertheless it has helped filmmaking,” she added.

Sharmila also noted the audience’s “healthy appetite for diversity”.

“In my time, heroines couldn’t do a negative role, but now you can and people accept you. So, I think, Indian films are in a very good place. Today, heroines get to play more varied roles,” she added.

The actress will be honoured with the Excellence in Cinema India Award at the opening ceremony of the 19th edition of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival here on October 12.

She also had a successful tenure as the head of CBFC in the past and feels there is need for an environment where filmmakers can create content “without feeling worried”.

Focusing on certification is the best solution over censorship, she feels. “If you feel it’s very adult in content, give it an ‘A’ certificate. (But) allow a film to be released without cuts,” said Sharmila, adding that the current CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi is “liberal” in thought.

(Indian Express)

unny Leone and husband Daniel Weber has a reason to celebrate as it is their daughter Nisha Kaur Weber’s birthday. Yes, the happy parents are on a vacation in Arizona and along with them is their little princess Nisha. It is Nisha’s 2nd birthday and she was seen celebrating the same with her parents. Sunny has taken some time off from her busy work schedule and seems to be having a good family time.

A picture of Sunny, her man Daniel and little daughter Nisha is making the round on the internet.

In the picture, this Weber family is giving some major goals. All three are all smiles and the birthday baby Nisha is seen wearing a pretty crown. The birthday party theme seems to be a Hello Kitty

“I

don’t cast stars, I cast actors,” says “Airlift” fame director Raja Krishna Menon, who has worked with big names like Naseeruddin Shah, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. He feels a director and an actor needs to have a “naked relationship” to give life to a character on screen.

“An actor and director’s relationship is something where you really have to become naked as two people. You have to go through a process where you have to shed whatever you are and allow somebody to mould you into something else.

You can be deeply inse-

V

eteran actor Anupam Kher, who was appointed Chairman of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) on October 11, said he will try to perform his duties to the best of his abilities. He took to Twitter and wrote, “I feel deeply humbled and honoured to be apportioned as the Chairman of iconic FTII. I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities.”

But it is not just him who is celebrating the news but also his co-stars,

one, as we see that on the crown and also on the paper plate on the table.

While Sunny is seen wearing a white bikini top with a hat and glasses, husband Daniel and baby Nisha are twinning in blue.

We have seen Sunny Leone, Daniel Weber and Nisha Kaur Weber posing for photos in the past too. Sunny Leone and her husband Daniel Weber surprised everyone when they an-

nounced that they have adopted a baby girl from Latur. The news about the adoption came in July. The Indo-Canadian actor had said in an earlier interview that she is enjoying every second of her time with her daughter, and can’t wait to show her the entire world and teach her so many things.

On the work front, Sunny is currently cohosting reality show Splitsvilla. (Indian Express)

cure and it can be a difficult process,” Menon told IANS here.

“I have worked with big names like Naseeruddin Shah, Akshay and Saif. What I have seen is that in the beginning, you both are judging each other – ‘Should I trust you or not?’. With all these actors, I have come through a point where they deeply trusted me and I felt responsible. Actors and directors must agree with each other’s imaginations,” he added.

Menon, whose latest film to release is “Chef”, says being a filmmaker, he only likes to put light on subjects which he per-

sonally agrees on.

“I don’t think anybody would’ve watched ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’ or ‘Shubh Mangal Saavdhan’ five years ago.

Now people are not getting dependent on the market because of word of mouth. Filmmakers today have freedom to explore. We no longer have an excuse. We just have to make good films,” said Menon.

Looking at the current state of Indian box office, where off-beat films are becoming sleeper hits, Menon feels the meaning of the word commercial is changing. “Now storytellers are getting their due.

actors and filmmakers who have expressed their expectations from him.

Manoj Bajpayee, who recently shared the screen space with Anupam Kher in Naam Shabana, said that he feels Anupam would be able to get back the lost glory of FTII. Talking to indianexpress.com, Manoj Bajpayee said, “I am very happy that Anupamji has been appointed as FTII chairman. He himself comes from a drama school and has the experience of heading an insti-

(Indian Express)

tute like National School of Drama. He has a great experience and will surely bring back the lost glory of FTII. It is a really good news for the students as well. It is a one of a kind institute which has a great record of producing the best people in all section of filmmaking.

I am sure Anupam Kher would get geniuses in every department and the institute will yet again see good days.”

The FTII was being headed by Gajendra Chauhan, whose tenure came to an end in March this year. Reacting on Anupam’s appointment as FTII chairman, Gajendra told IANS, “I convey my good wishes to him and I want to move on in life. In FTII, it’s more important to be a good administrator than a good actor.” (Indian Express)

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hris Hemsworth says he is the luckiest guy in the world to have Elsa Pataky as his wife, who always has his back.

The 34-year old actor is thankful his spouse, with whom he has fiveyear-old daughter India and three-year-old twin sons Sasha and Tristan, has stuck by him while he focused on his career,

reports Entertainment Tonight.

“We got together, we fell in love, and then my career happened and it was all consuming. Thank God that she stuck through that period where I was focused on just that. I think once I felt like, ‘Oh OK, I might work again and get another job’, I started to relax a bit and saw

what’s more important about life is my wife and kids, and my wife in particular who sacrificed everything to kind of let me chase this crazy dream.

“It was great to have that realisation, she’s the best, she gave up all of that and is with the kids every day and is the greatest mother in the world. And I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” says Chris.

On the work front, Chris will be seen in upcoming film Thor Ragnarok. In the film, Chris will be seen sporting a different look.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is directed by Taika Waititi and also stars Mark Ruffalo, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins and Jeff Goldblum among others. (Indian

Express)

S

ylvester Stallone has announced that he will direct and produce ‘Creed 2’, the eighth installment in the Rocky franchise. The 2015 film, starring Stallone and Michael B Jordon, was a spin-off of the original boxing drama and was directed by Ryan Coogler.

It was a major draw at the box office and earned Stallone his third Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category. He was previously nominated in 1977 in the Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor categories for playing Rocky Balboa, a role that helped him become an international action star.

Along with a picture of himself with Jordan, Stallone wrote on Instagram, “Looking forward to directing and producing

the incredibly talented Michael B Jordan in CREED 2 next year… One more Round!”

In addition to playing Balboa, Stallone has written all the six films before ‘Creed’.

He has also directed ‘Rocky II’, ‘Rocky III’, ‘Rocky IV’ and ‘Rocky VI’. The film will also feature Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago and Michael B Jordan as Adonis Johnson. The film plays around the revengeful plot where Adonis Creed will try to seek revenge from the man who killed his father.

Sylvester Stallone was last seen in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2’ as Stakar Ogord. He will next be seen in Steven C Miller’s action film ‘Escape Plan 2: Hades’.

Sylvester Stallone will be seen as Ray Breslin, a supporting role, in the film. (Indian

Express)

Cara Delevingne opens up about mental health

D

irector Patty Jenkins has praised actor Chris Pine for the skill and brilliance he brought along when he played Wonder Woman’s love interest Steve Trevor in the DC film. The 46-year-old filmmaker retweeted a video message from the official Wonder Woman UK timeline, which showed snippets of the actor’s performance from the blockbuster film.

Jenkins wrote back saying, “Chris’ skill, talent and generosity blew me away, every day.

Making that kind of performance look easy is epic bada**. He’s a beast.”

According to Contactmusic, the actordirector will collaborate again – this time on an upcoming drama series One Day She’ll Darken.

The show is based on the autobiography of writerproducer Fauna Hodel

P

riyanka Chopra feels proud to call herself a feminist and says people should not think the term means “berating or hating men”.

“Feminism is not about berating or hating men or disliking or trying to make sure we’re better than men,” Priyanka told variety.com.

“Feminism is just saying give me opportunities without judging me for the decisions that I make, the same freedom that men have enjoyed for so many centuries. Feminism needs

men,” added the “Quantico” star.

Priyanka feels frustrated with those who reject the label.

“I see so many girlfriends of mine who are like, ‘No I’m not that much of a feminist.’ I don’t even understand that. The need for feminism was created because there were no rights for women. That’s why there is not a manism because they always had it,” she said.

Priyanka said she was raised to be an open-minded person by her parents.

“I was raised to be fearless when it came to opinions. My dad always used to tell me, ‘Women are always told to say this is the right way to be or this is the right way to dress or this is the right way to speak,'” she recalls.

“But my parents always said, ‘We believe in our upbringing. You’ll be fine’,” she said.

At present, Priyanka has started shooting for her television series Quantico season 3. The actor has already wrapped up shooting of her two Hollywood films, A Kid Like Jake and Isn’t It Romantic, after making a debut in comedy-action film Baywatch, earlier this year. (Indian Express)

who was given away at birth by her real mother to a black restroom attendant and grew up thinking that she was a mixedrace woman.

The show will see Chris in the lead, playing a former marine named Jay Singletary. Jenkins has been roped in to direct the pilot episode and executive produce the entire series. The show will also feature the popular Taken actor Leland Orser.

Wonder Woman 2

is slated to release in December 2019.

Chris Pine is known for his outstanding performances in the Star Trek series, Batman v Superman: The Dawn Of Justice, The Finest Hours and others. He will be next seen in Ava DuVernay’s sci-fi fantasy adventure A Wrinkle In Time and Netflix’s historical drama Outlaw King where he will be playing Robert the Bruce. (Indian Express)

C

ara Delevingne has quipped one thing that is common between her and her dog is that they both suffer from Attention Deficit and Hypersensitivity Disorder (ADHD). The 25-year-old model appeared on ‘This Morning’ to discuss mental health and the stigma around it, when her pet Leo, who accompanied her to the sets of the show, decided to gatecrash the interview.

Delevingne was in

conversation with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, when her mixed breed canine started running all over the studio, even jumping up on the sofa. “He’s got ADHD like I have,” she joked. The ‘Suicide Squad’ star spoke about mental health, saying that she is in a better space right now but there was a time when she found it difficult to express her feelings.

“I’m not in hell now.

The things that stick with all of us the most are the darker times, the more traumatic times. Those are some of the points I remember the most. I didn’t know how to communicate my emotions. I was very ashamed of the way I felt. I had a very privileged upbringing, I was very lucky, I went to an amazing school,” Cara said.

The model, who has been vocal about suffering from depression, said that there were moments when she wanted to give up. “And then the guilt of feeling that way and not being able to tell anyone because I shouldn’t feel that way and I shouldn’t feel bad.

It’s the guilt,” she added.

Delevingne was on the show to promote her teen book, ‘Mirror Mirror’, inspired from her personal life. (Indian Express)

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Akshaya Persaud: A rising star

By Clifton Ross

F

ormer National U19 all-rounder Akshaya Persaud said role model Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been a great influence in his career thus far, adding that his success in the ongoing GCB/ Jaguars 3-Day League was attributed to his more mature approach to the game.

The 20 year-old told Guyana Times International Sport during an exclusive interview on Tuesday, that the advice he has received from the veteran Chanderpaul, whom he refers to as “Pops” is one of the main reasons he has been in sublime form during the League. He noted that the invaluable bits of cricket knowledge are critical for young players who tend to take a careless approach and look to score from the word go.

“To be honest, he (Shiv) is my role model and I address him as Pops. When you go into bat he helps with the pressure he would tell you about playing proper shots. He would advise me in any situation to try and hit the balls in ‘V’ area and to keep the ball on the ground until I get

my eyes in and franchise and look to score,” him acquiring a Persaud ex- Guyana Jaguars plained. academy conWith 510 tract, which runs at an has reinave r forced a age of level of 72.85 and conscores of 41, 9, fidence for him 43, 33, 151*, 20, 51, 61, 101*, along as a player and now with 4 wickets and captain.

“Well as a 9 catches, the West Demerara captain Captain people expect you to lead has been one of from the front, I got the premier performers this sea155 last year and I son with the bat tried to make it a norm and be conand credited his new approach as sistent in the field with bat and ball. supplementary reasons behind his The experience so success. far has been good, I was skipper last “Well I think so year and I would far the tournament has been Akshaya Persaud tell the guys that celebrates they’re 11 playpositive for me one of his tons because I had ers in the side starts and didn’t and it’s a team capitalize on them. The effort so we don’t depend approach called for a lot on one person to bat evof patience and respect eryone has to pull their for the bowlers and since weight because it’s a tothen I got two centuries tal team effort,” Persaud and my goals from then added. was to score big hunA former student dreds and don’t get out,” of the Saraswati Vidy Niketan School, the he noted.

West Demerara are young all-rounder said currently third on the playing the League has points table and Persaud further allowed him to indicated that it was the settle in and bat for long Guyana U19 call up, his innings.

He continued, “It all addition to the Guyana Amazon Warriors T20 comes back to my prepa-

ration, working on techniques, I used to work at LBI facility and have someone record my session so I could work on turning my flaws into perfection. When I got the contract I was selected for West Indies U19 training camp and from then to now, coaches Crandon and Griffith have been good and they keep pushing you to be the best,” the 20-year old lamented.

From an academic, non-cricket perspective Persaud who resides at Cornelia Ida has been doing well off the field, taking nearly three years off of cricket to secure 14 subjects at CXC. A staunch Hindu, Persaud has also been doing charity work for Hindus for Selfless Service (HSS).

He wrapped up his interview by giving special thanks to his family while encouraging young cricketers to make education a priority. “I would like to thank my family, especially my

Akshaya Persaud said Shiv Chanderpaul or ‘’Pops” as he calls him, has played a huge role in his career

parents for the support and guidance throughout my career so far because without them a lot of things would not have been possible.”

“Also to the young aspiring cricketers, I would encourage them to take their education very serious because we won’t play cricket forever in life. I made a lot of sacrifices for my education because I stopped play-

ing cricket for 2-3 years to write CXC exams where I wrote 14 subjects and passed all with grades one to three,” the Everest Cricket Club’s First Division Captain ended.

Persaud will be in action this weekend when West Demerara take on Essequibo in the seventh and final round of the Jaguars 3-Day League at the Tuschen ground.

T20 Tournament continues this weekend in Brooklyn, Queens By : Sam Sooppersaud

T

he MNYAWIA T20 Tournament continues this weekend at cricket grounds in Brooklyn and Queens, New York.

The schedule is as follows: Saturday, October 14th at Baisley Pond Park, 150 Street and Baisley Boulevard, Queens.

Everest/ACS vs Punjab at 10:00 AM West Indian Alliance vs Everest/ACS at 2:00 PM: Pakistan Elites vs Punjab at 2:00 PM at Seaview Park, Brooklyn.

Sunday, October 15th at Baisley Pond Park, Queens.

Galaxy vs Pakistan Elites at 10:00 AM Galaxy vs Melbourne NY Alliance at 2:00 PM West Indian Alliance vs Pakistan Elites at 2:00 PM at Seaview Park, Brooklyn.

Last weekend cricket fans saw two more exciting games completed in this tournament. On Saturday, October 7th, at 10:00 AM Everest/ACS played Pakistan Elites. ACS took first strike and scored 182 runs for 7. Shahid Shahzad 43, Karan Ganesh 42 Zamin Amin 37.

Most successful bowler was Zulqerman Mehr with figures of 4 for 46 in his 4 overs. In reply Pakistan Elites fell short by 34 runs. Their score: 148 for8. Zahid Tariq 56, Salas Iqbal 23. For ACS, Wasim Haslim took 2 for 25, Jetendra Sookdeo 1 for 37, Karan Ganesh 1 for 22 and Zamin Amin 1 for 28.

The second game on the same day (October 7th) started at 2:00 PM with Melbourne NY Alliance taking on Pakistan Elites. Game was played at the Baisley Pond Park, also. MNYA occupied the crease first and scored a stunning 235 for 6. Dominic Rikhi 83, Barrington Barthley 50, Jamal Hinckson and Troy Mars 20 runs each. Bowling for Pakistan Elites: Saad Awan 2 for 54, Adel Sahiwalian and Burhan Shazed 1 wicket each for 46 and 27, respectively.

Having to overcome 235 runs for victory was too much to handle for Pakistan Elites. They fell for 171 runs. Taking the

wickets for MNYA were: Wasim Haslim, 2 for 25, Jetendra Sookdeo, Karan Ganesh, and Zamin Amin I wicket each for 33, 22, and 28 runs, respectively.

An additional four games were scheduled for Sunday, October 8th, two at Idlewild Park, Queens, and two at Baisley Pond Park. Due to the overnight rains both games were cancelled at Idlewild Park, as well as the 10:00 AM game at Baisley. It was apparent that even the 2:00 PM game at Baisley Park would also be cancelled. The wicket was covered, but the bowlers' run up at each end was wet and somewhat soggy.

Once the rain had stopped at about 12:30 PM a few spectators along with a couple of team management worked feverishly to get the ground ready for play. They swept the water logged at each end, then using a concrete mixer tray attached to a rope, they trucked dried dirt to the soggy areas. At about 2:30 PM Umpires Danny Khan and Pandit declared the ground playable.

A loud shout went out from the small crowd gathered to watch the game when the captains walked out to the middle to spin the toss. Galaxy won the coin toss and elected to bat first.

West Indian Alliance would have the first bowl. The game proceeded well in to the 13th over. But, at the 13.4 over junction of the game and the score was 140 for3, things went awry. This is what went down. The batsman played a ball out to extracover and both batsmen took off for a run. The fieldsman charged in and scooped up the ball.

The nonstriker, sensing that he may be run out, called out "No", and headed back toward his end of the wicket. The striker, by this time, was half way down the wicket. He stopped in his track. As he turned to head back to his cease, his feet gave way and he stumbled.

At the same time he lost his bat. He scampered in toward his crease, but did not make it as the ball was collected by the "keeper who broke the stump.

The fielders appealed for a RUN OUT. continued on page 51

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Extended season a boon for selectors, says convenor Browne C

hief selector Courtney Browne believes the extended regional four-day season has allowed his panel to better gauge the quality of players being considered for international duty.

Speaking ahead of the new season which bowls off October 26, Browne said the 10-round campaign proved the mettle of players, testing their ability to adapt and challenging the degree of their fitness.

“As selectors, we are happy with the length of the season. We believe 10 matches in the regional four-day is a good yardstick for the players and for us,” the former Test wicketkeeper said.

“It helps us to see a player over a period of time and puts us in a better position to analyse if he has what it takes to be considered for the higher level.”

He continued: “In a shorter season, a player may do well in a few matches and you may consider him, but in the longer season there will be highs and lows, and you get to see how he handles different situations.

This puts selectors in a better position to gauge how well he is doing by the end of the season.”

In light of the longer season, which will run for three months, Browne also underscored the need for players to focus on physical conditioning, especially since West Indies had also raised the level of their

From left: Courtney Browne, Jason Holder and Stuart Law during a training session earlier this year

fitness programme.

“We would also like to urge players to work on their fitness and aim at achieving the fitness levels expected as our international teams have ramped up their fitness and conditioning work.”

Three-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars will do battle with Barbados Pride, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, and Windward Islands Volcanoes in the upcoming season.

Last year, some of the top performers in the competition, like Red Force's Kyle Hope, Jaguars' Raymon Reifer and Sunil Ambris of Volcanoes, were all rewarded with spots in the West Indies Test or OneDay sides, while other players broke into the newly-energised A-team

T20 Tournament continues this weekend in...

from page 50

Surprise, surprise. Umpire Danny Khan signaled Dead Ball. Yes. The President of the United States of America Cricket Umpires Association adjudged this play as "Dead Ball".

Preposterous. How can this be! The fielders questioned the umpire who stuck by his decision.

Would this umpire negate a boundary if the fieldsman fell down and was not able to prevent the ball from reaching the rope? Certainly not.

The ensuing discussion produced no fruit. The game was called, broken, abandoned.

After speaking to both team managements, I was told that at one point in the discussion Umpire

Khan agreed to negate his call of Dead Ball. However, he would not give the batsman out, Run Out, because he "couldn’t see if he got back". Yes, he was so focused on his Dead Ball call that he forgot to look to see whether the batsman had made his ground. Folks let me say this. We have some excellent umpires doing our games. But there are a few who, to put it bluntly, STINK. I will address this umpiring problem in a later article. What the result of this game would be, I have no answer. I guess the tournament management will have to sift this through. I am just the guy reporting the facts. I do not make judgments.

programme.

Browne said with these multiple opportu-

nities available, it was critical that players focussed heavily on im-

pressing selectors.

“When you look at the regional tournaments, it is a pathway into our representative teams as well,” Browne pointed out.

“It is a breeding ground for us and it is very important when we sit as selectors to look at players that have done well in the regional tournaments to identify those players that can go into our “A” Team programme.

“Cricket West Indies now has a full “A” Team programme which helps to develop a better player and also helps to shorten their learning curve in international cricket.”

Browne encouraged players who had not been immediately re-

warded for their success at regional level to continue producing, and this spoke to their consistency.

“There are cases where players do perform and may not make it into the senior team as quickly as persons expect,” he noted.

“If there are players in the senior team that are already there, they have to be given a full opportunity and the emerging player will have to wait a bit longer than usual, rather than the chopping and changing approach.

“But we would urge them to continue to strive for consistency and show it over a longer period and not a one-off performance.” (CMC)

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Ninvalle pushes for boxing academy to be established in Guyana

A boxing academy in Guyana will lay the foundation for the development of some of the top pugilists in the region (Photo courtesy Cullen Best-Nelson)

G

uyana stands to possibly become the mecca of Amateur Boxing in the Caribbean since Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle is making a pitch for an Academy to be established on these shores.

“I will be pushing for a boxing academy to be created in Guyana, the reason is that the Caribbean counties have been clamouring since two years ago to come here and train their fighters,” Ninvalle told Guyana Times International Sport on Wednesday.

Given Guyana’s dominance in regional amateur tournaments after having a strong breed-

ing ground for competent fighters, the country has essentially become an understudy regarding their recipe for successful pugilist.

“We have the space and are leaders in terms of being champions of the Caribbean. It is only right that we have something like that here. I intend to write the leader of AIBA to address this issue. Next year is AIBA year of the Caribbean, so if we can have something like that starting in Guyana or any part of the Caribbean, it will be good for us,” the GBA boss further stated.

The discipline is the only one to have secured an Olympic medal for Guyana and in January, they were the

first association to submit their four-year plan to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) as they seek to have their boxers properly prepared to secure a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games set for Japan. The plan charts the course that would lead to a strategic development of the sport and the addition of another Olympic medal.

Commenting on the progress made to date, Ninvalle expressed gratitude for the support from both from the GOA and the National Sports Commission but contended there is more to be done. Regarding what has been done, he alluded to the support of one bright prospect, Keevin Allicock being the recipient of a monthly stipend from the GOA which is expected to continuously increase based on the performance of the Commonwealth Youth Games Silver medallist.

Caribbean Issues This Saturday, Ninvalle will host the International Boxing Association (AIBA) meeting of the Caribbean, at the Resource Centre in Georgetown from 10:00h.

The focus of the meeting is to discuss a wide range of pressing matters con-

cerning the community and ways of finding solutions.

“There is the annual Caribbean championship which will be held in St Lucia and we need to discuss how we move forward from here. This meeting is about our concerns and what is hurting the Caribbean, we will have frank and fruitful discussions and at the end of it we will hope we can pave a way forward.”

He added, “We [the Caribbean region] has been neglected for some time and we need to decide how to go forward.” Representatives from Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, St Marteen, St Lucia, Suriname, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago along with American Boxing Federation (AMBC) President Osvaldo Rafael Bisbal and AIBA Executive Director William LouisMarie are expected to be in attendance.

Turmoil in AIBA AIBA Taiwanese president Ching-kuo Wu has been provisionally suspended by a disciplinary commission, the Olympic sport’s governing body said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Switzerland-

based organisation has been riven with in-fighting for months, with Wu pitted against most of the executive committee who failed to remove him through a vote of no-con-

We think that it is important that we meet and we decide which side of the fence we are on. We will take what is right for the Caribbean.

We have had due process

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

fidence tabled in July.

The Interim Management Committee (IMC), which was established in July following the no confidence vote, has been seeking to remove the Taiwanese official from power amid allegations of financial mismanagement under his administration.

Commenting on the issues of the governing body, he stated, “We got issues to discuss as a body. It is more important judging the turmoil AIBA is going through.

all along. We have been badgered, we have been pushed to choose a side and we have not done that”.

A recent elected member to Executive Committee Bureau, Ninvalle knows the magnitude of the appointment given that the five-member committee comes out of 202 member associations. He plans to use the position to allow the cries of the Caribbean associations to be heard at the executive level.

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