Guyana Times International

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INTERNATIONAL THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com WEEK ENDING February 4, 2018

‘Stop frustrating us’!

ISSUE NO. 382

…Wales sugar workers up pressure on Govt for severance payment

See story on page 3

FRUSTRATED: Having entered another year without the Government paying them their severance benefits, sugar workers formerly attached to the now defunct Wales Estate claim they had enough and on Thursday picketed the President’s office expressing their frustration over the matter.

Man to spend 80 Guyana preparing to mount strong years behind bars for wife’s murder legal defence Border controversy

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Miguel Barker

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‘Stop frustrating us’!

…Wales sugar workers up pressure on Govt for severance payment

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he Wales Estate sugar workers, who were made redundant over one year ago, staged a protest exercise on Thursday in front of the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP), calling for their much deserved severance payments.

The retrenched Wales workers are without their benefits after they refused to take up employment on the contention that they cannot be compelled, under law, to travel 22 miles from their original place of work to the Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara

estate.

Among the crowd of hundreds of sugar workers, their wives, and children, were People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Parliamentarians, Bishop Juan Edghill and Dr Frank Anthony.

Speaking to the media, Edghill posited that the PPP is standing in solidarity with the over 370 cane harvesters who were denied their sev-

erance packages after being fired and told to commence work at the Uitvlugt Estate.

“I am here today, lending solidarity with the workers, with the people of Wales, like we would have done before, demanding what is just. They’re not asking a favour. Severance pay is not a favour for the workers. The law says, if you send people home

and make their positions redundant, you must pay them their severance,” he said.

Edghill further called on the David Granger led-Administration to desist from being “insensitive,” unresponsive” and “aloof” and get down to business of meeting the needs of the ordinary “grass root people.”

“I think what made matters worse was that

severance was paid at Wales to the senior level people who were terminated, but the grass root cane cutters received not a dime…If you’re paying severance, pay severance across the board!” said Edghill.

Guyana Times International also spoke to a few visibly frustrated sugar workers who repeatedly begged for continued on page 21

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

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EDITORIAL

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The ERC

fter months of consultations and back-and-forth, the National Assembly, last week, approved 10 persons from various organisations to serve as members of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). The new members include Dr John O. Smith from the Christian bodies; Sister Rajkumarie Singh representing the Hindu bodies; and Roshan Khan from the Muslim bodies. The Labour Movement bodies nominated Norris Emanuel Witter as their representative; the Private Sector Organisations’ representative is Major-General (Retd.) Norman McLean, while the Youth Organisations are represented by Deodat Persaud and the Women Organisations by Ruth Howard. Additionally, the Cultural and Ethnic bodies appointed Barrington Braithwaite as their representative for Afro-Guyanese; Neaz Subhan represents Indo-Guyanese; and Ashton Simon represents Indigenous and Amerindian bodies.

Now that this process has been completed, from the way it looks, the long-awaited Commission could be fully functional in a matter of days; all that is left to be done is for President David Granger to officially swear in the members, as is required by the Constitution.

This is indeed good news for the entire country, as, for some time now, stakeholders had been calling on the relevant authorities to do what is takes to ensure that this important constitutional body becomes fully functional.

The Commission has been virtually dysfunctional since 2011, when then Opposition Leader Robert Corbin secured an injunction against the body, barring the Chairman and two Commissioners from taking any decision, making any recommendation, or issuing any direction on behalf of the constitutional body.

Once it is re-established, this would be the country’s second ERC, replacing the first which was formed on March 8, 2002. The first ERC was chaired by Bishop Juan Edghill (who was the Christian representative), and its tenure constitutionally expired in 2006. From then right up to 2015, an inordinate period of time during which the country saw the running off of two General Elections (viz in 2011 and 2015), no new Commission was established to replace the first Commission, which, over time, became mired in a host of issues, such as court matters instigated by the main parliamentary Opposition, challenging the organisation’s constitutionality; loss of membership through attrition – resignations, deaths, illnesses, and migration – resulting in the lack of a decision-making quorum; and, to some extent, a loss of public trust and confidence in the organisation’s credibility.

Subsequently, after the results of the 2011 general and regional elections transformed the PPP/C into a minority government, the framework for a new ERC was agreed to in 2013 between the Government and then parliamentary Opposition parties APNU and AFC. At that time, it was consensually agreed by the Government and the Opposition parties to add 3 more constituents – namely, the ethnic representatives of the country’s African, East Indian, and Amerindian peoples – to the original mix of representatives, thus increasing the total number of elected members from 7 to 10. The process to select the nominees for the new Commission concluded in 2014, and the names of those selected were made public. But, for some inexplicable reason, they were never sworn-in as Commissioners.

It must be noted, too, that not long after the Coalition Government gained political power, it established the Social Cohesion Ministry, albeit with similar functions to those of the ERC. Many had questioned the relevance of this particular ministry, especially considering the fact that an autonomous body, the ERC, was tasked with a similar mandate with backing from the constitution. It is therefore left to be seen how these two organisations would relate to each other; more particularly, if they would duplicate functions or step into each other’s turf.

It is worthwhile to mention that the ERC is a constitutional body established under the Herdmanston Accord. It works with persons and agencies to promote harmonious ethnic relations. The Commission also deals with complaints, promotes training in racial harmony, and fosters a sense of security among all ethnic groups.

The ERC is probably the most powerful of all the rights commissions established in this country after Independence. It has an extremely important role to play in national unity and development.

The President should therefore move with haste in swearing in the commissioners as soon as possible, so that they could commence their work.

Cycling around in Yupukari Village: This land sandwiched between the Kanuku and Pakaraima mountain ranges, in the midst of the Essequibo and Amazon basins, is a conservationist’s dream and wildlife haven.

Here giant anteaters roam, rare birds call the savannah home and giant black caimans rule the waters of the surrounding lakes and the meandering Rupununi River. It is a land of rare beauty, in the rolling hills of the central Rupununi savannahs in Region Nine. Home to about 500 mainly Macushi Amerindians, the village is a mix of slowly changing traditional ways and modernity. (Girendra Persaud photo)

Governor Cuomo announces proposal to strengthen NYC’s ability to investigate internet crimes against children

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Y 2019 Budget Legislation would grant State Police Superintendent administrative subpoena power to identify and locate individuals suspected of internet crimes targeting children Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced legislation in the FY 2019 Executive Budget that grants the State Police Superintendent the power to issue administrative subpoenas as a way of strengthening investigations into sexual offenses against children that have taken place online.

This action will play a critical role in streamlining the current subpoena process for these types of criminal investigations, which continue to grow in number, a release from the Governor’s office stated.

"We must do everything in our power to stop the victimization of children and the horrific scourge of online sexual abuse, and this proposal will equip the State Police with more tools to identify and arrest those who use technology to prey on children," Governor Cuomo said.

"With this action, we will help protect children, bring these monsters to justice and make New York a stronger, safer state for all," he added.

According to the Governor’s office, the State Police often receive leads about online sexual crimes involving children that include only the IP address or online identifier used by the suspect. If it is determined that a crime was committed, a subpoena is then necessary to obtain basic subscriber account records from internet service providers in or-

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

der to identify and locate the suspect. Speed is critical in these investigations because internet service providers do not retain this data for long and online predators often routinely change IP addresses to avoid detection.

The current investigative process requires the issuance of a subpoena by an outside agency. This has proven to be cumbersome and inefficient, which hinders investigators from responding rapidly and effectively. In the past, this delay in obtaining the needed subpoena has almost certainly resulted in perpetrators escaping detection.

Federal law allows government agencies to issue administrative subpoenas in order to support these investigations, however this power must be specifically authorized under state law. The Governor's proposal does just that and will allow the State Police to utilize the same investigative tools that other local and state law enforcement agencies around the country currently use to combat the

growing scourge of online offenses targeting our youngest and most vulnerable victims. Additionally, as part of this initiative, the actual content of online communications will not be available by subpoena under this proposal, and disclosure of content records will continue to require court authorization.

State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, "The nature of computer crime investigations requires an immediate and efficient response by law enforcement, which is not currently supported under state law. This proposal will significantly improve our effectiveness in investigating these crimes, identifying suspects, and bringing the predators to justice."

The State Police is a key member of the New York State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is part of a national program that combats and investigates criminal offenses against children, including sexual exploitation and enticement, through the internet.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Doctors perform 1st Jagdeo named Patron in Chief at World rectal cancer surgery Sustainable Development Forum at Linden hospital G

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Doctors performing the surgery at the LHC

he Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) continues to make strides in advancing the medical services offered to members of the public.

On January 26, a team of doctors, headed by Dr Yu Zijun, successfully performed the hospital’s first radical resection of rectal carcinoma, a type of surgery for treatment of rectal cancer. The surgery was performed on a 53-yearold male. Also part of the surgical team were Dr Jin Zhen – an anaesthetist; Dr Geng Shouming – a Gynaecology consultant and Dr Joseph London, a resident surgeon.

Dr Yu Zijun, who spearheaded the team,

specialises in this field in China.

Speaking with Guyana Times International, Public Relations Officer (PRO) attached to the LHC, Toshanna Alicock, said the doctors who performed the surgery were very experienced, knowledgeable and committed to their patients.

She further encouraged members of the public to take advantage of regular screenings offered at the medical institution. “We’re very pleased that we were able to perform this surgery at the LHC and more so that it was successful. We are encouraging persons to have regular check-ups done to detect cancer in its early stage,” she indicated.

uyana’s Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, is currently attending the first ‘World Sustainable Development Forum’ being held in Mexico City under the theme ‘Implementing the Paris Agreement and the SDGs’.

The three-day forum, which kicked off on Thursday, features several keynote addresses, high level panel discussions and parallel sessions focused on specific themes and issues. Jagdeo is among several panelists, including: Jean Charest, Former Premier of Quebec, and former Minister of Environment, Canada; Lord Deben, John Gummer, Chairman of the UK’s independent Committee on Climate Change, UK; Felix Finkbeiner, Chair and Founder, Plant-for-thePlanet, Germany; Sir David King, Former Special Representative for Climate Change at Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK; Brice Lalonde, Former Minister of Environment, France; Dr. Carlos Lopes, Visiting Professor, University of Cape Town; and former Executive Secretary, United

Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Nations Economic Commission for Africa; Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation, Washington, DC, USA; Mr. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme; and Nobel Laureate H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta, Former President of East Timor, Timor-Leste.

The former Guyanese

President has also been named Patron in Chief of the Forum, being hosted by the not- for-profit organization.

The Forum is co-sponsored by the Government of Mexico City; a group of world class universities in Mexico; and has the support of business and industry as well as the research and academic community in Mexico. The Forum is intended to place great importance on the nature and timing of the energy transition required worldwide, by which the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere can be limited and the risks from the impacts of climate change contained to ensure the wellbeing of future generations.

The WSDF is a global initiative to promote and mobilize global action for effective implementation of both the Paris agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN General Assembly.

It is working to analyse and facilitate the transformation of society towards a post fossil fuel future while implementing the critical goals identified in the SDGs.

Father of 3 killed in accident at Sarah Johanna

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61-year-old labourer is now dead after he allegedly walked into the path of a motor vehicle on the Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara public road on Wednesday afternoon.

Dead is Persaud Hari of Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara.

According to information received from the police, the incident occurred at around 16:45hrs.

Minibus, BVV 852 which was being driven by a 50-year-old man was reportedly proceeding north along the western carriageway, reportedly at a moderate speed when Hari –a father of three- allegedly walked into the vehicle’s path from the opposite direction on the eastern side of the road.

He was immediately struck and flung several feet away.

The driver of the minibus then picked him up in a conscious state and rushed him to the Diamond Diagnostic Center where he subsequently died.

The driver is presently in police custody assisting with investigations and Hari’s autopsy is expected to be conducted sometime tomorrow (Friday).

Investigations are ongoing.

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Why should the Lessons to be learnt inquiry be limited to from Gandhi 6 years of killings?

Dear Editor, I refer to a story written by an excellent Guyanese journalist on his website on January 28, 2018, captioned “Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into 1000-odd extrajudicial killings to be named….” But when one digs into the story, it appears that the Granger regime is only inquiring into six years?

Guyana’s social cohesion bond was not destroyed in six years, it was deliberately interfered with by both sides since 1963 and maybe a year or two before that, if the history books inform me correctly (Read a book by Stephen Rabe).

There were acts of violence in the

1973 elections to which an allegation was made against Mr Granger himself that demands an inquiry too.

Therefore, it is nothing but political opportunistic and premature to restrict the CoI to six years; let us do the full 60 years from the 1960s to now – similar to the Mandela model.

So, for the record, I welcome a CoI into the 60 years of troubles that Guyana and its people experienced, but be a man and embrace the truth and do it competently and properly.

Bring it on Mr Granger!

Regards, Sasenarine Singh

Despite challenges Guyanese sugar workers determined to beat the odds

Dear Editor, It was really sad on reading the melancholic sentiments expressed by sugar workers at Skeldon and Enmore on January 29, as they receive their severance, or rather correctly redundancy allowances, and simultaneously not to discount the harrowing experiences they went through in the process of collecting their cheque.

They told tales of an anticipated future full of miseries and hopelessness.

Notwithstanding, it was highly commendable to those, who despite the amount that they received, were determined to invest a portion of it in some form or order to assure an endeavour that could provide some amount of sustenance. It takes more than business acumen for someone to invest as little as G$200,000 on cash-crop farming to generate an income to sustain a family. The investment plans articulated by these workers go to show not only how determined they are prepared to survive against all odds, but how oriented they are to make that little investment go a far way.

It is extremely disappointing, or rather depressing and unacceptable, for the sugar company and the Government for that matter to embark on a massive redundancy exercise, never before experienced in this country, and failed to make any tangible, sensible plan on how those severed workers will continue to make a living, before they severed them.

It borders on heartlessness to send workers home packing who would dedicate an average of almost 15 years of back-breaking service. The 4800 workers who were severed from Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore would have dedicated, collectively, almost 72,000 years of service to GuySuCo. They were sent home without any plan on what their future will be. Simply, go and fend for yourself!

Whilst almost 7000 ordinary workers, including Wales, were sent packing, there is no word from the sugar company or the Government on the status of the top-heavy, super-salaried executives ensconced at its head office and those estates that have been closed. It is business as usual for them.

On a related matter, the Private Sector Commission must be commended on its initiative to promote job fairs on those affected estates, starting with Wales. It is hoped that this initiative will alleviate the rank unemployment that plagues these communities.

One cannot help to observe the tit-for-tat that goes on between the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, which is totally uncalled for. What the affected sugar workers need is a joint collaboration between the two bodies that will bring hope and relief to their plight, not jockeying for positions. From what was communicat-

ed in the media, including the Union’s press statement, is that the engagement between the sugar unions and Government on January 19 was a meeting, and not a negotiation, since the matter at stake, payment of severance allowance, was, and still is, a non-negotiable matter.

The Union was pellucid in its statement, it did not negotiate.

The Government, reportedly, communicated a decision on the phased payout of the severance, which has either two options – accept or challenge it legally. It has not been legally challenged, and if it was challenged there is every likelihood the payout on January 29 would have been stayed pending the outcome of the legal procedure.

It would have been the case of ‘damned if you do, and damned if you don’t”. One could only presume that GAWU was caught in this dilemma. It had the workers’ plight in its hands.

I could only implore that all hands be on board to help in whatever way or form to bring hope, life and relief to the lives of the sugar workers. They have dedicated and sacrificed for centuries through “blood, sweat and tears” to bring hope, life and a fulfilling future to lives of thousands who have lived in this beautiful land of Guyana. They deserve it, now more than ever.

Yours faithfully, Selwyn Narinedatt Clifton Settlement Corentyne, Berbice

Dear Editor, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, son of Gujarat, father of Bharat, and teacher of all mankind, departed his mortal body on January 30, 1948, but left us lessons with his last breath.

One of international repute, his life attracts extensive research, but Rajmohan Gandhi’s reference to his grandfather’s last days is preferable, as outlined in his book, PATEL. When the Mahatma broke his fast on January 17 at 12.45 pm, the violent factions all made promises to keep him alive. But this clearly did not please everyone. On January 20th, a bomb was thrown during a prayer meeting; Mandanlal, who hurled the grenade, was caught, and he provided information that there was a conspiracy to kill Gandhi by those who had escaped.

Uniformed and plainclothes policemen were placed at different parts of Birla House, but this only annoyed Gandhi. He even refused Patel permission to search every man entering the house.

On January 30th, at about 4.00 pm, Vallabhbhai Patel was having his last conversation with Gandhi during his evening meal of vegetables, orange slices and milk. The extensive discussions made him late for his prayer meeting, as the subject was the breach between Nehru and Patel; and the three were supposed to meet the next day, but the actions of Nathuram Godse intervened, and the world knows the rest.

A few minutes after leaving Birla House, Patel got the message that Bapu was shot. He returned to find the body on the floor, his face calm and serene while he uttered last words, “Hey Ram”, as the Gita was being recited by those around.

Nehru came a few minutes later, and like so many others, cried like a baby. Gandhi’s wish, as disclosed by Lord Mountbatten, was the reconciliation of Nehru and Patel, and his death accomplished this.

The two embraced each other, and

addressed the nation together that night. Patel, the iron man, gave clear instructions that Police impose strict restrictions all over India, and quash speculation by letting the public know that the assassin was a Hindu.

It is customary to celebrate October 2 each year as the date on which this great soul arrived on Earth, but few activities take place on January 30, in part because we do not share or understand the messages that the Mahatma and the Gita left with us. He often wondered why we fear or mourn death if we believe the Atman to be immortal, and, as the Gita states, cannot be destroyed by weapons, fire, water or air.

We die only to be born again, for if death is not a prelude to another life, the intermediate period is a cruel mockery. This ancient message still has to reach many, who refuse to welcome death as they welcome birth.

When birth and death are treated as pairs of opposites, believers will approach them as inevitable and equal, not treating death with sorrow and birth with joy. Life becomes livable only to the extent that death is treated as a friend, never as an enemy, as it delivers us from numerous trials, tribulations and sufferings.

Hopefully, we can learn from his death, and continue to celebrate his life and message by organising more events around January 30 each year, to reduce greed, violence to all living organisms, and excessive materialism — which lead to all kinds of ecological problems on the spaceship called Earth.

The search for Truth and Peace involves more than non-violence. They transcend all aspects of life, all professions and disciplines; and his passing should be viewed as another opportunity to save us from ourselves by sharing the eternal universal messages of the GREAT SOUL. Regards, Ramnarine Sahadeo

Worse contract ever agreed upon Dear Editor, We don’t need to hear about the personal sacrifices of politicians during past political campaigns, or the hardships of being a leader, especially when such inflated speech is used as a means to defend the worst contract ever agreed upon in the annals of the world, if opportunity losses to Guyana are computed on a per capita basis in the Production Sharing Agreement between Guyana on one side and ExxonMobil, Hess, and CNOOC on the other side. What we really heard is a hot air blast of arrogance, verbosity, and self-glorification from one of Guyana’s most skillful communicators.

Simply put, the oil find in Guyana is so huge that even extreme incompetence and mismanagement will not substantially militate against the spouting flow of wealth and value that will occur in Guyana from 2020, and continue for the long term.

Using the WorldAtlas.com oil data table dated January 11, 2018, I have modified their ranking by including Guyana’s oil reserve on a per capita basis for comparison against the world’s top twenty countries with the largest proven oil reserves: On January 17, 2018, a Bloomberg article noted: The world’s hottest offshore prospect for oil companies is off the coast of Guyana, where a string of major discoveries has drawn hundreds

of millions of dollars in a quest for crude.

Michael Fitzsimmons, in his January 26, 2018 article for Seeking Alpha (a crowd-sourced content service for financial markets), highlighted the following: 1. Exxon has made six discoveries in the deep-water offshore of Guyana.

2. Associated recoverable reserves are now up to 3.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE).

3. To put that into perspective, that’s 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/D) for 43 years.

4. Exxon needed a big reserves replacement after de-booking massive oil sands reserves last year. It found them.

It is well known within the oil industry that corporations tend to be conservative on their estimated recoverable oil reserves. In addition to the foregoing, exploration in Guyana’s offshore is in an early stage, and it is much more probable than possible that Guyana’s recoverable oil reserve will exceed the ten billion BOE. ExxonMobil is the single largest publicly traded oil corporation in the world, with a market cap of just under US$380billion; and more significantly for Guyana, ExxonMobil is a quintessential United States Corporation — the country that by a substantial gap is the world’s top military superpower.

Sincerely, Nigel Hinds

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Top Cop prepares to ‘call it a day’ …after more than 30 years of service to the GPF

By Vahnu Manickchand

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ith just a few months remaining before his retirement, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud said the legacy he will leave behind is reflected in the work he had done for over 30 years in the Guyana Police Force.

The Top Cop, who is expected to retire sometime in April, made this comment on Wednesday when asked about his legacy.

“I’m not into making a legacy, my entire work in the Force was to address to issues to meet the objective of the Force and I never really consider (making a) legacy but what is there you all know,” he told media operatives in his first public interview since his return from an accumulated six-month leave.

Since his appointment to the office of Commissioner of Police, Persaud has spearheaded several projects, including the highly successful Social Crime Prevention Programme – all aimed at boosting public trust in the Police Force.

However according

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud talking to media operatives on Wednesday

to the Top Cop, he is most proud of the establishment of the Fallen Heroes Foundation.

“The Fallen Heroes Foundation (is) providing welfare and education assistance to children of Police Officers who were killed in the line of duty,” the Police Commissioner stated.

Further asked whether he would be accepting the customary farewell parade upon his retirement, Persaud said, “There are traditional things that happen when

senior officers in the Force retire and they’re under consideration.”

Persaud returned to work last Monday after being sent on a twomonth “special leave” when he turned up for work back in November following a four-month annualised leave.

There were uncertainties over his return in light of recommendations made following a Commission of Inquiry into the Guyana Police Force’s handling of allegations of plans to assas-

sinate President David Granger.

On March 29, 2017, Andriff Gillard reported to the Police that his friend and neighbour, Nizam Khan, had offered him G$7 million to assassinate the President.

He said the offer was made during a conversation between Khan and himself after he had approached Khan to borrow G$6 million to purchase a property.

Following the allegation, President Granger commissioned an inquiry to investigate how the

Police had done their investigation of the allegation, and to make recommendations to address flaws and shortcomings of the Force.

Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe headed the CoI and, in his recommendations, suggested that disciplinary actions be taken against Police Commissioner Persaud and that he be made to resign and investigated for perjury.

The Commission found that a proper investigation was not conducted into the allegation made by Gillard, owing to the interference of Persaud. Slowe reported that the response by the Police was conditioned by the fact that Imran Khan, brother of the accused, has a close relationship with Persaud and other senior ranks of the Police Force.

“The Commission recommends that Commissioner Seelall Persaud should be made to resign his position as the Commissioner of Police for the Guyana Police Force, under such terms and conditions that His Excellency considers appropriate. Failing which, pro-

ceedings should be initiated in accordance with Article 225 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to have him removed from the office for misbehaviour,” the report stated.

It was also recommended that Persaud be investigated for perjury since he told the CoI that he first knew about the allegation after 16:00h on March 29, in spite of Assistant Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken testifying that he informed Persaud of the allegation around 10:00h that morning.

However, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had stated that he was not in agreement with all of the recommendations of the report, which would have to be deliberated at the level of Cabinet.

In fact, when asked whether Commissioner Persaud will remain on the job until his retirement or will be asked to resign in keeping with recommendations made, the Minister told this newspaper almost two weeks ago that, “He is going to resume duty tomorrow until he retires.”

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

National cyclist lands in court again for assaulting wife

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ational cyclist Alanzo Greaves, who seems to be in the habit of assaulting his wife, found himself before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yet again for the same offence.

He appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore and had the assault charge dismissed when his spouse, Janelle Cox-Greaves refused to go ahead with the matter.

The charge against him stated that on January 28, 2018 at Garnett Street, Kitty in addition to assaulting

National Cyclist Alanzo Greaves

Cox-Greaves, he caused G$205,200 worth of damage to her vehicle.

According to the facts of the matter, Greaves

and Cox-Greaves were involved in an argument when he became enraged and punched her to her face. He then proceeded to use an object to damage he vehicle.

Cox-Greaves called the Police to the scene and as such, Greaves was charged with the offense.

In 2017, he was also charged several times for the said offence of assaulting Cox-Greaves.

The International Cyclist Union (ICU) banned the sportsman from participating in cycling events after he tested positive for drugs.

Guyana, Cuba to increase trade, cooperation – as President accredits new Ambassador

Campbellville couple nabbed with cocaine in home

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The couple’s Campbellville, Georgetown home

Craig Street, Campbellville, Georgetown couple are now in the custody of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) following the discovery of over one kilogram of cocaine in their home.

Based on reports re-

ceived, ranks of the drug enforcement unit swooped down on the property on Tuesday where they conducted a search during which the cocaine was discovered.

Upon the discovery, the owners – Andre Gomes, called “Zipper”

and his wife – were arrested. They are expected to be charged shortly.

Guyana Times International understands that a quantity of cash, jewellery and other valuables were seized by the CANU ranks.

Reports are the couple have been under surveillance by drug enforcement officers for quite some time now.

Two weeks ago, CANU conducted a raid at several houses at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, resulting in the arrest of two siblings and discovery of over two kilograms of cocaine concealed in the ceiling of one of the houses.

In addition, several vehicles and an undisclosed sum of cash were seized. One of the siblings was charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. She pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined G$17 million.

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New Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Narciso Soeorro handing over his credentials to President David Granger on Wednesday at State House as acting Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Harmon looks on

he signing of an agreement for the export of Guyana’s rice to Cuba has set the stage for increased trade and collaboration between the two States.

Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba was also inked as a show of deeper relations between the countries. And with Guyana and Cuba well-placed to further strengthen economic cooperation, President David Granger on Wednesday accredited Havana’s new Ambassador, Narciso Reinaldo Armador Soeorro.

According to the Head of State, this level of cooperation is of vital importance to advancing Guyana’s green agenda and overall economic development, declaring that this country will continue to stand in solidarity with Cuba.

Meanwhile, following the acceptance of Ambassador Soeorro’s credentials, President Granger said that the cultural agreement signed between Guyana’s Ministry of Education and Cuba’s Ministry of Culture will also help to advance cooperation in the arts and sport.

Moreover, he noted that Guyana welcomed the support of the Cuban Government for the establishment of a Regional Training Centre, which will cater to the needs of children, adolescents and

young people with special educational needs associated with disabilities.

“Guyana and Cuba share a close, cordial relationship characterised by friendship, frequent [and] fruitful exchanges, political and economic solidarity and tangible programmes of cooperation. Guyana’s national development, particularly in the fields of education, culture and health, has benefited immeasurably from Cuba’s cooperation and contribution over the decades,” the President said.

The local health sector, in particular, has been boosted by the dividends of GuyanaCuba relations. The President pointed out that Cuba continued to provide a large number of scholarships in the fields of agriculture, engineering and medicine to Guyanese students and young professionals.

Additionally, Cuban professionals who work in the local healthcare system continue to provide medical care and attention to Guyanese.

“Guyana looks forward to deepening and expanding cooperation with the Republic of Cuba during your tenure as Ambassador,” the Head of State told the new Ambassador.

The President also informed Ambassador Soeorro that Guyana looked forward to the full implementation of the Second Protocol to Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Cuba and the Caribbean Community which was signed in Georgetown

late last year.

In 1972, Guyana led efforts by Caribbean States to break the diplomatic isolation of Cuba in this hemisphere; establishing diplomatic relations with that country.

President Granger said that Guyana still held firmly to that position, which it took 45 years ago.

“Guyana stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Cuba in its resistance to economic aggression. We stand in support of the right of Cuba to determine its own destiny free from provocation and intimidation,” he said.

Ambassador Soeorro replaces Ambassador Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante, whose tour of duty ended in December last year.

The new Cuban diplomat said that the Cuban nation would always remember with gratitude, the four Caribbean nations, including Guyana, who, together, took the first fundamental step at ending the diplomatic and commercial siege against his country.

“The Cuban Government and the people are deeply grateful to our Guyanese brothers and sisters for the permanent support for the resolution of the blockade against Cuba,” he said.

Prior to the accreditation ceremony, which was held at State House, the new Ambassador met with Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who is currently performing the functions of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

3 remanded for trafficking narcotics

Border controversy

Guyana preparing to mount strong legal defence …Venezuela rejects decision to refer matter to ICJ

By Vahnu Manickchand

O

From left to right: Devash Reshiram, Anthony Carmichael and Leon Burnet

T

hree men were on Wednesday refused bail when they appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court on two separate charges of trafficking in narcotics.

The three men are Devash Reshiram, Anthony Carmichael, and Leon Burnet. They allegedly had a total of 18.6 kilograms (41 pounds) of marijuana on Monday in two separate incidents.

Reshiram was charged with one offence while Carmichael and Burnet were jointly charged for the other.

Reshiram, 20, of 38 Palmyra Village,

the bags to drop at Abary and he saw the Police and stopped. Bail was refused and the defendant was expected to make his next court appearance on February 21.

Meanwhile, appearing before the same magistrate were Carmichael and Burnet. It is alleged that on Monday, January 29, at Fort Wellington, they had in their possession 8.6 kg (19 pounds) of compressed marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the Police, Carmichael and Burnet, both of West Coast Berbice (WCB), were in a speeding motor

The crashed car which allegedly had the marijuana

East Canje, Berbice, was arraigned before Magistrate Rondel Weaver for trafficking 10 kg (22 pounds) of the illegal plant.

According to the Police, Reshiram, the driver of motor car PWW 3313, was on Monday last found with the drug in the car he was driving.

Acting upon information, ranks stopped the motor car and conducted a search and one black travelling bag containing three bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic which contained leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis were found, along with one blue and black travelling bag containing two bulky parcels wrapped with clear tape containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is being represented by Attorney Joel Edmonds.

Reshiram claimed that two men gave him

car which breached a police cordon in front of the Fort Wellington Police Station about 02:00h causing ranks to take evasive action.

The car was subsequently pursued and crashed into a tree at Number 23 Village, WCB. As Police approached, two occupants were seen exiting the vehicle and entering another which departed at great speed. While being pursued, the vehicle veered into a street at Number 27 Village and ended up in a nearby trench, from where two males were seen exiting into the unlit street.

The driver, a 22-yearold Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice resident, who is employed as a driver with a water company, was arrested while in the process of disposing of a bag which was found to contain 19 parcels of compressed cannabis.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge of trafficking in narcotics.

ne day after the United Nations (UN) announced that it would be sending the border controversy between South American neighbours Guyana and Venezuela before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a judicial settlement, Venezuela has strongly rejected the move while Guyana’s President vowed to leave no stone unturned to secure a successful outcome for the Guyanese people by utilising all the resources necessary to adequately prepare for the case.

This is despite a statement by Nicolás Maduro Administration on Wednesday criticising the decision by the UN to refer the border controversy to the World Court, maintaining that the matter should be settled through the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

“The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, faithful to its historical tradition and in accordance with the Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace, reiterates its firm disposition to defend the territorial integrity of our homeland and maintain political negotiation based on the 1966 Geneva Accord, as the only way to reach a peaceful solution, practical and satisfactory for both parties and in favour of our peoples,” a translated statement from the Bolivian Government outlines.

According to

President David Granger

the Venezuelan Administration, the Geneva Agreement provides for a political settlement of the controversy between the neighbouring States, as it reiterates it strong opposition previously expressed on this means of settlement.

The February 17, 1966 Agreement gave the UN Secretary General the responsibility to choose a means of peaceful resolution of the dispute and the possibility of finding another way in case it does not succeed.

“The Secretary General’s communication goes beyond the successive nature of the means of peaceful settlement established by the Geneva Agreement as a methodology established to reach an acceptable, practical and satisfactory solution to the dispute…

The Geneva Agreement itself provides for the political means for the settlement of the territorial dispute. In this sense, Venezuela ratifies in a decisive and unequivocal manner the negotia-

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

tion process under these means,” it added.

The missive from Caracas went on to detail that during 2017, Venezuela maintained its historical position in the process of good offices of the UN Secretary General, privileging the high national interest and the permanent vindication of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Venezuelan people over the territory of Essequibo, which the neighbouring State refers to as “Guayana Esequiba”.

Guyana’s preparations

But President David Granger maintains that Venezuela has no legitimate claim to any part of Guyana’s territory. He was adamant that the borders of the two countries were agreed upon and settled via the indisputable 1899 award.

He has also stated that Government intends to retain the “best advice” and “best legal support” for which it will be expending every legal

resources to ensure that it has a “proper” defence team to finally settle the issue.

“We are taking one step at a time and we are definitely going to use every legal resource to mobilise funds to ensure that we are properly represented in the ICJ,” he told media operatives on Wednesday when asked about Guyana’s preparation in terms of its legal team.

Already Government has bargained with United States oil giant, ExxonMobil, for a US$18 million signing bonus, which it said would be used as legal fees for the defence team, which will be comprised of both local and overseas lawyers, that it plans to retain.

However, there were controversies surrounding the money since Government initially lied about receiving it over a year ago, and then it was revealed that they placed it into a special account at Central Bank instead of the Consolidated Fund, as is legally required. This has caused much public uproar with local watchdog, Transparency International Guyana Inc (TIGI) filing legal proceedings to have the money moved into the State’s coffers.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said last month that when the border controversy is sent to the World’s Court, Government would move the moncontinued on page 10

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Minister Trotman’s father ‘handpicked’ to probe Lindo Creek killings …as Lusignan, Bartica massacres placed on back burner

T

he Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Lindo Creek Massacre of 2008 which claimed the lives of eight miners was officially sworn in on Wednesday, with a retired judge who is the father of a sitting Minister of Government being the lone commissioner handpicked for the job.

Retired Justice Donald Trotman, 80, took the oath of office before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the presence of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at the Ministry of the Presidency. Trotman is the father of the coalition’s Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, who is also the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC).

Nevertheless, the retired Judge said he was pleased to have been chosen to head the CoI by President David Granger and promised to adhere to strict principles of impartiality and fairness.

“There must be integrity, independence, and impartiality, and that must be sent and felt by the people concerned, the families concerned and the nation as a whole and

those also who have entrusted this Commission with the responsibility of conducting the inquiry,” he added.

Trotman said the main objective of the CoI is to find the truth and to bring healing and closure to the nation as a whole.

He said he hoped that the Lindo Creek and other inquiries would help bring about reconciliation among Guyanese. “We are looking to the past in order to make peace for the present.”

Justice Trotman, who has decades of experience serving in the legal profession, said that the process could not be seen as a one-man show, but rather the Commission would include all persons who know and have information and come forward to say what happened in the national interest and in the interest of Government.

Meanwhile, Minister Harmon said the CoI was a fulfilment of a promise made by President Granger to have this matter properly investigated so as to bring justice to the families.

He said the Commission has been given an initial three-month

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and his father, Donald Trotman

period until the end of April, 2018 in which to operate. However, the Minister could not state how much would be spent on the CoI. “The Commission of Inquiry will make recommendations on actions to be taken on all persons and/or organisations that are deemed responsible for the death of those persons,” Harmon said.

When asked why the Government has only moved to start with the Lindo Creek Massacre and not those that took place in Lusignan and Bartica which had a much wider impact, the Minister attempted to

downplay the issue.

To defend the Government’s position, Harmon said that the Massacre was still fresh in people’s minds.

“The information is much more recent, even though it’s been a long time, and the players who are likely to give evidence, most of those persons are here. In fact, only recently, I saw a letter from the mother of one of the persons who were killed in that time asking for something to be done,” he recalled.

The CoI will have the benefit of researchers,

Harmon said. While the Commission will have its own staff, staff working for Government is also engaged in researching other massacres.

“So, this is about one and at the appropriate time, we may do the others based on what information is available and the availability of resources. This is the first of a series of inquiries that will be done.”

Questioned as to whether senior Police officials who have been implicated in this matter could be sent on leave, pending the inquiry, Harmon said that was a matter for the Commission to decide.

“I urge all persons who may have any information, to cooperate with the Commission by submitting statements and memoranda and be prepared to give evidence before it,” he urged Guyanese.

During a separate event, President Granger also sought to defend the reason behind launching a CoI into the Lindo Creek Massacre, stating that there have been over eight massacres.

“But [I] feel this particular one hurt families directly. These are eight

persons, people that were not involved or not even being suspected of being involved in any form of terrorism or wrongdoing.”

Describing the incident as a “massacre of the innocence”, the Head of State said that his Government believed the way the investigation was handled indicated that there was a high level of collusion.

He also rejected suggestions to go several years before 2008 when other major criminal activities had plagued the country. “We are not going backwards, we are going forward,” he asserted.

Also, the Government had refused to begin the inquiry at the start of what has been called the PNC’s ‘mo fyah, slow fyah’ killings.

Some time between June 12 to 24, 2008, miners Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres were shot and killed, and their bodies burnt at the Upper Berbice River mining camp which was being operated by Leonard Arokium.

Guyana preparing ...

from page 9

ies into the Consolidated Fund before making use of it.

Since Venezuela’s renewed claim to Guyana’s territory back in 2015, the coalition Government has maintained that the issue is a legal one and needed to be settled via a legal process.

After some two years of mediation, the UN on Tuesday announced in a statement that it has sent the matter to the ICJ after careful analysis of the good offices process. According to the UN’s Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, enough progress was not made towards a solution on the controversy and as a result, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres referred the matter to the ICJ. This is in accordance with the framework left by his predecessor, Ban Ki-moon. However, Guterres did not rule out the continuation of the good offices process of the UN to complement court proceedings.

No more delays

In light of the UN’s long-awaited decision, the Guyana Government is aware that it will not be a swift process but is simultaneously hoping that there is not much more delay in having the case heard before the World Court since it has awaited almost 52 years to get to this stage.

“We are anxious to have this matter go before the court as quickly as possible, (but) it is not in our hands. The court of course, like any court, has procedures and we have to abide by those procedures. But I am happy that for the first time since Independence, we have reached this far and I’m very glad that the entire country is united behind this move. We are very confident that the award of the Tribunal in 1899 will be vindicated,” the President posited.

According to the Head of State, over the past two years development in the four regions along the Guyana/ Venezuela border has been stymied as result of the territorial claim by the Spanish-speaking nation.

Nevertheless, President Granger is confident that the ICJ will find the border was correctly defined and demarcated since 1899 in the Arbitral Tribunal Award, which Venezuela is claiming is “null and void”. The Guyanese leader anticipates, however, that Guyana’s successful defence of its territorial integrity will not only boost local development but investors’ confidence in Guyana especially in light of the impending oil and gas production. “(Investors) will like to know that they operate in a safe region in Guyana that is not under claim. Equally, our maritime space is a zone of extensive successful petroleum exploration so we feel that this is a good move for Guyana. The international community must know that the threat to Guyana’s territorial integrity will be removed by peaceful judicial means by the ICJ,” Granger asserted.

Moreover, President Granger posited that while Guyana has already been victim of atrocities by Venezuela, he is hoping that there would be not retaliation in light of this decision by the UN. The border controversy gained new life when oil giant ExxonMobil announced in 2015 that it had found oil in Guyana. Venezuela has staunchly been against oil exploration in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, where multiple oil deposits were found by ExxonMobil, and has since laid claim to the Essequibo region, which represents two thirds Guyana’s territory.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Pretty Boy’, ‘Dangles’ face trial over 2015 Tucville murder E

By Lakhram Bhagirat

dward Skeete and Nabadingi Gobin will soon know their fate as a 12-member jury was impanelled before Justice Navindra Singh on Wednesday at the commencement of trial into the 2015 murder of Ryan Clementson.

Skeete, called “Pretty Boy”, a 28-year-old mason of 309 Independence Boulevard, Georgetown; and Gobin, called “Dangles”, a 32-year-old taxi driver of 1049 Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is accused of murdering 25-year-old Clementson of Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara between July 14 and 24, 2015 at Tucville.

The duo is accused of opening fire on Clementson and his friend Ayodele Solomon on July 14, 2015, near the Turning Point Snackette in Tucville. Clementson, who had been shot in his thigh, succumbed almost two weeks later from cardiac arrest following surgery.

On August 14, 2015, the duo was jointly charged for murder and almost one year later, Magistrate Fabayo Azore committed them to stand

Murdered: Ryan Clementson

Nabadingi “Dangles” Gobin

Edward “Pretty Boy” Skeete

trial since a prima facie case was made out against them.

At the commencement of the trail, Skeete and Gobin – represented by Attorneys Nigel Hughes, Mark Waldron and Keoma Griffith – denied the charges levelled against them.

Prosecutor Narissa Leander is leading the State’s case in association with Tiffini Lyken and Abigail Gibbs.

Taking the stand was Lance Corporal Colwyn Major, who was one of the first responders. He told the court that he received information of the shooting at around 21:10h on the night of July 14, 2015, and joined a vehicle along with approximately seven other law enforcement ranks. He explained

that when he arrived at the scene, he observed the area was well lit and Clementson was partially submerged in the nearby trench in what he described as an attempt to hide. Major added that along with public-spirited persons, the injured man was pulled from the trench and it was observed that he was bleeding from the right thigh while only wearing a pair of black boxers.

The court heard that Major then placed Clementson into the tray of the Police vehicle and escorted him to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where a male doctor tended to him. The Policeman further told the court that while at the hospital, he encountered Solomon who

was receiving treatment for the gunshot wound to his right shoulder. He then questioned Solomon about the incident and then returned to the scene where he attempted to gather evidenced but was unsuccessful.

While under cross-examination by Attorney Hughes, Major related that when he arrived at the scene there were approximately 80 persons looking in the direction of the western end of the Tucville Bridge. He also stated that under the bridge was dark and only discovered Clementson after several calls. When asked how he determined that Clementson had a gunshot wound, the Policeman related that he observed a circular opening on the man’s right

thigh.

Major said that although there was a large crowd at the scene he feels it was not contaminated and when further pressed he added that he is still unaware as to where exactly the shooting occurred. In addition, he stated that he was not informed of any live rounds or spent shells being recovered at the scene.

The Policeman further related that a statement was taken from Solomon and relatives of the dead man, but when asked by Attorney Waldron when Solomon’s statement was taken, Major related that despite coming into contact with the man on the night of July 14, he did not take a statement from him until July 29.

Meanwhile, Detective Corporal Carlton Rockliffe said at the time of the incident, he was stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary as a Crime Scene Examiner and was summoned to the Tucville Bridge area.

He told the Court that he took his crime scene kit and upon arriving at the scene at around 22:30h, he was greeted by Lance Corporal Major and immediately commenced his

examination of the scene.

Rockliffe said he recovered one spent shell and two live rounds at the scene, which he placed into evidence and sent for forensic examination on July 22, 2015.

While being cross-examined by Attorney Waldron, the Policeman related that he did not see it necessary to test the recovered spent shell and ammunition for fingerprints.

The ballistics examiner, retired Inspector Eon Jackson, also took the stand and testified that the evidence bag contained one 9mm live round, one 9mm spent shell and on 9mm dud round. He explained that the dud round was fired from the firearm but was not activated because it may have expired.

The court heard that Detective Constable, Akeem Lewis, would have taken a statement from Clementson on July 17 at the GPHC. He related to the court, that Clementson provided him with the names of three men who inflicted the wound while asking to see his relatives since he could see his death coming.

The trial continues.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Tax evasion widespread in Guyana – Statia …incentives to be provided for informants

By Jarryl Bryan

I

n a bid to crack down on the billions it is losing to tax avoidance and other assorted criminal activities, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be using recently passed laws and other legislative avenues to build its intelligence network. It is understood that this includes providing financial incentives to whistle-blowers.

According to GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia, this practice is one supported by the law.

“It’s allowed in law.

We just have to put things in place and the Minister has to sign off on it, and then we’ll be able to pay them,” he stated recently.

Also providing information on this plan was head of GRA’s Custom and Trade Administration, Lancelot Wills.

According to Wills, the Witness Protection and the Protected Disclosures Act are the most relevant laws to the issue. He also

noted that the Revenue Protection Act had a role to play in the regulatory framework.

“Owing to the magnitude of (effects) that could follow a disclosure of such nature, it may be treated under either regime.

We intend to implement a system of protection of revenue by way of information gathered in accordance with the law,” Wills related.

The Protected Disclosures Bill 2017 was passed on January 18, while the Witness Protection Bill 2017 was passed the next day. In them are provisions for a witness protection programme, administrative centre, and stiff fines for blowing covers. The Revenue Protection Act of 1933 is actually more concise where paying informants is concerned.

According to Part 2 of the Act, “The Minister may authorise the payment from moneys provided by Parliament for the purpose of such rewards to such persons as

GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia

he may think fit, in order to secure the efficient protection of the revenue and for the prevention, discovery, suppression, and prosecution of offences against the customs and inland revenue laws… and regulations relating to mining and State laws.”

Fraud

At a press conference held last week, Statia had related that the entity had lost 40 per cent of its revenue for last year, or some G$70 billion, through tax evasion. He complained that the situation exists at all levels,

and has implications for overall budgetary allocations.

“If we collected G$170 billion last year, 40 per cent is G$70 billion. And if you collect G$70 billion more, I’m sure the Minister of Finance would be able to balance his budget. I’m also sure that all the capital projects we would like to have and see started would be completed. But you have tax evasion at all levels.”

At the level of customs, he noted that there is a lot of under-invoicing.

“Or if they don’t do that, they would use incorrect

codes. If you could actively collude with the broker, you would see a simple analysis would show that people have been using incorrect descriptions to get past that. We have lost all discipline.

Value systems have broken down. And it’s countrywide… we have to face it.”

According to Statia, the entity has been dealing with the problem by utilising its Law Enforcement and Investigation Division, and going after defaulters. In addition, more staff rotation has been employed. Asked about the status of these cases, Statia related that several individuals were presently before the courts.

Vehicle smuggling

There is also the issue of vehicle smuggling. Statia related that over 2000 vehicles have entered Guyana from Suriname but did not return. Purchasing the vehicles and then bringing (them) over with false number plates is a prac-

tice designed to cheat the system of duties.

“You found that thousands of vehicles were being imported from Suriname and Brazil and were not going back and (were) using old registration numbers,” Statia related. “You also found that people were abusing the process using fake vehicle numbers, fake diplomatic numbers, and all these things. The other day I saw a DPL 501.

Nowhere in the United States Embassy (are there) 501 vehicles.”

Statia affirmed that the Government has not abandoned a project to introduce number plates with special security features, but rather that it was put on the back burner as conflict arose regarding jurisdiction.

According to the Tax Chief, there was some uncertainty as to whether his entity should handle the project or the Ministry of Public Security. He noted, however, that the project should get under way in 2018.

PPP/C says will only support credibly constituted CoI

O

pposition Leader and General Secretary for the People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo is of the firm view that Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the crime wave of the 2000’s which the incumbent Administration is pressing ahead with will only serve to polarize society.

"Guyanese society has known and remembers the efforts by the PNC to polarize our people. If anyone has an apology to make to our AfroGuyanese community, it is the Granger-cabal that allowed a village, which was known for its progressive attributes, to be captured and held hostage by criminals and allowed the atrocities committed on many of the young men and women of that village" said Jagdeo.

Moreover, the Opposition leader posited that a credibly constituted Commission of Inquiry, staffed by international jurists, will expose the intellectual authors behind the crime wave of the 2000’s, including the political operatives who were involved.

According to Jagdeo "I maintain that once a Commission is credibly constituted it will be supported by the PPP/C. In the meantime, I am of the view that our people must not be distracted by this, more so as the acts of corruption, failures and incompetence under the Coalition Government continue to be exposed by the political Opposition."

See his full statement below: For the past 32 months,

I, like other Guyanese, have heard about the likelihood of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the crime wave of the 2000’s.

And like other Guyanese, I recognise that the Granger-led Government only raises this issue when it is cornered on its incompetence and corruption in office. I have noticed the moves by the stateowned Guyana Chronicle to dub the Commission as the ‘Jagdeo-era killings CoI’.

However, I am of the view that a more apt description would be a 'Commission into the PNC-inspired killings of the 2000’s'.

I have also noticed Minister Harmon’s comments about several inquiries, as opposed to a comprehensive CoI into the crime wave. I believe that no inquiry will be complete unless there is a comprehensive review of what took place and who the operatives were, particularly the political operatives.

Moving forward, if what Minister Harmon has said is to be taken at face value – “This is about issues of fact and for the Commission to determine what happened, when it happened, who was involved and, therefore, what action needs to be taken” – then there are many questions that have to be answered. What was the level of support, moral and material, which was extended to criminals by certain PNC political operatives? How did guns, which were stolen or given out to the PNC, at a time when Granger was prominently positioned in the GDF, surface in the hands of criminals years later? Where are the 155

high-powered military weapons that were loaned to the PNC’s Ministry of National Development?

You would recall that in August 2014, Lieutenant Colonel Sydney James, who spent three days at the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on the witness stand, testified and submitted documentation to show that the GDF had loaned these weapons to the PNC? What were the roles of current government ministers and presidential advisors, who held leadership positions in the armed forces, in compromising the ability of our security forces to apprehend politically supported criminals?

What was the political involvement in Buxton when women and children were organised to block members of the security forces from entering Buxton in April 2002?

When will we see an inquiry into the theft of ballot boxes at a time when Granger, who has publicly identified himself as a PNC member for 52 years, served in a key GDF position?

When will we see an inquiry into the death of the ballot box martyrs at a time when current top government officials were entrenched in the GDF? When will we see an inquiry into the post-1997 elections violence, including the ‘slow fiah, mo fiah’ campaign, the burning of buildings, the looting of businesses, the beating of innocent people and the sexual abuse of women?

I have seen too Minister Harmon’s reluctance to give specifics on periods or issues related to the crime wave

that will be focused on. I believe that not wanting a comprehensive inquiry is an act of desperation by the Coalition Government to polarize our society.

Having failed to deliver on their promises of ‘clean government’, jobs for young people, etc. the Granger-cabal is returning to ‘old politics’ to polarize our society.

Guyanese society has known and remembers the efforts by the PNC to polarize our people. If anyone has an apology to make to our AfroGuyanese community, it is the Granger-cabal that allowed a village, which was known for its progressive attributes, to be captured and held hostage by criminals and allowed the atrocities committed on many of the young men and women of that village.

They should apologise to the victims of Bartica, Lusignan and Lindo Creek.

They should apologise to those massacred in Agricola; one remembers the infamous conversation between senior public officials, who are current ministers in the Coalition Government, in an attempt to divert attention from themselves. They should apologise to all the other victims of the criminals they labeled as ‘Freedom Fighters'. The fact is that many of the current leaders in the Coalition Government were complicit in many of these crimes.

Guyanese still recall their publicly announced quest to make the country un-governable – a declaration made in Buxton.

For political gain, the polarization of our people was the driv-

ing force of ‘old politics’.

I have already made available to the media and publicly gone through the list of 400 young black men, which was circulated by the PNC, and shown that the authors of that list unashamedly included the names of victims of the crime wave, civilians and members of the security forces, both Indo and Afro-Guyanese. Now that number has been mysteriously increased to 1,431 by Minister Harmon.

A credibly constituted Commission of Inquiry, staffed by international jurists, will expose the intellectual authors behind the crime wave of the 2000’s, including the political operatives who were involved.

As I have said before, I welcome the announcement that the Commission of Inquiry will finally be established.

With the questions I have raised in mind, my offer to provide an input in the crafting of the Terms of Reference for the Commission remains available. This is providing that the Coalition Government is interested in ensuring that such an issue is dealt with in a bi-partisan manner.

I maintain that once a Commission is credibly constituted it will be supported by the PPP/C. In the meantime, I am of the view that our people must not be distracted by this, more so as the acts of corruption, failures and incompetence under the Coalition Government continue to be exposed by the political Opposition.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Ramsaroop predicts trouble for cash-strapped NIS

…as impact from closure of sugar industry begins to take toll

T

he National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is the next large-scale institution in Guyana that will “go belly up” – a direct result of the current management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), which for all intents and purposes is being sold off.

This dire prediction was outlined by Economic Advisor to the Opposition, Dr Peter Ramsaroop.

“The President or his Finance Minister clearly did not think through the long-term impact of shutting down an entire industry placing thousands on the breadline at the same time.”

According to Dr Ramsaroop, “NIS is already in trouble, no way near to being a fiscally solid institution with its expenditure outstripping revenue in recent years along with some bad investments.”

He explained that the institution currently spends more than it earns and has had to regularly tap into its reserves to make basic payments. “So, I am extremely worried that when the euphoria of the part severance payment wears off and life sets in, what the long-term economic effects will be.”

Dr Ramsaroop said the prevailing social circum-

Economic Advisor to the Opposition Peter Ramsaroop

stances were ripe for a large number of the laid-off sugar workers and their dependent family members in the near future – say three to five years – to make claims on the NIS, since they are of the belief that their contributions would have been made by GuySuCo. “Remember, we are talking about medical benefits that these now sick and unemployed sugar workers will be looking to claim,” the financial analyst said, as he

predicted widespread chaos in the near future when thousands of workers turn up to NIS only to realise they have “nothing to get”.

He told this newspaper, based on available data, GuySuCo owes NIS in excess of G$1.5 billion in contributions from sugar workers.

This, Dr Ramsaroop noted, is compounded by the fact that GuySuCo would have been deducting as statutory payments NIS contri-

butions but never actually making payments – something that ought to be criminal if not already in the statute books.

“Imagine you are a sugar worker who has been toiling in the sun for 30 years and every fortnight or month GuySuCo takes out a certain sum from your salary to go towards NIS, so that in the future when you become sick and the decades of working the cane fields begin to take effect and you turn up to NIS only to be told there are no contributions.”

The advisor told this publication it was inconceivable that the Finance Minister could not have known of this repercussion.

“Why do you think the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) continued to subsidise the industry … it is not about votes, the then Finance Minister (Ashni Singh) and the then Presidents understood the implication of shutting down that industry and its ripple effect on the other industries nationwide. The goal was to diversify the industry to expand value added chain. Sugar on its own was in trouble, sugar cane as high-end crystals, energy source to the national grid, ethanol production

and other diversification as proposed for this five-year period by the PPP would have seen Guyana growing more sugar cane not shutting down an entire industry,” Dr Ramsaroop said.

He questioned what the real state of affairs was at NIS, since that organisation according to recent reports was being buoyed only by its investment in the Berbice Bridge – an investment that was roundly criticised by those now in high offices and in charge of the management of the national economy, Dr Ramsaroop reminded.

The economic advisor to the Opposition noted that Finance Minister Winston Jordan has “time and time again demonstrated he has no clue as to what is happening in his Ministry and the knock-on consequences of their ad-hoc decision making which continues.”

Dr Ramsaroop added, “One only has to look at the raft of measures that they had put in place only to have them removed when the people cried out and they realised that it was making things worse, think of the VAT on education which had to be removed, think about the tributors’ tax on miners which had to be revisited.”

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana, India ink 3 more agreements …bilaterals on renewable energy, cultural exchange to be heightened

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj hold the MoUs on cooperation on renewable energy and cultural exchange programmes on Tuesday

I

ndia and Guyana on Tuesday signed three agreements, including one on renewable energy and another on cultural exchange, the New Indian Express has reported.

According to the local newspaper, the signing was done following bilateral talks between India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, in New Delhi.

Minister Greenidge is leading a high-level delegation which includes Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman for a one week visit to India.

“Three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), namely, renewable energy, cultural exchange programme and framework agreement on International Solar Alliance (ISA) were signed,” the newspaper quoted the External Affairs Ministry as saying in a statement following the meeting. New Indian Express went on to say that the missive outlines, “Guyanese delegation also presented the Instrument of Ratification of the International Solar Alliance.”

The India-initiated ISA, launched at the UN Conference of Parties (CoP) climate summit in Paris on November 30, 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande, is conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.

It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer

and Capricorn.

According to the External Affairs Ministry statement, Sushma Swaraj, during the meeting, referred to the historical and multifaceted ties between the two sides, the newspaper said.

“The subsequent discussions focused on further strengthening India-Guyana bilateral relations, through cooperation in capacity building, promotion of business and trade, enhancement of people to people contact, cooperation on pharmaceuticals, sharing India’s experience in information technology by setting up IT centres of excellence in Georgetown,” the New Indian Express quoted the Ministry.

Views were also exchanged on regional and multilateral issues such as climate change, solar alliance and UN Security Council reforms, the newspaper added.

Bilateral trade between India and Guyana stood at $34.58 million in 2016-17.

India has done some high-visibility projects under line of credit (LoC) in Guyana, including a cricket stadium, traffic lights in Georgetown and supply of 14 irrigation drainage pumps.

An line of credit of $17.50 million for modernisation of three primary health centres has been approved by the Indian Government.

Guyana is also home to a large number of people of Indian origin, comprising nearly 40 per cent of the country’s total population of around 738,000.

Most of them are descendants of indentured labourers brought from India in the 19th century and early 20th century to work in sugarcane plantations.

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Man to spend 80 years behind bars for wife’s murder

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ust over one week since facing trial for his wife’s murder, Miguel “Allan” Barker was on Monday afternoon found guilty of committing the offence of murder by the unanimous decision of a 12-member jury, and was subsequently sentenced to 80 years’ imprisonment by High Court Justice Navindra Singh.

The judge had started computing Barker’s sentence at a base of 60 years, but took into consideration the fact that the accused had shown no remorse when the jury returned the verdict, as he opted to maintain his innocence. Barker later changed his mind, indicating that he was “sorry for what happened,” but Justice Singh observed that Barker had premed-

Deceased: Donessa Barker

itated the crime, as he

was seen at the house of the attack on a previous occasion.

State Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken, in her address to the court, reminded that six stab wounds had been inflicted upon the deceased Donessa Barker, called Vanessa. Lyken also observed that some of the wounds the woman had received were in self-defence. She drew atten-

Miguel Barker was unanimously found guilty

tion to the instrument that was used, and noted that a 4-year-old child is left without a mother, while the woman’s relatives are still dealing with the open emotional wounds they had sustained from Donessa Barker’s death.

In a plea of mitigation, defence attorney Maxwell McKay said his client is a father and is a “very religious person”. However, Justice Singh added 10 years to the sentence for premeditation, and another 10 years for the case being a domestic violence matter.

After the sentence was announced, the woman’s relatives were seen sobbing and consoling each other, while Barker was led off into custody with no show of emotion.

The convicted murderer and his late spouse Donessa had shared a

rocky relationship, which included extensive arguments, multiple allegations of infidelity, and reported physical violence.

Things escalated on the evening of April 29, 2015 when Barker dropped a knife after threatening his wife late that night, and climaxed the following afternoon when he was seen jumping out of the window after stabbing his wife to death.

The woman is said to have died from incised wounds, and it was proven that she was stabbed to the chest. On the night of the crime, the Barkers were reportedly heard arguing prior to the stabbing at the Inner Bagotville, West Bank Demerara home where the couple was staying.

Persons nearby had attempted to rescue the woman, and had rushed her to hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries. Her husband had however fled the scene and was found just days after at Sophia, Greater Georgetown. He had always denied that he was responsible for his wife’s killing.

Before the woman’s death, the couple had been married for almost two years. The State was represented

by Prosecutors Lyken, Narissa Leander and Abigail Gibbs. (Shemuel Fanfair)

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Former army rank jumps to freedom …after being found not-guilty of murdering boyfriend’s mother

O

ne day short of three years since Agricola, Greater Georgetown housewife Donna Taylor was murdered at her home, the accused, former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Private Abiola Jacobs was unanimously found not-guilty by a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown on Monday.

This result came after just over two hours of deliberations, but it is expected that the prosecution will appeal the decision following reports that one of the jurors allegedly grew up in the same area as Jacobs.

Murdered housewife Donna Taylor

Abiola Jacobs became a free woman on Monday

However, when the verdict was returned before Justice James BovellDrakes on Monday, the court upheld the jury’s unanimous decision and the Judge announced that Jacobs was free to go. After the words “not guilty” were announced, there were contrasting expressions from the relatives of Taylor and Jacobs who packed the courtroom to capacity.

The Taylors were speechless with astonishment as they moved their heads from side to side in disbelief. Meanwhile, Jacobs’ relatives praised the heavens, saying that the verdict was a result of prayer and divine intervention.

After being freed, Jacobs in high heels ran out of the court onto South Road before jumping for joy and embracing several relatives and well-wishers as she trotted and skipped along Croal Street. In much jubilance, she also hailed many passengers in passing minibuses who recognised that she was freed as the Taylors left the court despondent.

On the night of January 31, 2014, Donna Taylor was discovered with her throat slit, hands bound behind her and her shirt wrapped around her neck. The jury considered the testimony of main witness Samantha Sabbatt, a Briton, who narrowly escaped with her life as she was a guest of the Taylors. She had admitted that she had an intimate relationship with her friend’s son, Bertram Taylor Jr, at the time she was staying there, but stressed that she never encouraged him to separate from Jacobs. Jacobs was the estranged girlfriend of Bertram Taylor Jr. Sabbatt had recounted that on the night Taylor’s motionless body was found, she was in the bedroom of the upper flat of the home when she heard footsteps,

voices and a male later shouting for her to open the door, moments after the lights were switched off. She had also testified, via Skype from London, England, that she had climbed up and peeped through the lattice work and had seen Jacobs in the light of the street lamps that shone into the house. She had also claimed that when the lights came on, she jumped through the window onto the veranda and sustained injuries in a bid to save her life.

On February 1, 2014, Sabbatt recalled attending a confrontation with Jacobs where she told her: “Sweet girl, you never saw me.”

However, Sabbatt had issues with the consistency of her recall which was highlighted by the defence which had suggested that the main witness changed her story from the time when she was interviewed by Police and at preliminary proceedings at the Magistrates’ Court. At certain points, she was sure that she saw Jacobs and at other points she said she saw a shadow which she believed to be that of the defendant.

The jury had also considered the testimony of Taylor’s daughter, Marcelle Collymore, who claimed that the accused and her mother had a fight on the day of her mother’s demise.

This was also confirmed in the evidence of Police Superintendent Joel David who similarly testified that Jacobs informed him that she spoke with Taylor on the day of her death. Superintendent David had also corroborated that the survivor of the attack (Sabbatt) had placed Jacobs at the scene of the crime.

Jacobs was represented by Defence Attorney Adrian Thompson while State Prosecutor Mandell Moore led the prosecution’s case with assistance from fellow State Counsel Lisa Cave.

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‘Stop frustrating us’! ... Lusignan massacre victims from page 3

remembered at event to mark 10th anniversary

thy, the minister stated, “Overcoming pain is one thing, but living or coping with pain is another thing. That you continue to do, (and) for this I admire you.”

The memorial concluded with prayers from the three major religions in the country.

Recap

Government to pay them their severance packages since their childrenwho are unable to attend school- are feeling the full brunt of it.

“Is 20 years, 4 months I wuk with them [Wales Estate]…I have a wife and seven children…This is one ah me son. Right now, I couldn’t even afford to send he to school this morning because me aint got money to send he to school…I does ga find G$500 passage fuh he when the day come and spending money fee and many days I does can’t send he to school,” Romeo Charles told the media.

Another man who said he is a father of three said “Nobody telling we when we getting we severance. All they telling we is we have to go to Uitvlugt.

We didn’t get employment at Uitvlugt, we get employment at Wales. We need we severance because we got family to maintain. They tell we how the estate was merged with Uitvlugt estate, there was no agreement of that. All wah they try to do is bully we.”

Dindiyal Jailall, who appeared irritated, explained that it is unfair that every other estate which was closed after Wales, their worker are receiving severance payments, while they [Wales workers] are left waiting.

“Since 2016 them lay off we from Wales. All them estate come back

ah we, and them get their severance.

One month after they get they severance. We nah get we severance, them nah tell we nothing about we money…

We gon picket every day fuh we severance!” he promised.

Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand said that his association will continue to support the workers until they are paid their severance which they deserve in accordance to the laws of Guyana.

“GuySuCo is demanding that they go and take up work at Uitvlugt and Uitvlugt is over 10 miles from Wales so they ought to be given their severance pay by now. The court has not given it priority to have the matter heard so we’re hoping that this demonstration will impress the Chief Justice to have the matter set for hearing,” he explained.

Moreover, according to Chand, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder informed the National Assembly on January 19 that no provision has been made for the workers since the matter is engaging the Court.

However Chand posited that ”Minister Holder is aware of the workers undertaking to the President to have the matter withdrawn should their request be positively addressed.”

A section of the gathering at the Remembrance Service at Lusignan, ECD on Friday

T

he 11 victims of the Lusignan massacre which occurred 10 years ago were on Friday remembered at an inter-faith service coordinated by the Indian Action Committee (IAC).

The Tenth Anniversary Memorial Service saw attendance of members of the Lusignan community, Government officials, Opposition members and families of the victims. Commemorated with hymns, bajans and recitals from the Quran, the gathering was sombre.

In the feature address, Former Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, Bishop Juan Edghill, spoke on the strength of the Lusignan community, considering the irreconcilable damage that has been done to the

community.

Edghill alluded to a statement made by President David Granger at a GDF conference on January 25, where he expressed the need for inquiries and investigations to be done of past deaths of a particular era.

Edghill said he welcomes this initiative, “The country needs to know what happened here. This country needs to know who are the intellectual authors of what transpired here. I look forward to an independent inquiry that is not directed by political influences,” he added.

Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton highlighted the resilience of residents of the Lusignan community. In an expression of sympa-

In the wee hours of January 26, 2008, gunmen armed with rifles and shotguns invaded five homes and killed almost all of their occupants.

Those killed were: Shazam Mohamed; Clarence Thomas; his son Ron, 11, and daughter Vanessa, 12; Mohandai Gourdat, 32, and her two children: Seegobin, four years old, and Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Shalem Baksh, 52; Rooplall Seecharan, 56, his daughter Raywattie Ramsingh, 11, and his wife Dhanrajie, called ‘Sister’, 52.

Those injured in the ordeal were Howard Thomas 19; Nadir Mohamed, 48, and Roberto Thomas, five years old. The motive of the vicious attack is still unclear; however, the actions were claimed by the notorious killer Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins, who is now dead.

The IAC has since held a memorial service every year for the victims of the brutal attack.

Private Sector pushes for health centres to remain open in sugar belt

W

hile remaining firm on its position to oppose the closure of the sugar industry, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) says it will now push to have health centres serving the sugar belt remained open.

PSC President Eddie Boyer urged the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) not to close the health centres that serve sugar workers and their families in various communities.

This call was made at the opening of a Business, Financial and Investment Forum and Clinic held at the Enmore Community Centre on Monday for ex-sugar workers.

The PSC Head said that his organisation was deeply concerned about the developments taking place and would lend support wherever

PSC President Eddie Boyer

necessary to allow sugar workers the opportunity to get new jobs.

“We are not supportive of closure. We fought that to the end and we are still fighting it. Now, I am going to ask that the health centres remain open for a long period, even when workers get their severance,” he said.

Boyer added that he hoped issues pertaining to the National Insurance Scheme were

also being ironed out in the transitioning process, so that workers do not lose out on their entitled benefits.

In addition to that, the PSC Head stated that while there were opportunities, GuySuCo would have to assist in the process of getting some of these workers new jobs, as many of them are unskilled.

“The Private Sector needs people and if we can pluck them out of here, fine. We are here because anything to do with sugar workers and GuySuCo, we will continue to be on board,” he said.

M e a n w h i l e , GuySuCo Corporate Communications Manager Audreyanna Thomas said the forum and clinic would expand to other areas in the sugar belt providing them with some support.

Several ex-GuySuCo male and female workers stood in the scorching sun for hours to receive their severance

Thomas said the event was mainly focused on helping the ex-sugar workers to decide on how they would spend or invest their severance to form meaningful small businesses and development.

She said the institutions would help the workers and guide them on how best they could reinvest this “capital” (severance) they received after being fired.

She said opportunities to take new and old loans would also be encouraged. This, she said, is part of GuySuCo’s Economic and Resilience programme.

Several companies, including all the major banking institutions,

were on the ground to assist.

In November, GuySuCo announced plans to dismiss thousands of workers. So far, some 4000-plus workers have been sent home.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) claims that the downsizing and subsequent closure of sugar estates would lead to the loss of more than 15,000 jobs, and the potential threat of poverty for 50,000 to 100,000 people.

The Special Purpose Unit (SPU), which forms part of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), has been mandated to con-

duct evaluations, surveys and inventory assessments before any steps were taken to actually sell the estates.

The SPU has since solicited the assistance of an international financial company to undertake these assessments as part of the plans to downsize the industry.

While one local company has expressed an interest, there have been no other reports that other companies may want to buy the estates.

However, Minister Cathy Hughes has been quoted in the media as saying that several international oil companies have expressed an interest in buying some of the closed estates.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘More failed promises’

…Jagdeo says of Govt ministers’ meetings with sugar workers

By Samuel Sukhnandan

M

eetings held with citizens in the sugar belt last Friday and chaired by several Cabinet ministers, including Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, have been described as a master public relations strategy which was just a regurgitation of more failed promises and political rhetoric, Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo has said.

Jagdeo told media operatives at a press conference on Saturday that the meetings were a desperate attempt by the coalition Government to show that they care about sugar workers, when in fact they were the ones who planned the downsizing of the industry, which is now taking effect and creating chaos for thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on that industry.

“Imagine: half of the Cabinet, the whole AFC (Alliance for Change) going to the sugar belt to say they will provide training and that the Special Purposes Unit (SPU) is looking for investors. It was a (public relations) PR exercise, a master PR strategy; that (is) what it was. Nothing more than that,” he said.

The former President claimed that Nagamootoo

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

has nothing new to say to the workers but that the Government is not closing the industry. “He said the Government not closing sugar and that sugar will remain alive. We heard similar sentiments from this same person who is now Prime Minister pre-election…who said they will receive significant support and (give) 20 percent increase in wages and salaries.”

Jagdeo said the reality today is that the coalition Government has taken the most “callous decision ever in sugar.” On that basis alone, he believes that Nagamootoo’s statements were not sincere, and sugar workers will not fall for the same trap of be-

lieving what was promised.

“Secondly, he told them that 1,000 workers will get G$500,000 severances. They could have paid the 1,000 workers their full severance. What he didn’t say is that they withholding half of the severance, which is payable by law. So, they making it that sugar workers beg for what is due to them by law.

What was the message… the situation placed a strain on the treasury,” the former President told the press.

Jagdeo believes that if anything has put a severe strain on the treasury, it is the “bloated Government” which travels overseas more frequently and spends millions on luxury vehicles to parade in.

Another observation made

by Jagdeo about the Prime Minister’s address to people in the sugar belt was the fact that “he said there is no need for quarrel and row”.

He was referring to moments when workers’ voices drowned Nagamootoo’s speech.

Nagamootoo had said that if tension is put aside and both parties work together and have meaningful talks, then they can find answers and solutions.

“He wants to work together. But this is the same Prime Minister who, a week prior to that, stood up in Parliament (and) argued against (the)

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Report on Sugar being debated fully at the Economic Services Committee in the National Assembly,” the PPP/C General Secretary pointed out.

Jagdeo also observed that the Government was so desperate in its attempt to try to fix a problem it created that it is telling sugar workers of a plan to have them meet with the private sector so that they can discuss ways in which their severance pay could be reinvested to create a business.

“This is desperate, and it’s ridiculous. Which business can you start really with G$500,000? And in fact the

people need it now to sustain themselves,” he added.

During those meetings, Third Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan explained that the Government had no other choice but to make the “hard decision”. He admitted that challenging days are ahead for the sugar industry. He remarked that times are changing globally, and had Guyana responded at the right time and in the right manner, the dynamics of the sugar industry would have been very different now Ramjattan was accompanied by Business and Tourism Minister Dominic Gaskin; Public Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes; Citizenship Minister Winston Felix; and Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes.

The ministers were accompanied by a representative of the SPU, GuySuCo’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Paul Bhim, and other senior officials.

The team met workers at the Enmore Training Centre and Staff Club on Friday.

The team that was led by the Prime Minister met with sugar workers at the Skeldon Community Centre on that same day. He was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

CDB funded sea, river defence Aunt of NY woman killed works to progress this year in Jamaica receives call

Kevin Samad, Chief Sea and River Defence Officer

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he Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) funded US$30.9M Sea and River Defence Resilience project which was launched in 2016, will advance this year, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The project is expected to provide for the reconstruction and improvement of approximately 5.4 km of sea and river defences in eight critical areas, in Regions Two, Three, Four and Six. In an interview with the DPI, Chief Sea and River Defence Officer, Kevin Samad said at the end of 2017 contracts were awarded for two Lots of works, under the programme.

He explained that Lot One caters for work along the Johanna Cecelia, Essequibo

Coast and at Success and Endeavour, Leguan Island. Lot Two, however, caters for work at Crane, West Coast Demerara which will see 1200 meters of riprap construction being installed.

Currently, rehabilitative works have commenced and are ongoing at Crane.

According to Samad, a database has been established containing all the critical areas identified for upgrades.

Some of these include Zeelandia, Belle Plaine and Leguan in Essequibo, Canefield and Crabwood Creek in Berbice and areas on the West and East Bank Demerara. These projects will run concurrently with other programmes catered for in the 2018 budget which are nationally funded.

“In 2018, we have

a budgeted approval of G$1.3B from which G$900M will go towards capital works and G$400M for maintenance.

Its capital budget is smaller than 2017 allocation which is because the CDB US$30M programme is currently on stream. But we have an increase in the maintenance budget, which is a key element in extending the life of existing structure.

At this point, we have already tendered works under the capital programme and we expect works to commence by the end of February 2018,” Samad underlined.

Given that most of Guyana’s population resides in communities that lie below sea level, proper sea and river defence structures remain critical. Samad noted that over the years, it has been a challenge to maintain or preserve the mangroves vegetation. It is especially challenging with the advent of various illegal activities such as cattle rearing and cutting of mangroves for various reasons.

Nevertheless, “we are aware of the impacts of climate change and sea level rise and we have factored in sea level rise in our designs of all coastal and riverain structures,” the Sea and River Defence Officer explained.

Duo committed to High Court for carpenter’s murder

T

wenty-eightyear-old Afabian Yankana and Akeem Yamar, charged for the murder of carpenter Raul Rodriguez, who was stabbed to death in front of Demico House, Georgetown in January 2017, were on Monday committed by City Magistrate Judy Latchman to stand trial in the High Court.

The magistrate found that a prima facie case had been made out against the accused

by Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, representing the state.

Reports are that on the day of his demise, the late father of three, resident of Lot 64 Leopold Street, Georgetown, had reportedly had an altercation with his attackers and was stabbed to his chest.

After being stabbed,

Afabian Yankana and Akeem Yamar

Rodrigues had reportedly run from his attackers, but subsequently collapsed in front of Demico House.

He was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where

he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Yankana, a bus conductor, was arrested by Police shortly after, and was charged with the offence of murder, while Yamar was later arrested and similarly charged.

from dead niece's phone

K

I N G S T O N , Jamaica — The aunt of the American woman who was last year murdered in St James has reported receiving two calls from her niece’s missing cellular phone.

Peggy Brunner said she was preparing dinner when her phone began ringing Sunday evening and when she checked, she saw her 26-year-old niece’s name – Desiree Gibbon – flash on the screen.

“I got goosebumps from my head to my toes,” Brunner told the New York Daily News.

According to the report, Brunner missed a second call from Gibbon’s phone some six hours later, at 11:43 pm.

When she tried to call back, Brunner said she got the message she hears anytime she dials her niece’s number — “this phone is not working”.

According to NY Daily News, a surveillance camera captured her leaving the hotel where she was staying on November 23, wearing a T-shirt, shorts,

DEAD: Desiree Gibbon

sandals and a bandanna at 11:22 pm.

She returned to her room before emerging once again at 11:27 pm where she was seen strolling out of the hotel owned by her grandmother carrying only her American cell phone.

Andrea Cali-Gibbon, mother of the deceased, said the police initially showed no interest in the surveillance footage after learning about it

from the family.

“They didn’t think it was going to help solve the crime,” Cali-Gibbon said adding that the police only focused on the phone.

Gibbon’s was found with her throat slashed in the bushes along the Long Hill main road in St James last November.

Her cell phone was never recovered.

(Jamaica Observer)

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

3-yr-old in need of assistance to undergo urgent medical attention

A

Three-year-old Crystal John and her father, Ivan

Linden family is seeking the help of the public in securing funds for their three-year-old daughter who has been diagnosed with Retinoblastoma (cancer of the retina of the eye) and is in urgent need of treatment.

Crystal John of Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden, was diagnosed with the life-threatening disease when she was just eight months old, resulting in the removal of one of her eyes. It has since spread to her other eye and she is currently unable to see.

In an effort to save her life and prevent fur-

ther spread, her remaining eye has to be removed. As such, her parents, Ivan John and LaShawn Daniels, are seeking the assistance of the public in an effort to raise funds for her to travel to Cuba to receive urgent treatment.

The family is presently seeking to secure US$10,000, which includes treatment, accommodation, transportation and other costs.

A number of organisations, including the Giving Hope Foundation – Guyana and the Sar & B Nonprofit Foundation have since been on the quest to assist the family in raising the funds with

the help of the public.

Linden Nurse Colwyn Allen has also organised a telethon on his radio programme “Healthy Living with Nurse Allen” in an effort to assist. Donations can be made via Citizens Bank Account # 219-002772 and GBTI Account # 001062730013.

A GoFundMe account has also been set up at GoFundMe:https://www. gofundme.com/crystals-johns-treatment.

Her parents can be contacted on phone numbers 690-0866, 670-4337 or 687-7171, or interested persons can contact the Giving Hope Foundation on phone numbers 227-6588 or 624-0531 to donate.

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Venezuela’s credibility, integrity will be tested at ICJ – Jeffrey O

nce a decision is made by the United Nations to send the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the credibility of the Nicolás Maduro Government of Venezuela will be tested, former Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Jeffrey has said.

Dr Jeffrey’s statement comes on the heels of delays by the UN in announcing its decision on whether to send the matter before the ICJ. The former Minister is of the

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

tion in a presidential vote due by the end of April.

It has already been made known; however, that should the presidential vote be perceived as fraudulent, further for-

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Jeffrey

Crystal in happier times

opinion that the present Venezuelan Government is too weak to carry that argument to its people to have the border controversy resolved.

“So you really need a strong regime in Venezuela to be able to make a credible showing at the ICJ to sell that to the Venezuelan people.

That does not exist at the moment. Venezuela wouldn’t want to go in the first place, but if they had a strong Government at least they could have said that they are going.

Right now, they have a weak Government and that is something to think about,” he explained.

The former Minister claimed that while many Venezuelans believe that the Essequibo belongs to their country, especially since they have been repeatedly told this since the 1960s, going to the ICJ might be the best decision, but there could be several implications for the Government.

At present, Venezuela is facing several international sanctions over rights and corruption allegations. Support for Maduro’s Administration has fallen off sharply as Venezuela’s economy has plunged deeper into crisis marked by widespread shortages and a rise in inflation.

However, Maduro plans to stand for re-elec-

eign sanctions would be initiated, including from United States President Donald Trump.

Jeffrey believes that the issues facing Venezuela will be endless. “That is not going to finish in Venezuela anytime soon, especially for a government of some standing to come into being that can negotiate this. The Government now has no capacity to do that,” he added.

As such, the former Minister said more attention should be paid at managing the relationship with Venezuela, to get a positive outcome for Guyana. He said the delay by the UN was no reason for Guyana to put its hand up. “I don’t believe that these border issues are settled that easily and overnight.”

He continued, “Going to the ICJ in my view would be a moral victory and it might well give us some sort of leverage in terms of future investment in the region with Venezuela, but it would not end the border… [controversy]. The Venezuelans in my view would not accept it in the first place.”

Arguing that border issues are not solved effortlessly, even when the matter is taken to the ICJ, Dr Jeffrey declared that both sides of the political divide in Venezuela were united on the issue.

“So I believe what we are struggling here for is some kind of leverage and moral authority. I doubt it would solve the problem in any sensible way, or in a way we would like to see it solved,” he reiterated.

Current Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said recently that following the end of the Good Offices Process on December 31, 2017, UN Secretary General António Guterres could take two years to decide on the next move regarding the border controversy.

Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had given an undertaking that 2017 would have been the last year of mediation to end the border controversy. If that process failed, the controversy would be referred to the ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the UN. Guyana maintains that the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that settled the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela was full and final. But Venezuela has, for several decades, registered its diplomatic and military objection to Guyana’s development of its natural resources onshore and offshore.

Venezuela, with almost 40 times the population of Guyana and a territory that is several times bigger, purported to claim in 1968 the entire territorial sea of Guyana by means of the Leoni Decree, which has never been withdrawn.

Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have worsened ever since oil giant ExxonMobil announced in 2015 that it had found oil in Guyana.

Venezuela has staunchly been against oil exploration in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, where multiple oil deposits have been found by ExxonMobil.

In fact, Venezuela’s National Assembly had approved an agreement to reject the oil exploration activities in March 2017.

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Seeds of ethnic conflict

By Ravi Dev

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ommendably, there are a significant number of commentators who have realized that a majoritarian system of democracy presents severe challenges in a society that is riven by groups that approach each other in numbers.

Even in comparatively homogenous societies, there is the obvious question of legitimacy of the government formed when almost half of the populace did not vote for it.

When those groups identify themselves, and are identified by others ethnically — as in Guyana — the question of legitimacy becomes even more contested. It is not just a matter of political or economic “interests” at stake, but a question of self-worth embedded in identity. “Our” government is defended for reasons that pay scant regard to rationality – and so also are condemnations of “their” government.

Such governments therefore have to be very vigilant about the adverse effects of their policies on groups outside of their ethnic base, since it is also a matter of ‘honour”, “pride”, and even survival of the group. It was for this reason that I was quite pleased when the APNU/AFC coalition manifesto committed itself to a proposal I had made decades ago – issuing “ethnic impact statements”.

My argument was: if governments explicitly perform this exercise BEFORE any policy is implemented, there can be debate and discussion, especially ahead of effects impacting negatively on the “out” group, which can then be addressed.

There may very well be valid political or economic reasons for the action, and the emotional impact can be mediated and possibly moderated through engagements that acknowledge the group’s fears. This becomes even more necessary when, as with the APNU/ AFC government, the challenge of legitimacy was acknowledged and they boasted their coalition Accord between the PNCdominated APNU and AFC conferred the necessary “multi-ethnic” legitimacy.

But the composition of the Cabinet announced soon after the elections sent disturbing signals in the Indian-Guyanese “out” group. This was strengthened when eventually 16 of 17 Permanent Secretaries were revealed to be

African-Guyanese. While it is “traditional” for parties to place their supporters in decision-making positions in government, the removal of a wide swath of predominantly Indian Guyanese officials who had been appointed by the PPP and replaced

by African Guyanese was, not surprisingly, perceived as “vindictive” by the former community. Then came the firing of 5700 mostly Indian Guyanese sugar workers, against the recommendation of the Government’s own CoI. In 1992, we had supported the PPP because they had been historically rigged out of office by the PNC following their ouster after CIA-fostered riots and British electoral “innovations”, but also because the PPP had promised an inclusive government if they won.

The “Civic” component with Sam Hinds clearly did not satisfy the PNC, and they launched a strident campaign against several policies and initiatives of the PPP government as being biased against African Guyanese. The Government was accused of engaging in “ethnic cleansing” of the Public Service, even though the PPP had staunched the mass dismissals of public servants initiated

by Desmond Hoyte at the instruction of the IMF. As early as 1995, at a conference in T&T on “Youths and Violence in the Caribbean”, I predicted violence would erupt from the African Guyanese community because of their conviction of being excluded from the ‘national patrimony”.

This was reported back in Guyana with some indignation, since at the time I had been appointed to the Race Relations Task Force.

But the PNC had rejected this body as a source of mediating their ethnic complaints because of Bishop Randolph George being chosen as Chairman.

I concluded that when political activists in the African Guyanese community evaluated their “social facilitation factors” – dominance of the Police and Army (leader of the PNC, Mr Desmond Hoyte referred to them as “kith and kin”); the Civil Service; and most importantly “lumpen elements” in the capital city of Georgetown, where the Government offices were located — violence would be seen as a most viable option. So said, so done; starting from 1998 and ending in 2008 – a period President Granger

euphemistically refers to as “the Troubles”.

The question regarding whether the increasingly polarized, ethnicallydefined crisis in the Indian Guyanese community will erupt into violence depends on how their political leaders assess their “social facilitation factors” – especially the power resources available to them versus the “social control factors” – civil retribution and “official” sanctions that will be unleashed.

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he villagers of Karasabai in Region 9 (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) are now more prepared to welcome visitors with the opening of the highly anticipated Kezee Ecolodge.

For residents and the members of the Tourism Committee, the event was the culmination of years of hard work.

Kezee Ecolodge is the product of a five year journey which started when the village was the recipient of a grant under the Amerindian Development Fund. This fund is managed by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and United

Nations Development Programme.

It was indeed an afternoon of anticipation and elation, which solidifies the village's desire to further develop their tourism product.

Villagers turned out in their numbers for the official opening last week, which was headed by the Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MOIPA), Hon. Valerie Garrido Lowe. Also present at the proceedings were Regional Chairman, Bryan Allicock, representatives from MOIPA, Guyana Tourism Authority, Guyana Livestock Development

Authority, Conservation International Guyana and Visit Rupununi, among other well-wishers.

Conservation International Guyana and Visit Rupununi developed a closer partnership with the village in October 2016, when together they embarked on several working sessions which led to the creation of a tourism master plan which was completed in July 2017. The master plan will serve as a guide and monitoring mechanism for the village to develop and diversify its product offering.

Home to the Macushi people, Karasabai with

a population of 1200, is the exclusive home of the Sun Parakeets in Guyana as such it is one of the main birding destinations in the country (the Sun Parakeet is an endemic bird of the Rupununi) Due to its uniqueness, many birdwatchers travel to this village for their elusive shot of this bird. While visitors spend just a few hours to catch a glimpse of this spectacular bird, the newly opened Eco Lodge is equipped to accommodate

A culture group performs at the opening of the Kezee Ecolodge (Candace Phillips photo)

Welcome to Karasabai (Diego Calderon photo)

four persons and hammock space; the main idea is to provide comfortable lodging for overnight guests. Tourism promotion remains a main focus which is used as a way of generating income for families, especially women.

In an effort to curb the poaching of these birds, the village officials and conservationists encourage youths to become involved as one of the ways of safeguarding wildlife.

There are many other activities to enjoy when visiting the village including hik-

ing; Karasabai is positioned in the valley, surrounded by mountains, which makes the location ideal for this activity. In addition, guides also offer trips along the Ireng River. This picturesque village is quite developed with nursery and primary schools, several churches, an Administrative Center and other guest houses located within the village. In addition, there is an active women’s group and culture group.

(Guyana Times vSunday)

Over 50 coaches to be certified for participation in National Robotics Tournament

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series of Certification programmes for technology ‘buffs’, youth leaders and teachers interested in starting technology clubs in communities will be conducted by STEM Guyana, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Telecommunications.

The one-day sessions will be held over three consecutive days from February 1 to 3.

The seminars will begin with 20 coaches from across the country who had signed up online. On the second day, 20 teachers from local public schools will participate in the sessions, while teachers from private schools in Bartica will be prepared for certification on the final day.

The programme will focus on organising and guiding technology clubs, building and programming of robots, and the fundamentals of MIT Scratch programming.

Scratch is a programming language and online community where tech-savvy individuals receive assistance in creating their own interactive stories, games and animations.

Flashback: The STEM team which represented Guyana at the First Global Challenge in Washington, D.C.

The potential coaches will also learn about the International STEM League and how to use the League’s competition software.

Following the Certification programme, the new Coaches will be expected to form clubs

and then prepare their teams for competition in the upcoming Scratch and Robotics Guyana tournaments.

These will be officially launched by STEM Guyana at the end of February 2018, and community teams led by more

than 50 coaches are expected to participate.

Sessions will begin at 8:30 am in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications.

This certification programme is the brainchild

of one of the STEM Guyana co-founders, Leon Caleb Christian and is being coordinated by another co-founder, Karen Abrams, a Start-up Inclusion Consultant, and Ima Christian who is currently pursuing studies at Stanford University, California, USA. The sessions will also be facilitated by STEM Guyana’s local Master Trainers.

According to Abrams, programmes such as Lego Mindstorm and MIT Scratch, teach computational thinking, problem-solving, logical reasoning and innovative thinking in a fun and engaging environment.

She believes that “not only will these programmes help students to perform better in school, but they will also make students more aware of problems in their own communities, country, region, world and empower them to work on teams to fix these problems”.

Abrams said the skills derived from these training sessions will enable Guyana to compete globally and to exponentially increase the rate of development.

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here is a wellknown saying that goes something like this: “Until lions tell their own stories, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter.” Unlike our knowledge of other nations’ history, little knowledge of the prehistoric story of our first peoples is known or understood among Guyanese, often leading to discrimination and stereotyping.

However, the indefatigable efforts of Jennifer Wishart and others, seek to ensure that Guyana’s indigenous history has its own narrators. Sunday Times Magazine presents the text of “The Prehistoric Warau of Guyana” (1994)

by Jennifer E. Wishart More than 7,000 years ago, when the sea was farther inland than it is today, the Warau lived along the edge of the swamps where the waters of the ocean met with the waters of the rivers.

They ate shellfish which fed off of the roots of the mangrove trees (Rhizophora mangle).

Because their diet comprised mainly shellfish, and they lived this way for thousands of years, their refuse heaps, of various sizes, are found along the northwest coast of Guyana. We call these refuse heaps, shell mounds.

The Walter Roth Museum has excavated many of these shell mounds. The artefacts recovered from these excavations tell us how the Warau lived between 7,000 and 4,000 years ago.

Postholes in the refuse tell us that the prehistoric Warau lived in rectan-

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Understanding the earliest inhabitants

orellana) mixed with oil from the crabwood tree (Carapa guianensis), protected their bodies from insect pests.

When a Warau died, he was wrapped in his ité hammock and placed in his dwelling with his head towards the West - the Land of the Dead. In Warau belief, there is a ‘light’ shaman, bahanarautu, who travels to the House of Smoke Present-day Warau fisher family (Photo from Annette & Dave Martins - Is We Own on Facebook) in the East, and a ‘dark’ shaman gular houses, which were the mush or pulp. This and fish were caught uswho is in contact with the probably thatched with mush was then squeezed ing line sinkers and caspirit of the West, hoarthe leaves of the ité palm. to extract the liquid. dels.

They used beeswax Recovery of a basketWomen wore bead autu. Hoarautu feeds on torches for light. The ry awl suggests that the aprons made from grass the blood and flesh of huwomen collected the aruhuba (matapi) may seeds, while men wore a man beings.

Around 5,300 years chewed out honeycombs have been used for this loin cloth from the bark and boiled them to sep- purpose. The liquid was of the kakaralli tree ago, the Warau inventarate the wax from oth- then strained through (Eschweilera spp.). With ed the dugout canoe on er unwanted materials. ite leaves into small con- a stone bark beater, they Haimarakabra creek, a Before the wax cooled, it tainers, maybe calabash- beat the bark of the tree tributary of the Moruka was formed into lumps, es, and left to settle, af- until it opened up into river. Stone from the and then pressed into ter which the liquid was thin leaves from which Aruka river was taken to rolls from 30 to 90 cen- poured off to reveal the the loin cloth was made. Haimarakabra where it timetres long, and about flour.

Some Warau today use was chipped into the dethree to five centimetres The larvae of the these leaves to roll ciga- sired tool shapes. These thick, like very long can- Rhyncophorus beetle, mo rettes in times of short- blanks were then takdles without wicks. arani, which lays its eggs age. Necklaces made en to Warapoko creek Strands of ité fibre in the pith of the fallen from animal teeth were where they were ground were wrapped around the trunk, provided fats. also worn. Body paint, and sharpened on the rolls and tied, to form exFrom the nearby made from annato (Bixa boulders there, to form proper tools. These tools ternal wicks. The wicks brackish-water swamps, were coated with melt- the Warau gathered proed wax and the upper tein in the form of shellend trimmed to complete fish such as crabs, oysthe abehe, as it is known ters and the Zebra nerite in the language of the (Puperita pupa). The neWarau. rites were put into calThe ité palm, also abashes of water, and known as the “tree of stones, heated in the fire, life”, provided flour for were dropped into the bread. When felled, a calabashes until the nelarge trough was cut into rites were boiled into a its trunk and the inside soup broth, aho. Animals pounded with a wedge- were hunted with spears shaped pestle to reduce and bows and arrows,

were then taken back to Haimarakabra where they were used to shape canoes from the numerous Mora trees (Mora excels), which once grew there.

The dugout canoe was the earliest seaworthy vessel. With its invention, it was possible for the islands of the Caribbean to be peopled.

Artifacts found in Cuba date at around 5,000 years ago.

Warau means “tribesman” or “kin”. So Warau living at Waramuri, Warapoko and Warapana may have been related. Fish traps drawn on the rocks at Waraputa Falls on the Essequibo river also appear on the rocks at Warapoko on the Waini river.

Warauan, which is spoken only by the Warau, is the most ancient of the tribal languages of Guyana.

Unlike the Arawakan (Arawak, Wapisiana) and Cariban (Carib, Akawaio, Arekuna, Waiwai, Makusi, Patamona) languages, its source cannot be traced and the nearest language to it is Timucua, a now extinct language of Florida, in the United States. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Rhynchophorus beetle larvae provided 'fats' for the Warau

Warau shield wrestling game circa 1913

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any families in Guyana have at least one pet, while some have several.

Pets, whether dogs, cats, birds or in some cases even snakes, serve many beneficial purposes. The fortunate ones are even integrated into the family to the extent that they dwell in the homes of their caregivers. Decades of studies point to the curative effects of our animal friends; in many parts of the world, pets are used for many other purposes aside from companionship; they are used to treat the mentally ill, to assist the differently- abled , to soothe the elderly, and most always, they offer unconditional love.

Undoubtedly, caring for a pet can be a very demanding task, requiring a significant amount of money, time and energy.

Unfortunately, for some owners, the responsibility becomes overwhelming and quite often the animals are abused, abandoned or neglected.

Despite the giving and loving nature of many of these animals, not all owners appreciate or even understand that they are deserving of as much love as any other family member. Thankfully, there are institutions like the GSPCA to intercede on behalf of mistreated and forgotten animals. Many Guyanese pet owners today utilise the services of the GSPCA on a daily basis and benefit from the many, low cost services available.

Formerly known as the British Guiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the institu-

tion was established in 1903 by a group of expatriate volunteers after witnessing the ill treatment and suffering meted out to animals ev-

reduce instance of unwanted animals being strayed.

clinics are referenced.

Cruelty investigation Persons witnessing acts of cruelty should call the Clinic or come in during the

At present, they provide low cost boarding services to members of the public for their dogs. Interested persons should make contact with the office to find out the necessary boarding

Pets come in all sizes and species

eryday in the streets of Georgetown. After independence in 1966 the name was changed to The Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

In 2000 the old clinic was replaced with a new and modern building, which is equipped with Boarding facilities, a Surgical room, (2) treatment rooms, a recovery room, Shelter facilities where animals awaiting adoption are housed, a waiting area and an office. It also has a fairly large yard area for exercise purposes for the animals.

Today, the GSPCA continues to be committed to providing low cost health care to pet owners, educating the public on responsible care and treatment of pets, providing shelter to unwanted animals, providing humane euthanasia to injured and sick animals both within and outside the clinic and advocating for spaying and neutering to control the pet population and

The humanitarian work of the institution should not be underestimated as they offer a wide range of services including; Vaccinations GSPCA also provides low cost vaccination services to persons with puppies 6 weeks and older or adult dogs.

Deworming Deworming can be done from as early as 2 weeks of age, depending on the recommendation of the veterinarian. For animals under six weeks of age, persons can uplift the dewormer from the Clinic; and for animals 6 weeks and older, the weight of the animal is needed to determine the correct amount of deworming to be given.

Treatment of minor injuries and illnesses The Clinic tries to provide low cost treatment options for injured and ill animals in catering to the general public’s needs. In instances where the Clinic is unable to provide treatment the relevant persons/

working hours and make a report. These reports will be investigated to the best of our abilities and cases filed with the police when necessary.

Boarding

requirements.

Humane euthanasia Sadly, many times there is need for the Clinic to provide humane euthanasia ser-

vices to members of the public for a number of reasons. These services are provided free of cost where possible and some instances, a small charge is required.

Rehoming The Society's shelter facilitates adoption for persons interested in providing homes for abandoned and unwanted cats and dogs of all ages Volunteering Persons interested in becoming either a volunteer or member of the Society can download and print the relevant forms online or come into GSPCA’s office and collect them.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

GSPCA receiving a donation last year from Hotspotgy

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Guyana still considering refining oil in T&T

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

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overnment is still considering several options when it comes to refining the oil it hopes to receive when oil and gas production commences in 2020, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has said.

Trotman noted that nothing has been ruled out as yet, but the Government was actively looking at all the options before it made a final decision, taking into account offers made by neighbouring countries.

He disclosed that the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago has already made a proposal, which was currently being looked at by all the key players in the decisionmaking process.

“Trinidad has put in a submission and we will have to consider it.

We are still doing so,” he said recently.

The Minister hinted mid last year that Trinidad had already approached Guyana about the idea of refining its oil. That country is currently operating below optimum capacity and is importing oil from Nigeria.

During that same period last year, a large delegation of Trinidadian businessmen and women working in the oil and gas sector had visited Guyana to explore business opportunities.

The 25-member trade delegation lobbied strongly for opportunities, expressing a belief that they could play a role in the nascent sector and efforts would be made to explore opportunities locally.

But Trinidad is not the only country that has expressed an interest in partnering with Guyana.

Suriname had expressed an interest too. However, it was discovered that Guyana’s oil was too light and the chances of it being refined in that country were slim.

Despite this, late last year, Government said it was exploring the possibility of sharing an oil-processing facility with Suriname even as new oil companies had expressed an interest in exploration activities.

“We did discuss with Suriname the possibility of us establishing a joint industrial centre or site to service both countries,” said Minister Trotman in October last year.

His statement came days after his return from a visit to the neighbouring Dutchspeaking Caricom country. “That’s something that I wish to raise with my minister colleagues here,” he added.

Government has already hinted that it would not be investing in an oil refinery at this time, but would support Private Sector efforts towards this end.

Trotman said that while the Private Sector has not yet approached his Ministry on the proposal, the US oil company Chevron has made “a very good proposal” to work in Guyana.

Additionally, Trotman said last week a decision would be made as regards Chevron’s application soon. However, other companies such as Total have submitted

applications for offshore concessions as well.

“That is still pending. They are already looking to collaborate with Eco Atlantic,” he stated.

In May 2017, a feasibility study about Guyana building an oil refinery was shared with the public, at a consultation.

Director of Advisory Services at the United States-based Hartree Partners, Pedro Haas had said that the cost to build a refinery that would produce 100,000 barrels of oil per day was US$5 billion, with a construction period of 50 to 60 months.

This cost not only catered for the off-site location and other facilities, but took into account the cost for energy, hydrogen supply, water and docking.

Even with a smaller oil refinery, Haas said, there was a high possibility of Guyana getting a negative rate of return on an investment of between US$2 billion and US$3 billion.

Some Guyanese here and abroad believe that Guyana should build its own oil refinery, because even if this was done at zero profit, it has the potential to create between 3000 and 6000 jobs. More than that, Guyana could become the exporter of more than 100 by-products, including fertilisers.

Some US$500 million has already been set aside to build an onshore oil and gas facility at Crab Island, at the mouth of the Berbice River. The facility, which will largely support ExxonMobil’s offshore oil exploration and production operations, will include heliports, maintenance and transportation hubs.

Earlier this year, ExxonMobil announced the sixth oil discovery offshore Guyana since 2015. The company had positive results from its Ranger-1 exploration well. This discovery adds to previous world-class discoveries at Liza, Payara, Snoek, Liza Deep and Turbot, which are estimated to total more than 3.2 billion recoverable oilequivalent barrels.

Gunmen beat, rob Chinese couple during home invasion

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The couple’s Garden of Eden, EBD home

Chinese couple are now left in a traumatised state after armed men invaded their East Bank Demerara (EDB) home on Monday evening, terrorising them before carting off their motor car along with cash and valuables.

The couple, Rong Yan Yao, 41, a businesswoman, and Rong Jie King, 40, a businessman, both of Garden of Eden, EBD was attacked about 21:40h.

Guyana Times International understands that the victims were in the upper flat of their two-storey home when six heavily armed men invaded the premises and held them at gunpoint.

One of the bandits demanded that

the couple hand over their valuables, but they refused to do so.

As such, they were both beaten in their heads before the men ransacked their home and relieved them of an undisclosed sum of cash and a large quantity of gold and silver jewellery.

The men then demanded the couple’s car keys and made good their escape in the Toyota pickup, BSS 5412.

An alarm was raised, and the Police were called. The injured couple was taken to the Diamond hospital where they were treated.

When this publication visited the couple’s home, the victims were too traumatised to speak.

An investigation has been launched.

DPP recommends City Constable be charge for alleged rape of minor T

he Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended that charges be brought against City Constable Clifton Pellew for the alleged rape of a minor, who was in his care at the City Constabulary last year.

After much public pressure, City Hall turned the matter over to the Police, who, following an investigation, sought advice from the DPP on the matter.

This publication was reliably informed on Tuesday that the file has been returned to the Police with instructions that the charge be instituted.

The incident allegedly occurred when a 15-yearold boy was taken into custody on August 17, 2017 for wandering. At some point during his detention, the minor was reportedly transferred to the Regent Street, Georgetown Outpost, where the alleged incident occurred between August 22 and 23.

It was only after the allegation made its way into the public domain that City Hall acted on

City Constable Clifton Pellew

the matter. In the aftermath of the allegation, Pellew and another officer, Corporal Quacy Baveghems, were sacked by authorities. It was at this point that the name of the accused found itself in the public domain.

The Local Government Commission (LGC) is also expected to launch a probe into the allegation. Town Clerk Royston King had announced that following the receipt of legal advice, it was decided to forward the matter to the LGC. For its part, LGC Chairman Mortimer Mingo was quoted in sec-

tions of the press committing to investigating the matter as soon as possible. It is unclear at present if the Commission is ensconced in an office of its own. Previously, it had met in Parliament Buildings in order to conduct its affairs.

Protests

Not satisfied with the mere sacking of two officers, protesters have been holding impromptu demonstrations in front of City Hall. There have been accusations that authorities have been trying to cover up the issue. This is something that City Hall has denied.

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Bitch slapped…

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…Bulkan

inister of Communities Ronald Bulkan’s head has to be spinning. And why not, dear reader? After all, he was just bitch-slapped in public by Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green!!

This wasn’t your average bitch-slapping, where the weak, open-handed blow is just accompanied by hair-pulling and face scratching. No…this one was delivered with such ferocity and force that Bulkan was knocked right out of his buckta!!

Now, in this matter, your Eyewitness has to be fair…and it does look to him like Bulkan was just asking for it! Whether Bulkan’s into S&M or anything like that, your Eyewitness can’t say, since he never did complete that psychiatrist correspondence course!!

Imagine, Bulkan had the temerity to tell Her Worship the Mayoress she couldn’t convert some playground into house lots for her and her close associates, like the Town Clerk!!

Can you believe it? Who the heck does Bulkan think he is? Head of Local Government or something?

The Mayoress (?) didn’t mess around: she told him bluntly to quit with the “so-and-so meddling”.

Quoting by-laws and suchlike, she told the Minister where to get off – that is, to go jump into a lake!!

Your Eyewitness isn’t too au fait with the highways and by-laws of the Garden City, but from what’s been going on (down?) since the Mayoress took over from Hamilton Green (no relative, one assumes) the law is whatever the lady says it is!!

Remember when the same Bulkan approved some by-laws to have the parking meter scam approved?

At that time even the Attorney General and the Finance Minister insisted the contract wasn’t kosher and should be headed off at the pass. The Mayoress, on the other hand, had asserted that what she did was hunky-dory, and Bulkan meekly went along!!

So if she now insists the laws governing our fair city allow playgrounds to be doled out to the Mayoress and her cohorts, who’s your Eyewitness (or Bulkan) to say otherwise??

But really, folks, the Mayoress knows there are both formal and informal sources of power, and with the PNC, of which both Bulkan and the Mayoress are executive members, the lady has the inside track on the REAL power switch. Bulkan is mere window dressing – like Nagamootoo – to mamaguy the world into thinking the PNC has changed its stripes. But he’s not a “born PNC”, like the Mayoress.

And that is why the Mayoress can publicly bitchslap him silly: she knows that in the real pecking order she outranks him by miles. Bulkan better wake up and smell the coffee…it’s been brewing not only at City Hall, but in the offices of all governmental offices.

Only those who are born PNC wield real power!! …Oil watchdog One of the peculiar characteristics of Guyanese officialdom is how quickly supposed “watchdogs” become “lapdogs”. Take this Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) that’s supposed to ensure the Government in general, and the Minister of Natural Resources in particular, stay on the straight and narrow where our oil interests are concerned.

The head of this local body – now officially recognized by the international body – is one Dr Rudy Jagopat. He just insisted he can’t comment on the universal accusation (even the IMF!!) that something (many things!!) stinks to high heaven with our oil contract!! He said civil society’s doing a good job, and they should keep it up!!

Now, if the watchdog can’t comment on an accusation that goes to the heart of his function, why do we need him? Well, that’s where the “lapdog” tag comes in! What else can you expect from a fella (where’d he come from?) who’s been working out of Trotman’s office from the beginning?

Watchdogs fed by their targets are bitch-slapped into lapdogs!! …into bassidiness If you were ever wondering about the effects of prolonged bitch-slapping – used to create the “Stockholm Syndrome”, dear reader — all you have to do is follow the utterances of Ramjattan.

They mumble inanities like “It’s God’s work” to explain PNC firing sugar workers!!

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Preserving our literary heritage by Petamber Persaud

N

o, I did not grow up ‘stupidy’ under the Union Jack.

But I did acquire and have lived with many misconceptions in my formative years. Those misconceptions I called ‘beliefs’ (due to a limited vocabulary) because I believed particular bits of information, sold to me, to be facts. And to sort of giving validation to those beliefs was the awareness that they were shared by my contemporaries of that era. Those beliefs stayed with me until a little bit more information and growing pains (days of the wile cane, kneeling on paddy, standing on bench with dunce cap on…) brought elucidation.

For instance, I was under the impression that the only literature was English Literature. That changed early in my life when libraries and bookstores became a significant part of my education. There was a library at the primary school and also at the secondary school I attended, so I was into books very early in life.

Then from touring billboards of cinemas after weekly visits to the National Library, I came into contact with Michael Ford Bookstore and my first set of non-English literature. And what an amazing encounter it was – powerful writing, excellent storytelling.

At the moment I am rereading selected stories from “Great Soviet Short Stories”; here is the opening paragraph of its introduction: “Consciousness of our own vitality is the one yardstick we press against our literature… insisting that reality be the final measure both of it and of us. The more we are aware of the energy moving in us, the more we require our literature to present an understanding of it; the more nearly our literature is, the more nearly we understand ourselves”.

For another instance, I was under the impression that the greatest boxer, Mohamed Ali, was a Guyanese. Everybody was talking about him like he was a son of the soil. Grownups and children were engaged in “fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee” and “rope a dope” etc.

Another belief was that all toothpaste was ‘Colgate’; that was the only brand we had and used for a

long, long time. So, all toothpaste was Colgate until new brands came into our consciousness and fancy.

All alcohol was rum – gin was rum to me, and so was vodka, and brandy etc… Whiskey was a cowboy rum (in Western movies); this was so for a long, long time until I tasted the difference, some of which I liked straight or on the rocks.

Another quick example was green tea – Red Rose green tea was all we used (when it was not bush tea) for a long, long time. So all tea was green tea…

Even some songs I believed to be Guyanese like “Suhaniraat” and “January girls”.

Fast forward to January 2018, when I am singing along to “January girls” and “Calendar girl”, stopping in midstride to go online to ‘check them out’.

Calendar Girl by Neil Sedaka 1961 I love, I love, I love my calendar girl Yeah, sweet calendar girl I love, I love, I love my calendar girl Each and every day of the year (January) You start the year off fine (February) You're my little valentine

(March) I'm gonna march you down the aisle (April) You're the Easter Bunny when you smile...

(May) Maybe if I ask your dad and mom (June) They'll let me take you to the Junior Prom (July) Like a firecracker all aglow (August) When you're on the beach you steal the show...

(September) Light the candles at your Sweet Sixteen (October) Romeo and Juliet on Halloween (November) I'll give thanks that you belong to me (December) You're the present 'neath my Christmas tree...

January Girls by Lord Kitchener 1956 January girls I think are the best January girls are better than the rest...

February girls are very hard to please And like to have their men bowing to their knees And as the March winds blow the girls are just the same They drink you like a fish and give eight false names...

August September and October, it will be Virgo, Scorpio and Libra, Well the girls that were born under these three signs, They like the English weather change their minds, Especially those born under Scorpio, They just tell you yes and then they change to no,...

Well November and December don't trust their sight, They like angels in the day and devils at night...

Another January song is “Auld lang sine” – the song nobody knows.

That song remained a Guyanese song until I discovered Robert Burns visited Guyana in the novel, “Illustrious Exile” written by Andrew O. Lindsay, enhancing the mystique of the song.

Those three songs have seeped into the Guyanese psyche and into our literature so much so that they may pass as Guyanese creations.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

Guyana welcomes UN SG's decision to refer border controversy to ICJ- Greenidge UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

G

uyana welcomes the decision of the SecretaryGeneral (SG) of the United Nations (UN) to refer the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, who in a released statement said that "Guyana has always held the view that the ICJ is the appropriate forum for the peaceful and definitive settlement of the controversy, and is pleased that that view has prevailed under the process developed by both Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Secretary General Antonio Guterres."

Moreover, he posited that Guyana "will not allow factors extraneous to the controversy to influence its referral to the Court, but it will continue the advancement of peaceful relations with Venezuela whose people are the brothers and sisters of Guyanese. In this context, Guyana acknowledges the Secretary-General’s suggestions for the immediate future."

"That Guyana has stood firm against Venezuela’s attempt to re-open a territorial boundary settled and recognised for half a century before its independence, and done so despite the manifest unequal strengths between the two countries, is to our national credit. Guyana, as one of the world’s small developing countries, is pleased that its reliance on the rule of law internationally has been the underpinning of its national sovereignty" said Greendige.

Through the SG’s personal representative, Norwegian diplomat Dag Nylander, Guyana and Venezuela concluded another round of discussions in November 2017.

Nylander had to submit his reports on the talks to the SG at the end of December 2017 before a decision is handed down.

The decades old controversy between the neighbouring countries

began in 1962 when Venezuela claimed that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the Guyana-Venezuela border, is null and void.

Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have worsened ever since oil giant ExxonMobil announced in 2015 that it has found oil in Guyana.

Venezuela has staunchly been against oil exploration in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil found multiple oil deposits.

In fact, Venezuela’s National Assembly had approved an agreement to reject the oil exploration activities in March 2017.

Venezuela, with almost 40 times the population of Guyana and a territory that is several times bigger, claimed in 1968 the entire territorial sea of Guyana by means of the Leoni Decree, which has never been withdrawn.

In 2015, the Government of Guyana requested then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to take steps towards resolving the controversy. In 2016, because of a stalemate on the matter, the outgoing Ban Ki-moon agreed with his successor, Guterres, to continue to use the Good Offices Process until the end of 2017 as a means of arriving at a settlement.

It is with this intention that Guterres appointed Nylander as an envoy to resolve the border controversy.

According to the mandate of the Personal Representative, “If, by the end of 2017, the Secretary-General concludes that no significant progress has been made towards arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, he will choose the International Court of Justice as the next means of settlement, unless the Governments of Guyana and Venezuela jointly request that he refrain from doing so.”

Guyana has maintained that the only way to settle the controversy is by way of a juridical settlement at the ICJ.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Utamu Belle

D

id you know that you can make a vase or a tissue holder using old, wooden clothes pins? How about making stylish jewellery from cocrite or coconut shells? Were you even aware that decorative wall packets can be made from plastic spoons, forks and knives?

Or how about fashionable hats made of old newspapers? Well, these are just a few products made by the creative hands of Lindener, Mrs Shirley Williams, affectionately called 'Miss Shirley' by residents in the Linden community.

For decades, Miss Shirley, a resident of Half Mile, Wismar in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) has been using her gifted hands to create ideal food and decorative designs, and also imparting her knowledge to numerous generations of men and women. It is her belief that ordinary things can be transformed from trash to treasure. "I use the coconut husks in the cake decoration area", she excitingly told the Sunday Times Magazine. "When you finish squeezing out the milk, you wash it out and you dry it. Then you get the dye and you dye it in whatever colour and you decorate the cake stand with it", she continued. According to Miss Shirley, this adds a beautiful grass- like effect to your cake designs, as she explained that the coconut husk can also be used to make wine. She further explained that her interest began with cake decorating in the 1960's, at the age of 19, after seeing her aunt mixing icing with a fork. That interest would lead her down a path of cake decorating and creativity.

Early beginnings

One of the finished craft pieces

"I started icing cake when I got my first son...

When I got my lil’ small change, I would go and buy my icing sugar and every week I would keep practicing...until I know to icing the cake, but not in the right way", she admitted. But patience, perseverance and persistence would keep her connected to the craft she had grown to love. "At that time, I couldn't afford to go and pay for the classes. I had a friend, she decided to go and do the classes, and she bought some thimbles for me. So she used to ice the cake and I would bake it".

Miss Shirley would later have the prestigious opportunity of being part of a group which visited schools in the community conducting icing and pottery classes.

"I said, 'you know what, I ain't putting my hands in no mud! I gonna do the icing'". Following the untimely death of her teacher, she explained that she took the leading role of teaching the class. "I end up teach-

An array of finished products

ing the classes because I had more ideas about it. Then I started doing wedding work and bridal cakes." She later started her own 'sharing the knowledge' classes after forming a group in the 1980's. "We started with a group. 'You teach me, I teach you'. Sharing the knowledge...until I started going to the church and gathering the young people. Anywhere I go and the young people there I would gather them and teach them what I know", Miss Shirley added. By then, her group started to gain momentum, organizing its own local exhibitions. "What we used to do, like every month, or like how Valentine's day coming up, we would make different things and we go on the road and carry out exhibits to sell.

This created a window of opportunities, and then the group was invited to be a part of what became the first national exhibition at the World Food Day event in 1999. She recalled that the group

put on one of the largest exhibitions of craft at the time, and was recognised and interviewed by various agencies. This exposure garnered more opportunities, which ultimately led to the formation of her very first registered group, the 'Blooming Developers' in 2001. The group specialised in delicacies such as meat, fish, rice, cake and pastries, in addition to art and craft, tie dye, fabric painting and floral designs. It was operated out of a makeshift room at the side of her home, which was constructed from scraps of wood and cardboard along with vinyl which was placed over the sand. A year later, the all-female group, which consisted of about 25 members, would then move to include males who were passionate about creating with their hands.

The structure was later upgraded and the group was formally registered in 2003. Miss Shirley's operation was first to pilot a government voucher system at the time, which allowed participants to learn

The creative Miss Shirley Williams

whatever trade they were interested in. Apart from that, she continued to impart her knowledge, through volunteer classes at various schools.

This, she noted, came with its fair share of challenges. "You find that the children want to learn but they don't have the finance. Nevertheless, I used to do what I can and make sure that they get what they want", she explained.

Success stories

She recalls the success story of a female student with whom she worked to get her grade up, even after teachers had given up hope. This, she noted was achieved through timely intervention. Miss Shirley encourages people to focus on using their hands to create economic stability. "Yes, education is very important in your life. You know to read and write these days and you hardly getting a job. Moreover, with the situation in the country today, you need to learn to do something with your hands. Even if you're a nurse or a teacher, you know you would get that money monthly.

But by the time you get that money and pay your bills, money done. But if you're doing something with your hands, you always have something.

Your hands never out of money as long as you're doing something with it", she advised.

Legacy

A cake fashioned and designed like the Coat of Arms

Over the course of her

career, Miss Shirley has participated in several expositions and has received numerous awards and certificates. These days, Miss Shirley, now 76, is not as actively involved in catering and decorating. But her legacy lives on in the lives she's changed through her work. She works along with some of them to this day and they assist her in getting the work done, whenever the need arises. "I get the recipe book and I train people. And when I finish training them I take one of the best out of the set and put them to be teachers", she explained, noting that she gets a feeling of fulfilment from the many success stories of students who have ventured out and created their own businesses. She explained, "I have two young women. They came to classes from school, and when they left they went right into their own business. I have a couple of them abroad that doing their own businesses", she noted. "I don't mind helping people. But they got to help themselves.

Everything has a season now. If you have a trade and it is not working for you, you could use your hands for something else and get a dollar...,� Miss Shirley advised. She added that her interest, to this day, lies with assisting younger folks develop a sense of creativity.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Miss Shirley surrounded by some of her creations

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44 travel & tourism

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com Aishalton Petroglyphs (National Trust)

A

ishalton is about 110 kilometres south of Lethem, which is the main town of the region and can only be reached by 4-wheel drive vehicle or truck. In dry weather the journey takes about 5 hours, while in the wet season the road is often almost impassable.

Home to the Wapishana peoples, Aishalton is an Amerindian village situated in the Rupununi Savannah of southern Guyana, in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region (Region 9). In 2002, an official census recorded a population of 1,063 people in the village, making it the second most highly populated village in the Region (after Lethem), and the most populated village in the southern sub-district.

The main religion in the village is Christianity, with the majority of inhabitants identifying as Roman Catholics and smaller numbers as Pentecostal Christians, Seventh-day Adventists and Anglicans. A very small number of people belong to Hindu and Muslim faiths. The principal economic activities in the village are farming, fishing, and forestry.

Makatau Mountain, which is situated approximately 3 km outside Aishalton village, is one of Guyana’s most well-known archaeological sites. It is particularly well known for the numerous petroglyphs (known locally as “timehri”) that are found on Makatau and on rock-formations in the surrounding area. In the 1970s, the

Guyanese anthropologist, Denis Williams, undertook a detailed archaeological study of the area.

Aishalton Petroglyphs are scattered across the Aishalton district in the Rupununi, Savannah.

Aishalton is one of the most populated settlements in the Upper Takutu-Rupununi region and serves as the administrative centre of the southern sub-district. Makatau Mountain, located some 3 kilometres (1.7 miles) from central Aishalton is one of the country’s most famous archaeological sites. Thousands of these petroglyphs which were pre-dated to 5000 BC illustrate the relationship the first people bore with their surrounding environment and with wild life.

Local cuisine is reflective of traditional Wapishana culture.

Cassava is the main staple used in cooking, and is used to make cassava bread, a marinating sauce called cassareep, farine (similar to cous-cous), and an alcoholic drink called parakari. The production of parakari involves a complicated process with thirty different stages, and the use of a sophisticated fermentation technology. The fermentation of parakari involves the use of an amylolytic mold (Rhizopus), and it is the only known fermented drink to be produced by the indigenous peoples of the Americas that involves the use of an amylolytic process.

(Photos by Girendra Persaud and Visit Rupununi) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

A village with stunning mountain views

A picturesque vantage point

Aishalton- (Photo credit Visit Rupununi)

Big smiles from the residents

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T&T police appeal for Timeline of Guyana/Venezuela help as country records border controversy bloodiest January in history

T

T

he Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) on Monday appealed for support from law abiding citizens as the twin island republic recorded the highest number of murders in the month of January for any one year.

At least 59 people have been murdered since the start of the year, surpassing the 2008 figure for January when 57 people were killed.

Acting Police Commissioner, Stephen Williams, speaking on a television programme, said that despite the police seizing more than 1,000 illegal weapons, the country's porous borders were making it easy for the illegal guns to enter the country.

“They are coming from the USA, they are coming from Latin America generally and therefore our challenge is how we secure our borders against the entry of those weapons.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has focused on firearms seizure as a critical area of our consideration and we have been annually increasing the number of firearms seized in Trinidad and Tobago”.

Williams said that the seizure of 1,064 weapons last year “is way beyond my wildest dream (in) that we have never been able to seize in excess of a thousand firearms in Trinidad and Tobago”.

Williams said despite the record seizure it has failed to put a dent in the number of gun-related crimes including murder, reiterating an earlier position that law enforcement agencies need public assistance in order to deal with the escalating criminal activities.

He said the seizure alone “has not

Stephen Williams

necessarily impacted our violent crime situation and we are exploring different strategies clearly geared towards ensuring that we can create a safer environment.

“But it is tough business,” he said, noting that he had listened to a former police commissioner speaking to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament and he 'was emphasising in addressing our situation that we have to look at it in a broad context.

“Agencies like the police service are just addressing one form of social control but we have a broader consideration to look at, the issues of around the family, the church, education, the community, all those are key institutions of social control,” he said.

He said these institutions must be strengthened if the country is to win the battle against crime.

Last year, Trinidad and Tobago recorded a total of 494 murders, as against 463 the previous year. (CMC)

he Guyana/Venezuela Border Controversy started during the second half of the nineteenth century, between Venezuela and Great Britain over the location of the border between its colony of British Guiana and the Spanish-speaking country.

This continued until an Arbitral Tribunal was empanelled in 1897 to determine the borders and issued an Arbitral Award on October 3, 1899.

Following this, a Joint Commission with representatives from both countries delineated the borders in 1905.

For half a century Venezuela honoured this Agreement in word and deed.

In 1931, a boundary commission made up of representatives from Great Britain, Venezuela, and Brazil agreed on the specific point on Mount Roraima where the boundaries of British Guiana, Venezuela, and Brazil met. A concrete marker was erected soon after. The matter was permanently settled.

Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Esteban Gil Borges in 1941 agreed that the frontier with British Guiana was well defined and was a closed issue.

However, in 1962, Venezuela, uni-

verishly over the years at turning the controversy about its contention of invalidity of the Arbitral Award into a dispute about territory.

Both Guyana and Venezuela in 1982 requested the United Nations Secretary-General to decide on a method of solution to the controversy.

The Secretary-General chose the Good Offices process in 1990.

However, in 2012, after careful consideration, the Government of Guyana had taken the decision to review its options within and consistent with the Geneva Agreement as it did not appear that Venezuela was willing to meet its obligations under the Process.

By 2014, the UN Good Offices process was declared exhausted by Guyana.

Venezuela has consistently embarked on a pattern of subversion, threats, and intimidation.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in May 2015 issued a decree, No. 1787 laying an illegal claim to almost all of Guyana’s maritime zone.

In September 2015, there was an escalation of Venezuelan military activity in eastern Venezuela near to the border with Guyana.

laterally and without any basis or evidence, announced that it regarded the Award of 1899 as null and void.

By November 1965, a meeting in London between Venezuelan and British representatives and a representative from British Guiana was held. A joint Communique stating that both sides should work to “find satisfactory solutions for a practical settlement of the controversy which has arisen as a result of the Venezuelan contention” was issued.

In February of 1966, the governments of British Guiana, Great Britain, and Venezuela, in Geneva, Switzerland signed an agreement by which a bilateral commission was appointed to seek “satisfactory solutions for the practical settlement of the controversy between Venezuela and the United Kingdom which has arisen as the result of the Venezuelan contention that the arbitral award of 1899 about the frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela is null and void.”

A mixed Commission was established out of the Geneva Agreement, however, from the beginning, Venezuela ignored the main role of the agreement under which the Commission was established to deal with Venezuela’s contention of nullity in the 1899 award.

That Mixed Commission was unable to fulfil its mandate largely because Venezuela declined to deal with the question of its contention of the nullity of the 1899 Award.

The Geneva Agreement does not state or imply that there is a territorial controversy between the countries or that there is a matter where the border between the two countries is unsettled.

What it recognises and seeks to resolve is the Venezuelan contention that the Award of 1899 is null and void.

Venezuela, however, has worked fe-

The Government of Guyana strongly denounced this decree calling it a flagrant violation of international law and inconsistent with the principle that all states should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states.

Guyana further rejected the illegality of the decree which sought to undermine Guyana’s efforts at development through the exploitation of natural resources offshore.

In July 2015, Venezuela issued a second decree, 1859 reiterating its claim. By September that same year, Venezuelan gunboats and troops were deployed along Guyana’s borders.

On December 15, 2016, the former UN Secretary-General, His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon, informed the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela, of his decision under Article IV (2) of the 1966 Geneva Agreement as to the means of settlement of the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.

Secretary-General Ban informed that the Good Offices Process will continue for one final year, until December 31, 2017, with a strengthened mandate of mediation.

It was stated that if by the end of 2017, Secretary-General António Guterres concludes that significant progress has not been made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, he will refer the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for juridical settlement.

In February 2017, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres named Norwegian lawyer and diplomat, Dag Nylander as Good Officer to Georgetown and Caracas.

President David Granger met with the UN Good Officer in April 2017.

On January 30, 2018, UN SecretaryGeneral Guterres referred the matter to the ICJ for juridical settlement.

(DPI)

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Family ties!

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By Anu Dev

God and sugar

S

atiricus was anxious to get over to the Back Street Bar. It wasn’t as if he badly needed a beer – even though the day was unbearably humid and hot – but, once again, he figured he had the ammo to finally defend his leaders of the KFC – Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat. In this new year, he would be third time lucky!

“I hope you fella will now stop cussing out Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat for the sugar firings,” he blurted out as soon as he’d taken the obligatory swig of his beer.

“An’ wha’ mek abee sh’ud do da?” asked Cappo mildly.

“Didn’t you read Rum Jhaat explain the whole thing?” asked Satiricus with some annoyance. “It’s because God wanted it so.” His friends around the table all swiveled around and looked at him in disbelief.

“Yuh mean ah Gaad wuk dat Nagga Man guvment knack aff 5700 people?” asked Bungi indignantly.

“Well, think about it,” said Satiricus. “Don’t you believe everything is in God’s hands?”

“So when Hitler killed off six million Jews, that was also God’s work?” asked Hari as he leaned over the table and looked hard at Satiricus.

“C’mon fellas,” pleaded Satiricus. “That’s not fair!”

“Budday! Na de same t’ing?” asked Cappo. “If ev’ryt’ing ah Gaad wuk, and yuh cyaan blame de guvment fuh wha happen to abee suga worka, how yuh guh blame Hitla?”

“Well maybe what Rum Jhaat meant is those sugar estates were meant to be closed,” suggested Satiricus.

“Their time was up.”

“Sato, lemme aks yuh somet’ing, ole fr’en,” said Bungi softly. “If Gaad a do ev’ryt’ing, wha’ mek Rum Jhaat an’ Nagga Man and all a dem in guvment a collect dem fat salary?”

“Well, I didn’t think of that,” Satiricus confessed after some reflection.

“Well, Sato,” said Cappo. “Jus’ like how Gaad gi’e abee brain fuh pick sense fram nansense, E gi’e Rum Jhaat an’ Nagga Man sense too.”

“It’s just that Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat use their brains to fill their own pockets!” said Hari with a grin.

“To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.” – Confucius

“F

amily”– a word that’s casually thrown about; taken for granted really, used flippantly without knowing the exact meaning. It’s not given the importance it deserves; and by extension, the family members are probably not getting enough importance either.

Being away almost five years has certainly focused my mind on family and what it means!!

How many of you parents take the time to connect with your children and find out how their day went? How many of you parents take the time to find out about all of those little things in your daughter or son’s life? And how many kids take the time to find out how was their mom or dad’s day at work?

The values we learn from our families are the ones that mould us; the ones that shape us as individuals. In high

school, when our teacher taught us the proverb “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the World”, I always used to think it was terribly clichéd, and so I disregarded it. But I realise now that, hackneyed though the adage may be, it still holds a simple truth: the institution of the family — in which the mother is the touchstone — has great power. But with that great power comes great responsibility. And it is not just the mother’s hand that should ‘rock’ the cradle; fathers, we know, are just as important.

I have noticed a strange phenomenon developing in our society: Parents are refusing to be parents; they want to be “friends” with their children. My parents have a rule: they are friendly with their children, but they’re not our friends! I commend that rule to parents out there.

It works. Children don’t take too kindly to their

A

Ricky Harripersad

cocktail of alcohol and bad temper led to a tragic end for two siblings who spent childhood into manhood together as one ended up in the mortuary while the other sat restlessly in jail.

Police said Ricky Harripersad, 37, a labourer of San Francique died around 3 am yesterday after being stabbed in the neck by the 27-year-old brother on Monday night.

A report stated that the men had an argument at their home, about nothing in particular, which led to

just, say, co-workers.

The family, then, needs to go back to what it was intended to be — an institution to provide care and teaching of the fundamental values to the next generation. If those values are not set when young, little change can be expected later.

Of course that’s not to say all families are ‘dysfunctional’, and that all family members are strangers. It’s just that we might be headed for that, with everyone getting more and more caught up in their own busy lifestyles, and each person looking out only for #1.

So, friends, take the time to connect with your family members.

Don’t lock yourself away in your room all day, while you’re on Facebook connecting with people from across the world, when you can’t connect with family in your own house. They can’t “unfriend” you!

Look back…

Sibling rivalry ends in death in T&T

the suspect picking up a kitchen knife and stabbing Harripersad.

Harripersad’s father, Ramnarine told the T&T Guardian that he was in his bedroom watching The Legend of Tarzan when he heard another son bawling in the living room.

When he reached outside, he saw Ricky lying on the ground with his girlfriend, Britney, covering his wound with a cloth. He said even when he went outside and looked at the suspect, who appeared to be intoxicated, he too was threatened with death.

By the time police arrived, the suspect had left. However, he surrendered to police yesterday morning.

Ramnarine said both sons live at his home and never really had any major arguments or fights.

He said the killing may have been influenced by the suspect’s drunken condition at the time.

(Trinidad Guardian)

friends telling them what to do, so “friendparents” shouldn’t be surprised when they’re ignored!!

Parents also need to make sure that they are fulfilling their responsibility to their children by ensuring that they’re a part of their childhood. If you’ve ever had those moments when you look at your kid and you realise you don’t really know your own child, you’re clearly doing something wrong.

And you can connect only when you share experiences with them. If your child is expected to learn their key values from you, what do you expect them to learn if you’re not interested in teaching them anything? And remember: you teach values by doing, not just speaking! If you don’t do that, don’t be surprised that while you’re connected by the strongest bond ever – blood — you’re further apart than if you were

O

…in anger at all killings

n the day before the 10th anniversary of the Lusignan massacre, when 11 men, women and children were massacred by the Fineman gang operating from neighbouring Buxton, President Granger called once again for an inquiry into the killings of what he calls “the troubles”, between 2002 and 2008.

Whether or not such an inquiry ever takes place, Guyanese cannot let such a day go as low-keyed as on the 26th of January this year.

Have we become so jaded that we do not recall the memory of the guts of those poor children spilling out of their bellies when they were pulled out from under their beds and shot in cold blood? What kind of people are we that this barbarism is already forgotten, as are the other two massacres that were conducted at Bartica and Lindo Creek later that year? Thirty-three persons were massacred before most of Fineman’s gang were killed in a shootout with our armed forces.

At the trial of some surviving gang members, there were admissions of the gang’s culpability.

The question to be asked in the present is: Why are there some in our midst who talk of “troubles” and killings by phantom squads and Police squads, but never mention the slaughter of these innocents?

And why does Granger want the inquiry to only begin in 2002? Didn’t the killings start with the protests by his PNC after they refused to accept they lost the 1997 elections? Who were the persons described by Eusi Kwayana as “political sophisticates” who were behind the “freedom fighters” of whom Fineman was a member?

But we know that from the beatings and arson of anyone looking like a “PPP supporter” during the PNC protests came the killings of thirty businessmen in 1998. Enemies were defined and marked as outside the pale, who could therefore be killed with impunity.

The wages of voting for the PPP were death. The bottom line is that all the persons who were killed in Lusignan were also from the PPP “tribe”. Fineman Rawlins might have wanted revenge for the kidnapping of his childmother, but if everyone, including the President, is claiming a drug war was taking place, the question has to be asked: Why only people looking like “PPP supporters” were executed at Lusignan? Were they supporters of the Drug Lords?

Today, your Eyewitness wonders what has been the fate of those wives, husbands, and especially the children who survived that fateful day when 20 gunmen from their neighbouring village burst into their homes and committed that mayhem.

And why is it the President feels the conditions for history to repeat itself are being created? …at God and sugar Your Eyewitness now knows he’s heard it all. AFC Chairman Ramjattan went out with a band of Ministers from his APNU/AFC coalition to give comfort to the hundreds of sugar workers of Enmore, whom they fired just before Christmas. Your Eyewitness had thought it was callous of the Government to wield their axe at that special religious time of the year. But now he knows why.

According to Ramjattan, seems it was God who wanted the estates to be shuttered!! Your Eyewitness is sure Ramjattan has some direct pipeline to God to lay the responsibility on Him…but all he can say is the Big Fella certainly moves in mysterious ways!! Hasn’t the Government claimed it was those dastardly PPP types who’d caused the estates to be closed down because of their greed and avarice? But if Ramjattan’s to be believed (and he wouldn’t tell lies on God, would he?)

God must’ve put them up to it!

And here your Eyewitness thought the PPP were communist unbelievers!! …at sugar land Now that sugar workers have gotten their marching orders, like the freed slaves of yore, we hear that after the “valuation” exercise, some lands will be leased to them.

But, by then, will they be around to take up the offer?

48 Bollywood

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Yuvraj Singh is making wife Happy Birthday Preity Zinta: The dimpled beauty Hazel Keech’s selfies sexier C sure knows her craft

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indi film industry often boasts of two kinds of actors. One, who bank on their looks and personality alone to woo the audience and second, the ones who win hearts with their craft. Preity Zinta has found her own place somewhere between the two.

Known around the globe for her dimples, Preity has constantly experimented with her roles in her decade-long career, be it the forthright Priya (Kya Kehna), the naive Shalini (Dil Chahta Hai) or the uptight Naina (Kal Ho Naa Ho).

Preity Zinta made her debut in 1998 with Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se. And despite having no more than 20 minutes of screen time, she left an impression in the minds of fans. However, it was her breakthrough performance as a single mother in Kya Kehna that helped her gain a foothold in the industry. She has often taken up unconventional characters, like the surrogate prostitute in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, and given layered and nuanced performances.

Kya Kehna (2000)

Preity Zinta’s portrayal of single teenage mother Priya Bakshi in Kundan Shah’s Kya Kehna was a breakthrough performance, not just because it broke the stereotypes against pre-marital pregnancy but also because, Priya takes the liberty of falling in love with two different men over time. And seldom had our industry portrayed female characters facing such choices. Though not an exceptional success at the time of its release, Kya Kehna became a sleeper hit later.

Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai had for long been credited as the most definitive film on friendships in Bollywood. It was also the first coming-of-age films that portrayed Indian

youth in a way that was not only realistic but also relatable. In Dil Chahta Hai, Preity Zinta plays Aamir’s love interest Shalini. And it’s her strong character story that makes Preity’s act believable. Yes, she does dog down under her family’s pressure to marry a guy she doesn’t want to but her practical approach to life is perfectly summed up in her dialogue, “But Rohit’s a good guy. He has a few flaws. Who doesn’t?”

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

Preity Zinta gave the geeky ‘chashmish’ look a new meaning with her act as Naina Mathur in Kal Ho Naa Ho. Introduced as an uptight barely-eversmiling girl in the beginning, Naina’s character takes a leap through the course of the film by going through the pangs of love for Aman (Shah Rukh Khan). Naina’s unbridled laugter, her forthrightness along with her insecurities made her one of the most relatable characters in the film.

Veer-Zaara (2004)

Zinta plays star-crossed lover Zaara Haayat Khan opposite Shah Rukh Khan’s Veer Pratap Singh. She received a lot of appreciation from critics for her portrayal of a Pakistani woman who falls in love with an Indian man.

Her performance was restrained yet lively and kept audiences hooked to the screens.

Lakshya (2004)

Preity Zinta and Farhan Akhtar joined hands again for the 2004 war drama Lakshya. Preity’s performance as Romila Dutta, a student activist and reporter is quirky and energetic in the beginning but it turns even more nuanced when she joins Hrithik Roshan’s character Karan to cover the 1999 Kargil War. Happy 43rd, Preity Zinta! (Indian Express)

elebrity couple Hazel Keech and Yuvraj Singh can’t seem to get enough of each other even after a year of their wedding.

Recently, the couple took to their respective Instagram handles to share their latest selfies. While Hazel looks pretty as always in the selfies, Yuvraj’s “smouldering face” steals the show.

Yuvraj Singh shared a selfie clicked by his beautiful wife. The ace Indian cricketer is seen photobombing the selfie, making it sexier. Yuvraj captioned the photo, “When your wife is busy posing and your smouldering face photobombs and then u make her selfie sexier.” Hazel and Yuvraj are often found goofing around taking funny and cute digs at each other. They really share a beautiful bond

of love.

Hazel Keech also shared a photo with Yuvraj Singh, where he is seen taking a nap.

And as an answer to her hubby’s post, she captioned the photo with a question, “Is this Selfie Sexier because you’re in it @yuvisofficial ?? (Im

scared people will still vote yes) hehehe….. finally i got a sneaky sleeping selfie of you.”

Model turned actress Hazel Keech tied the knot with Indian all-rounder cricketer Yuvraj Singh in November 2016. (Indian Express)

‘Hichki’ actor Rani Mukerji cancels TV show shoot due to back injury

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ctor Rani Mukerji, who is awaiting the release of her comeback film Hichki, had to cancel the shoot for India’s Next Superstar after developing acute back pain. The TV show features Rani’s close friend Karan Johar as one of the judges, apart from Golmaal Again director Rohit Shetty.

The actor, who was supposed to promote Hichki on the Star Plus show, injured her back a few days ago.

Nevertheless, Rani reached the show’s set for the episode but after the pain aggravated, she decided to skip the shoot, says a source from the set.

“Rani has been in excruciating pain for the past three days. She is a thorough professional and despite her back issue she landed up on the sets of India’s Next Superstar today,” the insider said.

“She was getting ready to shoot with her best friend Karan Johar and Rohit Shetty and that’s when she again felt a surge in pain. She couldn’t move. Her pain was excruciating again and unfortunately she had to rush back home to be attended by her doctor. We hope she gets well soon,” the source added.

A source from the reality show,

which also features Rohit Shetty, told indianexpress.com that the creative team is figuring out if the shoot can be rescheduled.”

The trailer of Hichki was released in December last year. And ever since, the film has been keeping cinefans excited. The film highlights the issue people face after being tagged underdogs and has Rani at the core of its plot. It celebrates self-belief, the resilience of human spirit and hope.

Hichki is directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and has been produced by Maneesh Sharma. The film is set to release on February 23, 2018. (Indian Express)

Shah Rukh Khan makes fun of his ‘Raees’ character

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ou can always count on the Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, to make things seem funnier than they are with his brilliant wit and charm. Shah Rukh can even turn a serious government affair like International Customs Day into a completely fun event.

During the weekend, Bollywood stars graced the big event in Mumbai. While SRK performed to great cheer from the audience, other actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma and Ranveer

Singh were also seen performing at the function.

When SRK finally took the stage, the crowd started yelling “Raees”. Shah Rukh, as usual, quickly turned things around

with a joke saying, “Mai sirf ek baat bolna chahta hu, wo film me character tha ek to custom wale mujhe serious na lein kabhi as Raees. Wo smuggler type tha, mujhe lagta hai bilkul accha nahi

tha. Aur jab mai dadhi karta hun tab aisa hota hu, aisa mai hoon nahi. (I do not want the customs officers to take the character I played in Raees seriously. He was a smuggler of sorts, I nev-

er really developed a fondness for the character. I only look like a smuggler when I grow my beard, I am not actually one.)”

And then King Khan proceeded to mouth one of the famous lines from the 2017 Rahul Dholakia movie to great applause.

The International Customs Day was organised by the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai at the Yashwantrao Chavan auditorium.

Ranbir Kapoor also performed at the event to his Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

song, “Badtameez Dil”.

Ranbir was joined by a throng of fans as he showed off his cool moves. Judwaa 2 star Varun Dhawan also graced the stage as he took a selfie with the crowd.

Anushka and Alia also made an appearance at the event. The two looked lovely in their traditional attire as they matched steps. Padmaavat star Ranveer Singh had a blast at the function as he shared the stage with music legend Bappi Lahiri and actor Riteish Deshmukh.

(Indian Express)

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Hollywood 49

‘Call Me by Your Name’ Oprah Winfrey not interested in presidential bid director Luca Guadagnino to

O

prah Winfrey made it very clear that she will not run in the 2020 United States presidential election, as she does not “have the DNA” for the same. The talk show host, however, was widely touted as a potential candidate for the Democratic party in the hope that her celebrity brand could rival Donald Trump’s appeal.

But in an interview with the InStyle magazine Winfrey said, “I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could

not.”

“And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it,” she added.

According to the magazine, the 63-yearold gave the interview three weeks before picking up the Cecil B DeMille award at the Golden Globes for outstanding contribution to entertainment and delivering the widely-praised speech that was seen by many as a prelude to a presidential bid.

In her Golden Globes speech, she spoke powerfully on themes of race, gender, power and the ‘Me Too’ campaign against sexual harassment.

When she told “all the girls watching here… to know that a new day is on the horizon!” many took it to mean that she might consider a bid for the US presidency.

The hashtags #Oprah2020 and #OprahForPresident began trending on social media and a number of celebrities gave her their support.

On a same note, a survey, recently published by CNN said, President Trump lags behind Winfrey in the 2020 elections.

(Indian Express)

‘Mission Impossible 6’: Tom Cruise reveals his ankle is still broken

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om Cruise has opened up about his Mission: Impossible 6 accident and revealed his ankle is still broken.

Cruise, who recently appeared on The Graham Norton Show with his MI co-stars Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Cavill and Simon Pegg, said, “It’s still broken but I’m doing well. It’s not fully healed but we are shooting and we have a release date so I just have to keep going.”

“I spent eight to 10 hours a day, seven days a week in rehab because we still have some major stunts to do,” the 55-year-old said, as reported

by E! Online.

Explaining the accident that happened in August last year, Cruise said, “I was chasing Henry and was meant to hit the side of the wall and pull myself over but the mistake was my foot hitting the wall.”

“I knew instantly my ankle was broken and I really didn’t want to do it again so just got up and carried on with the take. I said, ‘It’s broken. That’s a wrap. Take me to hospital.’ And then

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C

all Me by Your Name director Luca Guadagnino says he aims to address the HIV-AIDS crisis in the planned sequel of the movie.

Based on the novel of the same name which takes place at the height of the AIDS epidemic in 1987, the gay romance film showcased Elio and Oliver’s summer love story to 1983, around the time HIV was discovered.

The 46-year-old filmmaker said the disease would be “a very relevant part” of the next installment. “I think it’s going to be a very relevant part of the story. I think Elio (Timothee Chalamet)

will be a cinephile, and I’d like him to be in a movie theatre watching Paul Vecchiali’s Once More (a 1988 film about a man who falls in love with a man after he leaves his wife, which was the first French movie to deal with AIDS). That could be the first scene (in the sequel).

“The novel has 40 pages at the end that goes through the next 20 years of the lives of Elio and Oliver (Armie Hammer), so there is some sort of indication through the intention of author Andre Aciman that the story can continue,” Guadagnino told The Hollywood Reporter. The filmmaker said he hopes the movies develop as a decade-long Before Sunrise-like series.

“In my opinion, “Call Me…” can be the first chapter of the chronicles of the life of these people that we met in this movie, and if the first one is a story of coming-of-age and becoming a young man, maybe the next chapter will be, what is the position of the young man in the world, what does he want – and what is left a few years later of such an emotional punch that made him who he is?” he said. Call Me… has received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Chalamet.

(Indian Express)

Critics term Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’ exceptional, moving and thrilling everyone got on the phone and made their vacation arrangements.”

The Top Gun star, known for completing many of his own death-defying stunts, broke his ankle in August during a roof-jumping stunt while filming for the movie in London.

The film which is helmed by Christopher McQuarrie is set to the screens in July 2018. Mission Impossible 6 also stars Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin and Sean Harris in pivotal roles. (Indian Express)

Tom Hanks all set to play ‘Mr Rogers’ in biopic titled ‘You Are My Friend’ merican Television’s friendly neighbour Fred Rogers, commonly known as Mr Rogers, is going to be immortalised in a biopic starring Tom Hanks. Titled You Are My Friend, the film, backed by TriStar Films, is helmed by Diary of a Teenage Girl director Marielle Heller with a script by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.

While talking about the project, Heller told Variety, “I’m thrilled to be making You Are My Friend. The script knocked me out with its message of kindness and its exploration of the human spirit. As a mother, I am so inspired by the teachings of Fred Rogers and as a human I am in awe of his life’s work. I can’t wait to bring his story to the public and be a part of such a thoughtful, smart group of people who are all coming together to make this film, which truly feels to me like an antidote to our very fractured culture.”

Earlier too, a documentary by Oscarwinning filmmaker Morgan Neville titled Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

tackle HIV and AIDS in sequel

explored Rogers’s three-decade long career featuring various interviews and rare footage but You Are My Friend is based on a completely different side of Rogers. Inspired from a real-life relationship between Fred Rogers and Esquire journalist Tom Junod, the film traces how a cynical journalist’s view on life transforms completely after he reluctantly accepts to write a profile piece on the beloved icon Rogers.

Announcing the news on Twitter, Junod also tweeted, “It is finally happening, and in the best of ways: a movie, very loosely based on the article I wrote for @Esquire 20 years ago, with Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, two innovative screenwriters from “Transparency” scripting, and Marielle Heller directing. Well-timed, for this moment.”

Last seen in The Post, Tom Hanks is no stranger to playing real-life roles.

In the Oscar nominated The Post too, Hanks played Washington Post editorin-chief Ben Bradlee. He also played the legendary figure of Walt Disney earlier in Saving Mr Banks. (Indian Express)

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arvel Studios’ Black Panther recently held its world premiere, and it looks like the critics have nothing but positive things to say about the superhero movie.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Chadwick Boseman as King T’Challa/Black Panther who, after his return to Wakanda, wears the armour again to save his people.

Tre’vell Anderson of LA Times wrote after the premiere, “#BlackPanther is a love letter about blackness, to a world that often ghettoizes it without realizing that it is on black backs that this planet revolves.”

While David Ehrlich of Indiewire tweeted, “BLACK PANTHER is like a Marvel movie, but better, the action is predictably awful, but this is the first MCU film that has an actual sense of identity & history & musicality.

Wakanda is alive. whole cast is great but the women (and the war rhinos) steal the show — Danai Gurira!”

The owner and editor of slashfilm. com, Peter Sciretta took to Twitter to express his opinion on the movie. He wrote, “Ryan Coogler knocked it out of the park, some great sequences presented in a “single take/shot.” If this movie isn’t nominated for costume, art and production design awards next year, I would be seriously shocked.

#blackpanther.”

Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandago, wrote, “#BlackPanther is exceptional – the James Bond of the MCU. You’ve seen nothing like this in a superhero movie – it’s bold, beautiful & intense, but there’s a depth & spiritualness that is unlike anything Marvel has ever done. It’s 100% African & it is dope af.”

Angie J. Han of Mashable also couldn’t stop raving about the movie, and tweeted, “#BlackPanther: I never wanted this movie to end, and as soon as it did I wanted to go back.

Solid action, smart story, tons of personality. Shuri is my new fave, Nakia is everything, Killmonger is incredible, T’Challa deserves to rule the MCU. Coogler has done it again.”

And Brian Truitt of USA Today also lauded the movie with glowing words as he tweeted, “#BlackPanther is simply awesome. Extremely bold and as touching as it is thrilling, it boasts GOT-style intrigue, crazy innovative action and a deep bench of memorable characters. Top 5 all-time Marvel movie, easy.”

The movie features Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o and Andy Serkis in pivotal roles. (Indian Express)

50 sport

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana football administration hoping to turn ‘raw talent’ into professionals

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'Rahane a strong candidate for No. 4' – Kohli

Guyana Football Federation Technical Director Ian Greenwood watches some of youngsters showcase their skills in a talent identifying exercise in Albouystown on Sunday (Akeem Greene photo)

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) led by their Technical Director Ian Greenwood and his team undertook a scouting and development exercise at the Albouystown tarmac (opposite the Masjid) on Sunday aimed at extracting the ‘raw talent’ of the young players to hopefully become future national team stars.

According to Greenwood, the project which is in its infancy stages is already promising to be a booming success should the GFF garner the required sponsors to extend the federation’s reach.

“This is the first one of these projects and we are looking to do a lot more around the city. We know there is a lot of raw talent and this morning [Sunday] we have seen a lot of it and some very positive play from a lot of the young boys and girls. It is well received”.

When Guyana Times International Sport visited the scene budding footballers from as young as four and up to eighteen years-old were engaged in various team and skill enhancing drills un-

der the watchful eyes of technical officers and GFF President Wayne Forde.

“The idea is we come in and develop their game, given them some more technical understanding. A lot of it is about decision making. We have seen they want to keep the ball for themselves and do tricks but the key is understanding when to move the ball, when to run with it and when to pass”, Greenwood added.

Aside from the scouting exercise, the programme was aimed on helping to stimulate players social development and then gravitate the players into their academies. GFF are understood to have 13 Scotiabank sponsored academy centers for boys and girls, in the nine member associations.

The academies will offer at least five age-specific, professional training sessions per week in line with the new national football coaching and playing philosophy. There is also a grassroots participation sessions for boys and girls aged 5-11, while there will are sessions for Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 boys and Under-17 girls. (Akeem Greene)

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Ajinkya Rahane shapes to cut (BCCI photo)

hat to do with Ajinkya Rahane in ODIs is a question India have grappled with since the last World Cup. As action moved to slower pitches, captain MS Dhoni identified him as a batsman who could open the innings but would struggle against the older, softer ball. With the opening positions packed with two of the best in ODI cricket right now, the other possible role for Rahane was to play in the middle order on quicker pitches outside Asia.

As captaincy changed hands, Virat Kohli went back to Rahane but used him mostly as an opener on slower surfaces. You could see Rahane was too good a batsman to give up on.

Especially when he has the versatility of being able to bat at the top and in the middle. Kohli, though, made it clear he was in the squad exclusive as an opener or a back-up opener. That seemed like a waste at that time, but now on quicker pitches - and hoping for quick pitches in England too - Rahane has made a strong comeback as a contender for that dual role.

"I had said earlier that Ajinkya will be looked at as a third opener, but that situation can change because he has batted at No. 4 in a World Cup before," Kohli said a day before India start the ODI series in South Africa. "These conditions are such that you get to play fast bowling throughout the innings so he becomes a strong candidate for No. 4. Other than that we have Shreyas [Iyer], Manish [Pandey], Kedar [Jadhav] can play No. 5 and 6, Hardik [Pandya] is there, and MS [Dhoni] is obviously there. We have kept all these options open, we don't want to be one-dimensional. It depends whose technique is more suited to what spot.

Especially in that particular country.

All options are open."

This change of mind is not purely out of newfound love for Rahane. India have had an issue with the No. 4 position, and consequently with the whole middle and lower middle order, for a while now. So much so that they seem to be carrying four options for that one position. Their top three is arguably the best in the world, and they seem to be okay with Jadhav, Dhoni and Pandya sharing the positions of 5, 6 and 7 among themselves.

"It's about who takes that one particular spot," Kohli said. "It's not even spots above and below. Guys who are given the opportunity need to capital-

ise and really string in performances that convince the management and the team very soon that that guy is meant to play at that spot for the team. I feel the core of players is more or less pretty strong at the moment. Obviously changes can happen at any stage. You don't know whether someone is going to be in form or not or what the team requires at certain stages. How I see it, more or less the core is found.

"The lower middle order is more or less sorted. The combination is working well for us with Hardik and Kedar and MS rotating and batting together. No. 4 is something we have experimented with in the last couple of series. That is the only spot I can see that needs to be solidified otherwise the team looks pretty balanced."

It sounds great to nail it down to just one slot, but as a connect between the top order and the hitters, the role of that No. 4 becomes important. For a while now, the only two kind of matches India seem to lose is where either their bowlers get smashed by batsmen taking high risks on a flat pitch or if there is a slowdown in the middle and lower middle order. They have three series on quicker pitches - this one in South Africa, three matches in England, and a series in New Zealand early next year - before the World Cup, and Kohli will be aware the sooner someone nails that spot the better it is.

These series are also a chance for India to see how their wristspinners go on less helpful pitches after a bumper year at home. Kohli, though, sounded confident his side was on to a good thing with Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. "We are one of the few teams, or probably the only team in world cricket, to be blessed with two wristspinners," Kohli said. "And Kedar Jadhav doing the conventional job pretty well for the team. That's why I said the balance of the team is pretty good at the moment. Wristspinners help you in any conditions in the world.

Wristspinners can go for six an over but they will pick you three wickets as well, which is eventually the difference in the game.

"We are happy to have two who are very different to each other. We don't have two leggies or two chinaman bowlers. Both are very different and versatile in their own way. I think that is going to be a major strength for this team going forward."

Sport 51

WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Andre Russell set to return after year-long ban

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est Indies allrounder Andre Russell will play his first competitive cricket match in a year when he represents Jamaica in the Regional Super50, West Indies' domestic 50-over competition, against Leeward Islands on Friday in Antigua.

Russell is free to play cricket again having served a year-long ban for violating the whereabouts clause under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code. An independent tribunal in Jamaica found Russell guilty of the charge and banned him from playing any cricket between January 31, 2017 and January 30 this year.

A three-member tribunal comprising Hugh Faulkner, Dr Marjorie Vassell and Dixeth Palmer, a former Jamaica cricketer, found Russell guilty of being negligent in filing his whereabouts on three separate occasions within a 12-month period in 2015.

Under the WADA rules, that amounts to a failed dope test.

Russell is one of the most soughtafter players in T20 leagues around the world. Recently, along with his West Indies team-mate Sunil Narine, Russell was one of the two players retained by Kolkata Knight Riders before the IPL auction. Knight Riders paid Russell INR 8.5 crore ($1.33 million approx.) for the retention.

At present, Russell's focus would be to test his physical as well as match fitness in the Super50 tournament in the West Indies. Out of the eight matches Jamaica play, Russell is expected to play most, if not all, before he departs for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which starts in Dubai from February 22. Russell is part of Islamabad United, the inaugural title winners in 2016.

As he prepared for his return, Cricket West Indies announced last week that Russell was one of the four players that had decided to skip the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers, which

Andre Russell

CPL to bowl off August 8

– Marquee players will be available

run parallel to the PSL. The CWI media release quoted Courtney Browne, chairman of selectors, saying Russell, along with the Trinidad & Tobago trio of Narine, Darren Bravo and Kieron Pollard had opted to play in the PSL instead of the Qualifiers.

However, Johnny Grave, the CWI's chief executive officer, clarified that he understood Russell's position. Even before he was banned, Russell had only been playing T20 cricket for West Indies. His last ODI appearance was in 2015. When CWI reached him recently, Russell made the selectors aware that he was still keen to play for West Indies in the ODI and T20 formats. He just wanted time to regain his match fitness and confidence.

According to Grave, Russell told the selectors that since he was returning after over a year, he was confident of making himself available for the Qualifiers, which has the highest significance for West Indies.

After the PSL, Russell will head to India for the IPL. He is then likely to be part of the West Indies A squad to face England A for one-day matches.

Based on his performances, the selectors are likely to consider him for selection for the home ODI series against Bangladesh in the coming summer.

(ESPNCricinfo)

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Providence will host the opening leg of matches much to the delight of the cricket-crazy fans

window for the sixth edition of the Caribbean Premier League has been finalised, with the tournament to take place between August 8 and September 16. The schedule for the CPL has been set to avoid matches coinciding with West Indies’ international games, allowing marquee players to submit their names for this year’s draft.

Speaking at the announcement, CPL’s chief operating officer Pete Russell said, “Here in the Caribbean we are blessed with some of the most exciting cricketers in the world and it is fantastic news that all West Indies players will be available in 2018. It will help make the Biggest Party in Sport even bigger.”

Meanwhile, Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies, said: “The Hero CPL is now the start of our domestic season and we are delighted that we have found a window when all of the best cricketers from the Caribbean will be available to take part. We are sure that 2018 will be the biggest season yet.”

The opening games of the CPL, which comprises six teams, will take place in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

The window for the CPL will, however, clash with the Natwest T20 Blast, England’s domestic T20 tournament, which will run from July till September.

Scotland pick Brad Wheal, Chris IGG preparation underway – Nedd Sole for World Cup qualifiers

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Brad Wheal

ampshire seamers Brad Wheal and Chris Sole have been included in Scotland's squad for the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in March. Scott Cameron, the 21-year old allrounder who was part of the squad in the recent tri-series in the UAE, was left out.

Allrounder Con de Lange, meanwhile, was unavailable for selection due to a health issue.

Wheal and Sole beef up a pace attack, which also includes Safyaan Sharif, Stuart Whittingham and Alasdair Evans.

Batsman Michael Jones and allrounder Tom Sole, who had made their ODI debuts in the UAE, retained their places in the squad, which will be led

by Kyle Coetzer, Scotland's top scorer in ODI cricket.

The squad will depart for a pretournament camp in Pretoria on 15 February before the official warm-ups begin against Papua New Guinea and Ireland.

Scotland are the defending champions, having won the Qualifiers in Lincoln in 2014. Coetzer believed that this squad had enough depth to repeat the feat and qualify for the 2019 World Cup. "We hope to be in a position by the end of the tournament to not only qualify for the World Cup but also defend our title from the previous qualifying campaign," Coetzer said. "We have the depth within our squad to make this a reality and we will be raring to go when the opening game comes around."

Scotland's coach Grant Bradburn was pleased with the side's preparation and was also upbeat about their chances in Zimbabwe.

"The squad have had an excellent preparation phase over the winter months in Dubai including quality game and planning time leading into Zimbabwe," he said. "The team are now very familiar with the style of cricket that suits our individuals, which is also a style we believe will win the World Cup qualifiers.

"We have selected a nicely balanced side while the players themselves are determined to have no fear of bringing their dynamic skill sets coupled with a bloody-minded determination that reflects the prize at stake."

(ESPNCrricinfo)

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Guyana Male Volleyball team won at home in 2017

ational Volleyball Coach Levi Nedd confirmed that plans are heightening as he prepares to assemble the next team who will defend Guyana’s honour in the upcoming 2018 Inter Guiana Games (IGG).

Pursuing their 5th IGG volleyball title, Nedd told Guyana Times International Sport on Wednesday that pre-IGG plans were about to step up as the annual sport event approaches. The former national player said that he was currently in the process of carrying out training for the males on a weekend basis.

Nedd pointed out that the sessions have been coming along nicely to date and he expects the potential candidates to further improve their skills as time progresses. After leading Guyana to four consecutive titles, Nedd pointed

out that it was critical for the players to get an early start to their training, hence the reason he commenced session since last year.

With academics playing a crucial role in the lives of most sports men and women, Nedd added that while the sessions have been consistent, he was only able to hold training on weekends due to school commitments which limit the players training attendance during the week.

After being reelected as President of the BVA on Sunday, Nedd revealed that the IGG plans were a part of the BVA’s yearly plan. He said upon discussion of the plan, moves will see selectors tackling players in Berbice before making their way to Demerara where they will complete the final search for more potential representatives.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“I want to bowl to Gayle and get him out” – Keemo Paul

By Akeem Greene

G

uyana Jaguars all-rounder Keemo Paul is eager to get down to business when they face Jamaica Scorpions and their marque batsman Christopher Gayle in the upcoming Regional Super50. While many bowlers may quietly shiver over the thought of running into the big-hitting opening batsman, the 19 year-old Paul is quite the opposite.

“I am looking forward to playing against these guys; I have been telling the guys [teammates] I want to bowl to Chris Gayle and hopefully get him out. We have our team plans and we will go out there and look to execute; we have been looking at them for many years now and I just have to avoid bowling to their strengths.”

Jaguars face the 2017 runners-up and fellow Group ‘B’ opponents on February 8 and 16 in day/night matches at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua in what could be the clash of the zone.

Interestingly, during the 2017 Hero Caribbean

Premier League, the Guyana Amazon Warriors right-arm medium-pacer played two matches against Gayle and his St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and did not concede a boundary which is not what a lot of other bowlers can boast about.

“I just want to give my best; I have been training hard and I got a good practice game where I found some form so I just want to carry it into the matches.”

During their practice match prior to departure on Sunday, the batsman smoked an unbeaten 20ball 48 against the ‘Rest XI’. It comes on the heel of a remarkable four-day season where he took 42 wickets (most by any seamer) at an average of 18.69. He surpassed 50 First-Class wickets in just 13 matches and notched his maiden ton in belligerent manner against the Scorpions.

Though having 11 List A matches under his belt, none has been for Jaguars, with all exposure coming via the Windies Under-19, Paul is cognisant the shorter version will call for a greater degree of skills.

Keemo Paul’s success in the four-day tournament has given him the confidence of replicating similar feats in the Regional Super50

“It’s a different version, a shorter version so I got to make fewer mistakes with the no-ball and other stuff I’m working on. I want to be consistent. More so being aggressive is my game but whatever situation calls for I will play that role,” the Saxacalli-born explained.

He is a part of six youthful changes the selectors made from their 2017 squad, changes the players believe can help in

delivering the ‘double’ for the four-time First-Class champions.

“I won’t say we are new players since we train together for the past year and the mood in the camp is great, expectations are very high so we want to go out and deliver and win the tournament for Guyana.”

To break the title jinx which started after 2005, Paul outlined, “Team unity and just wanting it this year and fighting it through and putting up 110% every time we play.”

Jaguars are also aligned with English County side Kent, Unites States and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Govt, UG throw weight behind 2018 Golf projects

UG Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith (centre) is flanked by some of his students from the golf programme during a recent training session at the campus

L

usignan Golf Club (LGC) President Aleem Hussain said recent talks with Members of Parliament among other dignitaries will help to further raise the level of the sport in 2018.

Golf got off to an amazing start in 2018, hosting three tournaments in succession; the trophy Stall Open, an LGC Organized Open and the 7th annual Speedy Memorial all in the month of January and Hussain hinted that much more will follow.

During a recent interview with Guyana Times International Sport Hussain told that while golf has been making strides on the field recently; more progress off the course is being made as well. Recently, Hussain said that he met with a few high-profile individuals, including Minister of State Joseph Harmon as well and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Dr. Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith.

Hussain revealed that following his discussion with Minister Harmon on Monday, he was pleased by the feedback regarding the LGC’s ongoing project to turn the facility into a multi-complex sport and recreational venue.

He said that the Minister was excited about the prospects of where golf will go as well as what the LGC has planned to reach out to not only sportsmen and women, but to all facets of the country’s leisurely and ceremonial needs.

Regarding the meetings with Professor Griffith, the LGC boss said that the University head was happy to have his students involved in golf. Since the year begun, LGC have

teamed up with the students to form a golf association.

The students and the LGC executives have been meeting on a weekly basis where they engage in numerous fundamental practices of the sport.

Hussain said since the initiative took off, more and more students have been coming onboard and the Chancellor has since lauded the strides made.

Recently, Dr. Griffith attended the one of the sessions held on the makeshift greens at the University’s Turkeyen campus and according to Hussain, the UG head was blown away by the turnout as quite a number of students seemed interested in the sport.

Hussain added that the Professor was adamant that the relationship will grow and the venture will blossom in the future, adding that he fully supports the project. Additionally, members of the CARICOM Secretariat who according to Hussain have also signaled their intentions to be part of the Club are set to visit the course for some friendly action this Sunday.

Meanwhile, the LGC held their first of many Domino tournaments last Sunday with participation from numerous teams. In attendance was Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, Ansa Mcal Marketing executive Troy Cadogan and others who came out for a day of fun and games.

In the end, the $50,000 1st place prize went to All About Domino team while Double Black Domino Team walked away with the 2nd place purse of $20,000 while the Club 17 team took away the third place prize of $15,000.

(Clifton Ross)

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Windies selection still on Ramdin’s radar

By Akeem Greene

F

ormer

Windies Test captain Denesh Ramdin is still interested in playing for the Caribbean side should he be given the nod by the Courtney Browne-led by selection committee.

According to Ramdin in a recent exclusive interview with Guyana T i m e s

Despite last playing for Windies in 2016, Denesh Ramdin’s form in the just concluded First-Class championship leaves him eyeing a recall (AFP)

International Sport he was told by selectors to make runs and he answered that call by being the four-day championship’s second leading run-scorer. In ten matches in the 2017-18 season he had a tally of 799 runs at an average 61.46 including three centuries, four half centuries with a best knock of an unbeaten 132. Devon Smith led the charts with a record 1,095 runs.

“If selected yeah; they told me I need to get runs and it’s just to continue to work towards that. Focus on my game and keep getting runs.”

While his native Trinidad and Tobago Red Force had an abysmal season, finishing bottom of the six-franchise points table, the right-handed batsman who was axed from Test captaincy in September 2015 after 15 months on the job, showed his imperious form.

“It was not a bad season; was decent but I still believe I could have gone unto get one more century and some more runs closer to the 1000-mark but hopefully I can learn from this since I gave away my wicket in a couple of matches,” the 32 year-old disclosed.

The wicketkeeper batsman, who took over the top spot from the longserving Darren Sammy,

led Windies in 13 Tests — winning four, losing seven and drawing two until current captain Jason Holder took over the mantle. As captain, he managed 472 runs at an average of 22, and a highest score of 57.

While Holder’s individual performances with bat and ball have gradually improved, his captaincy reign is suffering; the 21 matches in charge has come with four wins, thirteen losses and four draws (only series win came against Zimbabwe in 2017).

In the 50-over format, they have lost 34 match-

the opportunity and play it more seriously; what we are lacking at the moment in the Test format is more experience and we saw that in New Zealand. The conditions are obviously different, they need to adapt quickly to international cricket,” contended the player who last wore the maroon cap in 2016.

Having played 74 Tests, 139 One Day Internationals and being the man behind the stumps in two winning World T20 teams (2012 & 2016), Ramdin feels the combination of technical flaws and players not grabbing their chances

the 50-over format guys in the middle order need to get the good starts and carry-on and the bowling department pickingup wickets with the newball and closing off the innings.”

“We miss guys like [Sunil] Narine who would be able to pick up wickets in the middle but it is what it is, the selectors have a job to do and they try to pick the best possible team to go out there.”

While not occupying his usual position behind the stumps which gave the likes of Amir Jangoo and Steven Ketwaroo some glove time, the man

The 32-year-old Trinidadian is still considered to be one of the better glove-men in the region (WICB Media Photo/Randy Brooks)

es with just 11 victories, which left the team battling for a spot at 2019 World Cup due to being relegated to qualifiers.

“The guys need to take

has caused the continued downfall.

“Good players can adapt to short bowling, cutting and pulling will help you last longer. In

they call “Shotta” will resume that role for the upcoming regional Super50, which according to him is another opportunity to press for re-call.

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WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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