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INTERNATIONAL

Page 43

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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Key New York backers leave AFC for APNU

guyanatimesinternational.com

week ending september 22, 2013

ISSUE NO. 160

See story on page 3

‘Make learning fun’ - U.S. motivational speaker urges Guyanese teachers

Page 21

Leading American educator and motivational speaker Ron Clark makes a presentation during a workshop held for local teachers at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown

Deal with Marriott Page 23 investor in closing stages – Brassington

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Key NY backers leave AFC for APNU A

mid a fallout locally over the integrity of two of its key executives, the Alliance For Change (AFC) is now faced with more trouble – with one of its top financiers in New York, Shamir Ally resigning and three other prominent figures there signalling their intention to join the main opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

The AFC only last week had confirmed that Ally had resigned from the party over the leadership’s apparent reluctance to address his concerns.

Denial

AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan was reported as denying that no action was taken. “We did take some severe measures against those persons who did hurl those abusive remarks, but we just could not have, in effect, enforce because it’s very difficult,” Ramjattan was quoted in another section of the media as saying.

The three latest persons believed to have left the party are economist Tarron Khemraj, political science pro-

Alleged defectors from the AFC: from left to right: Rab Mukraj, Dr Asquith Rose and Tarron Khemraj with APNU leader David Granger and shadow public works minister Joseph Harmon at the meeting in New York

fessor Dr Asquith Rose and businessman Rab Mukraj from the party’s New York group.

Speculation abounded when the APNU released a statement on Wednesday revealing that Leader of the Opposition, David Granger and shadow minister for public works, Joseph Harmon, met with Khemraj, Rose and Mukraj in New York to discuss the way

forward for the country.

The release added that the two sides examined the current economic, political and social situation in Guyana and concluded that a broad pro-Guyana approach was needed to stimulate movement towards the attainment of their common objectives.

It continued that “they agreed to work together to build struc-

tures to improve governance, promote national unity, and advance human development”.

Speaking with Guyana Times International late Wednesday evening, Ramjattan said, at the moment, the party is busy sorting out these reports, to provide some clarity.

Baffled

He disclosed that he communicated with

Khemraj via email moments before speaking to this publication and he was baffled about what was going on.

The party leader said the AFC member informed him that the meeting with APNU was concerning Guyana’s diaspora.

Ramjattan added that, hence, he is certain out of the three, one is not going anywhere.

He continued, “I am

certain the two might have been misreported in view of what the meeting was about and what Tarron told me.”

However, he was aware that Dr Rose has issues with the AFC going back on its stated position opposing the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.

The AFC leader added that he would spend all night if he had to, to sort the issue out and clear the air.

Another section of the media reported Rose as saying that “as much as 11 persons have decided to walk from the AFC…. several of them would go to APNU and the remainder back to the government People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C)”.

On Wednesday at the party’s press conference, Ramjattan said that AFC’s membership has increased drastically since the last regional and general elections in 2011.

He said the party received 1600 new applications since its national convention last year, bringing the overall membership to approximately 10,000.

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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Tel no: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709.

Fax (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 Email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Lesson on Syria

T

he government of Guyana has commended the Barack Obama administration for rethinking its strategy on Syria by accepting the opening provided by Russia for a peaceful denouement on the issue of chemical weapons, which United Nations (UN) investigators confirmed were used on August 21.

The U. S., Britain and France claimed the report proved conclusively that Bashar al- Assad’s forces were responsible, but this was disputed by Russia within the UN Security Council. The rebels could also have deployed the weapons to garner U. S. involvement.

Last Saturday, the security council began drafting a resolution on the Russian-brokered deal that would satisfy all parties. The U. S.-British-French draft calls for Syria to declare the size and location of its chemical weapons within a week, to be verified by UN inspectors who will arrive in November and for the removal and destruction of the arsenal by mid-2014.

Unfortunately, the draft also allows the U. S. to go ahead with strikes against targets in Syria if the resolution is not complied with. It is certain that Russia and China will veto such a clause and the timing of the vote for the resolution is still in the air.

But the entire episode has highlighted the need for leaders, whether in the international or national spheres, not to draw lines in the sand without first ensuring they have the support of the constituencies on which they depend to give them support.

In this instance, Obama literally announced last year he was drawing a “red line” that would be crossed if chemical weapons were used in Syria.

When it appeared that such weapons were used last August, he announced and made preparations for direct intervention in the Syrian conflict. However, he later was forced by widespread domestic and international public sentiments, opposed to U. S. intervention, to find a way out of his self defined “red line”.

After his strongest ally British Prime Minister David Cameron lost a vote in parliament on August 30 for supporting strikes, the following day Obama announced he would be seeking congressional support. Last week, however, he abruptly cancelled this vote as public pressure continued to mount and announced over the weekend that he was willing to go along with the Russian proposal.

In the eyes of many observers, this simply proved the long held opinion that Obama was very indecisive yet prone to committing himself to courses of action which he subsequently had to abandon. This was seen earlier, for instance, on the “war on terror” in Afghanistan, which is still dragging on five years after Obama declared U. S. troops would be completely removed.

His immediate past Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta said bluntly, “When the president of the United States draws a red line, the credibility of this country is dependent on him backing up his word.” Inevitably such individuals are perceived as “weak and vacillating” even by their supporters.

In the Syrian case, there are widespread doubts that UN inspectors would be able to verify and remove all chemical weapons in the midst of a civil war. It is still possible that Obama might push the U. S. into taking action against Syria in the future and he has himself reserved his option.

But the Syrian manoeuvre is only a tactic in the larger U. S. strategic plan to defang Iran of its nuclear programme, because that poses a threat to Israel, which is the U. S. ally.

Israel, not so incidentally, in what is the worst kept secret in the international arena, has long acquired nuclear weapons.

Obama recently revealed that he has exchanged diplomatic notes with the newly-elected President of Iran Hassan Rouhani.

Applying the lesson on the dangers of peremptorily drawing lines in the sand, it would be wise for the Leader of the Opposition David Granger to find exit routes from his line in the sand of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee as the crime wave escalates.

From left: Guyana Prize for Literature Management Committee General Secretary Al Creighton; Guyana Prize for Literature Jury Chairman, Professor Jane Bryce; President Donald Ramotar; and University of Guyana Vice Chancellor Dr Jacob Opadeyi with the prize winners Ruel Johnson, Ian McDonald, Cassia Alphonso, Mosa Mathifa Telford, and Chaitram Singh

Telford, McDonald among Guyana Prize for Literature winners T

he Guyana Prize for Literature award ceremony ended on a resounding note at the Pegasus Hotel on Sunday evening, with award-winning Guyanese authors Ruel Johnson and Ian McDonald, as well as Cassia Alphonso, Mosa Mathifa Telford and Chaitram Singh copping the top prizes in their respective categories.

Surrounded by distinguished men and women, including President Donald Ramotar, University of Guyana Vice Chancellor Dr Jacob Opadeyi and Guyana Prize for Literature Management Committee General Secretary Al Creighton, the chairperson of jury, Professor Jane Bryce, who has a strong background in African Literature dating back to 1992, announced the winners.

Jury report Professor Bryce said major emphasis was placed on quality as the panel of judges read the various entries in the areas of fiction, poetry and drama as she declared Johnson the winner for the Best Book of Fiction with his work Ruel Johnson’s Collected Fiction over his competitor Chaitram Singh, with his piece The February 23rd Coup .

“This collection of short fiction displays a variety of techniques and approaches, some of which were better than others... the collection treats familiar themes such as racial and political tensions, relationships and displacement and the effects of emigration,” Professor Bryce said as she painted a

picture of Johnson’s work.

Capitalising on interiority The award-winning author was praised for capitalising on interiority, point of view and linguistic register.

According to Professor Bryce, The Last Assassin is among leading stories that stand out in his collection.

Johnson first won the Guyana Prize for Literature for Best First Fiction in 2002. He was 22 at the time, the youngest person ever to win the prize.

Meanwhile, in the Best Book of Poetry category, newcomer Alphonso’s Black Cake Mix and McDonald’s The Comfort of All Things shared the winning prize, leaving Sasenarine Persaud’s Lantana Strangling Ixora out in the cold.

According to the lead judge, Alphonso’s poetic range included dramatic monologue, dialogue and first person narrative, simultaneously depicting a distinctive voice and vision.

“Using words carefully to create rhythm and flow and with a sharp eye for social history, she is concerned about the relationship between language, representation and power,” Professor Bryce said while describing Alphonso’s Collection of Evocative Poems.

McDonalds work focuses on aging and mortality.

Best Drama Mosa Mathifa Telford’s Sauda emerged winner over Harold Bascom’s Deportee, in the Best Drama category.

Bascom’s Deportee , a screenplay for a crime thriller set in New York and Georgetown, involving de-

portation, narco-trafficking and corruption, did not capitalise on the opportunity to “mix up the genre”, said Professor Bryce.

“Rather than using film to say something new and interesting about Guyana, the script opt for the translation of Guyana, into an American crime drama framework,” the head judge said as she outlined its shortfalls.

On the other hand, Telford’s Sauda tells the story of rejection, which forced a teenage girl into prostitution, after feeling neglected by her mother.

“The drama is strong, dialogue, characterisation, pace and timing all work, and the way buried secrets are revealed in the course of the action, adds suspense,” Professor Bryce said as she gave the audience a sneak peek into Telford’s work of art.

In the First Book of Fiction category, Singh received the winning prize.

His book, the Flour Convoy reflected on political tensions that gripped Guyana in 1980s. Singh expressed gratitude to the jury of distinguished judges, the Guyana Prize for Literature Management Committee and the government of Guyana for their significant role in making the award ceremony for the 2013 Guyana Prize for Literature a major success.

The awardees were given the opportunity to read short excerpts of their work.

President Ramotar renewed the government’s commitment to the development of literature in the country.

news

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Police to send file on murdered businesswoman to DPP

A

fter almost three weeks of continuous investigation into the murder of Sirmattie Ramnaress, 48, also called “Sabo” of Lot 2430 21 Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, the file is expected to be sent to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

According to acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell, as soon as the incident occurred, the police commenced their investigations.

The first person, he said to be questioned was her reputed husband, Police Sergeant Colin Bailey.

Guyana Times International understands that a file is only sent to the DPP for advice once charges are to be instituted; hence, this publication understands that someone is expected to be charged.

However, the acting police commissioner could not have confirmed whether the CCTV footage along the East Bank and Georgetown corridors were viewed.

The objective of this exercise was to get a vision of the driver and oc-

Sirmattie Ramnaress

cupants of the getaway car that was found abandoned at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

When asked if the cameras are working, Brumell stated “I should think so” while Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, who was also at the press conference interjected and confirmed that all are in working order.

With a recorded six per cent increase in serious crimes for the year, the commissioner stated that recently a meeting was held with the head of the presidential secretariat and the Central Intelligence Committee to discuss ways and means of robustly tackling the situation.

Ramnaress was found about 10: 00h on August 31 lying face down in her

office area located close to her garage.

The entire bottomflat of the house was completely drenched with kerosene oil while the woman’s head was bashed-in with a gaping wound to her throat. Her left hip was also dislocated and her house was ransacked.

The perpetrators also set alight a bond aback the house which was completely destroyed.

They then escaped in the woman’s motor car which was found abandoned on the Liliendaal Public Road.

It was reported that the recordings from the surveillance camera were missing which evidently points to an inside job. There were no signs of forced entry and the woman’s house is secured with high grilled fence and an alarm system, which, according to neighbours, did not go off.

More suspicious as it seemed, it was reported that only Ramnaress and her reputed husband knew the secret code to open the automatic gate; hence, it was speculated that the killing was an inside job.

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news

week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NGSA top students get free laptops S

ome 173 students who placed in the country’s top one per cent at the 2013 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations were presented with laptop computers on Wednesday

by President Donald Ramotar.

A total of 16,811 students wrote the examination in March of this year. When the results were disclosed in early June, the president promised to award every child within the top one per cent with a laptop computer.

President Ramotar told the students as they embark on another stage of their lives, that this is just the beginning and they have a long way to go. He stated that with this initiative, they are enabling students to get up to par technologically.

“We want to ensure that you do not flounder along the way… you will be challenged by many things, but you need to be successful, to be multi-skilled and multidisciplined… we want you to be able to be competent in using the most modern tools in the world,” the president

The 173 NGSA students along with President Donald Ramotar and Education Minister Priya Manickchand

said.

Equal opportunities

He noted that new technology enables a person to stay in the most rural areas of Guyana and still work in any part of the world due to the advancement of information and communication technology.

The president disclosed that the administration is working along with the University of Guyana to get degree programmes available online.

President Ramotar explained that in a multiethnic and multicultural society such as

Guyana, students need to ensure that there are equal opportunities for everyone, noting that there is no better way to do so than by providing equal opportunities in education.

He stressed that education plays a critical role in getting a country out of all the adversities it will face.

“In the struggle against all the injustices we have to confront, I see education as that hook that can take us out of poverty and take us to higher levels that I dream our country can go to and when I look at all these bright, young

faces, my confidence is once more strengthened that we can be a developed country in the notso-distant future with your help,” he stated.

The president urged students to study hard and not be distracted by the various elements of society that will steer their attention from what is important.

He further encouraged the students to not only strive to be good professionally but to have a social conscience and help others.

Think big

Education Minister Priya Manickchand told

the students that they are lucky to be living in a time when they have all these opportunities available to them. “This is the beginning of a great life for you… because we have great opportunities that people would not have had before and so you have opportunities to be world leaders, and that’s what we are preparing you for, to be world leaders and you should think big, think about changing the world,” Manickchand urged the children.

She told them that this milestone is just a small one among the

many that will come in their lives if they continue to work hard, advising them to make themselves into persons who will celebrate successes even bigger than this.

The minister acknowledged that there was still much work to be done in the education system, highlighting that improving the quality of classroom teaching was a priority.

M i n i s t e r Manickchand noted that she is pleased that Guyana had attained the Number Two Millennium Goal: universal access to primary education.

GuySuCo worker killed in hit-and-run accident

A

Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) employee attached to the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate was in the wee hours of Sunday killed in a hit-and-run accident on the Cornelia Ida Public Road, West Coast Demerara.

T o t a r a m Rameshwar, 59, of Lot 915 Cornelia Ida, reportedly suffered head and other injuries, including a broken leg. He was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Guyana Times International was told that about 04: 50h on Sunday, Rameshwar was reportedly standing on his parapet waiting on a friend, to head to work together at the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate.

It was customary for Rameshwar to wait on his friend each morning.

A Toyota Allion motorcar bearing registration number PNN 3547 was travelling at a fast pace and reportedly got too close the parapet, hitting Totaram in the

Dead: Totaram Rameshwar

process.

After the accident, the driver sped away, leaving one of his rearview mirrors behind. Guyana Times International understands that the driver, who hails from Industry, East Coast Demerara, subsequently turned himself in at the Vreeden-Hoop Police Station later that day.

At the Ezekiel Funeral Home, the now dead man’s youngest son, Devindra, told this publication that he was awakened by neighbours who informed him about

the accident. He said he rushed out of the house and saw his father lying in the corner.

His father’s foot was broken and his head was swollen, the man explained.

The younger Rameshwar said he hurriedly put his father into his vehicle and quickly drove to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

The distraught son disclosed that after searching the area when it got brighter, he found one of the mirrors of the car with the registration number engraved on it and handed it over to the police to assist in their probe.

He said on Sunday afternoon, he received a telephone call from one of the investigators who informed him that the driver had surrendered himself. He is hoping that the driver faces the full brunt of the law.

Rameshwar had been working with GuySuCo for the past 20 years and was due to retire next year. He is survived by his wife and seven children.

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Hinds urges promotion of Guyanese literature Lil bit water and no wood is no good

D

e whole country gon need a lotta prayers soon – from crusade to jhandi to reading to any kinda prayer in any religion. And all dem people who does go to chuch – don’t matter which chuch – gon have to pray fuh Guyana. Too much of pubic language goin on in public places.

Old people done warn a long time already that people mustn’t wash dem dutty linen fuh de public to see. But no body ain’t listenin.

At this rate, if women coulda get pregnant wid talk, all of dem who reach age woulda done get pregnant. And even dem woman who ain’t got pickney yet woulda done mek by now.

De power company gone public wid dem pole problem.

Dem can’t find no wood around de place that long enough, round enough and strong enough fuh hang up de wires to give people power all night long and all day long.

So de company plan to bring in strong wood from outside.

But someting must be wrong, because Guyana got plenty wood. Guyana got so much wood that one country even payin Guyana fuh all de wood that de former prezzi show dem. Dem even turn round and tell he that this is good wood and that Guyana must not waste this wood because plenty people want to keep this kinda wood.

De water company gone public and blame de power company fuh not getting enough power to give de people water all night long and all day long. Some ting must be wrong hey again, because Guyana is de land of many waters and yet de people not gettin enough water, so dem want more water.

De combination of lil bit water and no wood is already no good. But to add insult to injury, two big men gone public bout stones. One man claim he got plenty stones and de other man doubt he to de bone.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling… friend tell friend… mattie tell mattie!

Only de Almighty can know how one man be so cock sure whether or not de other man got stones!

P

romotion of Guyanese literature is necessary to capture the culture and diversity of Guyanese writings. This is the view of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who was speaking at the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry’s 2013 Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lecture held at the Umana Yana on Tuesday evening.

The 2013 Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lecture included the guest speaker, Professor Jane Bryce, professor of African literature and cinema.

Also, speaking at the lecture series was Al Creighton who noted that modern Guyanese literature may be divided into two periods: preindependence and postindependence.

He said there is also a colonial period, a period of nationalism and the contemporary period, all of which are very important.

According to Creighton, there was a very important change in the early 19th century, where the period of modern Guyanese litera-

ture began.

Meanwhile, Professor Bryce emphasised that prose adds colour to everyday life and some even brings it closer to history and show the way things really happen in history.

“Migration has been a defining feature of West Indian culture and the works of Mittelhozer is testimony to such,” she said.

Further, Byrce noted that it is useful to remember that the views expressed in a work of fiction are not necessarily the view of its author.

Prof Bryce was born in Tanzania, and educated there, in the UK and Nigeria. She has been a freelance journalist and fiction editor and has published in a range of creative and academic journals and essay collections.

She is author of a collection of short stories, Chameleon (2007) and editor of Caribbean Dispatches: Beyond the Tourist Dream (2006).

She founded and codirected the Barbados Festival of African and Caribbean Film and curates the Africa World

Left to right Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Professor Jane Byrce and Al Creighton at the headtable

Documentary Film Festival at Cave Hill, Barbados.

Edgar Austin Mittelholzer was a Guyanese novelist, the earliest novelist from the West Indian region to establish himself in Europe and gained a significant European readership.

Mittelholzer, who earned his living almost exclusively by writing fiction, is considered the first professional novelist to come out of the English-speaking Caribbean.

His novels include characters and situ-

ations from a variety of places within the Caribbean, and range in time from the early period of European settlement to the 20th century.

They feature a crosssection of ethnic groups and social classes, dealing with subjects of historical, political, psychological, and moral interest. Mittelholzer is somewhat posited to be certainly the most prolific novelist to be produced by the Caribbean.

Mittelholzer committed suicide in England in 1965.

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Caribbean News

week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Grenada’s church leaders Mountains, first week and warn against IMF public busses C

hurch leaders have urged the Grenada government to resist any attempt by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to increases taxes and cut social services, as the island grapples with attempts at turning around a sluggish economy.

The Conference of Churches Grenada in a recent statement, said that it is deeply concerned about the prevailing socio-economic situation in the country and any attempt to impose additional taxes on the Grenadian population should be resisted.

Officials from the Washington-based financial institution were in Grenada to conduct an assessment of the economic situation, and the religious leaders reminded the Keith Mitchell administration that many people were finding it extremely difficult to "make ends meet".

The religious group said in addition that there were a number of people, including those

Grenada’s Prime Minister Keith Mitchell

with academic qualifications, who have not been able to find employment and that the social problems have reached alarming proportions.

"It is against this background that we strongly urge our government to resist any pressure to increase taxes or to make further cuts to social, medical or educational services.

"Revenue can be increased by ensuring that existing taxes are not evaded and that all taxes, especially VAT (Value Added Tax), are efficiently collected from all who are liable," the

religious group said.

The Conferences of Churches Grenada indicated that it is supportive of the efforts to create jobs and to find sources of investment funding that can be channelled into productive projects.

"We are convinced that further austerity measures are not the way out of Grenada's debt crisis. We strongly support the government of Grenada in its resistance against austerity and we are actively mobilising support internationally towards this end," said the statement.

(CMC) The religious group urged the Mitchell administration to give "serious consideration" to the nine points in the document "A Jubilee for Grenada Now" that came out of a workshop on debt held in May. The document prepared by the staff of the IMF argues that to reach a sustainable level of debt Grenada would need to reduce 90 per cent of its present debt.

"We support the

government's efforts to achieve this and we again emphasise the point that any reduction in debt must go towards the socio-economic development of our country with a preferential option for the poor," the church leaders said.

In July, Mitchell presented Parliament with an EC$711 million budget outlining a series of measures he hopes would stimulate a sluggish economy.

Mitchell said that the government would move to cut expenditure and that the new economy requires that it puts its fiscal house in order including cutting more than EC$60 million from the recurrent budget this year.

Mitchell stated that effective immediately, his administration would implement a freeze on net hiring, saving approximately EC$8 million and that a major challenge would be to manage the payroll, which accounts for 65 per cent of government expenditure. (IMC)

TT’s new security minister revisits 21st-century policing initiative

T

he 21st-century policing initiative instituted by former Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs has merit and some of its components will be incorporated into the Police Service, according to TT’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith.

Griffith told TT media that he intended to meet with acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams as soon as possible to discuss the measure. The initiative met with much criticism from the Police Service and Social Welfare Association, which complained that owing to the shift system, its members were being made to work beyond the stipulated 40 hours.

Gibbs and his deputy, Jack Ewatski, launched the initiative in April 2011. After the Canadians resigned in July 2012, Williams scrapped the programme. The association filed an injunction at the Industrial Court, Port-of-Spain, to stop it but it was thrown out.

Saying he had no intention of “throwing out the baby with the bathwa-

Former Commissioner of Police of TT Dwayne Gibbs initiated the 21stcentury policing initiative (TT Newsday file photos)

ter,” Griffith added: “I want to seek the advice of acting Commissioner Williams on that matter because there were some very positive elements in the 21st-century policing initiative that can be incorporated in what we intend to do. You can never really scratch off the initiative. It is something that played a fundamental role in reducing crime and which involves visibility and give the citizens that feeling of comfort.”

He said government’s proposed Rapid

TT’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith

Response Unit was along the lines of the initiative, which emphasised high visibility and response on the part of police in less than ten minutes. On plans to transform the Police Service, Griffith said that included continuous training of officers and the purchase of modern tools and equipment. Saying citizens can expect to see a “total rejuvenation” of the police, Griffith added: “They are going to see a better performance of the Police Service, much better than what they are seeing now.”

He added, “My job

is to provide that support mechanism, administrative and financial requirements that they need for them to move forward to be more successful in their operations. We want the Police Service to have the equipment so that they could perform beyond the call of duty.”

He said that would involve several different initiatives, including a proper audit of the Police Service, its numbers, strengths, weaknesses operational training and getting the police to work more hand-in-hand with citizens.

The 21st-century policing initiative was launched in the Western Division on April 4, 2011.

It was implemented in Tobago in March 2012 and two months later in Central Division. The aim was to increase public confidence and foster better customer service, increase patrols through heightened police visibility and ultimately increase the detection rate.

Police were to be based in patrol cars and many police stations were to be shut down. (Excerpt from TT Guardian)

W

By Anu Dev

ell I’ve survived my first week of actual schoolwork! Can I still say schoolwork?

“University work” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Sure it’s only supposed to get even more intense from now, but for now I’m just relieved to have made it through my first week.

I’m also still adapting to living in Trinidad. Over here I’m definitely seeing why they came up with the phrase “as changeable as the weather”. It’s really lovely dressing to deal with the morning’s heat and then coming out of class two hours later to be greeted by a sudden and quite violent downpour. The raindrops are really larger than ours! One really nice thing about living on campus is that classes are literally five minutes walking- distance away.

That’s a pleasant change from having to leave home one and a half hours early to get to QC. And as all West Coast commuters know, the traffic at the bridge usually makes you want to pull your hair out. (I’ve been told it’s a sign of progress: we’re getting New York- style traffic jams.)

But another personal achievement for me is that on Friday I used the public buses! (Hey! I only used a minibus a couple of times in the last term at QC – to prepare me for this!) And I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable and efficient everything was: they’re big and air conditioned. (That’s a New York-like innovation I wouldn’t mind in Guyana!) And Curepe Junction, where I had to go to buy my textbook, reminded me so much of Regent Street. I felt like someone teleported me back to Georgetown. But then I heard the sing-song Trini accent everywhere and I realised I was actually in Trinidad.

I snuffed out the reflex to amble over to QC to checkout how things are going. There I go again! Three QC references so far. It’s hard to let go of somewhere you’ve spent seven years of your life at. Well, we have to move on, don’t we? But there will always be the old school ties: there are three other QC grads ahead of me and they’ve been wonderful.

But university life’s quite different from high school life in so many ways. There’s no bell at 12 to let you out for lunch (freedom?).

Classes start from eight and end at seven in the evening on some days.

But of everything, the biggest difference is freedom.

Freedom. There’s so much of it. It’s a bit frightening really. I keep getting that nagging feeling that I need to ask permission for more decisions. There’s been no epiphany on how to deal with being treated like an adult.

After all those years listening to adults, seeing them making their own decisions, having responsibilities, it’s a bit disconcerting knowing I’m at that stage of my life.

Living on my own, cooking my own meals, doing my own laundry.

I can understand why someone once wrote about “Escape from Freedom”. It’s seductive having everything done for you. But ultimately debilitating.

At UWI med school, there’s a heavy emphasis on the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model of learning, where students when confronted with a problem have to come up with their own learning objectives for self-study.

With great power comes great responsibility (*dramatic music*).

But it’s only been two weeks. I’m enjoying it so far and I hope I’ll still be enjoying it when they start piling on even more work on us. As promised. They did say our university years will be the best years of our life, right?

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times International, Industrial Site Ruimveldt Georgetown, Guyana or guyanatimesint@gmail.com

Patience and hard work paying off at Skeldon Dear Editor, It is very relieving to see that the level of sugar production being delivered at the Skeldon Sugar Factory indicates that the upgrade works done on the facility by Bosch Engineering are bearing fruit.

This was exactly the pronouncement that came from the agriculture minister, who also made mention of the fact that the factory is beginning to work as anticipated.

But I still do not rule out a few teething and labour problems, however, we must not allow set-backs to cause us to fight and attack one another. The large picture of the local sugar industry is one that we must always keep in mind.

It lends stability to so many people and the history of it shows that solidarity for national goals is always possible.

The Skeldon factory has produced an impressive yield thus far, producing more than 2500 tonnes of sugar, with the second crop almost equalling the production of the first crop.

This now takes the factory’s total production for the year so far to some 95,000 tonnes. This is not bad at all.

The goal is quite attainable, as overall it is to reach 155,000 tonnes for this

crop and to exceed the 200,000 tonne target. So even though the bad weather factor must be kept in mind, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is quite optimistic that there will be improved yields, with the possibility of grinding until Christmas. This will translate to surpassing of the 155,000 tonnes for this second crop.

I go back here to the furious attacks from many on the South African firm Bosch Engineering. This company was hired to execute rehabilitative works at Skeldon and had conducted a series of successful tests. I am not technically inclined, but I go with effectiveness. I have to give my kudos to this group and the government for taking this route.

Let us not forget that in quite a few Caribbean Community (Caricom) member countries, the sugar industry has been experiencing a lot of problems.

In Trinidad and Tobago, a privatelyowned sugarmill, estimated to cost $ 9 million, took things over to help out.

Then in Jamaica, the Sugar Company of Jamaica Holdings for Chinese firm COMPLANT International Sugar Industry Company Limited purchased government’s remaining sugar assets, including the Frome, Monymusk and Bernard Lodge factories.

Since 1985, millions of U. S. dollars have been spent and wasted in an attempt to revive the sugar industry by poor Caribbean countries.

Narrowly implemented U. S. trade policies have even pushed Caribbean sugar economies to the verge of collapse.

The U. S. annulled the Cuban sugar quota in 1961, just two years after the Cuban Revolution. So in many ways, Guyana is faring quite well. We have not collapsed and we have kept our holdings and things are looking up.

We just have to stay with our long term plans and goals.

Yours truly, Gary Prescott

The Guyana - Suriname collaboration will help in maintaining law and order Dear Editor, The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Surinamese National Army have renewed their commitment to combat trans-border crimes. I hope that both sides will stick with this collaborative effort.

Arrangements are likely to fall into place within the next six months when the anticipation is that the militaries through the GDF Coast Guard and the Surinamese Navy can move into visible operation in the Corentyne River.

Now, I firmly believe that this partnership can really be effective to combat piracy, human trafficking, trafficking of drugs and firearms and illegal fishing. Too many lives have been lost already. I know that this will bring a lot of com-

fort to the fishermen who have been under threat of recent.

We need to understand here that the bottom line is safety for citizens of both Guyana and Suriname, and the practice of proper business.

This is because a whole lot is at stake.

In excess of US$ 10 million in goods is being imported annually from Suriname, with collected taxes standing at US$ 5 million. This is outside of the illegal happenings, where the report is that food smuggling actually runs into millions of dollars as well.

This is really a problem.

I know of our gold market over in Suriname and this area has some problems too, as there are a lot of illegal things happening. If I am to expect works in just three

areas – food smuggling, gold transactions and piracy attacks – for now, then this is a whole lot, as it is a very good start.

It is a known fact that many big boats actually get loaded in Suriname but they have their goods transferred to small boats in the midstream, and this is where things happen – the transferred stuff can end up both in Guyana and in Suriname as smuggled items.

This has huge implications for business people. I know of one man right around my area.

He has a crew working on two good sized boats. They do not fish, but bring back all kinds of things from Suriname.

They can undersell many locals and this is what must not happen.

Yours respectfully, Juanita Spooner

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

New era for Amerindians

Dear Editor, The joy of owning personal homes was evident as some families from Manawarin, Region One received keys to their new homes as part of the Housing Ministry’s Hinterland Housing Pilot project.

So now some of these individuals and their families are free to move from very poor dwelling conditions into well constructed three-bedroom houses, while the others who were living in very

remote areas can now move closer to access basic services such as education and health.

Home ownership comes with responsibilities as such they (the owners) will have to ensure that the buildings are properly maintained so that they can remain livable for years to come.

I think Amerindians know this – left on their own for centuries, they preserved their environment. They are the epitome of sustainability.

When industrialisation struck, it was not their fault that many forested regions went awash. We have now come to really realise how valuable these people are.

Now they can sing and read. They have lights and computers.

Now with their own homes, I am sure that their contribution will be quite impactful on the national scale.

Yours faithfully, Desmond Walker

10

News

week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Jury convicts Guyana-born man of killing adoptive mother

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he Sun Sentinel is reporting that a Broward jury on Tuesday convicted a Pembroke Pines man of the murder of his adoptive mother, rejecting a defense claim that he had consensual sex with the victim and then passed out while someone else killed her.

Gerard Lopes Belmonte, 23, was found guilty of second-degree murder after jurors deliberated for five hours Tuesday. He faces a maximum of life in prison when he's sentenced on October 10.

The verdict ended a one-week trial that devastated the victim's family. Lopes was Natalie Belmonte's first cousin, and she adopted him in 2000 after his father, her uncle, died in their native Guyana. A real estate agent in Weston, Belmonte, 43, had two biological children, a daughter and son who looked at Lopes as a big brother.

Witnesses testified that Belmonte treated Lopes no differently than she treated her other children, and pros-

Gerard Lopes Belmonte seen with his attorney Jose Reyes during pre-trial motions, Sept. 9, 2012 at the Broward Courthouse in Ft. Lauderdale. (Sun Sentinel)

ecutors introduced as evidence birthday cards the two exchanged in the months leading up to Belmonte's murder.

"You're the best mother a son could have," Lopes wrote to Belmonte on her birthday.

"I am very proud of the man you are becoming," Belmonte wrote on his 21st birthday. "I love you. Mom." The exchange stood in sharp contrast to the charges made by prosecutors and the explanations proposed by the defense.

Prosecutors presented evidence that

Lopes and Belmonte attended a graduation party for a mutual friend on July 16, 2011. They arrived home at 2:49 the next morning.

At some point after they got home, Lopes attacked Belmonte, according to prosecutors. His semen was later found in her body, and the victim's sister testified that the only way it could have gotten there was against Belmonte's will.

Prosecutors said Lopes was the man seen on a neighbor's surveillance video loading Belmonte's body into

the trunk of her Lexus and driving off before dawn on July 17, 2011.

Belmonte's body was found three days later in a wooded area less than a mile from their home.

Lopes was charged the same day.

According to Sun Sentinel, family members, including the victim's parents, a biological son and daughter, and the victim's sister, left the courtroom without commenting Tuesday.

Defense lawyer Jose Reyes painted the verdict as a partial victory for his client. Lopes had been charged with firstdegree murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence. But the jury found Lopes guilty of second-degree murder, apparently deciding that prosecutors failed to prove the killing of Belmonte was premeditated.

Under Florida law, a murder can be considered first-degree if it is committed while the defendant is in the process of committing another felony, and prosecutors had hoped the jury would connect the murder of Belmonte with her alleged rape. But Broward Circuit Judge Matthew Destry did not allow jurors to hear a standard instruction that would have made that connection clear.

Reyes said he intends to appeal the verdict.

"We feel there's plenty of error in the case," said Reyes. He said the judge should not have removed Reyes' original co-counsel, Samantha Epstein, on the day of opening statements, and should not have allowed the victim's sister, Michaela Teixeira, to testify about her opinion as to whether Belmonte would have consensual sex with Lopes.

"They allowed opinion testimony on the sexual battery issue," Reyes said. "That's normally not done."

Witnesses are typically not allowed to express their opinions unless they are experts in a recognized field of study.

Reyes said Teixeira was not an expert witness and should not have been allowed to present her opinion to the jury.

"The appeal will start immediately after the day of the sentence," Reyes said.

If Lopes succeeds in his appeal, he cannot be tried for first-degree murder again.(Excerpts taken from Sun Sentinel)

Guyana has much to celebrate in HIV/AIDS fight, says PANCAP head

UNAIDS Country Director Dr Roberto Campos

T

he National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) on Tuesday commenced a two-day national conference for Persons Living with HIV (PLHIVs), with speakers urging infected persons to take ownership of their own lives. The conference, which targeted approximately 50 peer support group leaders from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and 10, was held at the Regency Suites, Georgetown.

The aim is to deliberate on the quality of social support services provided through the national HIV care and treatment programme, to identify the gaps, and to make recommendations on how to improve the programme.

A release from NAPS said an important focus was how PLHIVs could take ownership for their own lives and become actively involved in ensuring sustainability of the HIV care, treatment, and support programmes. In this regard, the theme of the conference is “Motivation Towards Positive Living, Supporting Sustainability”.

Positive living

NAPS programme coordinator, Dr Shanti Singh, in her presentation, highlighted that the conference focuses on positive living and sustainability of the social support services need by PLHIVs. Importantly, much attention is on the involvement of PLHIVs, since this is an essential part of the recentlylaunched HIVision 2020 initiative.

Dr Singh recounted that NAPS has achieved several milestones, and Guyana is now one of 14 countries to have achieved universal access to care and treatment, adding that this

NAPS Programme Coordinator Dr Shanti Singh

was achieved through the multi-sectoral collaboration and commitment of all stakeholders.

G-Plus Programme Manager Chrystol Albert-Hope, in her remarks, acknowledged the tremendous strides made by the National HIV programme over the years.

Special achievements were the commencement of free anti-retroviral treatment in 2002, the near elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and the reduction of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV & AIDS (PANCAP) recently-appointed head, Dereck Springer, acknowledged that Guyana has much to celebrate, because 20 years ago HIV was seen as a death sentence. He noted that Guyana has gone beyond other Caribbean countries in providing community, home and palliative treatment.

Responsibility

Springer urged the participants to look at shared responsibility and self-management, as the focus is now on country ownership in light of decreasing donor funding for HIV. UNAIDS Country Director, Dr Roberto Campos, highlighted the organisation’s strategy of zero new infections, zero new HIV-related deaths, and zero stigma and discrimination.

He noted that the epidemic had changed from one of despair to hope – HIV is no longer a death sentence.

He also highlighted the central role that PLHIVs can play in controlling the epidemic by adhering to their treatment regimen as this reduces the chance of transmission to only four per cent.

News

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

PPP/ C condemns “attacks” on Isaacs

Opposition Leader and APNU Chairman David Granger

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) has condemned what it called the continued harassment of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs by Opposition Leader, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Chairman David Granger and other elements of the opposition.

The PPP/ C said the latest attack on the clerk is yet another manifestation of “their dictatorial tendency”. “It is clear by now that they will use all means possible to forge ahead with their agenda of illegalities.”

al and responsible manner.

Last week, APNU called on Isaacs to fulfil the obligations of his office by sending the four bills to the president for his approval. The clerk had said he had sent the bills to the Attorney General’s Chambers for scrutiny as the Parliament office does not have its own draftsman.

The bills are the Local Government Commission Bill, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, and the Fiscal Transfers Bill.

These bills, APNU said, were passed by the National Assembly and were due to be presented to the president in accordance with the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Standing Orders of the National Assembly.

APNU made reference to Article 170 (2) of the Constitution which provides that “when a bill is presented to the president for assent, he shall signify that he assents or that he withholds assent”.

APNU also referred to Article 170(3) which provides: “Where the president withholds his assent to a bill, he shall return it to the Speaker within 21 days of the date when it was presented to him for assent with a message stating the reasons why he has withheld his assent.”

The majority opposition party said it recognised that these articles do not state who has the responsibility for presenting the said bills to the president and that until the president is presented with the bills, the prescribed time cannot be said to have elapsed.

Standing Order 67 prescribes: “Every bill passed by the National Assembly shall remain in the custody of the clerk who shall, subject to Article 164 of the Constitution, at the earliest opportunity, submit the bill to the president for his or her assent”, and the words “shall remain in the custody of the clerk” are mandatory.

It noted that despite the clerk being required to submit the bills for assent “at the earliest opportunity”, that is to say without unnecessary delay, the four bills which were passed on August 7, have not been presented to the president.

T

Strange

The party said it also found it strange that the Alliance For Change (AFC) through its leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, would accuse the government of not assisting the clerk and in the same vein, acknowledge the fact that the chief parliamentary counsel at the Attorney General’s Chambers has been assisting the clerk.

“The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic has noted the concerns expressed by the clerk himself, Mr Sherlock Isaacs, who has served in the position since 2002, describing this current Parliament as ‘the worst’ during his tenure; following several allegations levelled against him publicly by the opposition leader. This revelation by the clerk is a clear indication that the people’s interest are not being served by the actions of the AFC/ APNU alliance in the National Assembly,” the PPP/ C said in a statement read at its news conference on Monday.

The party encouraged the clerk to remain strong and continue persevering against the onslaught against his office by the opposition and to continue discharging his mandate in a profession-

Standing Order

APNU argued that

Swift response

But, in a swift response, Isaacs said the four bills were submitted to the chief parliamentary counsel to ensure that all of the amendments made by the relevant parliamentary select committee and the National Assembly were inserted.

U. S. pledges support to Guyana in fight against human trafficking

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he Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) declared all-out war against human trafficking in Guyana during its thanksgiving service on Tuesday.

In the presence of the U. S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative Chisa Mikami; and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) representatives, GWMO President Simona Broomes vowed never to end the fight against human trafficking.

GWMO members have pooled their resources to finance trips to interior locations to rescue trafficking victims, in particular young girls and women.

Rescue

With the organisation less than two years old, it has managed to rescue 21 victims. More rescue missions are in the pipeline Broomes told her audience.

It is not an easy task, Broomes said, noting that she has been stripped of her business and ridiculed for the position she has taken against human trafficking.

U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s decision to honour Broomes as one of the nine 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes in June had caused a stir locally, Broomes said.

U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt

GWMO President Simona Broomes

Nevertheless, the GWMO head has pledged to keep the fight against the human trafficking.

The U. S. ambassador said his country will stand by Broomes and her organisation to combat human trafficking.

“The time is always right to do what is right,” he said.

Approximately two months ago, 150 persons were arrested by the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) in U. S. for holding children against their will for the purpose of prostitution.

More than 100 children were rescued, the U. S. ambassador said.

He noted that the Barack Obama administration is not doing it alone, and continues to collaborate with civil society in the fight.

Human trafficking is a US$ 32 billion global industry. After drug trafficking, TIP is the world’s most profitable enterprise, a status it shares with arms trafficking.

Criminal organisations are increasingly turning to human trafficking because this modern-day slave trade is very profitable and has a low risk of being detected compared to drug trafficking.

Admiration

Ambassador Hardt said he stands in admiration of the women of the mining organisation who continue to pull through, despite many challenges, noting that GWMO has proven to be an organisation of deeds and not words.

He said the U. S. stands willing to work with the government, even as he called on government ministries, the private sector, religious organisations, and nongovernmental organisations to stand together in the fight against modern day slavery.

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Caribbean news

week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

No politics involved in Kublalsingh’s dismissal, says UWI principal

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rofessor Clement Sankat, principal of the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) St Augustine campus, says the decision not to renew environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh’s part-time contract was not politically motivated.

“The system was challenged, and it had nothing to do with politics,” Sankat reportedly told TT media last Friday.

He added that Kublalsingh was never on the permanent staff, and there were hundreds of part-time lecturers with similar contracts at the university.

Last year, Kublalsingh missed several classes when he was involved in a 21day hunger strike over

Dr Wayne Kublalsingh has been dismissed from UWI (TT Newsday file photo)

the construction of the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin.

Sankat said since that time, changes had been made to the teaching schedule to accommodate Kublalsingh’s absence, and those chang-

Professor Clement Sankat, principal of UWI’s St Augustine campus (TT Guardian file photo)

es have continued into the new academic year.

Sankat said the head of department is responsible for assigning teachers to courses.

“The head of department had to do what he had to do,” he said.

Meanwhile, in response, Kublalsingh said he had no hard feelings toward UWI for letting him go, but there could have been some discussion with him about its concerns, before the “unilateral” dismissal. “I think the university had a decision to make and they made it...They probably could have consulted with me before,” he stated. He said he did not feel disappointed, as the university had always been good to him, but felt UWI should have come to him first before a decision was made. “They never invited me to meetings about it...They made a unilateral decision,” he said. (Excerpt from TT Guardian)

Politics...

.. as PR As Ralph Ramkarran keeps up his pretence of writing a “blog”, which is actually a fig leaf for writing for the opposition Stabber News and MuckrakerKN, he increasing reveals why he was never a real contender for the presidency from within the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C). Looks like he’s working real hard to be the opposition’s “consensus” candidate.

This week he weighs in with the incredible claim that, if the government had better “public relations” (PR) savvy, they would’ve been able to get the opposition to vote for Amaila Hydro! Well, actually, they didn’t need the entire opposition, since the Alliance For Change (AFC) had already done a somersault after it was revealed that their Chairman Nigel Hughes was on the payroll of Sithe Global! It wasn’t PR that changed their mind – just plain old fashioned love of money.

And on the PR front, we didn’t notice Hughes’ better half, Kathy Hughes – also an AFC executive – doing anything for Fip Motilall, as his PR flak. But that’s another story. Coming back to Ramkarran, is he really serious that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) would’ve had the PPP/ C solve the electricity problem of Guyana? If he believes that, then we have a bridge to sell him across the Demerara River.

APNU is scared sh* tless about any of the PPP/ C’s projects coming on stream. If that happens, it means that they’re stuck in the opposition wilderness for two more decades. For starters. But let’s list Ramkarran’s six questions that he said the PPP/ C never responded to properly.

It’s actually three because he figured: (1) “the inadequacy of Amaila by the time it comes on stream (was)... no reason not to proceed with Amaila because without it, the situation will be far worse”; (2) “ whether Guyana would have to go into debt”... (this) had no relationship to the viability of the project; and (3) “the absence of a plan for the development of the Potaro Basin (was) giving up the bird in the hand for two in the bush”.

So we’re left with “the cost of electricity to the consumer after the construction of Amaila...(which) was never answered or “adequately answered”, Sithe’s financial commitment, (“never fully clarified”) – and “the rate of return, (which) could have been defended”.

Now in a case of electricity generation by Amaila Hydro, how in God’s name would that entity be responsible for the price the client, Guyana Power and Light (GPL), would be selling it to consumers, since the latter would have to straighten transmission losses? This is the first time we’re hearing there were questions off Sithe’s financial commitment. It was Sithe’s Blackstone’s connection and money that brought all the other players to the table.

And APNU would’ve backflipped if the PPP/ C had told them this? What a joker! ... as passing the buck The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is in town to help increase our “trade capabilities”. But as this newspaper has said before, it was supposed to do this through the “Aid for Trade”(AfT) initiative.

Not us just tightening our Customs services.

The focus of AfT – to increase trade via Global Value Chains (GVCs) – has to help by deepening our production capacities so we get a share of the big value added bucks.

Back in 2009, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) crafted a strategy toward “upgrading key economic infrastructure, enhancing export competitiveness, diversifying economies, retooling the private sector, strengthening regional integration, and creating financial and other instruments to encourage and support innovation and research and development”.

WTO’s AfT has to help our manufacturing capacities beyond being assembly lines, create a vibrant agricultural sector – including agro-processing and increase our capacities in a range of services sectors.

We need structural transformation, baby, especially of services or we’ll continue supplying raw materials to the developed nations till the end of time. ... in literary circles We’re really happy Ruel Johnson won the Guyana Prize for “Best Fiction”. We were afraid his effusions in the letter pages might’ve damaged his reputation. If he had one.

News

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

More than 200 doctors begin Guyana to receive 5000-tonne training before deployment fertiliser shipment from Venezuela shortly

A

F

Guyanese doctors gathered at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) for their orientation

reshly minted Guyanese doctors, numbering over 200, who were trained in Cuba will over the next few days, in groups of 60, be put through several training sessions that would prepare them for their first postings. At the orientation for the doctors on Monday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, they were told of the demands of the health system, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Scope of training

Their training will incorporate, among others, legal and administrative components of the health system, regional and clinical health services, maternal and child health programme, completing medical records, national medicine policy and essential medicines list, tertiary care and re-

ferral systems, national HIV/ AIDS programme, quality and standards in health care, non-communicable diseases control, standards treatment guidelines, malaria control, TB control, and rational use of antibiotics and immunisation.

The training also encompasses Advances in Labour and Risk Management ( ALARM); basic life support; advanced life support; paediatric advanced life support; and Visual Inspection Using Acetic Acid (VIA), which are all part of the ministry’s promotion of continuous learning.

A few weeks ago, the ministry sent off 70 doctors who have already started performing their duties at hospitals in the various regions. They were put through a similar process prior to being dispatched.

In his presentation,

Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran noted that the orientation sessions will illustrate what is expected of the doctors and how a long-term relationship can be fashioned as they continue to serve the Guyanese population.

In recognition of the contribution made by the Cuban government in helping Guyana to create a skilled cadre of doctors, Minister Ramsaran recalled the steps taken by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and then Cuban President Fidel Castro in 2006 to facilitate the process.

The Cuban government also assisted in providing staff for the new diagnostic and treatment centres and the National Ophthalmology Hospital in Port Mourant, Region Six that were constructed to enhance the healthcare system.

g r i c u l t u r e Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy during a recent visit to Venezuela succeeded in getting manufacturers to agree to supply Guyana with 5000 tonnes of fertiliser. During the recent visit of President Nicolas Maduro to Guyana, a decision was made to extend that previous agreement to two shipments.

As per the new arrangement, the first shipment will see the supply of 5000 tonnes, and another shipment in March next year.

Ramsammy said the government has been negotiating with ship owners since the plant itself has an established shipping time.

“Whatever ship you make arrangement with, must fit into that time, so it’s not like they have the fertiliser whenever your ship arrives; your ship has to arrive whenever they are ready,” the minister explained during a recent interview.

The next shipping time is September 2324 and the ministry was able to put in place

Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy

a tentative agreement with a shipping company to have a boat at the facility on those days. As a result of the fertiliser deal, Guyanese farmers will be able to get the fertiliser they need at a cost that is significantly below what they are paying now.

Rice farmers, depending on where they are located, are currently paying between Gy$7000 and Gy$10,000 for a 48 kilogramme bag of urea.

Ramsammy posited that, “we are making arrangements for the

farmers to get a bag of fertiliser at a cost that is maximum Gy$5000 so that they will save.”

At the moment, the country’s rice farmers require about 20,000 tonnes of fertiliser, which means that this first shipment will make available 25 per cent of their needs. This, the minister said, will ensure that the needs of small farmers are met, while at the same time meeting a portion of the needs of the larger farmers, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported

14

news

week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana makes passionate call for slavery compensation G uyana has backed calls for Europe to compensate Caribbean states for the inhumanity of slavery, saying the injustice had left a deep wound and the desire to right this wrong was a component of the anti-colonial struggle.

“Guyana agrees that we must look at this dark history in order to understand and move forward in the present. But apart from the duty to remember, we have the duty to ensure that just and appropriate measures are adopted to compensate for those wrongs,” Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony told a regional conference on reparations being held in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The conference, which opened last Sunday, is the first major event on reparations following the 34th Caricom conference of heads of government in Trinidad and Tobago in July.

At the summit, heads of government agreed to the establishment of a National Reparations Committee in each state, with the respective chairs sitting on the Caricom

Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony

Reparations Commission.

The community’s approach would be to hold a development conversation and to use all reasonable avenues to reach an amicable solution on reparations.

Atrocities

“As a Guyanese, and as a descendant of ancestors, all of whom were uprooted, transported and transplanted into an environment of atrocities and injustices, designed to maximise profits by plunder, I join with my brothers and sisters in voicing this claim for reparations,” Dr Anthony said.

He said Guyana also supported the call for an

apology from those countries which benefited from the proceeds of the slave trade.

The Abolition Act of August 1833, abolished enslavement throughout the British Empire from August 1, 1834. From this date, there was to be a sixyear apprenticeship for field labour during which the slaves would work for a fixed number of hours each week.

This apprenticeship period ended in 1838, two years early. British Guiana planters were generously compensated for the 84,915 Africans who were now free. The emancipated Africans

received no compensation for their years of labour. “Not a single solitary cent,” Dr Anthony lamented.

He said the issue was openly discussed in the immediate post-independence era. Subsequently, a number of organisations, including Guyana’s African Cultural and Development Association, led the campaign for reparations and requested that President Bharrat Jagdeo add his voice to the reparations campaign. “…. President Jagdeo responded in kind when in 2007 while addressing a commemorative ceremony for the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic trade in captive Africans he observed: “Now that some members of the international community have recognised their active role in this despicable system, they need to go one step further and support reparation.”

In 2011, President Jagdeo in launching a year of celebratory activities commemorating the International Year for People of African Descent restated his support for reparations.

“Juici Patties” opens its doors in Guyana

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amex Restaurants Inc, the franchisee of Church’s Chicken, Mario’s Pizza and Quiznos opened their fourth franchise, Juici Patties from Jamaica, in Guyana. The Juici Patties chain of stores is one of the most popular fast food brands with a total of 50 stores across the island of Jamaica.

Juici Patties also has a manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada. While there are no Juici Patties retail stores in Canada, the brand is extremely popular and their products: Juici beef, chicken, vegetable and shrimp patties are available in some of Canada’s major supermarket chains and convenience stores.

Juici Patties currently has distributors in the Cayman Islands, Turks

and Caicos, Dominica and St Lucia. Camex Restaurants Inc is very proud to be opening the very first Juici Patties store outside of Jamaica.

The company is even more thrilled to be opening not just the first, but six Juici Patties stores countrywide with more stores planned in the very near future.

The six Juici Patties stores include the new location at Vreed-en-hoop, Camp Street, Hinck Street, Parika, Linden and Bartica. These locations all opened their doors to the public during this week.

An official opening ceremony for Juici Patties Guyana took place Wednesday at their brand new location at Lot 3 Plantation, Vreed-en-Hoop.

news

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

“It’s a sweet moment for me” – Best says in goodbye speech

By Svetlana Marshall

“I

t is critical that a constant and sharp eye be placed on aviation and maritime development to provide faster access to forest and remote area protection, and hydrocarbon security,” Rear Admiral Gary Best said as he delivered his last speech as chiefof-staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Tuesday amid much pomp and ceremony at Camp Ayanganna.

Best, who is the seventh chief-of-staff of Guyana’s army but the first to be elevated to the rank of Rear Admiral, said the country’s successful development depends significantly on creating and preserving a safe and secure environment, hence aviation and maritime development is critical.

However, he opined that true development within the force will not be achieved without a clear interlinking of all key sectors and resources.

“It, therefore, appears to me, Your

Outgoing Chief-of-Staff Rear Admiral Gary Best hands over the ‘Force Colours’ to his successor Brigadier Mark Phillips

Excellency, that a re-rationalisation, a re-prioritisation, and a re-alloca-

tion of key resources to the defence and security continued on page 19

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CAL named region’s top airline again

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or the fourth year in a row, Caribbean Airlines has been named the Caribbean’s Leading Airline at the annual World Travel Awards function held over the weekend at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa. Accepting the award on behalf of the airline, Alicia Cabrera, Senior

the title, World Travel Awards founder Graham Cooke said: “I am delighted Caribbean Airlines has been recognised by our voters as the Caribbean’s Leading Airline for the fourth consecutive year; an honour of which they are truly worthy. It was to recognise outstanding tourism stakeholders such as

took the title of North America’s Leading Airline.

Headline Caribbean Awards winners included Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos, which took the title of Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination, while Jamaica walked away with the title of Caribbean’s Leading Destination.

Caribbean Airlines took the win for Caribbean’s Leading Airline over other regional air carriers, Air Caraibes, Bahamas Air, Cubana and Liat

Manager Marketing at CAL said: “This fourth win really cements our position as the region’s premier carrier. That the category is judged based on travel industry professionals voting makes it even more prestigious as our customers and travel agent partners clearly recognise the tremendous effort put forth by the staff to make each flight special.”

Commenting on

Caribbean Airlines that we founded World Travel Awards in 1993. Now, as we celebrate our 20th year, WTA continues to reward those who continue to drive our industry forward.”

Caribbean Airlines took the win for Caribbean’s Leading Airline over other regional air carriers, Air Caraibes, Bahamas Air, Cubana and Liat, whilst American Airlines

Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand once again went to Sandals Resorts International; Caribbean’s Leading Boutique Hotel went to Hermitage Bay, Antigua; and Caribbean’s Leading Golf Resort went to Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic.

Caribbean Airlines has been named the WTA Best Airline to the Caribbean in 2010, 2011, 2012 and now for 2013.

UG student perishes in minibus accident

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The bus shortly after the accident

22-year-old student of the University of Guyana died Tuesday night following a horrific accident on Brickdam, Georgetown. Dead is Lindsford Gavin Deally of Lot 471 Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara.

Deally met his demise at approximately 21: 30h when the Sophia bus he was conducting collided with a car in the vicinity of Louisa Row and Brickdam.

While at the Georgetown Public Hospital, one of the survivors, Sheldon McKenzie, told media operatives that he had warned the driver to slow down, less than five minutes before the collision occurred.

He explained that passengers had rushed to the bus upon its ar-

rival on the Sophia Bus Park, and the conductor was reportedly shouting “four a seat, four a seat”.

With approximately 19 persons crammed in the vehicle, including the driver, the bus began its journey, with Deally’s head and a shoulder protruding out of the bus.

“So when the bus take off and entering Brickdam, it was going with a speed and music was really loud, so I was, like ‘Conductor the bus overload, ya’ll deh pun ya’ll itation’, so about five minutes after somebody in front said ‘watch out’,” McKenzie recalled.

The car, with which the bus collided, was proceeding north on Louisa Row. McKenzie said the minibus subsequently toppled four times before coming to a halt. “It

landed on the conductor’s side; actually the bus was on the conductor.”

Using the window, McKenzie was the first of the passengers to exit the bus. According to reports, many of the passengers suffered minor injuries to their heads and legs.

Distraught over the situation, Deally’s father, Allan said he rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital after getting the news. According to him, his son had been a part-time conductor for approximately eight months as he pursued his studies in economics at UG. Deally would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on December 17. He is the eldest of seven children.

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“It’s a sweet moment... sectors is now necessary for a safe and secure environment,” the army chief told President Donald Ramotar.

Defence, security policy

Best further stated that the defence and security sector is pivotal to nation building, noting that he refuses to support any notion which suggests that Guyana is unable to achieve its maximum potential or would be crippled due to political differences.

The outgoing chiefof-staff said his 33 years of service to the army was a remarkable venture. “It is a sweet moment for me and my family. It is a sweet moment for me for the Lord Jesus Christ has seen me through to the end with peace and tranquility. It is a sweet moment for me that I feel a sense of spiritual joy and accomplishment.

It is a sweet moment for me that I have given 33 years of service to the people of this great country,” he said, as he bid his colleagues farewell.

But this is not the end of the great venture, he said, since he

has made himself available to serve in other capacities, as he pursues his doctorate degree in international relations at the University of the West Indies.

His area of research focuses on climate change financing. “I am ready to serve my country in new capacities as the years progress.

Thank you Guyana, thank you the Guyana Defence Force, thank you officers, thank you ranks, thank you civilians...,” Best said.

To his successor Brigadier Mark Phillips, Best offered congratulations, reminding him that he should allow his moral compass to point to fairness, justice, and compassion as he takes the GDF to higher heights. “Your greatest test is not where you stand in good moments but where you stand in times of challenge and controversy. You will have to be strong and hold your grounds, you will have many testing moments; however, be inspired by your desire to lead, and develop further the Guyana Defence Force,” he stat-

ed.

Best took command of the GDF on September 28, 2007. His career began when he was adjudged the best graduating student of the Standard Military Officers Course Number

Nine at the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School in 1981. He subsequently completed his initial maritime training in the Brazilian merchant marines during the period 1981 to 1985.

As Commander Coast Guard during the period June 1994 to September 1999, he was responsible for the establishment

of Coast Guard Law Enforcement Districts throughout Guyana, as well as the development of an electronic database Maritime Information System.

The outgoing chiefof-staff is a proud holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Guyana and a Legal Education Certificate

from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago.

Back in 2005, Best was accepted to practice at the Guyana Bar. He subsequently earned his Master of Science Degree in International Relations from the University of the West Indies.

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U.S. motivational speaker urges Guyanese teachers to make learning fun

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ocal educators were encouraged to step out of their comfort zones to make children interested in school, by embracing their profession and seeking innovative ways to make learning fun and interesting, by award-winning American teacher Ron Clark.

Addressing teachers, administrators and students at the National Cultural Centre on Monday, Clark, who is also a motivational speaker, shared his experiences and techniques that can encourage a more conducive learning environment for students.

The high school teacher was invited by the Education Ministry as part of activities for Education Month 2013, to deliver the feature address to teachers at the transforming minds workshop.

Clark stated that persons employed as

Leading American educator Ron Clark in his own style tries to motivate local teachers to be better educators during a workshop at the National Cultural Centre (Carl Croker photo)

teachers who see the profession as just a job should not be educators.

“You’ve got to push them, because, if you don’t, it’s the future of your country that will suffer… the future of your country depends

upon you pushing the brain thrust in this country,” said Clark, as he made reference to China and other countries that are working to push their gifted students by investing in them.

He continued, “You

got to have each other’s back, you got to defend each other, you got to be strong, because, if we are all strong, it’s going to flow down to all the kids.”

He highlighted the various innovative measures he has used to get

his students excited and ready to learn.

Clark, who teaches Mathematics and History to fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, said he was successful in getting children to learn by changing the lyrics of popular songs into that of math problems and history lessons.

Clark transformed a 100-year-old abandoned factory into a school dubbed ‘The Ron Clark Academy’, which is located in Atlanta, Georgia. It caters for fifth through eighth grade students.

According to him, teachers from other schools are allowed to witness how lessons are taught innovatively at his school, so that they are challenged to go back to their respective schools to implement similar innovations and cause a revolution of fun teaching.

He has won the Disney Teacher of the Year award in 2001, ap-

peared on TV shows in America, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, and is the author of a book called ‘The Ron Story”.

Backbone of the education system

In her remarks at the forum, Education Minister Priya Manickchand stressed that teachers are the backbone of the education system.

“If you didn’t do what you’re trained to do, if you didn’t do what you promised to do when you became a teacher, then it would all be for naught and so it’s extremely important that you be the best that you could be, and that’s why we understand fully that you have, in addition, to having issues with how to teach and be a good teacher, you also have your lives to live and we get that,” she said.

As such, she reiterated her call for teachers to work diligently with the country’s future generation.

Gov't takes essential services to Essequibo residents Seein is believin, but blind does lead de blind

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ld people does seh seein is believin and that whah ever yuh can’t see, yuh must have to feel before yuh believe. Some people does see wid dem mind only. But that is not seein, that is called dreamin. And some people does only see wid other people eye. But that is also not seein either, that is called believin whah another man seh he see and tekkin it fuh gospel truth, or as old people again seh – de blind leadin de blind.

Lallbachan Suspenders Ram is one a dem who does dream and seh he see. He does dream all kinda tings when he rammin wid he pardna in slime – de other old ram whah name Ram Bow -- and then talk bout dem next day. But he don’t tell people bout de feelin part.

That is top secret fuh de two old rams, because when dem fellas start feelin, dem does see heaven same time.

Rum Jhaat on de other hand is one a dem who don’t see too good. That is why he always blinkin like when de place too bright fuh he. But is really because he like darkness so much, and he does deh in darkness so much, that he not accustom to bein in de light.

De fact that Rum Jhaat not too bright either is another story. Imagine that is a lawyer and a politician and a parliamentarian who never know that certain reports does have to go to Parliament. Is no wonder he get kick out. He gotta be a real Jhaat fuh depend pun Lallbachan fuh tell he certain tings.

So Rum Jhaat does only see wid other people eye.

Whah ever Lallbachan Ram seh he see, Rum Jhaat does see. Like he does only see whah all dem Rams and Rums see – perfect example of de blind leadin de blind.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling… friend tell friend… mattie tell mattie! De only Ram that Rum Jhaat friken is de prezzi.

That is because de prezzi does see thru all dem Rams and Rums like a book. That is called seein is believin!

BY INDRAWATTIE NATRAM

H

ome Affairs M i n i s t e r Clement Rohee on Saturday assured Essequibians that there will be "no more shouts for justice" for minor problems, as he launched another instalment of the Houses of Justice Project in Region Two. Addressing policemen, residents and other government officials at the Aurora Primary School on the Essequibo Coast, Minister Rohee said often persons spend too much time accessing simple services, and this must change.

As such, he said the Home Affairs Ministry came up with a bold initiative, the first of its kind in Guyana, to assist residents in various communities.

Essential services

He said the project aims to help communities, or in other words, make essential services available to them.

He said the Houses of Justice are multi-agency centres within communities geared at addressing pressing social and safety needs of citizens at the community level.

He said it is designed to

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee interacting with members of the various Region Two communities

improve access to public services.

The minister noted that the project is aimed at eliminating the everyday frustration people face in accessing services, by bringing together key agencies under the same roof.

Rohee said many times persons complain of not receiving justice and, with the launch of the project in Region Two, the issue of “not getting justice” will be resolved at the community level.

Make maximum use

The minister urged persons to make maximum use of the service

since it is readily available free of cost. He said a special committee will be set up to analyse the work done by the Houses of Justice and recommendations will be made for improvement.

Giving an overview of the project, Coordinator Shawn Coonjah said the initial phase of the project will see the ministry bringing together staff from the Guyana Police Force, the General Registrars Office, the National Insurance Scheme, the Guyana Power and Light, the Human Services Ministry and community policing volunteers to

render services and advise residents of the communities where these facilities are located.

He said the Region Two centres will be established at Charity, Dartmouth, Suddie, Aurora and Kabakaburi.

Meanwhile, Region Two Chairman Parmanand Persaud welcomed the service in the various communities, and thanked the Home Affairs Ministry for the introduction of the project in his region.

Persaud noted that he will be spreading the word on the availability of the services that will be provided.

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U. S. ambassador hosts “Jazz by the Seawall” U

.S. Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt in collaboration with the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry hosted a night of “Jazz by the Seawall” last Thursday evening.

American jazz trio, Phil Dunlap on the keyboards, along with his band members, Nick Jost on the bass and Marty Morrison on the drums, entertained guests at the U. S. ambassador’s home in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown.

The night of “Jazz by the Sea wall” was attended by several government ministers and members of the diplomatic corps.

Hardt told his guests that since his arrival in Guyana some two years

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt and his wife Sasha, enjoy soothing jazz music

ago, he has been desperately trying to get a jazz band to perform, and is happy to accomplish his aim. “We wanted to show people of diverse cultures and background the quality of our civilisation, which was so beautifully reflected in jazz music and most especially in the people

who performed it,” he stated.

The U. S. ambassador noted that despite the U. S. struggles, currently and in the past with issues of race, jazz music offers a means to supersede traditional categories of thinking and to point the way forward to a better, fairer and more

The jazz trio entertaining guests at the U.S. ambassador’s home on Thursday evening

perfect America.

“So tonight, we are just going to have a relaxed evening with no fuss and ceremony. We want you to think of this as the ‘Blues Alley’ of Cummings Lodge, an intimate jazz club with good wine, beer and spirits,” the ambassador said.

Meanwhile, Prime

Guyanese overwhelmingly support Amaila project, subsidy to GPL

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n opinion survey conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) last month found that the overwhelming majority of the nation supports the Amalia Falls Hydro Electricity Project (AFHEP), subsidies to the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), and the recent introduction of the new minimum wage policy.

The poll interviewed voters to determine support on various government initiated projects as well as popular support for the parties should a snap election be called.

The poll randomly interviewed 520 voters to yield a demographically representative sample (44 per cent Indians, 30 per cent Africans, 16 per cent mixed, nine per cent Amerindians, and one per cent other races) of the population.

The poll was conducted in face-to-face interviews and was coordinated by Vishnu Bisram, pollster, newspaper columnist and educator in New York.

The results of the poll were analysed at a 95 per cent significance level and a statistical sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points was found.

Sampling results based on sub-groups such as Indians or Africans have a larger sampling error.

Asked if they approve of the opposition’s rejection of the Amalia Falls hydro project, 67 per cent said no, with only 23 per cent backing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for opposing the project.

People feel the project will lead to cheaper electricity bills.

Parting

Even supporters of the Alliance For Change (AFC) overwhelming-

ly endorsed the Amalia Falls project with APNU supporters breaking with their party for its opposition to the project.

Asked if they support the opposition rejection of funding subsidy for GPL, 65 per cent said no, with 21 per cent saying yes and 14 per cent saying they are not sure. Asked if they agree with the opposition’s rejection of funds for the construction of Marriott Hotel, 41 per cent said yes, with 35 per cent saying no, and 24 per cent not sure.

Asked if they approve of the opposition’s decision to reject funding for the Specialty Hospital, 39 per cent said yes with 51 per cent said no and 10 per cent was not sure. Asked if they back the opposition’s position against the airport expansion project, 37 per cent said yes, with 52 per cent saying no, and 11 said not sure.

On the question of whether they endorse the increase in the minimum wage policy, a whopping 88 per cent said yes, seven per cent said no, and five per cent said not sure, with workers showering accolades on Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul for this initiative, although many feel the minimum wage needs to be much higher, given the country’s ever increasing cost of living.

This is the highest approval rating in support of any government project in recent times.

Asked if they think the sugar industry can be rescued, 44 per cent said no, with 47 per cent saying yes and nine per cent not offering a response. People feel the industry need to undergo significant structural reforms in order to save it.

The poll was conducted by Vishnu Bisram for

Minister Samuel Hinds thanked Ambassador Hardt for providing Guyanese the opportunity to listen to American’s finest jazz music.

The jazz trio has played at events across the world. Throughout this past week, they have been performing a series of concerts and have hosted education-

al workshops with music students at all levels.

The group has also played alongside some of Guyana’s top jazz musicians, in addition to hosting an educational presentation and performance at the St John’s Basco Boys Orphanage.

The trio had conducted indepth workshops with students and staff from the National School of Music, made educational presentations and gave performances at the Bishops’ High School and other secondary schools in Berbice.

On Friday, the trio closed their week on a high note with a concert at the Theatre Guild.

The concert was opened to the general public and was free of cost.

-NACTA poll finds

NACTA, a New Yorkbased group founded by Dr Latchman Narain of Toronto and Vassan Ramracha of New York, all of whom were involved in the free and fair election movement

in the diaspora.

NACTA has no affiliation with any political party and has been involved in several community activities in America, Guyana and other countries.

APNU calls for tougher police action against criminals

I

n light of the recent increase in criminal activities, the A partnership for National Unity (APNU) has called on the security forces to up its game and enhance crime fighting strategies so as to provide a safe and secure environment for Guyanese.

This call was made last Friday by APNU parliamentarian and former Police Commissioner Winston Felix, who recommended that the security forces develop an intelligence gathering

system which will assist them in tackling criminal activities.

“The nature of these crimes today suggests that these crimes are well planned and executed and so traditional methods of responding are to be enhanced and that is why I’m advocating intelligence gathering, upon which sensible counterpolicing operations can be mounted,” he stated.

The former police commissioner highlighted the increase usage of firearms in criminal ac-

APNU MP Winston Felix

tivities, noting that when such a spree arises, the police have a standard procedure which they

ought to follow.

He said that they have to identify the areas where crime is prevalent and increase patrol in those areas.

Speaking on the issue of firearms, Felix said some licence holders, despite being told of the responsibilities and code of conduct, do not adhere and use their weapons in a willy nilly manner.

He cited the Vive La Force, West Bank Demerara incident where a 14-year-old boy was shot from across the

Demerara River.

It is suspected that persons were practicing over the East Bank with high-powered weapons and the police had questioned a businessman; however, nothing came out of the matter.

The APNU parliamentarian continued that another factor that leads to such a high use of illegal firearms is the absence of stringent police presence at the borders.

“We have an unpoliced border,” he said

while pointing out that people travel through the North West District and rivers without any hindrance by the police and with that freedom comes the opportunity to smuggle items such as firearms, citing the arms cache that was found in Lethem late last year.

Felix noted that the time is now for interior policing to be supported by the use of aircraft, which he said can be used to transport officers to strategic locations to carry out regular searches.

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Forensic laboratory expected Deal with Marriott investor in closing stages – Brassington to open by year-end

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Guyana’s state-of-the-art forensic laboratory

team from Barbados has been contracted to install the equipment to facilitate the smooth running of the forensic laboratory which is expected to come into operation before year-end.

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee explained that the imported equipment had to be calibrated on arrival in Guyana before being installed.

“The security features have been already installed and by the third week in October, all the installation will be completed with respect to equipment which will see the facility being in full operation,” he added.

The Home Affairs Ministry has already

hired staff and will soon sign their contacts for employment.

He said the Office of the President has requested that the lab be equipped to facilitate DNA testing.

“What we have decided to do is to complete what we have set out to do in accordance with the plan for the completion of the lab because we don’t want to delay further commissioning of the facility… upon completion, we will look at ways and means of incorporating in the functioning of the lab, DNA testing.”

The contract for the Gy$ 840 million Police Forensic Lab falls under the Citizen Security Programme (CSP) initiated by the government

and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

This programme has three components: institutional modernisation of the Home Affairs Ministry, Community Action Component (CAC) and modernisation of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which includes the strengthening of forensic capability.

The facility, when equipped, will be the best in the Caribbean and among the best in the world.

Former Police Commissioner Henry Greene had said the fight against crime cannot only be tackled with help of the public alone, but also needs the support of forensic science.

AHI Chairman Winston Brassington

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tlantic Hotel Inc (AHI) Chairman W i n s t o n Brassington has dismissed claims that a British Virgin Islands investor intends to buy the Marriott Hotel building for US$ 10 million. In a statement on Saturday, Brassington said the claims made in another local newspaper are absolutely untrue.

Brassington said he told the publication that the AHI is in the closing stages of a deal with a foreign investor and that the name of this investor will be announced when there is financial closure.

make premature public disclosures about their business, and in this case, there is greater apprehension to do so given the hostile and unwelcoming political environment created by the opposition parties.

“Nevertheless, the private investor is aware, and acknowledges, that given its intended relationship with the government of Guyana, it will be required to make a public announcement, which it is prepared to do at the appropriate time,” Brassington explained.

Priority

Construction of the Marriott Hotel and Entertainment Complex remains a priority for the government of Guyana.

While construction of the outer shell of the building is complete, design works on the interior continue, requiring great care and review in order to ensure that all aspects of design and construction achieve the Marriott Hotel standards for functionality and operations, Brassington said.

Public disclosures

He said, in general, private investors are usually reluctant to

An artist’s impression of the Marriott Hotel (Guyana)

Prominent Guyanese/Canadian family celebrates matriarch’s 90th birthday with community

By Sara Kassim

O

ver 170 relatives, friends and wellwishers gathered in Toronto on Sunday to join in celebrating the 90th birth anniversary of Guyanese-born Canadian, Noorun Nisa Kassim.

The white silky tablecloths were in pristine condition, the cream orchid centre pieces were of the finest assortment, the food was overflowing and the dessert was decadent, as the Kassim’s family marked the “momentous occasion” with friends and relatives.

While living in Guyana, Mrs Noorun Kassim always had a vision for her family to migrate to Canada, with hopes of building a life that would make each member proud. That dream came true, as most of her family members currently reside in Canada, where they have been educated and are now employed.

At the recent birthday celebration, many of Kassim’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren spoke adoringly of the Guyanaborn Kassim ‘legend,’ to whom they all expressed

Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren share a special moment with Guyanese-born Canadian, Noorun Nisa Kassim, (centre) during her 90th birthday celebrations in Toronto on Sunday

gratitude for the enriched foundation she had provided for them.

It was noted that Mrs. Kassim has been the driving force behind her family's success. Her late husband, Subaydar Kassim, came from a poor background.

But although, Noorun was more educated than Subaydar, when they got married, she constantly pushed him to strive to be a greater man. Through her unwavering sup-

port, Subaydar was able to further his education and even exceeded expectations. He went into the Royal Air Force and later the Guyana Police Force during the second World War. He retired as a Superintendent of Police.

Moreover, each of her children has become extremely successful in their own right. Her eldest son, Sultan Feroze Kassim, retired as the Deputy Commissioner

of Police in Guyana.

Another son, Dr Sultan Farook Kassim, who passed away in 1997, was a medical doctor, and held a very prestigious position as Chief Medical Officer in Guyana.

Noorun's eldest daughter, Bibi Fernando, went on to become a teacher and is now retired. Her daughters, Dolly Dhaniram and Anne Sawh, went on to be executive buy-

ers of Sears Canada. Her youngest son, Winston Kassim is an executive with RBC Royal Bank and he is also the Chair for IDRF (International Development Relief Foundation). Noorun's youngest child, Ingrid Innes, is the Chief Executive Officer of ICBL (Insurance Company of Barbados Limited) in Barbados.

Noorun has been the rock behind each of these professionals, and they have all attributed their success to the motivation that she constantly provided.

While Noorun recognizes the importance of material gains, she does not forget her roots. She is the daughter of an Imam, and this spirituality runs deep in her soul. She has initiated the building of numerous mosques in Guyana and the greater Toronto area, and many of these community members were present at her 90th birthday celebrations.

She has always been a true believer in lending a helping hand, before the person has a chance to ask. She constantly reminds her family and friends to never forget God, as he will be the one

Youngest son, Winston Kassim, pays tribute to his mother while recalling some of the amazing memories of growing up in Guyana (Photos courtesy of the Kassim family)

to guide you especially in your times of need.

The 90th birthday celebrations left everyone knowing that Noorun has been living for her family and friends' successes for most of her life.

The beautiful celebration was especially rare as it allowed Noorun to bask in glory, something she is not accustomed to.

Noorun Kassim's continued legacy is one to be exceptionally proud of.

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Bridging of the Corentyne Guyana takes River still on the cards – Gov’t centre stage at

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he ambitious plan of the governments of Guyana and Suriname to bridge the Corentyne River is still on the card and Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said some preliminary works have been completed and ground work will begin shortly.

He told a news conference last Friday that a final decision is yet to be made regarding the construction of the bridge, but discussions are continuing and officials are now looking to finalise preliminary studies to continue with the project.

Dr Luncheon also said the Guyana government was looking at the possibility of the bridge being completed within the next three to five years, but this may not be possible.

Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon

Feasibility

“A considerable amount of works have been completed at the site where it will be built, selection and feasibility etc,” Dr Luncheon said.

The Cabinet secretary noted that the project calls for serious planning, pointing out that making a decision on

the project will require a step-by-step process.

This, he said is to ensure that both the Surinamese and Guyanese governments are not at any point accused of poor technical work.

Funding for the project has been an ongoing deliberation between Suriname, Guyana and international financial institutions.

Dr Luncheon said the two countries have signalled strong support for the establishment of land linkages across the Corentyne River.

The initiative was identified as one of a series of projects that would further physically integrate South America at a recent Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) meeting.

During his presidential campaign, Surinamese President

Desi Bouterse had promised to build a bridge across the Corentyne River, should he be elected.

Bouterse had said that it is necessary for technical assessments to be done before the project meets the construction phase.

During a one-day meeting in Suriname last year, President Donald Ramotar and Bouterse had agreed to move to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to seek joint financing for the bridge that will link the two countries via the Corentyne River.

The two presidents had reiterated the importance of the construction of the bridge, noting that it would considerably enhance trade and economic relations as well as cultural exchanges between the peoples of the two countries.

CANU destroys US$ 14.3M in seized drugs

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he Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) last Friday destroyed approximately US$ 14.3 million in cocaine and cannabis that were seized from various operations in 2013.

The drugs are from cases that have been concluded and the offenders sentenced.

The exercise was done in a secured environment in the presence of heavily-armed officers on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, in the presence of media operatives.

A total of 401 kilograms of cocaine and 30.465 kilograms of cannabis were set alight.

Media presence

The sealed cocaine exhibits were opened in the presence of the media and were subsequently tested to verify that it was indeed cocaine being destroyed.

The illegal substance was innovatively stashed in Smalta bottles, post cards, fish feed,

CANU officials unraveling cocaine and cannabis to be burnt

hand cream, electricity bulbs, Fern Leaf Milk tins and capsules that were excreted by cocaine mules.

At the eradication exercise, CANU Director James Singh explained that apart from the amount of cocaine being destroyed, there is still a lot more, but the court cases are still pending.

He explained that until the offenders are prosecuted and found guilty; those exhibits cannot be

Head of CANU James Singh displays a smalta bottle and a set of hand cream in which cocaine was stashed

destroyed.

One such case is the cocaine in lumber at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, where more than 300 kilograms were unearthed.

Most of the drugs that were destroyed were seized at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), the Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) Wharf and during several raids.

Singh also added that a small portion of cannabis was seized at the Ogle International Airport.

Among the drugs destroyed was the 233 kilograms of cocaine unearthed in fish feed at the GNSC Wharf destined for China.

The street value of one kilogram of cocaine in China is estimated to be between US$ 100,000 to US$ 120,000.

New market

Singh

added

that

drug traffickers are looking for new markets, noting that traditionally, it is smuggled to North America and Europe but of recent, it has been shipped to Africa and Asia, particularly China.

He noted that working with other law enforcement units and stakeholders including the Customs Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and the Police Narcotics Branch (PNB) have been very successful, reiterating that the collaboration has made it more difficult for drug traffickers.

While he is cognisant that Guyana is a major trans-shipment point for cocaine, he was unable to say on an average, the amount of drugs that pass through the country, but stated that the collective efforts of the various task forces established by the Home Affairs Ministry and other units have put a dent on the drug trade.

Global Youth Summit

G

uyana took centre stage at the recently concluded Global Beyond 2015 Youth Summit in Costa Rica where it lobbied the United Nations and International Telecommunications Union to involve more youth in its decisionmaking processes while underscoring the importance of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the development of the world.

As the Global Beyond 2015 Global Youth Summit came to an end on Wednesday, its youth declaration, setting priorities for the “Future We Want”, was presented to Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla, who will take the collective message of the world’s youth to the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

The summit was held from September 9 to 11 and Guyana’s representative was Evening News Editor and Journalist Michael Younge.

More than 180 countries fielded representatives who participated in several roundtable discussions, debates, competitions and discussions about the use of ICTs and their role in aiding the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals as well as other objectives related to sustainable development.

The summit themes were “Get Ahead”, “Be Healthy”, “Be Safe and Change your World”, all of which aimed at harnessing the collective creativity and concerns of the youths present in San Jose.

Younge speaking during the full session of the summit, reported on the outcome of one of the thematic workshops hosted on day one. In his address, he underscored the importance of negotiating for success and the need for the United Nations to work more closely with youths to remove the barriers that are restricting access to the Internet in countries that are hit by underdevelopment, poverty and affordability issues.

Humbled

Speaking Guyana

with Times

TVG's Evening News Editor Micheal Younge

International upon his return, Younge said that he was happy to have participated in the summit and was humbled by the declaration sent to the UN by the youths present at the forum, which he described as “remarkable”. “I am proud to have echoed my views at the summit. I am also thankful that I had the opportunity to share with the summit some of the remarkable things that Guyana is doing in the area of ICTs like our One Laptop Per Family Project and several others that aim at increasing Internet connectivity here and access altogether.”

Younge has also reported that he had the opportunity to visit the Earth University in Costa Rica, listen to the first lady of Nigeria deliver an address at the summit and also meet some of the leading minds in ICTs from around the world.

At the summit, Costa Rica’s President Laura Chincilla congratulated the participants for sounding their voices and sharing their solutions for dealing with issues which are still critical to achieving equity and improved access to education, information, the Internet and development.

Guyana was the only Caribbean country that participated fully and vocally in all of the sessions.

The UN secretary general’s envoy on youth, Ahmad Alhendawi said he was committed to taking the message of youth to the United Nations, while urging young people to take responsibility to make their voices heard.

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FEATURE

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Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy I n the previous article, we discussed the global and local frameworks for addressing climate change.

This week we will discuss Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) – one of the biggest steps taken in Guyana to address climate change and promote national development.

Developed countries have historically pursued a development pathway that involved energy-intensive industrialisation with heavy reliance on fossil fuels, and conversion of forests and other ecosystems to make way for agriculture, industry

and human settlements.

These activities injected high levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere and contributed greatly to climate change.

Within recent years, many countries around the world have begun to recognise the important role of low carbon development as a means by which they can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and manage forests and other ecosystems sustainably, while still pursuing economic growth and development. Guyana is one such country which has placed great emphasis on

balancing economic development and environmental protection.

Guyana is highly endowed with vast forests resources which cover approximately 85 per cent of the country or approximately 18 million hectares. The country has maintained a low deforestation rate over the years attributed to the sustainable nature of forestry operations.

By opting to maintain its low rates of deforestation, Guyana has provided a great service to the world by helping to reduce the high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere – thereby reduc-

ing the threat of climate change.

Tropical deforestation contributes to approximately 17 per cent of global GHG emissions and addressing this issue has now become one of the global priorities to combat climate change.

The government of Guyana has been exploring avenues by which it can maintain its forests to help in the global fight against climate change while at the same time receive financial resources for doing so.

A study was subsequently conducted that estimated the Economic Value to the Nation (EVN) of Guyana’s for-

ests, to be approximately US$ 580 million per annum.

This value is based on optimising the use of the forests for logging, mining and other extractive activities.

Based on the findings and national and international developments, Guyana proposed to pursue a new development pathway which balances economic development and sustainability, and in the process transition towards a low carbon economy. This vision was outlined in its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) launched in 2009.

The LCDS is a national strategy which provides the over-arching framework for achieving Guyana’s long-term developmental goals, using nationally appropriate green growth strategies to achieve this transition.

It was developed through a national consultation exercise during which vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples, forest users and dependent communities, women and youth were engaged in the development of the strategy.

A Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee (MSSC) was established to oversee and guide the implementation of the LCDS. The strategy was revised in May 2010 after comments and feedback from extensive outreach sessions with a wide cross-section of stakeholder groups and communities were incorporated in the document. A further update to the LCDS was done in March, 2013.

The LCDS has three main components.

One of the key ways by which Guyana has been supporting the implementation of the LCDS is through its partnerships with other

countries. Funds earned from climate services that the forests provide to the world are invested to create a low deforestation, low carbon, climate resilient economy.

On November 9, 2009 Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in which Norway committed to providing Guyana up to US$ 250 million by 2015 for avoided deforestation.

Under the MOU, contributions from Norway are channeled towards supporting priority projects identified in the LCDS. To date, Guyana has earned three payments from Norway totalling US$ 115 million.

This agreement is the first international commitment of financial support to the LCDS. Guyana has made significant progress to date in the implementation of the LCDS. In 2009, eight priority projects were identified in the LCDS to serve as pilot projects and once implemented; the model and lessons learnt will be amplified to other areas within that specific sector.

Implementation of these projects commenced along with a number of new projects as identified in the LCDS Update.

Guyana’s LCDS can be seen as an innovative approach to combating climate change while simultaneously promoting economic growth and development.

It is a workable model that could be adopted by many developing countries as they phase into a low carbon path of development.

Next week we will continue to discuss the LCDS and the major projects that are being implemented.

Prepared by the Office of Climate Change.

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feature

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health corner

Healthy Eating: Whole Grains

By Tisha Boston

M

ore and more studies are showing that whole grain foods are healthier than foods made from refined or processed grains. A whole grain is the entire grain, which includes the bran, the germ, and the endosperm i.e., the starchy part. Nonwhole grain products such as white and enriched wheat flour are missing many of the nutrients found in whole grain foods because the entire grain is not used, only the starchy part.

Whole grains are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals are chemicals found in plants that have protective or disease preventive properties.

In addition, there

are some misconceptions about the healthiest whole grain, but the truth is that there is no healthiest whole grain, just like there is

of the nutrients that whole grains contribute to a healthy diet and the proportion of the Daily Value for each.

The U.S Food and

no healthiest fruit or vegetable. Some whole grains are stronger in one nutrient and others in different nutrients.

Here are two charts from the Whole Grain Council that list some

Drug Administration (FDA) considers a food to be a "good source" of a nutrient if a standardsize serving provides 10% of the recommended daily value; an "excellent source" provides

20% or more of the recommended daily value.

When purchasing whole grain items reading labels is essential.

One must pay more attention to the ingredient list because some whole grain foods may say whole grains and only include a tiny amount or some may be labeled “made with” or “containing” whole grain, but do not have whole grain as the first ingredient. To rectify this problem, check the ingredient list for sources of whole grains as the first ingredient. Examples of whole grain sources are bulgur (cracked flour), whole wheat flour, whole oats, whole grain corn, popcorn, brown rice, wild rice, etc. more sources of whole grain are also included in the previous charts.

More Canadian support for cancer treatment in the Caribbean

- Scotiabank pledges Cdn$1 million to ongoing efforts

E

very year, anywhere between ten and 12 children are diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders in Barbados.

Ranging from 18 months to 18 years old, these young patients face rounds of gruelling treatment to fight their way back to health. For those affected with blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia, it can be a

lion) in support for the Caribbean-Sick Kids Paediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Project.

The pledge came through Scotiabank’s global philanthropic programme, Bright Future.

The bank’s vice chairman Sabi Marwah explained that it was part of their long-standing connection to the Caribbean.

The funds will sup-

at Canada’s world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Chief among these experts are the two Caribbean-Canadian leaders of the project, Barbadian-born Dr Victor Blanchette, who is SickKids’ clinical investigator in the Department of Paediatrics, and Jamaican-born Dr Upton Allen, who heads the hospital’s infectious dis-

Dr Cheryl Alexis, the local champion for the Caribbean Sick Kids Paediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Project (left), briefs Scotiabank’s director of business support Claire Jordan on the progress of the project.

painful, lifelong battle.

However, an additional ally has joined the battle against paediatric cancers and blood disorders, as Scotiabank has pledged Cdn$1 million (Bds$1.87 mil-

port the project’s telemedicine programme, which will directly connect Barbadian and other Caribbean doctors with leading paediatric cancer and blood disorder experts

eases unit.

Working with local hospital partners in the Caribbean, the project includes a five-year plan to address the region’s gaps in research, care and education in order

to advance the diagnosis and management of paediatric cancer and blood disorders.

Treatment at home

Barbadian-based paediatric oncologist Dr Cheryl Alexis, who is the local champion for the project, stressed that it was focused on ensuring that hospitals in the Caribbean are better able to treat childhood cancers at home.

“It’s not about us sending patients abroad.

We want to be able to stand on our own–with help. So that’s why the project has come about,” she said.

There is still work to be done in improving the survival outcomes for children with cancer and serious blood disorders in the Caribbean.

In Barbados, survival outcome rates range between 65 and 70 per cent on average while the figures are lower in other islands.

Ted Garrard, CEO of the SickKids Foundation, pointed out: “When we began a process of assessing what was the current state of cancer care in the Caribbean, we found out that the survival rate for children in the Caribbean is about 50 per cent, whereas in Canada it is between 80

Kanigia, a lymphoma survivor, and her father Curtley, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados.

(Picture compliments of the SickKids Foundation.)

to 90 per cent.”

This is due to a combination of factors. Dr Alexis noted the dearth of doctors trained in childhood cancers, which she admitted could be an emotionally “gruelling” specialization at times.

In fact, she is one of just four paediatric cancer specialists in the region, with others in The Bahamas, Trinidad and most recently Jamaica.

Limited resources

Other hindrances include limited technological resources, which can make it difficult to diagnose effectively and early, few nurses and pharmacists able to provide specialized front-line health care, and limited data on the effectiveness of treatments and epidemiology of paediatric

cancer.

With Scotiabank’s support, the SickKids project will remedy some of these limitations through telemedicine and using physician envoys and the SickKids International Learner Programme to provide customized, hands-on training to locals.

Medical professionals will also go to SickKids on a regular basis for hands-on training at the Garron Family Cancer Centre at SickKids. Dr Alexis disclosed that this has already started, with two doctors travelling up to Toronto in the chill of winter in January for a week of training in flow cytometry, which she noted is “the way to diagnose now”. (Excerpt from Nation News)

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Arts & Culture

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exhibition celebrates Amerindian artists

By Elfrieda Bissember

B

oth George Simon and his brother Oswald Hussein, born in the Lokono (Arawak) village of Pakuri (St. Cuthbert's Mission) on the Mahaica River, live with a continuing commitment to their Amerindian heritage and communities.

Simon, trained in printmaking in London and a leading Guyanese painter since the late 1980's, began workshops at this time in Pakuri to encourage and stimulate creative activity in the plastic arts among all those who were interested in these possibilities.

His brother Oswald emerged as a significant talent during this period, winning two awards: the First Prize for Sculpture from the major national art competition, the National Visual Arts Exhibition (NVAE), in 1989 and 1993; Simon himself had won the Judges’ Prize for Painting at the NVAE in 1986.

Additionally, with another promising Pakuri artist, Linus Clenkian, Simon and Hussein showed work at the National Gallery in 1995 in a landmark exhibition, ‘Contemporary Amerindian Art’, marking the World Decade of Indigenous Peoples.

What has been significant in this group over the last twenty years is their identification with the elements and features of their hinterland environment. A vibrant group show at the Venezuelan Cultural Centre in 1998, Six Lokono Artists, heralded them as ‘Artists for the Environment’; and their inventive and fascinating forms, so often a mixture of challenging fantasy yet grounded in and springing from the life and habits of forest fauna, and decorated with elements of its flora, have made the convincing case for their authority to express the growing concerns of the wider Guyanese community, and to symbolize the precious natural heritage of the land and its resources celebrated in their work.

Another constant factor has been the commitment to working with young, potential artists in their own and other Amerindian communities, as well as, through Simon, organizing group projects such as the design and painting of murals (the newly built Guyana National Stadium in 2007, the

Umana Yana in 2008, and the School of Education and Humanities building, University of Guyana in 2010), where an students could participate in a useful exercise in skills training.

Simon and Hussein's current co-exhibitor, Victor Captain, is such an example. A promising painter, he met Simon, a 1994 London University graduate in archaeology, at the Bina Hill Institute at Annai, North Rupununi in 2009, by which time, however, Captain had had a secure interest in art, through participation at the age of ten at a Wild Life Festival organized by the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, and later through the teaching of young Makushi artist Anil Roberts, a Burrowes

Exhibiting artists (from left) are George Simon, Oswald Hussein and Victor Captain

bound to at close quarters for everyday and longterm survival, physical, material and spiritual, their images spring from this intimate and authoritative familiarity and respect for the life-sustaining eco-systems which so many others are com-

"Tree Root #2" (2013) by George Simon

Nature, indeed, through the land and its various forms of thriving life, delineates those parts of the earth that we call our homeland. It is witness, and proof, of the richness and the health of this patrimony, and can indicate, by the extensiveness and vitality of its forms, how well we are managing, or sustaining, this valuable life force.

Though silent of words, the elegant, twisting forms of George Simon’s “Tree Root #1” and “Tree Root #2” speak and symbolize conditions of life; his leaping “Bimichi”

tion for hunters, as well as a powerful ally of the “Shaman” (medicine man or healer) in his work; interesting comparisons are Captain's “Guardian” and his “Hunter”, who walks with his long blowpipe above his head, slung with receptacles for poison and poison darts, and an oval of entrapping nets, stalked by the gaping-jawed jaguar providing protection and strength.

Myths and beliefs entwined with the natural world abound, as do celebrations in depiction of animal life and village pastimes. Captain's “Banjo Man”, a Makushi"Shaman" (2013)

by Victor Captain

School of Art and University of Guyana graduate and a protégé of Simon's, who taught at Captain's school in 2005-6.

Why ‘Silent Witness’? Nature in fact forms the base for these artists’ inspiration, but also we are to be reminded, as here, of their inherited lore of sto- "Owl" (1999) by pletely ries, myths, legends Oswald Hussein unaware of and spiritual beliefs, which in their details are or do not recognize.

The works in this exbound up with and illustrated by the myriad el- hibition can therefore reements and qualities of mind us of some of the these manifestations of hidden and obvious treanature. Further, by their sures that lie within the instinctual and deep patrimony of the natknowledge of the natu- ural world and varied ral world, lived with and landscapes of Guyana.

(Hummingbird) revered in myth as a powerful bird, used as a charm and an embodiment of a god, is familiar yet magical creature with its glowing colour and furiously reverberating wings and body: one of the thousands of miraculous manifestations of the natural world. Simon's “Jaguar” similarly, one of a series of recent paintings, is a dominant creature in Amerindian life and myth, symbolizing strength and protec-

named tiny river fish, is monumentally depicted by the artist; his “Monkey Brush” is another nick named story about plant and animal life, describing a forest vine whose buds sprout curving tendrils which monkeys pick and scratch themselves with, with splits in the buds or pods also bearing flowers which spin off in the wind. His “Full Moon” shows Makonaima (God) watching over his people; his “Quara” (the Makushi

word for horse) is painted in undulating, curving lines echoed by an aura of similar pattern; the macaws in “Cacique Crown” provide the feathers for this crown. And “Sun God” tells the story of the Chief who could only procreate with his wife in darkness, so sending his men to seek some hours of night from the Sun God, who guarded it in the form of an egg, giving it to them with the warning that any harm of their cargo would lose them control of the night.

The egg being dropped and causing twelve hours of darkness every night, the chief’s wife was happy to pick flowers during the day, using their colours to create the animals and birds of the forest.

Finally, Oswald Hussein extracts his striking forms and mysterious shapes from the range of valuable hard, medium and soft woods of Guyana, using the properties and qualities to full effect. “Bash” represents “a party of birds” seen along the Lethem road where they gather; the imposing “Bush Hunter” uses the hard centre of the rare leopard wood; the wood of the hardy Kaiambe savannah tree is used in several works, and also inspires a work about the birth of nearby horses who shelter under the tree; “Biswa” is another version of the mythical Shape Shifter, while “Cambana” depicts in soft corkwood the vulnerable butterfly in its chrysalis, and in contrast to many of his volumetric forms, “Cotton Dance” is an elegant, abstract play of lines.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the Amerindian artists of Guyana for their celebration and perpetuation of this heritage.

‘Silent Witness’ art exhibition continues until October 12, 2013, at Castellani House.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Travel & Tourism

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T

Corona falls on Rewa river (David Johnstone)

Smooth-fronted dwarf caiman relaxing (Photo by Pete Oxford)

he Rewa River emanates in southern Guyana and runs north through primary rainforest to meet the white waters of the Rupununi River.

The river runs black, and the lower part of the river is wide with high, white sand beaches. About 60 miles upriver, the river changes and gets narrower with rocky bars interspersed with sandy beaches.

Travel another 55 miles upriver and there is the picturesque Corona Falls.

It is a truly majestic crown of water that falls about 20 feet into rocky pools and shiny black rocks with petroglyphs scattered around. A couple of days can be spent at the falls exploring the trails and petroglyphs, wildlife watching, and catching fish in the rapids.

The fishing in the Rewa is as good as it gets. Peacock bass, arawana, swordfish, payara, large catfish and pacu thrive in these waters. Rewa is also known for its healthy populations of arapaima, the largest scaled fresh water fish in the world, which can be observed surfacing in many of the oxbow lakes and ponds.

Due to the remoteness of the Rewa River, wildlife viewing is excellent.

Numerous species may be observed: tapir, capybara, brocket deer, peccaries, ocelot, jaguar, and seven of the eight species of Guyana’s monkeys. Giant otters, black and spectacled caiman and giant river turtles patrol the waters and bask on the sandbanks.

As the Rewa River transects primary forest, it is also rich in birds. Scarlet macaws, redbilled toucans, cotingas, parrots, and the Harpy eagle can be found.

Along the river banks, tiger herons, bat falcons, great black hawks and kingfishers stalk their prey.

With its rich biodiversity, the Rewa River is a beauty to behold. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Sandy beach (David Johnstone)

Unnamed waterfalls on Rewa river (Photo by David Johnstone)

Guides portaging a boat through rapids on Rewa river (Photo by David Johnstone)

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fun time

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This week's Crossword

J k es My password

“My memory is gone Mildred,” says one senior to her friend. “So I changed my password to “Incorrect.”

That way, when I log in with the wrong password, the computer will tell me… “Your password is incorrect.”

Talented tools

As a professional photographer, Judy takes a lot of pride in her pictures. Wherever she goes, she brings her pictures with her, to show off her work.

“Wow”, said her host Sandra, “these are really nice pictures. You must have a great camera.”

Fuming mad at the implication that her whole talent came from her camera, Judy waited until the end of the meal and then thanked her host, “Thank you the meal was delicious,” and then as if an afterthought added, “You must have great pots.”

Great service

Sam heard all about the great service in the “Sleep Fine Hotel”, so after dropping his stuff in his room, he excitedly headed down to the hotel lounge. He was only there for a few minutes when a beautifully dressed waiter came over to him.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked.

Sam took in a deep breath, looked around at the beautiful lobby and asked “What are my choices?”

The woman’s gave Sam a strange look, and responded in an extra loud and slow voice, “Yeees or noooo.”

Vegan’s delight

The leader of the vegetarian society just couldn’t control himself anymore. He just needed to try some pork, just to see what it tasted like. So one day he told his members he was going on a vacation. He went out of town, and headed to the nearest restaurant.

After sitting down, he ordered a roasted pig, and impatiently waited for his delicacy. After just a few minutes, he heard someone call his name, and to his great chagrin he saw one of his fellow members walking towards him.

Just at that same moment, the waiter walked over, with a huge platter, holding a full roasted pig with an apple in its mouth.

“Isn’t that something,” says the leader after only a moment’s pause, “all I do is order an apple, and look what it comes with!”

This week's Puzzle

The navy’s seal

I was eagerly drinking in the attention in my grandson’s second grade class telling them what it was like to be a Navy Seal. My bubble was soon burst when I asked if there are any questions.

“So” questioned one girl, “can you balance a ball on your nose?”

Tact needed

“You don’t look old at all,” I assured my 40 year old friend, who was going through a middle age crisis.

I didn’t notice my 6 year old next to me, until he piped up “Well, parts of her do.”

Better career

I was a little surprised when my son suddenly announced one day after church, “I am thinking of being a minister when I grow up.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“Well, I figure I have to go to church on Sundays anyway, and I think it’ll be more fun to stand and yell than to just sit and listen.”

The raise speech

Sam walks into his boss’s office. “Sir, I’ll be straight with you, I know the economy isn’t great, but I have like three companies after me, and I would like to respectfully ask for a raise.”

After a few minutes of haggling the boss finally agrees to a 5 percent raise, and Sam happily gets up to leave.

“By the way,” asks the boss as Sam is getting up, “which three companies are after you?”

“The electric company, water company and phone company,” Sam replied.

The happiest day to remember

see solution on page 46

Harry was finally a groom, and was very excited about his upcoming marriage.

He was on his way out of the office when his boss came over to him with an outstretched hand, “Congratulations Harry, I just wanted to tell you I’ve been married for twenty two years, and I am sure that you will always remember this day with the fondest of memories, as the happiest day of your life.”

“But sir”, said Harry, a little bit confused, “I’m not getting married until tomorrow!”

“Yeah, I know”, said his boss

Feature

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stablished in December 2012 with a mandate to make a difference in their community, the local Global Shapers group with 11 members – Global Shapers Georgetown Hub – embarked on the “Headstart Stationery Drive” to collect donations which would supply more than 400 students in Guyana’s hinterland with school supplies for the 20132014 academic year.

The Global Shapers Community are a worldwide network of more than 200 city-based “hubs”, developed and led by promising young leaders who want to build on their achievements and entrepreneurial drive to make a positive contribution to their communities.

The deadline for donations was Aug. 28, 2013 and the Georgetown Hub were very successful in securing all school stationery. These included backpacks, notebooks, pencils, crayons, rulers, sharpeners, scissors, erasers, activity books and much more. On Aug. 6, 2013, the team jour-

neyed to hinterland regions where each child received a “core bundle” of a backpack (or pouch), five notebooks, 12 pencils, an eraser, sharpener and ruler.

“From day one, the support we received from both the local and international community was overwhelmingly positive.

Within just a month, the Georgetown Shapers were able to launch and fully execute this proj-

Local charity group donates much-needed school stationery to hinterland students ect– even surpassing our initial targets. This was made possible only because of the people, businesses, and organizations that stepped forward to help, either in the form of donating physical supplies and/or assisting with monetary donations. The generosity and compassion of many made this project

a success,” said Dr Rosh Khan, project champion, who spearheaded the project, in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.

On September 4, Shapers Ryan Hoppie and Khan travelled into Matthew’s Ridge by plane with 500 pounds of stationery. They held a dynamic session with

more than 330 students, who were very grateful to receive the supplies.

After the donation was made to the Matthew’s Ridge Primary School and Pakera Nursery School, the main local contact for this project, Shondel St. Juste, said the community “felt so great about the Global Shapers com-

Global Shapers Georgetown Hub team sharing a fun moment with the students at Kurupukari

ing to us.” And added, “I must also say that the parents are so glad about this because it takes a lot from them to buy these school supplies, and now they don't have to.

This school year, some parents even kept their children at home because they just couldn't afford the stacontinued on page 38

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tionery. So they are relieved that you brought supplies. Their children are now coming to school and they are grateful. We didn't get to say thank you enough but we would like to say a public thank you to Rosh Khan, Ryan Hoppie, and all the Global Shapers for what

they have done.”

Then on September 6, Shapers Khan, Louisa Mancey, Venus Persaud, and Imarah Radix, travelled overland to Fairview Village, specifically to the Kurupukari Primary School where they had an interactive session with 90 students.

The team spoke on the importance of education and had fun playing games with the students.

“These children are so happy. The parents are so happy. We are happy. The whole village is happy right now.

I have to say that no one came and did what the School supplies for Matthew's Ridge Primary School and Pakera Nursery School

Georgetown Shapers team did. We went and we checked and realized no one came and did this like they did. It was so very well-organized and well-represented. It was only them that cared so much to come and do this for us. Thank you so much for all the clothes,

even the movies that they brought for us, and all the shoes. People are so happy for everything.

May God bless [the Georgetown Shapers].

This good work should be continued, not only at Fairview, but to all villages in Guyana. The Georgetown Shapers

Dr. Khan (left) handing over teaching material to the Kurupukari Primary School headmaster

are doing the good and right things for people,” the main local contact for this project, Pastor Norbert expressed.

The major donors the team would like to thank are Red BandAid Foundation, Casey Zeman, Scotia Bank, Nigel’s Supermarket, Iwokrama, and the Civil Defence Commission.

Khan noted that the excess stationery supplies would be distributed to other remote communities across Guyana.

Due to the success of this project, the Georgetown Shapers are now planning to make this an annual event, and will support other schools and communities across Guyana.

For more information on this project visit Global Shapers Community - Georgetown Hub on Facebook.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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Thoughts and Experiences Life informs the books of Anne Coltman

I

n her two creative and celebrated books, U.S. - based Guyanese author Anne Coltman shares her life growing up in Guyana, narrating her struggles, adventures and loving grandmother.

Born in British Guiana, Anne was privileged to grow up in a household which included her maternal grandmother. She is the second of five children and the first girl born to her parents, and was often called upon at an early age to help out with her younger siblings. Anne became fascinated by the myths and beliefs that were a part of child rearing and taught to her by her grandmother.

The author migrated to the U.S. as a young woman with her family and spent her early years having a full career while she and her husband raised their three children – two daughters and one son. She and her husband reside on Long Island, New York.

After twenty-five years in permanent mission at the United Nations Organization she is now retired to devote more time to family and her passion for writing. Anne enjoys writing, classical music, theatre and antiques.

She has produced a comprehensive family history as well as a book of poetry, “For the Love of Grandma” and a novel “Scarred with Fortune”.

Practising what she learnt from her grandmother with her own children and then with her grandchildren has inspired the writing of her debut volume of poetry, “For the Love of Grandma”.

“For the Love of Grandma” is a collection of thoughts and experiences that not only preserves a long lost tradition, but also reflects on the drastic change in the role of grandmothers today and grandchildren of this age.

On her website, Anne describes her book as an amusing and informative

Anne's novel "Scarred with Fortune"

piece that is a must-read for all ages. It added that the interesting poems about growing up with “Grandma” will touch hearts and is an interesting read for first-time grandmothers. The website went on to say that the book dispels the

many hang-ups about becoming a modern day grandmother and affords the opportunity of seeing one’s self as seen through the eyes of their grandchild.

Additionally, the book helps children to see themselves through the eyes of their grandparents. The love, understanding, helpfulness and discipline that come with this book will not fail to delight.

The author’s other book, “Scarred with Fortune”, narrates life’s unexpected surprises in a heart-warming story of enchanting entertainment as readers enter the lives of an ordinary family and open the door to their extraordinary world.

Anne takes readers through the life of a young girl from a middle-class family whose parents were very conservative. Her young life was overwhelmed with heartache since her secret love was from an upper-class family with very influential parents. Although their lives took different and unexpected paths they shared a common bond which attracted an evil enemy who threatened to destroy her family.

“Characters Fiona Leighton and Steven Brimm are two teenagers who graduated high school together but their lives took different and unexpected paths. While he enjoyed the freedom of young adult life, she suffered a lot of heartache and embarrassment which had an enormous effect on her as well as her family. This placed her in a compromised position and her life took on a new dimension. Even though they were worlds apart and shared a common

Guyanese author Anne Coltman

bond, Fiona kept her secret furtively locked up in her heart, fiercely guarding her privacy and that of her family,” Anne related on her website.

This novel portrays unrequited love, unexpected romance, heartaches and surprises and secrets waiting for readers to unravel. It will make anyone a believer in destiny as they are drawn into the realm of fate that brought Fiona into contact with the legacy of Steven Brimm in her adult years. When the common bond that linked them was revealed many years later and the secret which she guarded all her life unfolded it opened the door to a world of fortune. “Scarred with Fortune” is another great read for all ages.

For more information on the author visit her website www.booksbyannecoltman.com (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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Improving Dental Health T

New facility offers state-of-the-art dental care

he newly established Jagan Dental Centre, has opened its doors for all to have access to affordable and highest levels of dental care in Guyana. The centre, headed by Dr Clive Jagan, a veteran dentist with more than 35 years of experience, promises to offer complete family care with a modern, state-ofthe-art facility.

Located on Lamaha and Light streets, the dental centre is equipped with a specialised laser, implant, and cosmetic clinic that utilizes digital x-rays and intra-oral cameras and digital photography, and allows for expert evaluation and precise planning of any dental procedure.

The centre is also operated by Dr Clive’s sons: Dr Shane A. Jagan, Dr Kyle V. Jagan, and Dr Ian N. Jagan – all experts in dental care. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Shane Jagan pointed out that the centre is highly committed to offering the best level of dental care. He added that the staff know that empa-

Staff at the dental centre

thy and expertise are vital in helping patients to feel at ease, and this is what they provide in their painfree dental experience.

“We educate our patients on the various dental procedures including daily oral hygiene, care, and diet. We also advise them on the most efficient oral hygienic products so as to have a confident smile. As a dental centre, we have established different management systems to ensure quality dentistry, comfort and pain free dentistry,”

he disclosed.

Shane mentioned that he, his brothers and father have seen a vital need for proper dental care in Guyana and are happy to be offering that at the centre.

“As dentists, we offer compassion and empathy to our patients.

We explain the treatment process because we want them to feel at ease with us. Our prices are not exorbitant. Some may see the centre’s building and conclude because it looks fancy it’s expensive.

However, I can assure you that it is not. Our aim is to offer international standards at affordable prices to our Guyanese people.

This is our way of giving back to our community,” he noted.

The dentist explained that the dental sterilization standards at the centre ensure the highest quality of dental treatment, and provide global benchmarked quality, where minimal bacterial counts are desired. In the interest of best patient care, the centre strictly

adheres to international standards for sterilization, to prevent the spread of infections.

The strict sterilization procedures include soaking: all instruments after use are dipped in an antiseptic solution ensuring safety of both the patient as well as the health care provider; scrubbing: using sterile brushes to remove debris; ultrasonic sterilizer, which uses ultrasonic vibrations to shake off debris while killing bacteria; packaging: all instruments are packed in sterilization rolls and heat sealed; and autoclaving: international standards require the use of a class B autoclave which is a device used to sterilize equipment by subjecting them to high pressure saturated steam.

Clinical services offered are dental bleaching, laser dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, implantology (implants), endodontics (root canals), prosthodontics (dentures, crown and bridge, veneers), pedodontics (children's dentistry), periodontics (gum surgeries, scaling, and much

more), and oral surgery (extractions). Other popular services provided are teeth whitening, teeth jewellery and smile designing.

In the areas of implantology and laser dentistry, Kyle V. Jagan is the dental expert. He is a compassionate doctor who guarantees advanced treatment in solving all his patients’ dental problems.

Another focal service offered at Jagan Dental Centre is preventative dentistry. These are steps taken by the dentists to ensure that their patients’ teeth remain healthy and decay free, along with good gum health.

Preventive dentistry in adults involves routine periodic dental check up, filling and sealing pits and fissures in teeth that may decay in the future, topical fluoride application in children, and periodic cleaning to prevent gum disease in adults. Jagan Dental Centre’s staff also includes three dental assistants, a dental technician, a receptionist, and a sanitation in-charge.

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Tracing the History of Private Education in Guyana

A

s “Education Month”, is being observed, we look back at the notable efforts of dedicated individuals who sought to ensure that all social classes have the right to equal academic opportunities.

Arrival of the missionaries

According to the Guyana Institute of Historical Research, the church was the largest private institution that contributed to the development of education, particularly at the primary level. The coming of the first missionary of the London Missionary Society (renamed the Congregational church) coincided with the abolition of the British participation in the African slave trade. During slavery, the missionaries concentrated on teaching the children of freed parents. Hermanus Post, a planter on the East Coast of Demerara had invited the London Missionary Society to send a missionary to his plantation at Le Resouvenir to instruct his slaves.

Rev. John Wray was

the first missionary to work among the slaves.

He arrived in Demerara in 1808. In 1813, Wray was asked by the commissioners of the crown estates, who had about 1100 African slaves under their care, to start the Berbice mission. But many of the Dutch planters were hostile to educating slaves.

During the early part of the 19th century, the other main missionary societies in Guiana were the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; the Methodist Missionary Society; the Church Missionary Society, which worked specifically among the Amerindians from about 1827 to 1858, the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian); the Roman Catholic Church and the Moravians.

Rev. John Davies, a missionary of the London Missionary Society, had taught the “free children of Georgetown”. In 1810, he distributed copies of a small spelling book, called the “First Class Book”.

In 1824, there were

two free schools – one for boys and the other for girls. It appears as if some churches gave aid to the free schools. In 1838, it was recorded in the minutes of the Kirk session of St. Andrews that a collection of 1,155 guilders was to be divided equally between the two free schools.

ing school-cum-orphanage.

Colonial support

In 1840, the Combined Court voted $2,000.00 for the education of Amerindians. It had to be shared equally among the missions on Pomeroon, Essequibo, Demerara, Corentyne, and Berbice.

During

funding.

There was also a widespread feeling that the Africans should finance their own education.

However, the churches, which continued in the field of education, were generally supported by their headquarters.

The Church’s role in education after emancipation

The planter Quintin Hogg supported the Anglican Church in the erection of a series of buildings of a chapel-school combination in Essequibo and Demerara.

One such chapel-school building was erected at Bel Air, on the East Coast of Demerara in 1873.

Some of Guyana's first educators

Rev. J. Bernau introduced the “normal” school idea to the Bartica community in 1835. He had a day and evening school, and later a board-

the 1840s, the Combined Court vacillated over whether they should continue to support the denominational schools for the Amerindians.

Between 1835 and 1845, the imperial government voted money for the education of the masses under the “Negro Education Grant”. The government offered 30,000 pounds per annum for five years, and gradually reduced the grant each year until it ended in 1845. The missionary societies, who were involved with the ex-slaves, were the beneficiaries of the funding. The missionaries, like the Colonial Office, were concerned that the children of the masses were taught moral and religious education.

Priority was not given to secondary education and teacher training.

Almost all of the schools established during the apprenticeship period began with classes in church buildings.

The teachers were either the minister or his wife, a catechist, or in very rare cases, someone with some experience of teaching.

In order to solve the problem of the shortage of teachers, the missionaries sought to establish “Normal Schools” where teachers could be trained to satisfy local needs. The bible was used for all instruction.

After 1845, some of the missions were forced to close their schools because of inadequate

The Roman Catholics initially established schools for the Portuguese. In 1838, Dr. William Clancy, of the Roman Catholic Church, outlined his plan to send six ecclesiastics, three school masters and three school mistresses, for educating the population, and also to construct three school buildings in each county. By 1841, six nuns of the Sisters of Presentation arrived in the colony to open a day school and a boarding school.

In 1847, the Ursuline Convent School was established.

By 1866, the Roman Catholic Church established St. Stanislaus College boys’ schools. In 1897, the St. Joseph High school for girls was established by the Sisters of Mercy.

The Anglican Church also participated in the field of education.

In 1824, the St. George’s free school was established, under the aegis of the Anglican Church.

The school was conducted separately for boys and girls. Another Anglican school, All Saints was established in New Amsterdam, Berbice, in 1829.

In 1851, Bishop’s College was launched with the support of the S.P.C.K. It was established for the training of theological students and the general training of teachers. The Methodists, Presbyterians, and the Anglicans established schools for the Indians.

“The school-house is built then to make you happy – to teach you to love God because He is your Father. I have and want you to listen every Sunday at 2 o’clock there will be school for the children. At 3 o’clock, there will be Service for the adults. Every day there will be school for the children, and every Monday, at Half-past four, there will be a class for instruction in reading and writing in Hindustan and English,” Quintin Hogg is said to have commented.

Apart from the training institutes, estates’ schools, parochial schools and the orphan asylum, there were also private nursery schools, and special evening schools both in Demerara and Berbice.

There were evening or night schools at Nismes on the West Bank of Demerara, at Lusignan, Annandale, Enmore and Clonbrook.

In addition, Indian immigrants received instruction at the Kingston Coolie School, and at the Church of Scotland at Lochaber in Berbice.

Other religious groups, the abandonment and reestablishment of private education

By the second half of the 20th century, there were private individuals who established high schools for the poorer classes. The Muslims and Hindus also established schools.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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T

he executives of Guyana Fashion Week climaxed their week of activities commemorating Water Week 2013 with an elite open air fashion festival at Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens in Georgetown.

It was a commendable collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, together with the Environmental Protection Agency and Guyana Fashion Week (GFW).

The evening was not only a flamboyant fashion gala but a forum to raise awareness of the potential water crisis.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine , GFW CEO Sonia Noel stated that the designers’ creativity at the event was expertly showcased as they presented their collections in harmony with the theme of water conservation. She added that the designers are currently busy preparing for GFW 2013, scheduled for October 20-27.

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Education Month G

uyana is a nation that has a colourful history and is home to several cultures.

For this reason, the richness and diversity of our past, it is critical to preserve our heritage. The relevant organisation, The National Trust of

and conservation of historic buildings and sites in Guyana. Therefore we aim to enlighten the public about various events, aspects, symbols, landmarks and structures which has moulded our rich and diverse heritage.

celebrate various traditions which have been fostered in the past. As such, while the month of September celebrates Amerindian Heritage, it is also regarded as Education Month. Since the academic school year commences in

A scene from Region Seven’s "Drop Everything and Read” day held Sept, 9, 2013 as part of Education month’s celebrations for the theme “Transforming classrooms for the 20th century”

Guyana, is a government enterprise whose mandate propels its commitment to the preservation

The month of September is one in which multiple activities are undertaken to

September, the month of September has been allocated Education month.

While the promo-

tion of education is important throughout the year, this month is specially set aside to heighten awareness when campaigns are undertaken to improve the quality of education, and especially promote an understanding of the importance of a sound educational background in their social development.

They hope to foster a pleasant experience and thereby encourage children to strive for excellence academically.

Additionally, while home schooling is not common in Guyana, it is important for parents to be actively involved in the educational upbringing of their child since the home is considered to be as instrumental, as, or even more than, the structured classroom.

On the month-long agenda to promote education, reading campaigns, a literary walk, debating, essay, and quiz competitions, a parental symposium in keeping with the theme, along with a fair, among other activities, are held.

While it may be felt that monuments or structures alone constitute our heritage, this

Minister Leslie Ramsammy leads the reading at the ‘Ministry of Agriculture Read for 15 Minutes’ initiative

is not so. Our heritage is made up of both tangible and intangible elements, of which education is a pivotal link in the preservation of our heritage which is otherwise destroyed or damaged due to lack of knowledge or ignorance.

The National Trust of Guyana, which undertakes to promote and safeguard the nation’s heritage, wishes to remind citizens that preservation is a task that requires the cooperation of all Guyanese as our heritage is conserved for the enjoyment of all. But

this cannot be achieved without the help of the educational system; since at this point where knowledge is imparted, an appreciation and understanding develops.

We wish to encourage the community to take an active role in ensuring the long term survival of Guyana’s patrimony by exercising care and respect at all times when visiting monuments and heritage sites. (By Bhavana Gossai.

Previously published Sept 2010) (Ministry of Education photos)

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week ending september 22, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

The National Library: Empowering the nation through reading n Friday Aug. 20, 2013, the National Library of Guyana held an award ceremony for its annual literary competitions.

The high point of the event was the Champion Readers Competition

titions, all of which fell in line with English essayist and philosopher, Francis Bacon’s quote, “Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.”

The words ‘support’ and ‘buttress’ seem to be appearing frequently.

ational needs of the library’s users through the collection, organisation, dissemination and preservation of information in printed and other formats’.

In fact, the library was built upon such a premise, captured in the life and words of Andrew

ist who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century.

He was also one of the highest profile philanthropists of his era; his 1889 article proclaiming "The Gospel of Wealth" called on the rich to use their wealth to improve

of building had to be located, design for erection approved and ordinances for the purchase of books and other requisites had to be passed. A provisional committee appointed in 1907 effectively dealt with those issues resulting in enactment of the Georgetown Public Free Library Ordinance and the laying of the foundation stone one year later in 1908.

The National Library is situated at the juncture of Main and Church streets, Georgetown. The original building was in the form of an inverted cross. Down the ages there were numerous

space at the headquarters of the library and so a new wing was added. Completed in 2001, the extension housed the Administrative Department, Technical Services and Rural Departments, thereby creating more space for the Reference and Juvenile Departments.

Even with the extension, the central library could not meet the literacy needs of the whole country. Branches of the library were established after the 1950 legislation was passed to extend the library services outside of Georgetown; first in New Amsterdam

which usually generates much interest. Various readings by winners were entertaining and instructive.

The Champion Readers Competition was divided into five categories of readers – Category 1: 9 – 11 years; Category 2: 12 – 14 years; Category 3: 15 – 17 years; Category 4: 18 – 25 years and Category 5: 26 years and over.

The Champion Readers Competition included a recent addition to the annual competitions – inmates of four correctional institutions in Guyana: Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Lusignan and Timehri prisons.

The custodians of the library, in their wisdom, buttressed the reading competition with other competitions such as quiz, short story writing and debating compe-

The reason for the frequency of these words is that the library was partnered to stage the various types of competition directly by Digicel, P&P Insurance Brokers and Gafoors.

Sponsorship for the event included Sterling Products, Hotel Tower, Ansa McAl, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Giftland, Universal Bookstore and The Learning Channel, among many, many others.

Top markers for the reading competitions were Ashley Drakes, Ruth Mandbodh, Jamal La Rose, Deborah Lambert and Nandi Kellman.

The National Library is marking its 104th year in service to the nation, fulfilling to the hilt its mandate, which is ‘to satisfy both nationally and internationally the information and recre-

Carnegie (1835-1918): “I choose free libraries as the best agencies for improving the masses of the people, because …they only help those who help themselves. They never pauperize…A taste for reading drives out lower tastes.”

Andrew Carnegie, according to Wikipedia, was “a ScottishAmerican industrial-

society, and stimulated wave after wave of philanthropy.”

The National Library, Georgetown, Guyana, was opened to the public in September 1909. Although funding provided by Andrew Carnegie was available, it took about two years of preparatory works to qualify for that funding. A site for erection

modifications to the original structure. In 1935, the original erection was extended to house the Economic Science, Anthropological and Historical Sections of the Museum. That was a blessing in disguise for when in 1951, the museum exhibits were moved to the new museum building, the library was able to utilise the whole structure for its operation. One of the more important target groups to make use of this additional space was the juveniles – children having a separate space.

At the turn of the new millennium, there was need for more

(1953) then Mackenzie (1955). Now the library has a presence in all ten administrative regions of the country with the establishment of five Branches in New Amsterdam, Linden, Ruimveldt, Bagotville and Corriverton; 20 library centres in rural areas; deposit collections and service to four prisons.

What needs the central library and its branches could not satisfy had to be met by the operation of a bookmobile. The first bookmobile service was established in 1970, catering for areas like Tucville,

By Petamber Persaud

O

Preserving our heritage through pictures

continued on page 47

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Artist C.B.N's rendering of downtown Georgetown, British Guiana. GBTI, formerly Barclay's Bank at left foreground with Fogarty's store opposite

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Working together to prevent suicide O

n the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day, observed September 10, Roadside Baptist Church Skills Training Centre Inc. has collaborated with the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health to conduct a one day awareness and training programme in the effort to increase awareness on the whole issue of suicide.

Unless the root cause of the cancerous plague of suicide is thoroughly explored and addressed, local efforts will remain

and teenagers also view this social issue as the “easy way out”.

Too many times it has been pointed out that unless ineffective parenting skills and substance abuse are seriously addressed we will continue to lose our people to suicide. These two areas have been identified time and time again, as contributing significantly to domestic violence. And yes, there is that negative, cultural acceptable norm of our upbringing that continues to fuel gender-based

the seriousness of what is happening on the Corentyne, as it relates to suicide and attempted suicide, negotiation with the Ministry of Health, through Rosemarie Terberg, resulted in Roadside given the opportunity to mobilize 20 participants.

Among the participants were religious leaders, representatives from the probation department, East Berbice Life Savers Club, Berbice Male Action Network, youths from the group trained as peer educa-

Participants actively contribute to the sessions

a drop in the ocean.

Suicide and attempted suicide closely linked to gender-based violence and the worst forms of child abuse continue to spread like wild fire in Region Six, Corentyne.

It must be noted that recently young children

violence and suicide.

“Shame” is the big word that prevents families from discussing their difficulties and seeking counselling.

Roadside was initially invited to organize and plan for 15 participants but because of

tors in the area of gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS, school welfare officers, Ministry of Health and the Domestic Violence Counselling Centre.

It was quite an interactive session.

Facilitators Rosemarie

The National Library: Empowering...

from page 46

Peter’s Hall, Houston, Agricola, Providence and Soesdyke. A second bookmobile was put into service in 1976.

Apart from the physical improvements to the building, there were numerous developments in services offered by the library. Two of the more significant developments were the ‘open access’ system in 1940 and the publication of a Guyanese National Bibliography in 1973.

That invaluable recording of our literary heritage became possible as a National Library came into being when in 1972 the Public Free Library Ordinance became the National Library Act. The compilation of a Guyanese National Bibliography was made more favourable when the Newspaper Ordinance was amended in 1972 to make the National Library one of the legal depositories for all materials printed and published in Guyana. That

meant that one copy of every material that is printed or published in Guyana must be deposited at the National Library.

Other services offered by the National Library include a photocopying operation which came on stream in 1966, a gramophone record library opened in 1969, a reading room, a toy library established in 1981 in the juvenile department to cater for the needs of preschoolers, and an Internet service.

The operation of the library is managed by the committee of the National Library which should consist of a chairman and not more than twelve or less than nine other persons.

The National Library has become so entrenched in the psyche of Guyanese people that more and greater demands are being made of its services as an educational, social, cultural and recreational institution.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com What’s happening: • The Guyana Annual 2012-2013 magazine is now available at Guyenterprise Ltd, at Austin’s bookstore and from the editor at the above contacts.

This issue of the magazine is dedicated to E. R. Braithwaite. The magazine also features articles on copyright, law of intellectual property, creative industries, oral traditions of Guyana, the future of West Indian cricket and the future of books.

• Coming soon “Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture” by Gaiutra Bahadur • Now available ‘Selected Fictions” by Ruel Johnson, shortlisted for this year Guyana Prize for Literature.

• Coming soon: “An Introduction to Guyanese Literature” by Petamber Persaud.

Adults and youths discussing the issue of suicide

Terberg Lewis, Robert Singh, Angela Correia and Audrey Schultz were all well-prepared. Their presentations were followed by a barrage of questions which led to additional discussions.

Handouts were readily available for the participants. The team of facilitators must be commended for their punctuality and diligence.

Some of the topics discussed were pillars for building self-esteem, suicide risk factors and risk situations, anger management and suicide prevention- warning signs of suicidal behaviour.

At the conclusion of the day, participants expressed great satisfaction for the wealth of new information gleaned. Some admitted that they had no clue as to the many factors that surround the issue of suicide and that they would never again ask a suicidal person why he/ she wants to commit suicide. Instead they would steer the discussion to generate discussions on issues affecting suicidal persons. They were encouraged to share the information with as many as possible and to continue their efforts at the community level to pre-

vent suicide.

Roadside Baptist Church Skills Training Centre Inc. expresses gratitude to the team of facilitators and to the Ministry of Health for the opportunity to be used as a medium to increase awareness on suicide prevention.

Appreciation is also expressed to the volunteers who worked industriously with this project.

For more information on the centre’s programmes call 3384215/4213. (Submitted

by Roadside Baptist Church Skills Training Centre)

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Vidya Balan shedding extra kilos ‘Open dance bars to for her next film with Emraan check crime against women’ - Esha Deol

B

ollywood's favourite yo-yo dieter Vidya Balanis is at it again.

This time the actress is on a dieting spree to shed the pounds for her

next venture with Emraan Hashmi.

Vidya had cut a rather full figure in her last film with the actor, 'Ghanchakkar', where she played a loud mouth Punjabi housewife.

But in the upcoming Mohit Suri project produced by Vishesh Films, Vidya will portray a florist working in a posh hotel chain and the actress is in a bid to quickly lose the pounds to fit the prim mould of the character.

A source close to the film told Indian media that, "The filmmakers did not ask Vidya to lose weight, but she knew that the role demanded that she be trim. She is an intelligent artiste who puts in a lot of effort to portray characters convincingly, so she is on a strict diet and exercise regime". (TOI)

Deepika eager to work with Salman

A

ctress Deepika Padukone says she is keen to work with superstar Salman Khan, but is waiting for something special to bring them together on screen.

Deepika had an acting debut offer from Salman, which happened way before she was chosen by Farah Khan for 'Om Shanti Om'. However, she declined it then, as she felt she was not ready to face the camera.

"He offered me my first film when I was too young and I was not ready to be in front of the camera. I will always be grateful to him. Just the fact that he offered me a film was a great thing. It is taking a long time for us to come together on screen, so I think there is something special waiting for us," Deepika said.

The actress, who will be seen alongside south superstar Rajinikanth for the first time in 'Kochadaiyaan', said she admires his child-like enthusiasm.

"I worked for three days with him. I took back from him his simplicity, hu-

mility and child-like attitude on sets.

Despite achieving so much success he is so excited, enthusiastic and energetic even today, this is something that is inspiring to see," she said. (TOI)

B

B

ollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor, who is said to be dating actress Katrina Kaif, doesn't

want any kind of interference even from his parents when it comes to choosing his would-be-bride.

"First of all, I want to make it clear that mummy is not looking for a bride for me. I am doing it for myself," said the 30-year-old actor, on the sets of a reality show to promote ‘Besharam’.

The actor's mother and actress Neetu Singh, who was also present, is happy with her son's decisions and said she just wants Ranbir to be happy.

"I don't think that in today's times, mothers look for suitable brides for their sons. He will do it on his own. It's his life. We only want them to be happy," said Neetu.

Directed by Abhinav Kashyap, ‘Besharam’ is set to release on Oct 2 and it sees Ranbir teaming up with his parents-dad Rishi and mom Neetu-for the first time on the big screen. (TOI)

Pamela Chopra to celebrate Yash Chopra's birthday every year a year to host Shah Rukh as ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’ is still in the making.

(TOI)

Sridevi's daughter flooded with film offers

S

ridevi's little girl, Jhanvi Kapoor seems to have a lot more on her plate than shopping. The 16-yearold has been stepping out with her mother for many on-trend red carpet outings, but it is not just the fashionistas who have been watching the teenager closely.

The precocious fashionista has now caught the eye of talent scouts down South and film offers galore for the school student. A source from

tempts.

Ruling out retirement from films, Esha, who tied the knot with a businessman last year, said she will neither join politics like her father Dharmendra and mother Hema Malini nor campaign for any political party in the coming elections. (TOI)

‘My mom won't look for a bride for me’- Ranbir Kapoor

Shah Rukh Khan retorts to Salman Khan's invitation ollywood superstar Salman Khan, recently made headlines when, at an event, he mentioned that he will gladly welcome his contemporary Shah Rukh Khan, if he wants to promote his upcoming film on popular reality show 'Bigg Boss'.

With this statement everyone was waiting to hear what would be SRK's revert on it. Now, we hear Shah Rukh has retorted to Salman's invitation and recent comments.

At a press event, when an entertainment channel spoke to SRK about Salman's invitation, he was quick to reply that he will definitely promote his movie on the reality show.

However, the only glitch is that Salman will have to wait for almost

A

ctress Esha Deol has suggested opening of dance bars in India on the lines of Bangkok to curb rising crime against women.

Talking to reporters in Chhattisgarh earlier this week, the Bollywood actress said such a move will not only satisfy men, but also ensure safety of women.

Dance bars should be opened in India on the lines of Bangkok to prevent sexual harassment of women, Esha said.

The 31-year-old ‘Dhoom’ star, who is a trained Odissi dancer, was in North Chhattisgarh to perform in the ongoing 'Chakradhar' cultural festival.

Welcoming the death sentence awarded to four convicts in the Delhi gang rape case, she said, "the minor accused in the case should also be given capital punishment."

Urging women to become self-reliant, she suggested them to forcefully counter eve-teasing or molestation at-

the family told Indian media that, "Sridevi has a major fan following down South and she is well connected in the industry and Jhanvi has been getting a lot of of-

fers from Southern producers planning Hindi projects."

The source added that the offers include projects starring other star kids from the Southern film industry.

"She has been offered a film opposite Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi's son and also another film with Nagarjuna's son Naga Chaitanya. But her parents believe that she is too young to start in the industry," said the source. (TOI)

P

amela Chopra, wife of the legend, Yash Chopra, wants to celebrate the late filmmaker's birthday every year by announcing a new initiative to mark the occasion.

Pamela has taken up an initiative to celebrate his birthday in a unique manner. Yashji's production house will celebrate the occasion with a new initiative on September 27.

"It's entirely Pamelaji's idea. She was keen that Yashji's birthday becomes an important day for everyone at the production house. So as far as we know, every year, there will be some kind of activity on his birthday—it could be a charity event, a film announcement or anoth-

er special event—in his memory. She has apprised everyone at Yash Raj Films of her wish and it will, of course, be complied with," an industry insider said.

This year, a big event is being planned.

"Details are a bit unclear right now, but things will be finalised in a couple of days. Her sons, Aditya

and Uday, are privy to all the details and execution plans. But like all other initiatives by the production house, not many people are aware of the exact nitty-gritty," added the insider. One of the activities will be the launch of a line of saris that are inspired by the filmmaker's body of work. (TOI)

Hollywood

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Lily Collins 'most dangerous Jennifer Aniston obsessed with fiancé’s cousin celebrity online'

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L

ily Collins is the world's 'Most Dangerous Celebrity,' according to a study to indicate the sites that are risky when searching celebrity names on the web.

According to the study by McAfee, the 24-year-old actress has been ranked as the most dangerous celebrity to search for online, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Avril Lavigne, Sandra Bullock, Kathy Griffin and Zoe Saldana were others in top five while 'Mad Men' star

Jon Hamm was the sole man in the top 10. (TOI)

Alec Baldwin asked pal Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for advice on marriage split

A

lec Baldwin reportedly turned to his pal, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, for advice after his split from Kim Basinger.

According to a diary that is said to be owned by Kennedy Jr, the '30 Rock' star called him to talk through his relationship problems and his concerns for their daughter, Contactmusic reported.

The secret diary also says that Baldwin was directing his first movie when Basinger presented him with divorce before moving to L.A, which is a town that he hates.

Kennedy reportedly added that he gave Baldwin "encouragement" based on his own divorce from his first wife, Emily, in 1994. (TOI)

Robert Pattinson hints at why he broke-up with K-Stewart

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obert Pattinson has apparently given away the reason behind his split with cheating girlfriend Kristen Stewart, asserting that he doesn't tolerate people who double cross him.

During an interview with Australia's 'Sunday Style', the 'Twilight Saga' star said that there's not very much that really bothers him and he is really good at trusting people, but once someone breaks his trust, it's over, Fox News reported.

The 27-year-old actor said that he doesn't ever feel the need to forgive or expect people to be forgiving for that matter.

Pattinson asserted that he judges

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people on their actions and if they do something he can't be bothered to deal with, then he just cuts them out. (TOI)

star, who is married to Chris Martin, told chat show host Chelsea Handler, that she was a really normal person until she started to hang out with Handler all the time, the Daily Star reported.

Paltrow said that she was inspired by all the fun Handler was having in her life.

The 40-year-old actress was on the chat show to promote her upcoming film, 'Thanks For Sharing,' which deals with sex addiction. (TOI)

Mark Wahlberg graduates from high school

M

ark Wahlberg, who dropped out of school in the ninth grade, has revealed that he has successfully bagged his high school diploma.

The 42-year-old actor told People Magazine that his four children served as the biggest motivation for him because he didn't want his kids to think that they have an option to leave their education, just because their father did.

The 'Ted' star, who took online classes, asserted that getting his diploma is a huge accomplishment and re-

should make a speech at their wedding.

Theroux has even joked that he feels threatened by his fiancée’s obsession. (TOI)

Scar-Jo claims she isn't 'jealous girlfriend type'

A

ctress Scarlett Johansson has reportedly confessed that she has never been overly posses-

sive when it comes to relationships.

The 28-year old 'Iron Man 2' star, who recently announced her engagement to French former journalist Romain Dauriac, confirmed that she is "not the jealous type who does background checks", the Daily Express reported.

Johansson was previously married to Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds from 2008-11. (TOI)

Amanda Holden says Cowell's baby will be first person he loves more than himself

‘B

Gwyneth Paltrow says she's addicted to sex

wyneth Paltrow has confessed that she is addicted to sex.

The 'Shakespeare In Love'

ennifer Aniston is apparently obsessed with her fiancé’s famous TV documentary-making cousin, Louis Theroux.

Sources have revealed that the 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S.' star, who is engaged to Justin Theroux, loves watching clips of Louis on the internet, the Daily Star reported.

The insiders stated that the 44-yearold actor has only met her fiancé’s cousin a couple of times, but she was hanging on to his every word.

The sources also said that Aniston now tells Theroux that his cousin

lief for him.

Wahlberg added that he did think at one point that he should have completed his education when he was actually in high school, as it's so much harder at his age to go back to studies. (TOI)

ritain's Got Talent’ judge Amanda Holden believes that Simon Cowell will not be as narcissistic after the birth of his baby.

The 42-year old British actress said that the 53-year old music mogul's baby with socialite, Lauren Silverman, will become the first person he loves more than himself, the Daily Star reported.

She added that at the moment, maybe he loves his 36-year old pregnant gal-pal, but he will surprise everyone, including himself with the depth of his love for his baby.

Holden believes that Simon will change after the birth of his baby and will probably call the baby Simon Jr. if he's a boy or Simone if it's a girl. (TOI)

Kim Kardashian is letting Kanye West take control

K

anye West is taking control of Kim Kardashian's career.

The reality TV star is reportedly accepting her partner's influence, and she is moving away from her family's brand as she builds her own management team.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: ''Kim wants to set herself apart from the Kardashian PR machine and Kanye West advised her to build her own team.''

It has also emerged the 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star is ''loving'' the direction Kanye is pushing her inbut she is still trying to keep her paparazzi connections.''

Speaking to RadarOnline.com, an insider said: ''Kim is letting Kanye revamp her entire lifestyle right now and she's loving the changes he's making, but she is still the same old schemer that she's always been! ''Kim isn't going to ever stop secretly texting the paparazzi or the people she knows that can help her stay famous.'' (TOI)

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Forde retains AINLIM 10k title … Jossiah-Tanner dethrones Morgan

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istance ace Cleveland Forde proved why he is the best distance athlete in the country, notching up yet another 10k title Sunday morning. Forde, who has been plagued with various niggling injuries over the past couple of months, easily bagged the AINLIM 10k event by clocking

33: 16s to win ahead of Cleveland Thomas, with a time of 33: 45s, and Dennis Horatio’s 34: 05s.

Running Brave Athletic Club Winston Missenger finished fourth in the event in 34: 18s to top Nathaniel Giddings, who was the early pacesetter, with a time of 34: 34s, rounding out the top five finishers.

Meanwhile, overseas based Guyanese Euleen Josiah-Tanner rebounded from last year’s defeat to beat female defending champion Alika Morgan in a time of 39: 21s. Morgan was relegated to third after two-time Carifta gold medalist Jevina Straker claimed the second spot in 40: 51s; Morgan’s third place

time was 40: 52s.

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) athlete Ashanti Scott finished fourth with a time of 45: 12s while her team-mate Carlissa Atkinson finished fifth in 47: 19s.

The boys’ junior event was won by Cark McKenzie in 37: 14s while Grivon Grant took second in a time of 37:

Forde stops his watch upon crossing the finish line to retain his AINLIM 10k title

The winners of the 2013 edition of the AINLIM 10k pose after receiving their prizes on Sunday

32s. Kevin Nicholas (37: 35s) and Samuel Kaiton (37: 55s) were third and fourth respectively.

Carifta bronze medalist Andrea Foster rebounded from her loss at the Inter-Guiana Games on Saturday to win the female junior version in 43: 59s. Cassie Kirton clocked 45: 43s for second while Adama Roberts took third in a time of 46: 56s.

The Masters’ men 45-55 was won by Ian Archibald in a time of 39: 32s while Llewellyn Gardener took the

Masters’ men 55- andover in a time of 42:49.

Sprint ace Alisha Fortune ruled the women’s masters’ event, clocking 51: 23 ahead of Cyrleen Phillips who recorded 52:33s.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Neal and Massy Group of Companies Deo Persaud, at the prize giving ceremony congratulated all the athletes while president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) was pleased that the event was injury free.

Cricketer given emotional send-off

Members of the Cotton Field Wild Oats softball team and Reliance Sports Club form a guard of honour as they pay their last respects to their late teammate, Shivanandan Madholall (Photo: Avenash Ramzan)

H

undreds of mourners turned out last Friday to pay their final respects to former Guyana and Essequibo cricketer, Shivanandan Madholall, who passed away a week ago following a brief period of illness.

The left-handed batsman, who represented Guyana at the Under-15 and Under-19 levels, as well as Essequibo at both the junior and senior levels, was 30.

At his home in Reliance on the Essequibo Coast, several persons paid tribute to the fallen cricketer, who was popularly known as “Rocky.”

During his time, Shivanandan played for the Reliance Sports Club, as well as the Cotton Field Wild Oats softball team.

Ato Christiani, representing the Essequibo Cricket Board, coach Vibert Johnson, Dianand Chetram of the Reliance Sports Club and former Essequibo batsman Elroy Stephney all made moving tributes, with the recurring theme being the shock passing of

Shivanandan at such a young age.

They all reflected on his playing days, noting that he was a very good cricketer, who knew the game well.

The eulogy was delivered by elder brother and sports journalist, Ravendra Madholall, who reminisced on the life of Shivanandan, stating that he was both a brother and a friend.

Following those tributes, Shivanandan’s remains were taken to the La Union foreshore for cremation.

Prior to the lighting of the pyre, his teammates from Cotton Field Wild Oats and the Reliance Sports Club formed a guard of honour as they paid their last respects.

Shivnanand comes from a family with a rich cricketing history. His brothers Rovendra, Ravendra and Narendra all represented Essequibo at the Inter-County level. Rovendra went on to play for Guyana.

He leaves to mourn his father, mother, siblings, wife and two children, ages three years and four months.

SPort

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Prashad cops Blairmont Cricketer-of-the-Year award A l l - r o u n d er Deveshwari Prashad was voted Blairmont Centre Cricket Club (BCCC) Cricketer-of-the-Year when the West Bank Berbice entity held its second annual awards ceremony last Thursday evening.

At the event, the executive of the club honoured outstanding players and some cricket enthusiasts for their contributions to the game.

However, the lion’s

share of Thursday night’s awards went to 18-yearold Kevon Jawahir, who copped the bowler-of-theyear, allrounder, junior cricketer-of-the-year and emerging player-of-theyear prizes.

The packed auditorium, inclusive of Region Five Chairman, Bindrabhan Bisnauth, officials of the Berbice Cricket Board, club members, sponsors and other cricket officials, club president, Shabeer Baksh, was told that the

period January 2012 to July 2013 was a successful one, despite numerous challenges faced by the organisation.

“The club is definitely on the upward side since its resuscitation in 2010.

This club has risen to ratings of being unmatched by any other club in the West Berbice area and has been amongst some of the better clubs in Berbice. The period 2012/ 2013 has been a successful year, both on and off field,” Baksh said.

President off BCCC, Shabeer Baksh with some of the club members that were awarded

Deveshwari Prashad (right) collets the Cricketer-of-the Year trophy from President of the BCCC, Shabeer Baksh. In the background is Hilbert Foster

He said he was pleased to see the young budding cricketers of the club and urged those who were not honoured this year to strive to be there next year.

Guest speaker Bindrabhan Bisnauth, praised the BCCC on its remarkable achievements since the club was resuscitated, calling it a model organization, which every other club and national sport organisation should emulate.

The Regional Chairman advised the

younger members of the club that discipline is the foundation of success and that no sports person has ever been successful without discipline.

Meanwhile, Jawahir, speaking on behalf of the awardees, said that being a member of the BCCC was a special privilege.

He outlined that the club not only develops cricketers, but well-rounded individuals with special emphasis on discipline and personal development. He expressed gratitude to the management

of the club for its recognition of his and his peers’ contribution, pledging that they will strive for better.

The club also presented four retired teachers and cricketers for their outstanding contribution to the club. Those awardees were teachers, Bibi Ishak, Koearlall Rambarran, Rudolph Muckunlall and Thofa Alexander; the former cricketers were Hazrat Saqid, Zalim Khan, Moses Shamlall and Adrian Amsterdam.

Sammy believes Windies moving in right direction

S

T JOHN’S, Antigua – West Indies Test captain Darren Sammy said he was extremely delighted with the steps his side have taken in

have worked really hard in the last three years and to achieve that goal two years early is a plus for us.

Sammy said: “We now have to continue

Darren Sammy

achieving their goals in the longest version of the international game.

West Indies are now the fifth-ranked Test side in the World, following the latest update of the ICC Test Rankings table.

It comes in the wake of an historic, 24-run victory for Zimbabwe in the second and final Test of their series against Pakistan on Saturday at the Harare Sports Club.

The two-Test series was drawn 1-1 and the Pakistanis, ranked No. 4 before the series, conceded five ratings points, dropping them behind Australia and West Indies.

Top five

“One of our goals has always been to be in the top five by 2015,” Sammy said. “As a Test team, we

working harder in order for us to keep moving forward.

Massive praise must go to our head coach Ottis Gibson and his staff for creating the atmosphere where we as players can go out and work hard for each other and our fans in the Caribbean and everywhere else.

“This is a massive step in the right direction and we will contin-

ue to strive for excellence for the cause of putting West Indies cricket back on top of World cricket.

The journey continues.”

Gibson said at a media conference this past week in Barbados that his side was targetting the climb into the topfive at the end of their upcoming Test series against New Zealand on the road in NovemberDecember – but they have now achieved the target three months ahead of schedule.

“If you look at the last six Tests we played, we won them,” he said at the time.

“It’s been good progress, but I know people aren’t considering them as big wins.

“Against India however, we can really gauge the progress. I’d never discount wins against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh though because they are upcoming and talented, but India will be an immense challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”

Gibson added: “We were in India a couple

of years ago and played good cricket, but didn’t win. Now the team dynamic is different, and with Chris Gayle back, we’ll give a tougher run.

“Then, against New Zealand, we’ll be looking to move to No. 5 in the Test rankings as that’s our aim. I want to put some distance between us and them, but they

gave England a tough time in the Tests, so it won’t be easy. India into New Zealand is a tough duo to tour.”

Rankings

The Test Rankings table, unlike the ICC One-day International Rankings table, is updated only after the conclusion of current series.

West Indies face

India in two Tests in November before flying to New Zealand for a series of three Tests.

The Windies last visited India in NovemberDecember 2011, when they lost a three- match Test series 2-0 – the drawn third match was the dramatic Mumbai Test that ended with the scores level. (WICB)

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Diamond winner Weir happy with 2013 season

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AMAICAN Warren Weir, silver medallist at the IAAF World Championship in Moscow, is happy with his 2013 season which ended with the sprinter taking the Diamond League series title in the 200 metres event.

"It was a wonderful season and I'm pleased with everything I've accomplished," he said at Calabar High's auditorium during Tuesday's function held to recognise sporting standouts and notable academic achievers.

"Hopefully, I'll be (ranked) the number one athlete for the 200-metre. We'll see when the season ends officially in December. That will be the only icing on the cake," the 23-year-old added.

Weir was first at the

National Senior Trials in June — in the absence of Racers Track Club teammates Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake — in a personal best time of 19.79 seconds.

At the World Championship in the Russian capital last month, Weir equalled his fastest clocking while placing second to the phenomenal Bolt, who ran a world leading 19.66 seconds.

However, the former Calabar student was consistent over the half-lap distance this season and led all comers to land the lucrative Diamond League crown.

He wrapped up proceedings with a 19.87 victory in Brussels, Belgium earlier this month.

A minor regret is that he did not lower his PB as he closed the curtains

Warren Weir (left) poses for pictures with Jamaican World Championships teammates Oshane Bailey (centre) and Javon Francis at Calabar High School on Red Hills Road on Tuesday. (PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS)

on an eventful and rewarding campaign.

"I was expecting to run a bit faster than the time at Trials (but) unfortunately I only got one run after the World Champs. (But this year) I ran 19.8 seconds for the last race and last year

Melaine Walker to be inducted into University of Texas Hall of Fame

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EXAS, USA (CMC) — Jamaican 400-metre hurdler Melaine Walker will be inducted into the University of Texas Women's Athletics Hall of Honour, UT officials have announced.

Walker, the Olympic and World champion over the 400-metre hurdles, will be among five former University of Texas (UT) student-athletes and one athletics staffer who will be inducted in November.

The second-fastest woman of all time in the 400-metre hurdles and the three-time National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) champion, Walker also led UT to a pair of NCAA team titles.

The 2008 Olympic champion is also one of the top hurdlers in Texas track and field programme history.

Walker, a former member of

I ran 20 seconds for the last race so I'm pleased with the overall improvement," he said.

The slim-framed runner said he will "get some rest" before his background work begins late this year for him to be "ready for next season".

One of his goals is to convince his teammates to compete at the IAAF World Relays set for Nassau, Bahamas in 2014.

"I'd like to go... and try for that world record," he said, while smiling.

The men's 4x200 metre world record is 1:18.68, set by the foursome of Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard and Carl Lewis in 1994.

Meanwhile, Weir expressed pleasure that he was acknowledged by Calabar for his contribution to Jamaica's success in track and field.

"To receive my first appreciation plaque from Calabar, it's an honour.

To know they have looked on us and they have seen our work for the nation.

It's a very good feeling," he declared.

Weir, who turns 24 next month, is also the Olympic bronze medallist after sprinting to 19.84s to finish behind the winner Bolt and second-placed Blake in London last year.

(Jamaica Observer)

Three-discipline, seven-member team for Islamic Games

WALKER... the second fastest woman of all time in the 400-metre hurdles

Jamaica's MVP Track Club now trains with the Racers Track Club and is exploring her ambitions as a sprinter and sprint hurdler.

From left Sebert Blake, KA Juman Yassin and Ramjeet Ramphal during the press conference

By Treiston Joseph

T

hree sporting disciplines will headline the third edition of the Islamic Sports Solidarity Federation Islamic Games from September 22 in Indonesia.

Athletics, Taekwondo and Karate will be the three disciplines, according to president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) KA Juman Yassin at a press conference on Tuesday.

Yassin said that while other disciplines were available to be represented, the three disciplines were selected due to lack of opportunity as well as funding for the event which costs US $ 3,715 per person.

“So we decided to

send the best team we can so in the future once we get better funding then we will be able to send everybody in all the disciplines,” Yassin told media representatives present.

Further, Yassin believes that the sevenmember squad is capable of doing well and wished the team success during the press conference.

“I hope and I’m looking forward for the team especially Mr. George (Winston) as he has recently been in Russia (World Championships) and I wish them well,” Yassin stated.

Ramjeet Ramphal, who will be going as the Chef-de-mission was optimistic about the trip and noted that the competition might be tough,

the team will need to rise to the occasion.

“I know the competition is going to be hard but we have to rise to the challenge and we have to take it on,” Ramphal commented.

Ramphal was also in high spirits about having some extra time in the Indonesia that should allow the team to become acclimatized to the conditions.

“I know it’s going to be a hard travel, it’s two days of travelling and because of the two days of travelling we are glad that we will have the opportunity to relax and when I say relax I mean our athletes will get a chance to train and get themselves acclimatized in preparation for the meeting,” Ramphal mentioned.

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National hockey ladies depart for PAHF Cup in Argentina

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he national women’s hockey team will travel on September 18 to Mendoza, Argentina, to face their toughest opposition yet to compete in the Pan-American Hockey Federation Cup, which is a qualifier for the hockey World Cup scheduled for Hague, Netherlands, next year.

The team has been preparing since early last year for the event and will be the first time that Guyana is appearing in a PAHF Cup. After returning to international competition following nearly two decades of absence, the Guyana women’s team entered the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2010 ranked at the bottom of the Pan American rankings.

According to head

The national hockey team at their final briefing session

coach and president of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), the team did not qualify for a spot in the competition but managed to secure a place after Cuba withdrew from the tournament.

After entering the competition as the lowest ranked team, Guyana emerged sixth place out of the eight teams.

Their performance in Puerto Rico permitted Guyana to then enter the PAHF Challenge in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2011.

The Guyanese ladies were surprise finalists, registering victories against Paraguay and Bermuda, a draw with hosts Brazil and lost only to eventual winners Uruguay.

The top two finishers

in the PAHF Challenge qualified for the prestigious PAHF Cup which is the region’s World Cup Qualifier.

From their lowly ranked position of 18th in the Americas in 2010, Guyana now finds itself among the region’s elite teams as they enter the PAHF Cup seeded the lowest of eight teams. The competition includes world beaters Argentina (ranked 2 in the world), USA (10), Chile (18), Canada (23), Trinidad (27), Mexico (30), Uruguay (50) and Guyana (58).

Guyana finds itself in pool A with pretournament favourites Argentina, Canada and Trinidad.

While the team arrives in Mendoza on Thursday, they will con-

IGG basketball steps up preparation for Suriname clash

By Treiston Joseph

T

he Inter-Guiana Games basketball team is working their way through a rigorous training camp as they prepare to face hosts Suriname in a two-game tournament from October 17. Having the full use of the Cliff Anderson sports Hall, Chris Bowman indicated that the team is a young one that will have the opportunity to blossom, since only Leonard Primo will be returning to the squad from last year.

Bowman, who runs a basketball club out of Marian Academy, is known for his systematic approach to playing basketball and spoke about the shelf life of the new IGG team.

“I think last year’s team ended a cycle. A new cycle is going to start now and the first year is really to get a feel of the competition and to get the exposure.

“They are going to be

competitive nevertheless but we are beginning to rebuild a new team and can be competitive to win IGG if not this year in years to come,” Bowman told Guyana Times International Sport.

The squad which will feature mainly under-17 players will have to go up against a more senior Suriname team. Bowman believes the unit has the talent to do well despite their youth and inexperience. “They are well coached, Lugard (Mohan) has been the coach for some time now and it’s just for the youngsters to adjust, they have the talent but it will take them time to get to the point where we want them to be,” Bowman pointed out.

The IGG basketball team has come up short in recent years and has drawn their share of critics and comparison that Bowman believes is misguided and unfair.

duct some light training on the artificial

pitch until their first match against Canada on Saturday. Guyana will then face Trinidad on September 22 and Argentina on September 24 to complete the pool round.

Asked about Guyana’s expectations, Fernandes indicated that the top teams in the competition were beyond the reach of the others.

In his opinion, winning a medal in this competition would not be a realistic objective as there are world-class teams in the competition who train twice per day on artificial pitches with a professional coaching staff of several persons.

Fernandes opined that the Guyanese team

needed to aim toward securing wins against some of their opponents in an effort to continue its upward drive and improve its global ranking.

Full squad: Alysa Xavier, Ulrica Sutherland, Tiffany Solomon, Marisha Rodrigues, Vanessa Pires, Trisha Woodroffe, Marzana Fiedtkou, Leigh Sandison, Ashley DeGroot, Chantelle Fernandes (Captain), Gabriella Xavier, Kerensa Fernandes, Samantha Fernandes, Cora Towler, Aliyah Gordon and Janella Munroe. The Manager is Rawl Davson, Coach Philip Fernandes and Assistant Coach Peter DeGroot.

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Berbice boxers create history that Berbice has been doing so well in the junior selection because it has been a long time since we have not had anyone from Berbice being selected to represent Guyana. I am very happy and proud to know that we don’t have one or two we have three.

B

From left to right Coach Jeff Roberts, Joel Williamson, Travis Fraser and Michael April at the gym

erbice amateur boxers have created history with three of them making the national team to participate in the inaugural Youth South American Games in Peru, starting today (Thursday) and ending on September 29.

The four-member boxing team, which departed Guyana on Tuesday, consists of flyweight Michael April, junior middleweight Travis Fraser and bantamweight Joel Williamson; the other boxer is Tevon Telford.

Coach of the Berbice

boxers Jeff Roberts, speaking on the boxers’ selection said, “Berbice has made history, in that it is the first time in amateur boxing, we have three junior boxers from Guyana, age 17 years old and under, representing in the Youth South American Games”.

He said the boxers underwent rigorous training prior to leaving Guyana in their quest for gold.

Roberts, who represented Guyana at the amateur and professional levels, won the nation-

al bantamweight amateur title in 1980 and the featherweight title three years later. He was considered one of Guyana’s feared boxers

by Caribbean glove men.

The three-time champion said that over the past two months, he focused on speed, defence and technique.

According to Roberts, he hopes it is only the beginning, since he is looking forward to greater things. He said he is hoping that this opportunity for Berbice boxers will break the ice.

“I am happy to know

“These three guys I worked them very hard and hopefully they will make themselves proud, make Berbice proud and ultimately make Guyana proud.”

Fraser has promised to do his best while Williamson says he will make all his supporters

proud.

A 31-member contingent left Guyana for Peru to represent Guyana at the South American Youth Championships.

The country will be represented in athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, swimming, table tennis and weightlifting.

guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

week ending september 22, 2013

Guyana Times International - (Guyana Office) email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com, Tel: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709, Fax: (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 (NY Office) email: guyanatimesnyint@gmail.com, Tel: 718-658-6804 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INTERNATIONAL INC.; AVAILABLE AT ALL MAJOR WEST INDIAN STORES.