Guyana Times

01 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2812

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Elderly couple's suicide rocks Albouystown Page 9

Racial comments about President Granger

Police hunting 3 persons – Crime Chief

Page 14

…“We need to overcome racial barriers” – Minister Ally

Slain GDF rank’s relatives accuse Police of murder

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P11 Govt to discuss fuel subsidies, farmers' loan interests

Businessman elected new Mayor of P17 Rose Hall

Page 7

Rights groups to Aunty Volda: Apologise or resign!

Page 2

…want Minister to break her silence

P3 Former Guyoil boss rubbishes dubious audit findings – claims company in better financial position – admits brother had contract with company

Region 10 TV saga “Minister Lawrence needs to answer to us!” Rights groups call on Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence to apologise or resign

LGE Councillors to take oath this weekend Page 13

– Patricia Chase-Green tipped for Mayor

Sophia man accidentally shot by “fighting” men Page 7

“RDC by law cannot own television P17 station” – GNBA Chairman – more members added to the RBI Board

2 NEWS

thurSDAY, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Rights groups to Aunty Volda: Apologise or resign! … want Minister to break her silence

By Devina Samaroo

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he deafening silence from Government appears to be doing more damage than good as rights groups and social activists continue to mount protests, expressing a complete lack of confidence in Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence to satisfactorily perform her duties, particularly in protecting the rights of children.

“Minister Lawrence needs to answer to us, to the people of the country, and to the children of Guyana,” expressed the handful of activists who stood outside her Lamaha Street, Georgetown office.

Lawrence came under fire after she sought to defend accused child molester Winston Harding – who was a candidate for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) in the recently-concluded Local Government Elections (LGE).

After the allegations became public knowledge, the coalition immediately withdrew its support; however, these rights groups were far from impressed.

“It’s unfortunate that they had to do so under pressure, the APNU/AFC knew about Mr Harding ahead of submitting his name as a candidate, so basically they were okay with this, with their eyes wide opened and were trying to cover it up and hoping that nobody would have probably found out,” expressed Renuka Anandjit of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA).

“Too good for an apology”

Also joining the organisations in protest was local blogger Sara Bharrat who expressed worry over the Minister’s apparent nonchalant attitude towards public concern.

“I think Minister Lawrence should know if she made a mistake and she can say ‘okay, you know I didn’t see it from that perspective and I should apologise’… she can start with an apology. If not, if she thinks she is too good for an apology, then

Rights groups call on Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence to apologise or resign

she should by all means resign. We should replace her if she does not have the good sense and the good principle to apologise, to accept when she is wrong,” Bharrat posited.

The young activist also pointed out that the prolonged silence was actually speaking volumes about Government’s outlook on many issues.

“Silence does not make a situation go away, if you continue to be silent and not address the matter at hand, it means two things: it means you don’t think something should be said, which is a major disrespect to the people of this country or, two, you don’t know what to say about it,” she said.

Change

Moreover, Red Thread representative Joy Marcus made it clear that her organisation would not sit back and allow Government to sweep serious issues under the carpet.

“We cannot stay silent about it. You know some people may not agree and people are saying we should give people a chance, but I think what happened with the last government is that too many things were falling through the cracks, and if we are talking about change, and if this Government says they are bringing about change, then you have to lead by example and you cannot expect to do things that are wrong and don’t expect people to call you out about it,” she firmly explained.

Defending Lawrence

Recently, a new group sprung up out of nowhere defending the Minister against the public backlash.

The group contended that the situation was being blown out of proportion, and Red Thread and company were just hungry for cheap publicity.

According to the group’s spokesperson, Penda Guyan, the entire situation

is a “non-issue”.

However, in response, Red Thread’s Coordinator, Karen DeSouza simply stated that the group’s views were a reflection of the obsolete mindset that continued to mar justice for many.

“I would say that their position is very much in keeping with the worst forms of cultural backwardness that we hold; that there is no urgency in protecting children and that who we must protect and hold on a pedestal or something are politicians or someone in authority, and I think that is what is fuelling that response; it is saying that the case of children come very low on the list of priorities,” DeSouza noted.

“Failed miserably”

In fact, she pointed out that apart from the current issue, not once since taking up her portfolio has Minister Lawrence done anything but deliver passionate speeches on issues which fall under her remit.

“We have not seen any particular interest, she has not taken advantage of the goodwill of many groups out there who have been particularly active and made themselves available to collaborate with the Ministry in defence of children,” DeSouza observed.

She noted too that it was hypocritical and insulting that the Minister was going around telling people about their responsibility in protecting children when she had a direct hand in practising the same but chose to do nothing.

“You can’t use your position to shelter wrongdoings and then go about the place and lecture people about what they are supposed to be doing, that’s not acceptable,” DeSouza expressed.

“She had a job to do and she failed miserably in doing it and she demonstrated a total disinterest in holding the banner of child protection as high as it ought to be held,” she lamented.

news

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thurSDAY, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, March 31 – 10:30h-12:00h and Friday, April 1 – 12:00h-13:30h.

– claims company in better financial position – admits brother had contract with company

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, March 31 – 09:15h-10:45h and Friday, April 1 – 10:50h-12:20h.

F

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers can be expected throughout the day and into the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East North-easterly between 4.02 metres and 5.36 metres per second.

High Tide: 09:32h and 22:23h reaching a maximum height of 2.26 metres and 2.15 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 03:02h and 15:44h reaching minimum heights of 1.04 metres and 0.96 metre respectively.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS K

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Former Guyoil boss rubbishes dubious audit findings

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ormer Managing Director of the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) Badrie Persaud has rebuffed the report coming out of the forensic Audit into the operation of the oil company, claiming that it “lays bare with lies and distortion.”

Although the former official has not received a copy of the official report of the audit, he said he is making these “clarifications” based on what has been circulating in the media.

According to Persaud, the audits reek of great distortions and he needed to clear up those misrepresentations.

The audit began back in July of last year. Persaud said he was sent on leave the same month to facilitate the investigation.

He explained that during the audit review period, the company was governed by a Board of Directors with two sub committees. They included the Tender Board Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee. These Committees, he said, met once every month.

“At all these meetings, the business operations of the company were discussed in great detail. Several managers of the company were interviewed by the auditors during the audit. However, I was not interviewed. Upon completion of the audit in February 2016, I requested a copy of the audit and my right to be interviewed on the findings. This was denied,” he told the media in a statement on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, delving into the specifics of the report, the former Managing Director sought to set the record straight on some specific matters.

According to him, the report found that purchases were frequently singlesourced from Power compu, breaching the Tender Board requirement. Payment to Power compu was $90 million.

“The accounting software installed at the company is ACCPAC. Power compu is the local agent for ACCPAC.

In order to harness the full benefits of ACCPAC and to network the company’s three terminals and eight service stations with the head office, Power compu was requested to make an IT/MIS submission,” Badrie said in his statement. He added that the bound document outlined the company’s IT/MIS Strategy over a three-year period at a cost of some $90 million. He said a presentation was made to the Board of Directors which was approved.

“The implementation process was not without hiccups but was largely successful.

Monthly reports were submitted to the Board of Directors informing of progress made and constraints faced,” he said.

“Today, the company is fully computerised and networked compared to 10 years ago when I became the Managing Director – great contribution to improved levels of accuracy, productivity and efficiency in doing business.

Conflict of interest

He said some years ago, through the initiative of the Managing Director, about four acres of land were reclaimed from the river at the Providence terminal, on the East Bank of Demerara. The final works of levelling the reclaimed land was left to be done. Managers were asked to seek quotations from contractors to execute the work.

Because the contract was not a large one, contractors were not inclined to take it on. One contractor responded with a price of $4.5 million. This was considered very unreasonable. At about the same time, his brother Indarjeet “Avinash” Persaud was mobilising his equipment in Georgetown to go to the Linden Highway and Persaud told him about the work to be done at the terminal. He was asked to make contact with the Terminal Manager, visit the site and submit his price for the work.

His price was $860,000. So management had two prices – $4.5 million vs $860,000.

Director of Guyoil Badrie Persaud

The auditor, Persaud said, was intent on focusing on the contractor being a relative of the Managing Director rather than the cost saving of $3,640,000 to the company. He added that for the 10 years he was the Managing Director of Guyoil, the paramountcy of the interest of the company was always observed.

During the years of high oil prices on the world market, Guyoil was selling fuel at very thin margins and sometimes at a loss, all because the Government’s policy was to keep the price at the pump below $1000 per gallon.

Given this scenario, management decided to review all the cost centres in the company’s operations and seek ways and means to reduce same.

Operating the company’s Road Tank Wagons (RTW) stood out as a high cost centre.

The unit cost to the company to truck one litre of fuel from the Providence terminal

to Georgetown was calculated. This was below $2.00/L. Most contractors offered a price of $2.00/L and above.

The price offered by Indarjeet Persaud, his brother, was $1.11/L, significantly below the company’s unit cost.

Tenders for trucking fuel were again requested in September 2015 and Indarjeet Persaud’s bid was competitive. Again, no explanation was sought by the auditor. The $62 million at caption was for fuel trucked over a four-year period.

Marcel Gaskin and Associates Ltd were paid $77.9 million during the review period to prepare engineering cost estimates, design specifications and monitor contracts; additional in-house personnel could have been hired at a substantially lower cost.

“I was appointed the Managing Director of Guyoil in July 2006. Marcel Gaskin and Associates Ltd were engaged to work with Guyoil several years before that. The consultant reported in person and made submissions regularly to the management committee, the Tender Board Committee and the Board of Directors on the progress of capital projects. During the review period, there were capital projects well in excess of $1.0 billion. All the projects were successfully completed in a timely manner. Both the Board and management were impressed with his professionalism and were satisfied that the company was getting value for money.”

Marcel Gaskin and Associates Ltd continues to provide consulting services to GuyOil in 2016.

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thurSDAY, march 31, 2016

Views General Editor: Michael Younge News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Teachers as professionals

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he Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) is girding its loins for a battle ahead with the Government for what it considers to be an “appropriate” remuneration package for the profession. Its demands include an across-the-board increase in salary of 40 per cent for 2016; 45 per cent increase in 2017; 50 per cent in 2018; 50 per cent in 2019; and 50 per cent in 2020; $7000 monthly vehicle maintenance for those who received duty-free concessions; double salary in the month of December; $25,000 annual clothing allowance; Whitley Council Leave every three years; 200 duty-free concessions for motor vehicles up to 2700 cc to be granted annually from 2016 to 2020 and a host of benefits for the GTU. While it is quite likely that the demands were precipitated by the incredible pay raise the Government awarded itself, they also raise the question as to whether the teachers are prepared to move from treating their jobs as a “place holder” to actually recreating a “teaching profession”. We have to bear in mind the Ministry of Education is also churning out hundreds of teachers annually from the several teachers’ training programmes it conducts in addition to the Cyril Potter College in conjunction with UG. The word “profession”, according to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, is “a calling requiring specialised knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation”. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary also defined “profession” as “a type of job that needs special training or skill especially that needs a high level of education”.

One would agree that there are several definitions for “teaching”, but can settle on the one by Albert Koomson, He advises that teaching can be defined as an activity performed by a more experienced and knowledgeable person and aimed at helping the less experienced person to learn. He further explains that teaching also involves assisting the learner to either gain or change some knowledge, skills or attitudes.

Teaching, we would agree, should, therefore, involve the full participation of pupils.

Koomson also cites many traditional activities which are involved in teaching. These include “talking and chalking”, marking pupils’ work, listening to pupils and reinforcing their behaviour, arranging classroom materials, encouraging and motivating pupils to carry out their work and helping weak ones, explaining questions and organising pupils into smaller groups. From the definition above, the teaching practice surely requires special training and skills to be able to guide or assist learners, pupils or students to perform creditably in examinations and other problem-solving tasks in and outside the classroom.

But nowadays, teachers and the education system as a whole face the challenges due to social, economical and technological changes and other political forces that have evolved within the 20th and 21st Century. They have to deal with the “Googled” learner, who has grown up on virtual reality games and can find out almost everything with a few taps of the finger; work with a student body that’s increasingly diverse; prepare kids to compete for jobs in a global marketplace where communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving are the “new basics”.

The APNU/AFC Government should continue the thrust of the PPP/C Government to prepare teachers, both in training and in practice, to be equipped in rendering those services fixed in the international and modern standard teaching practices. The PPP/C Government did a yeoman task in the area of teachers’ training even with the challenge of attrition.

There is no question that teachers, perhaps even more than other government workers, should receive larger salaries, but on the other hand, they should not expect the citizens of the country, from whose taxes they will be paid, to accept shoddy unprofessional behaviour in the moulding of their children. Professional qualities such as patience, tolerance, empathy, discipline, neatness, must be inculcated in their training. It behoves teachers, therefore, to see themselves as change agents in an attempt to realise the comprehensive evidence-based teaching profession that is being preached across the globe.

Teachers must aspire to be professionals.

Forward, trusty steed! This lad was seen taking his horse home in Sophia, Greater Georgetown on Wednesday

Ongoing persecution of the GEA and its CEO

Dear Editor, Over the last months, I have been disturbed and pained by the unjust smearing of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO )in the false so-called revelations in the media, featuring apparently selected leaks from the commissioned forensic audit of the GEA, so-called revelations of apparent scandals uncovered and of mismanagement and corruption at the GEA. But Editor, I have not seen nor heard of any allegation of a specific fraud or act of corruption at the GEA. There is really no basis for describing the GEA as “a haven for astonishing levels of corruption” or as a location of “massive corruption of all sorts” when we are not presented with any instance of such.

I assert so, Editor, even as I acknowledge that I am a concerned as well as knowledgeable party having been the Minister responsible for the GEA throughout the years that the PPP/C was in office.

Editor, while we must pay heed to all critiques/criticisms and perceptions (perception is reality), and while I sense a similarity in much of the critiques/criticisms of this forensic audit to those in any audit, I cannot take out of my mind the impression that there is a striving and a straining, a desire and an intent to smear and besmirch the GEA and its CEO. I write this letter responding to the public charges and innuendos against the GEA and its CEO so that fellow citizens who are willing to, and want, to be fair and just, and want us to progress would have another view, a more realistic picture of the challenges, the opportunities and the practices in the world at large within which we must find our way.

At the outset, let me say to remove any doubt that in all the charges which we have seen/heard in the media, the GEA, together with its CEO, was carrying out the considered policies of the PPP/C Administration and me as the responsible Minister. I state further that a knowledgeable

appraisal while indicating areas for consideration for further improvement, would find the work of the GEA and its CEO commendable.

Let me now address directly a number of charges/ innuendos: * That the CEO utilised polygraph integrity testing without the authority/approval of the Minister and the Cabinet to end the employment of workers: There was authority/approval. Even more so, dismissal on failing became policy. It was public knowledge. It was controversial. The Cabinet Secretary and HPS, Dr R Luncheon, at a press conference in August 2009, told reporters that the commitment to institutionalise integrity testing (implemented by a recommended US firm) within the State and Government sectors has been solidified. I have acknowledged my disquiet that such testing is not perfect, that there could be (in my judgment) as much as 10 to 20 per cent false clearances and false failures but we judged that we could do no better. Accordingly, those who failed were provided full benefits on the termination of their employment or their contracts were allowed to expire without renewal and those who were retained were subject to the standard ongoing checks. * That the Head of the Fuel Marking Division (FMD), Mr William Holder, failed polygraph testing in September 2010: No such thing! Mr William Holder was never requested to take the test, never took the test and so could never have failed the test. One is left to wonder how the forensic auditors got these matters of fact so wrong: how this false charge arose, could be accepted apparently without checking and could be advocated. * That the FMD is fully part of the GEA and should be fully integrated into the GEA: In the agreement with Biocode (now Authentix), Authentix is more than a seller of markers, indeed it is a provider of a full marking service. Authentix could have chosen to establish its own marking company in Guyana.

Authentix has more than a say in the arrangements for the FMD. Rather than moving to full integration within the GEA from the existing considered arrangement of accounting separation, I can more see a move to a fully separate subsidiary arrangement. * That the CEO of the GEA, Dr Mahender Sharma was on the PPP/C’s list of candidates in our 2015 elections: This should have no place in any audit. It seems to suggest that Dr Sharma should not be continued in that office. It treads on his constitutional rights. It would be recalled that I was declared to be the “running mate” and PM candidate alongside Dr Cheddi Jagan in October 1990 and continued in my job as Director for Product Quality, Research and Development for two years until the elections in October 1992. No doubt I was lucky – the Executive(s) to implement the initial reflexive call to dismiss me were abroad and by the time they returned it had become a matter of some laughter that Sam had entered politics running with Cheddi – so the call for my dismissal faded away.

There are a number of other criticisms not untypical in an audit. They may be argued one way or another. I would have been ready to accept and implement many of the recommendations if only to keep things going, but I totally reject the innuendos that there were loopholes intended to facilitate the so-claimed astonishing levels of corruption.

Editor, I found astonishing and of great concern, the concern expressed by the auditors that both Mr Jaundoo and Mr Naraine had positive attitudes towards their extensive work hours, averaging 60 hours a week, when they do not receive overtime pay. I was astonished because I always took that as a given, that managers at such levels would see and apply themselves as owners.

We should be celebrating such positive attitudes. If we are to prosper as individuals and as a country, we must have positive attitudes to whatever jobs we are doing given that they are the best we could find at

the time.

Editor, it is a matter of regret that the issuing of fuel export/re-export licences was presented to the public as a preposterous matter engendering much laughter – corruption in that. There is no corruption. Guyana already has small incidental exports/ re-exports of fuel. All fuel (and other) sales to international carriers – ships and planes – are exports/re-exports. While during the years of the PPP/C Administration, our economy was increased many fold, we need to increase our economy a further tenfold if we are to attain the prosperity which we all want. We can’t look to our traditional economic activities to do much more than to hold their own. We have to look for new activities, thinking out of the box, opening our minds to a thousand possible new ventures with the hope that some tens of them would take root and be fruitful.

It was with the above awareness that we agreed to issue a fuel export licence to facilitate a proposal to attempt to establish refuelling and other bunkering services in port or at sea to Chinese or other fishing fleets, and any other vessels traversing the Caribbean Sea. At times, I wonder whether these preposterous allegations of hundreds of billions of dollars embezzled are not proxy accusations venting frustrations and dissatisfactions which for whatever reasons persons do not want to or can’t speak directly to.

Whatever may be the case, it is high time that these allegations of huge corruption be put to rest one way or another.

As immediate past Presidents Ramotar and Jagdeo have indicated, prosecute wherever a good basis has been found for prosecution but do not indulge in endless persecution.

It exacts great but different costs on different sections of our people taking us further away from social cohesion.

Over the last months, there has been great indulgence in unjust persecution of the GEA and its CEO. Samuel A A Hinds

guyanatimesgy.com

thurSDAY, march 31, 2016

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

There is something fishy about the duties of the stray catchers and the stray catching programme Dear Editor, We wish to bring to the public attention the unfair treatment facing livestock farmers in some communities as a result of the abovementioned programme currently executed through the Ministry of Public Security.

The stray catcher programme can be considered carried out in favour of some persons at the expense of others. The stray catchers’ operation particularly on the East Coast of Demerara (as far as Mahaica) is only

targeting the East Indian villages, the other villages and villagers are allowed to have their animals roaming the public road during the day and also during the night which is very dangerous to pedestrians and motorists.

On Saturday, the 19th day of March 2016 (approximately 14:00h), I was driving behind the stray catchers’ canter truck to witness their operation commencing from Cove and John, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The catchers came off their truck and caught cows on the public road at Cove and John and began moving West along the public road.

However, as these stray catchers approached Golden Grove/Haslingston, ECD, where there were several cows and goats, the catchers refused to stop for those animals and drove quickly past the village of Golden GroveHaslingston, leaving those animals to roam the public road. This signals a message to me and my colleague indi-

cated to me that we should observe what will happen when the catchers approach the village of Enmore.

Approaching the GuySuCo Estate Road, we noticed the truck had stopped and the catchers were going after the cows even running down those grazing along the estate road which is also off the public road. Is this the code of conduct for the stray catchers and the Terms of Reference for the Government Stray Catchers Programme? A

programme of this nature only discriminates against East Indian villages and villagers and it is a concern for the Honourable Minister to investigate with urgency.

In addition, the village of Melanie also on the East Coast where there is a large tree on the southern side of the public road (that runs East to West) this area is a known cow pen for years.

Cows are on the side of that particular public road night and day and despite being highly noticeable, the stray

Greed and selfishness

catchers pass their journey straight and go to villages such as Bladen Hall, Mon Repos, and Better Hope among others. If this is the attitude of stray catchers and work programme of the Ministry, then we are definitely heading to divide society and not the good life for all that was once promised.

Regards, Concerned farmers Charlie Ramzan and Paul Ramnauth is the time of bribery and corruption and those in authority may not even bat an eyelid to the injustices faced by the poorer class of people!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf Councillor – Region 6

Dead cow

Unfenced facility

Dear Editor, The very small cattle, sheep and goat farmers of Kilcoy, Chesney and Fyrish Village are being decimated by the greed and selfishness of an extremely large poultry farmer in the area. He has completely wiped out one of them and is in the process of destroying some more. This poultry farmer (name given), who from a very humble beginning has risen to be a household name in Berbice with the support of the very same people in the very same villages, has shown absolutely no regard for their welfare and livelihood. He alone must live!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guideline on poultry farming, the location of the poultry pens is supposed to be 164 feet down wind not only to avoid the filthy odour but to avoid the risks of contamination.

A few of his pens are next to peoples’ houses and one has to literally run when passing on the streets. If the EPA is concerned about people’s health then why is this being allowed in a residential area? Is it because money speaks louder than the guidelines? This has been going on for years and no one has done anything about it. This is deliberate-

ly endangering the health of people and this should be stopped with immediate effect.

Next, the guidelines have clearly stated that the poultry facility should be fenced and secured from the hazards of pests and stray animals. At this man’s facility, there are no fences and this is what has caused great losses to these smallscale animal farmers. He has placed disinfectant in containers for his workmen to wash their feet before entering the pens, but animals which stray into his unfenced facilities drink their fill from these poisonous substances result-

ing in many deaths. This is drought season and the animals are thirsty and furthermore there is very little grazing around and those are the reasons why these animals are roving around.

When the owners of these animals approached him, he arrogantly stated that the land belongs to him and people should keep out their animals. How uncaring for a man who depends on people to buy his chicken!

Four of these farmers have so far been affected in the past month resulting in the death of five cows, seventeen goats and four sheep.

This may seem to be small

but to these people who depend on these animals to supplement their small incomes, this is a great loss.

Should he not compensate these poor people? The EPA should question this poultry farmer why he has not fenced his facility and the Pesticide Board should conduct an investigation as to why this man can use such poisonous substances without any safeguard.

This is not only cruelty to animals but cruelty to their owners as well.

It is time that this big businessman is not allowed to break the law with impunity. Unfortunately, this

Some pictures are attached to show the unfenced facilities and the dead cows

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thursDAY, march 31, 2016

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Foundation

– how to promote self-efficacy in today’s youth

By Marilyn PriceMitchell, PhD

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hen young people believe in themselves, you can hear self-belief in the words they speak and see it through their body language. Nonverbal cues like a “thumbs up” means “I’ve got this covered. I can handle this.” This sense of confidence and motivation is what we hope all children will feel deep within themselves.

But what does it mean to believe in yourself? Why is it important to the development of healthy and successful youth? And most importantly, how do parents and teachers nurture this highly-valued characteristic?

No one in the world of psychology is better known for the study of what these words mean than former Stanford professor Albert Bandura.

Psychologists refer to the concept of self-belief as selfefficacy and define it as a belief in one’s capability to accomplish goals that influence the events in one’s life.

In other words, when kids believe in themselves, they learn to chart their own meaningful lives, not a life someone else envisioned for them.

Self-efficacy is not the same as self-esteem, a much-debated concept associated with self-worth.

According to Bandura, self-efficacy is a determining factor in how we feel, think, behave, and motivate ourselves in the world.

He maintained that when children learn to believe in themselves, they take positive actions on their own behalf and approach life as a challenge to be mastered.

In my interviews with young people over the years, I’ve discovered that, deep down, what they most want is to believe in themselves.

Decades of research in child and adolescent development show that small everyday actions by parents, teache r s ,

a n d caregivers help promote self-efficacy. The following list describes the types of home and school environments that most nurture this highly-valued human characteristic.

15 ways to promote children’s self-efficacy

1. Foster children’s curiosity by asking questions rather than providing answers 2. Value the different ways kids learn 3. Communicate and listen to young people with love and respect

4. Set boundaries in positive ways, without shaming or blaming 5. Support children through school/life challenges, helping them embrace fear, failure, and imperfection as opportunities to cultivate wisdom 6. Encourage young people to pay attention to and express their thoughts, feelings, and what their bodies are communicating

7. G i v e kids time in their day for personal reflection 8. Caringly hold children accountable for their actions 9. Teach young people to make amends when they make mistakes 10. Work hard, make decisions, and solve problems together 11. Encourage children to ask for help when they need it 12. Help kids connect with nature, art, and

other pursuits that inspire creativity 13. Play, laugh, dream, and have fun together 14. Help kids make a difference in the world by responding to the needs of others 15. Model to youth how to lead with empathy, gratitude, and kindness

Small actions make big impacts on a child’s belief in self

The actions listed above are a set of mutually reinforcing activities that provide opportunities for parents, schools, and communities to positively impact youth. They are a set of values around raising and educating healthy children that are steeped in the research on self-efficacy. How parents engage in these activities at home are different than how teachers or community leaders engage with them at school or in afterschool activities. For example, communities collectively impact youth through the many services they provide while parents impact children by providing rich and stimulating home environments. Both are essential for positive youth development!

When parents, schools, and communities become more intentional about how they create healthy environments for youth, children grow to believe in themselves and in their abilities to chart their own meaningful paths through life. (psychologytoday.com)

Self-efficacy: the power of

By Miriam Akhtar

S

elf-efficacy, or confidence as it is commonly known, is one of the most enabling psychology models to have been adopted into positive psychology.

It is the optimistic self-belief in our competence or chances of successfully accomplishing a task and producing a favourable outcome.

Self-efficacy is certainly worth having because as Henry Ford famously put it, whether you believe you can or you can’t, you are right. And Gandhi perfectly understood the pivotal role that self-belief plays in our lives: Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions.

Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.

Self-efficacy plays a major part in determining our chances for success; in fact some psychologists rate selfefficacy above talent in the recipe for success. We need to pay special attention to self-efficacy when setting goals to make sure that our efficacy beliefs are in line with our aims and not work-

ing against them.

So where does self-efficacy come from and how can you get more of it? The originator of the theory, Albert Bandura names four sources of efficacy beliefs.

Mastery experiences

The first and foremost source of self-efficacy is through mastery experiences. However nothing is more powerful than having a direct experience of mastery to increase self-efficacy.

Having a success, for example in mastering a task or controlling an environment, w i l l b u i l d self- belief in that area whereas a failure will undermine that efficacy belief. To have a resilient sense of self-efficacy requires experience in overcoming obstacles through effort and perseverance.

Vicarious experiences

The second source of selfefficacy comes from our observation of people around us, especially people we consider as role models. Seeing people similar to ourselves succeed by their sustained effort raises our beliefs that we too possess the capabilities to master the activities needed for success in that area.

Verbal persuasion

Influential people in our lives such as parents, teachers, managers or coaches can strengthen our beliefs that we have what it takes to succeed. Being persuaded that we possess the capabilities to master certain activities means that we are more likely to put in the effort and sustain it when problems arise.

Emotional & physiological states

The state you’re in will influence how you judge your self-efficacy. Depression, for example, can dampen confidence in our capabilities.

Stress reactions or tension are interpreted as signs of vulnerability to poor performance whereas positive emotions can boost our confidence in our skills.

Imaginal Experiences

Psychologist James Maddux has suggested a fifth route to self-efficacy through “imaginal experiences”, the art of visualising yourself behaving effectively or successfully in a given situation. (postivepsychology.org.uk)

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thurSDAY, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Slain GDF rank’s relatives accuse Police of murder – OPR, CID launch investigation

I

n light of the gunning down of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lance Corporal, Kevon Payne, his relatives are holding out that the Police and gunmen worked in collusion to kill him.

The 22-year-old Lance Corporal attached to the Coast Guard division of the GDF was shot at least five times on Tuesday evening at the corners of Lyng and Sussex Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown.

From reports received, two men on a CG Motorcycle rode up and opened fire on Payne, also called “Lil Boy” and “Scar” of Lot 36 Sussex Street, Charlestown.

A brother of the now dead coast guard, who requested his name not to be published, is accusing the Police of joining forces with the gunmen to kill Payne.

He recalled that on the night of the shooting, a few friends and family were “liming” at the corner when the two men appeared on a CG motorcycle and shot his brother twice before attempting to leave the scene.

Upon seeing this, he and a few friends ran behind the shooters but by this time, a Police van which was reportedly in the vicinity blocked the roadway and the officers

opened fire, forcing him to run to safety.

“As I run down the passageway to meh yard, I see them (the Police) walking towards meh brother who was on the ground and I run out back. One of the shooters went with the Police so when I see them going toward me brother, I turned back and fired a cuff at he. He pull out the gun and shoot me bother one more time,” he recalled.

He claimed that he grabbed the suspect but the Police opened fire again resulting in him running to safety. At this point, he noted that one of the Policemen who was carrying a gun on his shoulder and a handgun walked up to his brother and shot him once. The Police then ran behind one of the suspects pretending to give chase. Soon after, the other Police ranks at the scene left in another vehicle.

The young man claimed that his brother was left on the street to die. He and other relatives subsequently picked him up and rushed him to hospital. The man who asked to remain anonymous further stated that as soon as the first bullet was fired, the Police arrived at the scene and did not intervene.

“The Police come with

Dead: Kevon “Lil Boy” Payne

these people,” the brother reiterated. However, the young man is not afraid to identify the Police rank that shot his brother to higher authorities.

While he could not say the reason for someone wanting to kill his brother, he explained that about a week ago, he had a heated argument and ultimately a scuffle with another man and that might have led to the shooting incident.

“The man Clive who and me had a argument claim that he is a boss and that he could pay the Police to stop and search we to see if we got anything illegal… and if we nah get anything illegal, by the time we reach the next corner, we could get

kill… he say that the Police on he pay roll and that he can use the Police to destroy we”.

Yvette Parris, mother of the dead Corporal told Guyana Times that she was at home when she heard a hail of gunfire and immediately ran out to the road. On her way, she enquired about Payne and later saw him lying on the roadway calling out for help but no one ran to his assistance.

The aggrieved mother claimed that she would have spent the day with her now dead son trying to repair his motorcar that was involved in an accident. After they returned, he reportedly left to join his friends and brothers on the road but not before running some errands.

Parris added that it was only on Tuesday he returned from training. When asked about the argument prior to the shooting incident, the woman claimed that it was his other brother who was involved in the argument and not Payne.

She too noted that the man with whom her other son had the argument had said that he would pay $10 million to get rid of the brothers. “Lil boy don’t thief, he join this wuk and save he

Sophia man accidentally shot by “fighting” men

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Sophia, Greater Georgetown man is now hospitalised after he was reportedly shot to one of his legs while in the vicinity of Joe Vieira Park, West Bank Demerara.

The man has been identified as Travis Monroe, 26, of B Field Sophia. While information remains sketchy, Guyana Times understands that the injured man was standing on the roadway when a fight broke out be-

tween two men.

During the scuffle, the injured man claimed that one of the men discharged a round hitting him to his foot. Monroe reportedly told the Police that after he received the gunshot

wound, he raised an alarm but the men made good their escape.

The Police at the La Granger Police Station are investigating the shooting incident. No one was arrested.

money and buy car”.

Meanwhile, the Police stated that at about 22:20h on Tuesday evening, Payne and another man, Shakel Williams, 22, of James Street, Albouystown, were among a group of men standing on the roadway at Lyng and Sussex Streets, Charlestown, when two men armed with firearms rode up on a motorcycle and discharged rounds in their direction.

Payne was hit about his body and Williams was hit to his right foot. As a result, Payne was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced

dead on arrival while Williams was admitted a patient.

On the other hand, the Police claim ranks of a Police mobile patrol in the vicinity of the shooting on Tuesday night responded to the sound of gunshots and confronted the two suspects who managed to escape after an exchange of gunfire with the ranks.

In light of the accusations made against the ranks, the Police Office of Professional Responsibility and ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department have launched an investigation into the incident.

Police seeking help to identify dead accident victim

T

he Guyana Police Force is seeking the help of the public to identify the victim of a fatal accident which occurred earlier this month.

According to the Force’s Public Relations Officer, Ivelaw Whittaker, the accident occurred on March 1, on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.

Whittaker said that since the accident some four weeks ago, the victim remained unknown as no one has come forward to identify him or claim his body.

The body of the unidentified man is at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary, awaiting identification.

The Police are asking

The unidentified accident victim

anyone who may have information in relation to the identity of the accident victim to contact them on telephone numbers 225-6411, 227-1152, 227-2272, 2271149, 911 or at the nearest Police Station.

8 news

thurSDAY, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

IN THE COURTS Sheriff Street hit-and-run

PI continues into death of teen biker

By Kizzy Coleman

T

he Preliminary Inquiry into the death of Travis Bollers who was killed during a hit-andrun accident late last year continued on Wednesday before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Dellon Duncan was charged with causing Bollers’ death following the accident.

Taking the stand to testify was Shaunette Brown, an eyewitness to the accident.

She testified as to her recollection of what took place on the evening of November 26, 2015 when Bollers was killed at Pike and Sheriff Streets.

Brown was cross-examined by Duncan’s attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat. Also taking the stand to testify was the accused, who also related to the Court his recollection of events on the

The accused: Dellon Duncan

night in question.

Addressing the Court following Duncan’s testimony, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers disputed the accused’s testimony, pointing out it was contrary to what he told the Police in his statement.

It is alleged that Duncan, 34, of Lot 982 Block F Sophia, Greater Georgetown, on November 26, at Pike and Sheriff Streets, drove pickup GHH 5201 in a manner

dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of 17-year-old Bollers.

He subsequently fled the scene and was arrested one week later.

Bollers and his cousin, Quacy McCalman, 22, of Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, were riding a motorcycle along Pike Street, Campbellville, headed towards Sheriff Street when they collided with the Toyota Tacoma pick-up that had turned into the street.

Bollers, who was controlling the bike, and McCalman, who was the pillion rider, were subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where the teen was pronounced dead on arrival while McCalman was admitted.

Following the teen’s death, his brother, Eon Bollers, had launched a Facebook campaign to find the driver of the pick-up who had fled the scene. His fam-

A

other items.

As a result of the incident being caught on CCTV cameras, Police ranks were able to identify the 38-yearold bandit who committed the act a few weeks ago and eventually nab him.

Police ranks had difficulty locating the man giv-

en the fact that he had at least three addresses: one in Den Amstel, WCD; another in Canje, Berbice and the third in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Laundry made his first court appearance at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty to

What irony...

S ...on Brian Tiwari?

Death: Travis Bollers

ily also staged a protest at the Square of the Revolution to press authorities to bring the man to justice.

Duncan was identified as the driver of the vehicle, and his vehicle was found in a mechanic shop where it was being repaired.

He denied all allegations that he was involved in the accident.

The Inquiry will continue on April 6, 2016.

“Blackie” jailed for stealing electric stove man of “questionable” character, Derrick Laundry, commonly called “Blackie”, was Tuesday sentenced to three years imprisonment for breaking and entering a house on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) and stealing an electric stove among

Eyew tness

breaking and entering the home at Den Amstel and stealing the occupant’s electric stove, cellular phone and other items.

According to Police, there are other matters pending for the bandit that they hope to have tried in the courts soon.

Clothes vendor charged with possession

A

Joseph Ramsey

clothes vendor on Wednesday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts slapped with a possession of narcotics charge.

Joseph Ramsey, 44, of Lot 14 Railway Line Path, Kitty, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on March 24, 2016 at Kitty, he had in his possession 25.5 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The prosecution’s facts were not revealed to the court.

The defendant was remanded to prison. The matter is to next be heard in court on April 18.

omeone wrote it was ironic that on the same day Brian Tiwari was revealed to've bought 100 acres of land at Providence for US$2.2M and sold it to Bai Shan Lin for US$8M he was appointed as "Business Advisor to the Government". Well…good golly, Miss Molly...what in the world is "ironic" about that?? Isn't that the essence of what "business" is all about? Buy low and sell high??

From where this Eyewitness sits, Tiwari shouldn't only be getting a piece of paper and a firm handshake. He should get a national award for showing this government – which boasts about business as its "engine of growth" – that it's completely clueless about how business actually works. Take the rice "deal" just signed by the Government with two Jamaican companies. Jamaica buys rice from the US at US$550/tonne, yet Hoyt's present "business advisors" – who no one's complaining about – sign on the dotted line for 80,000 tonnes @US$400/tonne!!

And this after the same local business wizzes rolled over and played dead when the Venezuelans didn't renew their 200,000 tonne contract @US$780/ tonne!!

So we cut our rice farmers’ nose to spite Venezuela's face...What a bunch of jokers. Now, these are the same people who're jumping up and down because Brian Tiwari doesn't have an MBA from Harvard...So how can he advise Government on business? they ask.

But this is part of the problem why Guyana's stuck just above Haiti on the development charts. The last time the PNC was in Government, it was going to usher in the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Under the "co-operative impetus", we were all going to work hand in hand, just taking what we needed for living and sharing the rest with our fellow citizens. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, maybe it does...but is it realistic?

What drives people is self-interest. It's built into our survival kit after a billion years of evolution. Capitalism acknowledges self-interest and says let's harness it so that everybody gets a piece of the action. Not EQUALLY mind you...because you don't want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Somebody has to earn more than some...but once the society benefits overall, we shouldn't count their money.

Sure BK got rich...but our sea walls are OK, no? That's the business advice that got Japan and the Far East out of poverty and into the big leagues.

It's not by accident Communist China today has more billionaires than America. And very few of them went to Harvard Business School.

Say "Hey" to BK!!

...on APNU hogging LG posts?

Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo are at it again about not getting their "fair share" of the spoils – this time on the LG spots. The last time around, they didn't even bring out their promised 11% but insisted on the Cummingsburg 40% split. APNU outfoxed them on appointments by creating a slew of "Junior Ministers" – effectively diluting the real power of their 40%. Nagamootoo, of course, got a big, fat title – PRIME Minister! But as Prezzie explained – "no line responsibility". In other words, he got a big, fat "Larwah".

After the LGE, Ramjattan mouthed off that APNU huffed AFC not only in Georgetown but in all the other municipalities and NDCs. This time, Prezzie was ready for the whinging. Obviously remembering the AFC demanding their pound of flesh from Cummingsburg, he inquired as to what agreement Ramjattan might be alluding to?

Ramjattan was flummoxed. After meeting Prezzie, he referred all questions to Nagamootoo. He's the expert on getting "Larwah".

...on GT Mayor?

Some folks think it's ironic Patricia Chase-Green's been selected by APNU to be GT's next Mayor. Your Eyewitness wonders why? Something is ironic when the opposite happens to what's expected.

Did anyone really believe that Sherrod Duncan would've gotten the nod? He's not only young...but AFC!!

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

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thurSDAY, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Elderly couple's suicide rocks Albouystown

T

he proprietors of Shireen’s Grocery Store located at Lot 8 James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, succumbed while receiving medical attention at a city hospital after they reportedly consumed a poisonous substance in the wee hours of Wednesday morn-

ing.

Dead are Shireen Mohamed, 53; and Fazal Mohamed, 62.

According to reports received, the woman died just before noon on Wednesday, while her husband took his last breath at about 19:00h. The death of the couple has definitely

sent shockwaves through the community, leaving residents with more questions than answers.

According to information received, the couple lived in a separate apartment in the family house.

Their five children also reside at the said address.

When Guyana Times vis-

OPR probing shooting of alleged rape suspect

– Police say teen attempted to stab two Rural Constables

F

ollowing Tuesday night’s incident in which Police ranks in Berbice shot and injured a teenager who reportedly resist a search, the Office of Professional Responsibility has launched a probe into the incident.

Malcolm Henry, 18, of Lot 319 Welfare Street, Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is currently a patient under guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing a single gunshot injury to his left foot. The two Rural Constables reportedly injured during the incident were also treated at the New Amsterdam Hospital and sent away.

According to Police reports, Henry is a known character to officers in the area. Around 19:55h on Tuesday, ranks on patrol attempted to conduct a search on his person but he resisted and assaulted two unarmed Rural Constables.

The Police said the teenager then pulled out a knife as he continued his assault, at which point he was shot to his left foot by an armed Policeman.

Furthermore, the Police Force said the young man

Injured: Malcolm Henry

was initially treated at the New Amsterdam Hospital and subsequently referred to the GPHC, where he was admitted.

However, Henry’s mother, Roxanne Prince, claimed that after her son was shot, the Police picked him up and instead of taking him to seek medical attention; they took him to the Reliance Police Station. She noted that the injured teen was in a vehicle for about 15 minutes, during which time officers threatened to arrest her when she tried to speak with the station Sergeant about her son’s condition.

Speaking about the incident, the woman recalled that the family was spend-

ing some time together on the bridge in front of their yard, when the Police arrived and targeted her son. She said the Police always targeted her son and Tuesday evening was no different.

According to Prince, the Police might have been on a routine patrol and upon seeing Henry they decided to conduct a search on his person. She noted that in 2015, the Police had made out 13 charges against her son but they were all dismissed.

On the other hand, residents in the area accused the young man of being a menace, recalling that Henry and his girlfriend had a problem which escalated to the extent where he assaulted her.

One woman related that the young lady was screaming for help but was dragged on to the road and beaten by Henry. This, she believes, might have prompted the arrest on Tuesday since after the assault, the young man went into hiding.

Additionally, the Police further revealed that Henry is presently before the courts on two charges of robbery under arms and is also under investigation for two incidents of alleged rape.

ited the home of the dead couple, the premises was tightly secured and relatives who were on sight and questioned, did not offer a comment.

However, a worker who has been with the couple for the past four years recalled seeing the couple in good spirits on Tuesday when he left work. The man related that he was utterly surprised when he heard that they had consumed a poisonous substance.

He noted that the couple would have “petty” arguments but nothing that would warrant them taking their own lives. He recalled that the couple was very pleasant, offering assistance to anyone in time

of need.

Post-mortem examinations on the bod-

ies of Shireen and Fazal Mohamed are expected to be performed shortly.

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guyanatimesgy.com

thurSDAY, march 31, 2016

News

Region 9 still facing drought crisis Employers urged

A

s Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) continues to face severe drought conditions, it has been reported that there seems to be no significant improvements just yet.

Although a number of private and public organisations had joined the battle against the effects of the drought, there is still a far way for the Region to go before it can return to normalcy.

This was according to the Regional Chairman, Brian Allicock, who during an interview with Guyana Times, said that the residents have now been able to acquire water for domestic purposes but in small amounts.

However, he said this is nothing significant as they are still faced with a number of hardships brought on by the El Niño conditions.

Allicock said the Region was having a hard time coping with the situation, which did not only surround having adequate water but endangerment of the residents’ lives.

In addition, the Region’s food supply has been taking blows, as its main crops have started to dwindle given the dry weather.

The Region has been fortunate to have some downpours recently, but the land is so dry that the rain does not improve the situation

To aid residents, there have been a number of welldrilling activities by the Guyana Water Inc, according to Allicock.

He said they have been receiving enormous help from the water company which continued to visit the Region, assessing the situation and coming up with innovative solutions.

The company has been on a sustained operation so far in the Region, finding feasible solutions to garner short-, medium- and longterm relief for the affected residents.

Thus far, the utility company, along with other organisations, has managed to provide water to the resi-

dents but only for domestic purposes.

The company had recently reported that after assessments had been done in the Region, it was discovered that there were a number of means, once developed, by which water could be provided.

The GWI will now be using these strategies to ensure that water is provided for the residents in sufficient amounts that would cater for their sustainability.

The Region has also been receiving valuable aid from other Ministries, agencies and Government organisations.

These include the

Ministries of Agriculture, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Public Health, and Communities. The Civil Defence Commissions (CDC) is also playing a role in combating the effects of the drought.

The Region has been fortunate to have some downpours recently, but the Chairman said the land is so dry that the rain does not improve their plight.

Allicock told this publication that there have been signs of imminent rain, but the problem would remain.

He said the Region continued to be hopeful and was working with the assistance of the organisations to make the drought conditions less harsh on residents. The animals have felt the brunt of the conditions and they have now started to relocate to more sustainable locales.

Only recently, the President had set up a taskforce comprising a number of Ministries and organisations with the responsibility of spearheading strategies to combat the drought that have affected other regions across Guyana.

to comply with labour laws

T

he Labour Department in the Social Protection Ministry is clamping down on employers throughout the country who do not adhere to the labour laws and as such, will be increasing its workplace inspections nationwide.

Guyana Times understands that this is to ensure that all employers respect the labour laws, the rights of their employees and are in full compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations.

Minister within the Ministry with responsibility for labour, Keith Scott told the media that all sectors would be targeted inclusive of all high-risk sectors such as agriculture, construction and mining.

He explained that workplace inspections were of vital importance to the well-being and output of employees as well as their employers.

With this in mind, the

Ministry will continue to carry out its mandate of not only ensuring workers’ rights are protected, but also to educate and sensitise employees on the Labour and OHS Laws, Minister Scott stated.

Specific focus will also be placed on ensuring that employers are aware of the health and safety requirements at their workplaces mainly because a significant number of employers are not “conscious” of the safety regulations, he told the media.

Under the Labour, Occupational Health and Safety Act, it is clearly stated that labour officers have a right to visit any business or its premises at any time to conduct inspections.

At present, the Social Protection Ministry is engaged in placing labour officers at strategic points countrywide with officers already stationed in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Security officer granted bail on possession charge

R

ico Daniels on Wednesday reappeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was granted bail on a possession charge.

The 33-year-old had pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that he had a .32 pistol with 10 matching rounds in his possession without being a legal firearm holder.

The prosecution’s facts were not revealed to the

Rico Daniels

Court, but bail was initially refused owing to the nature

and gravity of the offence.

Daniels’ Attorney successfully appealed for bail and it was granted in the sum of $150,000.

He explained to the Court that on the day in question, the defendant was given the gun he was found with to hold by a colleague who went to use the toilet. As Daniels was waiting on the man to return, he was approached by Police Officers who arrested him for the offence. Bail was granted based on this new evidence.

Assault charges against Police Constables dismissed

– Magistrate rules “insufficient evidence” to prosecute

T

he two Police Constables who were jointly charged in 2013 for assaulting Colwyn Harding during his arrest were Wednesday set free after the charges against them were dismissed at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Police Constables Devin Singh and Roselle TilburyDouglas had been implicated in the alleged assault and baton sodomy of Harding, but owing to the lack of sufficient evidence, the charges were dropped against the duo.

At the Court hearing on Wednesday, the Attorneys representing the two Police

ranks made an application for the charges to be dismissed while stating that the Court’s time was being wasted with the prolonging of the matter.

Harding’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes, was absent during Wednesday’s proceedings and prior to that Harding himself had been absent from Court on two consecutive occasions without any excuse being provided.

Magistrate Leron Daly subsequently dismissed the charges against the Constables, ruling that there was “insufficient evidence” to prosecute.

In 2013 when the allegations against the two accused surfaced, Harding

had been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital for intestinal hernia. As a result of this, he had to undergo numerous surgeries.

He had claimed that the two Police Constables had beaten him during his detainment until he lost consciousness. After regaining consciousness, he had begun to complain that he felt pain and was bleeding from his anus.

Doctors at the hospital had reported that they did not see any signs of sexual abuse to support Harding’s allegations. They noted that they observed the man to be suffering from an intestinal infection and hernia.

thursDay, march 31, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

News

Govt to discuss fuel subsidies, farmers’ loan interests

G

overnment is currently in the process of ironing out arrangements with commercial banks to charge lower interest rates on loans taken by farmers and will soon be discussing the possibility of also granting them fuel subsidies.

During a meeting with members of the business community on March 26, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin appeared perplexed about the unfair playing field that prevails in the local business community, whereby the mining industry benefits from Government subsidies while the agricultural sector receives none.

As such, he told the businessmen that discussions will be held with Finance Minister Winston Jordan with regards to the granting of fuel subsidies to farmers.

However, he made it clear that he is not making any promises.

The Minister also lamented the fact that there are no loans accessible to assist farmers through the commercial banks, however, he disclosed that Government is working on the subsidisation of the interest charged by those commercial banks.

It was pointed out that a lot of analytical work still needs to be done in this regard and therefore, the Business Minister could not have expanded more on this initiative.

The urgent need for a reduction in several taxes was another pressing matter discussed during the meeting.

Chief Executive Officer of Nand Persaud and Company Limited, Ragendra Persaud, pointed out that farmers in the United States receive nearly 40 per cent in subsidy, stating that the Government of Guyana should adopt similar practices in order to make rice more competitive.

He also pointed out that the Value Added Tax (VAT)

being charged on byproducts of rice, such as bran and cone husks, pose a serious hindrance in being competitive on the international market.

In response, Minister Gaskin admitted that Government needs to look at long-term solutions to problems being faced by farmers.

Gaskin also stressed that the agriculture industry must lobby, as is done in the United States, in order to effectively allow their concerns to be ventilated.

D

Durwin Harding

Virtual Complainant (VC) and snatched his two gold chains. The VC then asked

GRDB defends contract’s signing E

Illegal businesses

Other issues discussed were in relation to the increase in illegal business operations in the country and the negative impact it has on legitimate operations.

Gaskin expressed great displeasure with the growth of illegal operations in the country, which he noted only destroys the legal businesses.

He noted that while he would like to get rid of illegal businesses, it will be extremely challenging since the country’s borders are largely unprotected.

He emphasised that although it has become routine, the Government can implement forensic accounting which can ascertain whether a business is involved in smuggling or is legitimate. The Minister did add though that “nothing happens overnight”.

Additionally, Gaskin acknowledged that there is a grave problem with the “informal economy” in which many businesses are operating freely without making tax contributions.

In fact, he revealed that approximately 50 per cent of businesses, from every sector, do not pay their taxes.

In this regard, the Minister stated that Government cannot function without tax revenue and that it why the A Partnership for National

Jamaica rice contract saga

– Rice Millers Association backpedals on threats to sue

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin

Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government will be clamping down on defaulters.

He reiterated that “this free for all must end”.

Another issue discussed was the prolonged period it takes the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to remit VAT to businesses. The Business Minster gave an assurance that the Administration will be addressing this situation.

The frustrations of the bureaucratic red tape were also up for debate and Gaskin noted that its reduction/removal is high on Government’s priority.

He explained that Government will be looking at various processes and transactions with the aim of reducing the number of processing steps, thus making life easier for businesses.

In order to achieve this, a Simple Window Processing System will be introduced to address transactions, such as the quick processing of licences, permits, registrations and will reduce corruption and bureaucratic interference.

This, he said, will take a few years and will cost approximately US$15 million.

West Ruimveldt man charged for simple larceny

urwin Harding on Wednesday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer to the charge of simple larceny.

Harding, 27, of Lot 307 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that on March 27, 2016, he stole two gold chains from Colwyn McCurious valued $90,000.

According to Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers, on the day in question, the defendant approached the

11

for his chains which angered the defendant who pulled out a cutlass. The VC retreated and the defendant made good his escape.

The Prosecutor made known to the Court that the defendant is known to the VC, a claim which he stated was admitted by the defendant. When questioned by his Attorney, Paul Fung-A-Fat if he knew the VC, Harding denied this.

Attorney Fung-A-Fat pointed out that his client only had one conviction for fighting and no other priors.

The matter was adjourned to April 8.

ven as the controversy over the described “corrupt” contract signed between the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and two Jamaican companies continues, the Rice Millers Association has reportedly opted against taking court action. One stakeholder told Guyana Times on Wednesday that some millers have decided not to sue the GRDB. “We are now trying to renegotiate but the money is so sweet… that they don’t want to listen,” the stakeholder told this publication. It was also related that many small millers stand to suffer the most and “are not prepared to take it,” the stakeholder said.

There have also been calls for the GRDB to assess the world situation by way of having a price index, so that the millers and farmers could be offered better prices.

The Agriculture Ministry in a statement on Tuesday established that the minimum price for white rice will be US$400 per tonne, as already reported by this newspaper.

the contract, former Chief Executive Officer and senior official of Alesie Rice Company, Dr Turhane Doerga, posited that if anyone else wanted to sell in the Jamaica market, they would have has to sell a minimum 1500 metric tonnes at US$475.

He had noted that this mark up “is what the boys will be splitting among each other”.

Only recently Guyana Times reported that the cheapest rates for rice being sold to Jamaica other than Guyana were from the United States market at US$550 per tonne which is higher than what

The release further added that prior to this deal, Guyanese exporters were receiving some US$345 to US$370 per tonne. Many in this rice industry stated millers “accepted what they could get” and noted that even US$400 is not best price being offered.

The Ministry further stated that Guyanese millers will earn between US$30 million and US$55 million additional per tonne of rice exported to Jamaica. However, the alleged markup of US$75 per metric tonne equating to some US$18 million over a three-year period was not addressed.

In an assessment of

Guyana is being offered in the deal. An outcry over the lack of consultations with millers followed but it was the position of Cabinet that consultations are not necessarily needed when commodities, such as rice, are being sold.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman had made these comments at the most recent postCabinet media briefing while responding to questions about the alleged secrecy in the recent GuyanaJamaica rice deal.

“Cabinet shouldn’t have to get involved in every single bag of rice sent somewhere, that’s not the business of Cabinet, [Minister

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

Holder] I believe has the confidence of Government to do what is in the best interest and my sense is whatever this Government does will come under severe and extensive scrutiny,” opined the Natural Resources Minister.

“I don’t personally see why consultations have to be held when commodities are being shipped,” Trotman had further emphasised.

He had also conceded that the Agriculture Ministry is “under pressure” to deliver new mar-

CEO of Alesie Rice Company, Dr Turhane Doerga

kets and suggested that indeed the best price for rice was not obtained.

“Sometimes… expediency says that you sacrifice a better price perhaps two months down the road to price that is being offered now so that some relief could be brought so it could be case that the Minister got what was in his view was the best price at the best at that time,” Minister Trotman further conceded.

In the two deals, it was agreed that a total of 80,000 tonnes of rice will be purchased from Guyana during 2016. The two companies are Jamaica Rice Milling Company Limited and Musson (Jamaica) Limited.

In the Jamaica Rice Milling Company deal, it was agreed for the purchase of 40,000 metric tonnes per annum. It has a life span of three years and can be reviewed every quarter.

The deal also gives the buyer the option to purchase 10,000 metric tonnes per quarter and it was agreed that any unused portion could be taken up by another buyer so designated to work with the GRDB in Jamaica.

12 news

thursDay, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Prison CoI is a huge mistake, waste of money – former Magistrate

F

ormer Chief Magistrate and prominent Attorney KA Juman-Yassin is of the view that the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the recent unrest at the Georgetown Prison, which resulted in the death of 17 inmates and several others injured, is an absolute waste of time and money, and has turned out to be a spectacle in the media.

In a lengthy Letter to the Editor on Wednesday, Juman-Yassin pointed out that the establishment of a new CoI was a huge mistake, noting that no new tangible recommendations will come out of it.

“The current Commission of Inquiry is a waste of time and money and that it was hurriedly set up in order to deflect from the Government, the horror of what took place and the perceived failure to maintain order at an institution where this is mandatory,” he stated.

Prisoners vs prison officials

According to the former Chief Magistrate, the truth of what transpired during the recent unrests will not come out of the evidence given in the Inquiry, since the major players in this incident are the prison officials and the prisoners, and each side will want to cast blame on the other. He further opined that the evidence taken during the probe should not be publicised as it cur-

Former Chief Magistrate K A Juman-Yassin

rently is.

“The evidence from the prisoners should not be in public as they will not want to give full disclosure as at the end of the day they will have to return to the prison and be controlled by the same prison officers or system that had caused the problems. The prisoners will also not want to snitch on other prisoners as they will then place their lives in jeopardy when they return to the prison,” he stated, adding that the situation is the same with the prison officials.

“The prison officers will be reluctant to state publicly any fault of any of their superior officers, fellow officers or the system in place because this may affect their promotion or may cause them be to be transferred to other loca-

tions. Even if their evidence is taken in camera, they will at the back of their minds see Dale Erskine (a former Director of Prisons) as the man who would have had some of these officers under his command, and think that what they say would get back to them,” he outlined.

Juman-Yassin is of the view that the former Director of Prisons should not have been a member of the Commission, as it is perceived that it may be difficult for him to disassociate himself from the system and some of the prison personnel.

and remuneration for prison staff.

To address the delay in trials, which he said is generally blamed on the Magistracy, Juman-Yassin suggests that Magistrates be firm and ensure the system in his/her court is working, nothing that if the Police are repeatedly causing delays, which is the case in most instances, then the Magistrates have to start dismissing cases.

Moreover, the Attorney noted that the delays do not end at the Magistrate’s

On the other hand, the former Chief Magistrate said Government has to play its

Street penitentiary should join those at Mazaruni and Lusignan to cultivate crops and rear chickens in order to supply the prison population.

The Attorney also recommend that there be some prison reform for inmates to have more interaction with their families, especially spouses, so that the ties are not broken and whenever he/ she is released, the reunion can be restarted easily.

Addressing the issue of pay, the former Chief Magistrate said this a ma-

part as well, recommending a new prison facility and programmes in place to educate and enhance the learning of skills or trades, such as masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical and mechanical repairs.

On the other hand, the former Chief Magistrate said the quality of food given to prisoners must be looked into and rectified immediately. He suggested that the inmates at the Camp

jor factor in the low capacity of prison staff. He noted that being a prison officer is not a rosy job and persons often look down upon it.

“It is dangerous and a good salary and ancillary benefits must be offered.

Giving duty-free allowance for certain purchases, securing a plot of land for building a home, easier loans to build a home, and other enlightened benefits can indeed attract recruits,” he suggested.

ing.

As it relates to overcrowding in the prison, Juman-Yassin noted that Magistrates need to alleviate this by granting lighter bail and expedite trials but not in a manner that would make an accused person feel that if he is charged for an offence then the court will send him away without bail or at a nominal amount.

New prison and programmes

Previous recommendations unused

Moreover, the prominent lawyer explained that instead of establishing another CoI, the authorities should have looked into the recommendations made by Justice Cecil Kennard who headed the probe into the 2002 prison disturbances. Justice Kennard in a recent interview said that many of those recommendations were not acted upon.

According to JumanYassin, the problems in the prison have been simmering for years and unfortunately, nothing constructive has been done. The major issues he identified that are plague the local penal system are: delay in trials, overcrowding in the prisons, quality of food being given to prisoners, the need for prisoners to have more time with family

The Camp Street Prison

Court, noting that the same occurs in the High Court with the cause being laid at the feet of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) not being able to have the cases tried, the shortage of judges to dispense with the heavy load of cases, inexperienced judges taking too long to complete a case, Police not getting their witnesses to attend, witnesses cannot be found as they have move or migrated, or witnesses dy-

Petition for increasing age of consent

Govt should embark on consultations before making decision – Nandlall

F

ormer Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall has posited that in light of recent calls for the age of consent to be raised to 18 years old, it is advisable that Government agencies embark on countrywide consultations before making a decision.

These sentiments come after a petition was launched by non-governmental organisation (NGO), “The Caribbean Voice” (TCV) on March 25 for the age of sexual consent to be raised to 18 years. Currently, the age of consent in Guyana is 16 years, while the age of majority is 18; and thus far, the petition for this amendment to the Sexual Offences Act has attracted significant support on social media, and over 100 signatories who support the call.

The petition states that the fact that the age of sexual consent is at such a young age – 16 years – is possibly a factor of the increased cases of teenage pregnancies, which incidentally can lead to higher suicide rates and more often than not, condemn young mothers and their children to lives of

Former Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

hardship.

The NGO is of the opinion that by increasing the age of sexual consent to 18, the Government will be one step closer to tackling the issues of teenage pregnancy and suicide in the country. However, the former Legal Affairs Minister stated that while the idea may seem feasible to the supporters and TCV, it is important that regard be paid to how the current age of consent was arrived at.

“Our laws are similar to other Commonwealth jurisdictions, and in the Commonwealth, generally the age of consent is fixed at 16 years,” he stated.

He explained that the Sexual Offences Act of Guyana was only drafted, passed and enacted in 2010, and this was done after meticulous consultation exercises. “That was a piece of legislation that enjoyed widespread consultation right across the length and breadth of our country.

The consultation was spearheaded by the then Minister of Human Services Priya Manickchand, and as far as I can recall, those consultations yielded 16 years as the age of consent in Guyana.

Those consultations yielded a majority view that the age of consent should be 16 years and that is how we arrived at the consensual age of 16.

I see that there is a new call for the age to be increased to 18 years. I suppose that the relevant Government agencies may wish to embark on another bout of consultations to see whether the population’s view has changed,” he stated.

When contacted for a comment on the matter, Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence stated that she was unaware of such a petition, adding that she “is not permitted to respond” to it.

News

13

thursDay, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

LGE Councillors to take oath this weekend – Patricia Chase-Green tipped for Mayor

Region Six Chairman Vickchand Ramphal

onwards.

Guyana Times contacted several regional officials to ascertain when the Councillors will be sworn in. Region One (BarimaWaini) Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley told this newspaper on Wednesday that Councillors in the Matarkai NDC will be sworn in this Friday while it will occur in the municipality of Mabaruma on Saturday. Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson said Councillors for the

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

A

fter some 22 odd years, Guyana observed its Local Government Elections (LGE) which signalled the return of elected members representing the various municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), as opposed to the many Interim Management Committees (IMCs).

In the capital city and centre of commerce, there has been much discourse surrounding the proposals over Sherrod Duncan versus Patricia Chase-Green being the next Mayor of Georgetown.

According to reports, incumbent Deputy Mayor Chase-Green is likely to assume the post of Mayor; while Sherrod Duncan, the younger politician, is tipped for Deputy Mayor. <<<Guyana Times>>> made several attempts to contact supposed front-runner Chase-Green on Wednesday but to no avail.

This publication was however successful in garnering a comment from her main contender, Sherrod Duncan, who posited that he is “very optimistic” about his chances to lead City Council.

“I believe whatever happens when that time comes; the municipality of Georgetown has a lot to be proud of. The will of the people through their elected representatives will be expressed, whatever the final construct of the Council,” observed Duncan via a social media comment.

General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Oscar Clarke when contacted declined to confirm which of the candidates the party is supporting to become Mayor.

“Wait until Friday; that is when the elections [for Mayor] will be held,” the General Secretary noted on Wednesday.

It has been confirmed that successful constituency candidates as well as those drawn from the Proportional Representation lists of the various groupings will soon be sworn in from Thursday

Patricia Chase-Green

NDCs and the town of Anna Regina will all be sworn in on Saturday.

In Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), these activities will be conducted from 07:00h on Friday, according to Regional Chairman Julius Faerber.

Meanwhile, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Chairman Vickchand Ramphal explained that five NDCs will be sworn in today (Thursday) and the remaining five on Friday.

An official in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) related that while “official word” is yet to be garnered, it is likely that the swearing in of Councillors will occur on Friday.

Meanwhile, residents in the various communities are likely to breathe a sigh a relief since they have stated their hopefulness for the smooth functioning of the NDCs so that their needs can be addressed.

It was only Wednesday that Guyana Times stated that fact that nearly two weeks had passed since the LGEs were held, before candidates were slated to be sworn in. In a telephone interview with this publication on Tuesday, Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission Tamara Rodney explained that the swearing in of candidates falls within the responsibility of the Communities Ministry.

“GECOM’s responsibility is the management of elections,” Rodney had emphasised.

On March 18, 2016,

CJIAC Board contributes fees to staff lottery fund

A

s part of a “staff lottery fund” initiative, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) Board of Directors awarded the winner for the months of January and February.

Aviation Security Officers (ASOs) Shareefa Yansen and Shivanie Sooklall were each handed cash incentives of $51,000 on Wednesday by Board Member Nadira Jaikaran

Shareefa Yansen receiving her winnings from Board Member Nadira Jaikaran as CJIAC CEO Ramesh Ghir looks on Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber

Guyanese headed to the polls in 62 NDCs and nine municipalities. Voter turnout was said to be just over 47 per cent, similar to that in 1994 when the polls were last observed.

The ruling A Partnership for National Unity /Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition gained successes in six of the nine towns, while the main Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) claimed 28,000 more overall votes than the ruling Administration.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo described this “massive win” as a “slaughter at the polls”.

Shivanie Sooklall accepts her winnings from Jaikaran

at the Airport in Timehri.

Yansen is the January winner and Sooklall, February’s.

According to Jaikaran, from the initial Board meeting in January, most members pledged to contribute their monthly stipend to the staff welfare, prompting the establishment of the lottery fund.

“The Board is passionate about the welfare of the Corporation’s employees

and it was only fitting that we put our money where our hearts lie,” she said in an invited comment.

The names were randomly pulled from envelopes during the Board meeting on March 18, 2016.

To be eligible for the lottery, employees must be permanent staff, earn a basic salary of less than $100,000 per month and have no written or pending action three

months prior to the draw.

Further, the winners will only be allowed to benefit from the lottery once per year; therefore, the names of the winners will be removed from the eligible list until the process recommences in the next calendar year.

In a brief comment, Sooklall noted that her initial response to the news was priceless. “I honestly thought it was a prank, because my colleagues are always trying to pull them on me,” she revealed.

Yansen, in her comments, said it was a pleasant surprise. As for their plans, the ASOs would deposit the money into their bank accounts until they decide how to spend it.

Sonia Noel Foundation hosts “Love Revolution” event speaker.

Dr Wallace also said that the movement is also about reinforcing the foundation for love and compassion.

She also noted that faith can serve as a basis for the love revolution to grow and develop.

“Faith, hope and love is the greatest of these so why would we start a love revolution with any other thing than the greatest; it’s about fostering unity [and] hope,”

ing her thoughts on the event, told this newspaper that this initiative is a good start and praised the fact that people of different races could gather in one place to share views on love and family life.

“I’m really delighted to be here, I was kind of surprised at the format the event took here, the poetry and everything else, I thought it was really good, it’s a very good effort to bring everyone to-

Sonia Noel and visiting speaker, Dr Linda Wallace cutting the anniversary cake

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

T

he Sonia Noel Foundation for the Creative Arts on Tuesday hosted a “Love Revolution” event in honour of its first anniversary at the Pegasus Hotel.

The arts of poetry, steel pan, jazz, singing and inspirational talks were used to usher in the anniversary.

Under the ‘Love Revolution’ theme, it was noted that the creation of a sisterhood can encourage women to grow and inspire each other.

Hostess Sonia Noel stated that she was emotional over seeing so many women gathered together, explaining that it has always been her dream to see women show love and support for

each other.

“We need to get back to what is important as Mahatma Gandhi said, “where there’s love, there’s life” and it’s very true… none of us are without faults but we [should all] aspire to do better, do well and make a difference,” she noted.

Guest speaker, Dr Linda Wallace noted that from her short time in Guyana, she was impressed by the passion and potential opportunities that exist for Guyana’s women to succeed.

“I believe that our responsibility as individuals and as a nation, and particularly as women, is to leave a legacy and to ensure that there is succession for the emerging generations to follow,” noted the visiting

Mrs Nagamootoo interacting with those gathered

she further told the gathering.

Also present at the event were Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman; Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings; and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’ wife, Sita Nagamootoo.

Mrs Nagamootoo, shar-

gether,” she posited.

“I think we can go around the country like schools, churches, different organisations and share the love,” she further noted.

Noel said she plans to push the ‘Love Revolution’ on a regional and later a global scale.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDay, march 31, 2016

News

British Royal Navy conducting training with GDF coast guards “The presence of the British Navy here is very reassuring” – President Granger

A

team from the British Royal Navy which arrived in a British naval vessel is currently conducting training with the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard in several areas of maritime security and counter-narcotics exercises.

The team, led by Lieutenant Commander Richard Hewitt, docked the HMS Mersey on Tuesday morning and will be in Guyana for the next four

them to be involved in any enforcement activities, we hope that this is the start of a longer [term] relationship, in which the Coast Guard and the British Navy could conduct joint training [exercises] and improve the level of security along Guyana’s coastline,” the President said.

The HMS Mersey is specially designed and equipped to respond to disaster-related emergencies and to intercept the trade

The HMS Mersey docked at Port Georgetown

days conducting training exercises with the Coast Guard.

President David Granger, who toured the British Naval Vessel on Wednesday, said this first such visit in 20 years is significant for the country, even as Guyana looks to build stronger international cooperation for regional security.

“The presence of the British Navy here is very reassuring. Although we do not have an agreement for

of narcotics.

President Granger explained that since Guyana is a part of the Caribbean’s disaster and emergency management mechanism, and is also keen on interdicting narcotics entering and leaving Guyana, the ship’s arrival is welcomed by the Administration.

“Guyana has not entered a formal defence or security agreement with the [United Kingdom] or with the British Navy but we are committed, as part of the

Caribbean Community, in the two main areas [disaster response and fighting the narco-trade] in which the Royal Navy has particular interest in the Caribbean,” the Head of State said.

Speaking of the country’s large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), he reminded that Guyana has been victim to intrusion into the zone, for which it does not have the maritime capability to efficiently patrol on its own.

Speaking with the media, Lieutenant Commander Hewitt said it is a privilege for him and the crew to visit Guyana.

“We’ll be here for four days and we’re here to work predominantly to work with you and to celebrate your 50th year of independence, and as you can see, we’ll be working in partnership with you and the Coast Guard and visiting places, and my sailors are delighted to be here. I’ll be visiting various bases from the Coast Guard and taking tours and my ship’s company is very much looking forward to seeing Georgetown itself,” the Lieutenant Commander stated.

Hewitt explained that the vessel is one of three UK river class offshore patrol vessels and is approximately 80 metres long, and weighs close to 2000 tonnes.

Hewitt further added that the team would also be participating in various training exercises with the Coast Guard in hopes of strengthening their capabilities for maritime security.

President David Granger in discussions with Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Richard Hewitt and Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Brown as British High Commissioner to Guyana, James Quinn looks on, aboard the HMS Mersey

“On sailing from Guyana, we’ll be conducting a “Pass X” exercise with your Coast Guards in which we will exchange information, exchange ideas.

The maritime environment is very good so that we all work together, and most of our equipment are quite similar. I will also be sending across some engineers to your Coast Guard vessel to assist in some engineering training and if possible see if we can get your coast guard vessel running and working to exercise with us on Friday,” Hewitt revealed.

The Naval Commander further divulged that the team will be offering advice on counter-narcotics exercises, as well as participating in practical exercises during the visit, adding that the team has been suc-

cessful thus far in its patrol of the Caribbean in relation to reducing narcotics travelling via ships and other vessels.

“Before our arrival in Guyana, we’ve been working with our partners in the region conducting counter narcotics patrols. We’ll be conducting counter narcotics patrols to stop the illicit flow of drugs in the area.

We’ve had some successes with regards to some vessels we’ve seen and we’ve assisted our partner nations in their successes with more of that to follow.

By the HMS Mersey being in the area itself, we also act as a deterrence and in the three months that we’ve been in the Caribbean region, we have stopped further flow by just being in the area itself,” he revealed.

British High

Commissioner to Guyana, James Gregory Quinn commended the Captain and his 48-member team for voyaging across the Caribbean and undertaking the training ventures.

“It is my great pleasure to be standing here today. I didn’t think I’d be standing here today on a Royal Navy ship sitting along the Coast Guard station but it makes me extremely happy and extremely proud to be here, and I’m extremely grateful to Captain Hewitt and his members here on board for chartering the unknown in a way and coming up the river in a way that a British Navy Ship has not been,” he related.

The HMS Mersey, with a 48-member crew, set sail from the United Kingdom in early January to visit British overseas territories.

Racial comments about President Granger

Police hunting 3 persons – Crime Chief …“We need to overcome racial barriers” – Minister Ally

S

ocial Cohesion Minister Amna Ally said Government is making desperate efforts to overcome racial barriers in the country and hopes Guyanese will seek to live in unity.

Her comments came in light of the recent wave of racial incitement, which

effort to overcome and we should not have people in that high level, for political purposes, politicking about race and people’s lives,” Ally said on Wednesday.

She added that the only thing the Ministry can do at this point is caution persons to resist from en-

began flooding social media, and which has now caused the Guyana Police Force to become involved.

Police said they are on the hunt for three persons in particular, who have been perpetrating racial language on the social network Facebook.

“Government is seeking to make a desperate

gaging in or promoting racial division among themselves and the Guyanese populace. “We are hoping that we can utilise the human resources at these levels, faith-based organisations and NGOs to make people understand that we are far gone from these levels.”

Police on Wednesday

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

said they are seeking three persons who posted racially-inciting social media comments about Head of State David Granger and Guyanese of African ancestry.

The Police were made aware of the Facebook postings on Tuesday and are trying to locate the

perpetrators. The Crime Chief said the individuals could be charged under the Racial Hostility Act. According to the Racial Hostility Act, the perpetrators could be charged for attempting “to incite excitement, hostility or illwill on grounds of race.”

Chapter 23 of the Act states that “a person shall be guilty of an offence if he willfully excites or attempts to excite hostility or ill-will against any section of the public or against any person on the grounds of their or his race, by means of words spoken by him in a public place or spoken by him and transmitted for general reception by wireless telegraphy or telegraph; or by causing words spoken by him or by some other person to be reproduced in a public place from a record; or by means of written (including print-

Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally

ed) matter or pictorial matter published by him.”

Any person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of $65,000 and to imprisonment for two years.

The situation has raised its head at a time

when Guyana is still without a functioning Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). The ERC was derived from recommendations of the Herdmanston Accord, signed on January 17, 1998. Brokered by a Caribbean Community mission, the Accord sought to provide a peaceful solution to the political impasse that gripped the country after the contentious December 1997 Regional and General Elections.

As provided for under Article 212 of Guyana’s Constitution, the ERC advocates for equality of opportunity among persons of different ethnic groups; promotes the elimination of all forms of ethnicbased discrimination; and discourages persons, institutions, political parties and associations from indulging in discriminatory practices.

thursDAY, march 31, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Venezuelan congress US to increase military bill to free presence in eastern Europe passes jailed activists

T

he United States is stepping up its troop presence in eastern Europe in response to an “aggressive Russia”, the military has said.

From next year, three fully manned US combat brigades will be deployed.

The BBC’s diplomatic correspondent says it is the most significant US reinforcement of NATO since tensions flared over Russian action in Ukraine.

Last month the Pentagon announced plans to quadruple its budget for European defence in 2017.

The additional presence will increase the US’s ability to conduct military ex-

The move will enable more military exercises, like this one in Poland

ercises in the region.

The plan demonstrates “our strong and balanced approach to reassuring our NATO allies and partners in the wake of

an aggressive Russia in eastern Europe and elsewhere”, said General Philip Breedlove, the senior US commander in Europe.

“Our allies and part-

ners will see more capability. They will see a more frequent presence of an armoured brigade with more modernised equipment in their countries,” he added.

Each brigade will rotate through the region for nine months before being replaced.

There are about 4500 soldiers in a brigade, bringing with them military vehicles and other equipment.

“There will be a division’s worth of stuff to fight if something happens,” Deputy Secretary of Defence Robert Work told the Wall Street Journal.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Libya’s UN-backed unity Government arrives in Tripoli

M

embers of Libya’s United Nations-backed Government of National Accord arrived in the capital Tripoli on Wednesday, defying warnings by rival factions that it should not move there.

The Presidential Council was formed under a UNmediated peace deal late last year in an effort to end the

political chaos and conflict that have beset the country since the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi five years ago.

It is supposed to replace the two rival administrations – one based in Tripoli, the other in the eastern city of Tobruk – that have been battling each other for more than a year.

Tripoli’s self-declared

Government and armed groups that back it had in recent days warned the unity Government not to travel to Tripoli.

But seven members of the council, including its head and Prime Ministerdesignate Fayez al-Sarraj, arrived in the Libyan capital by sea and set up a temporary seat of power at a naval base. The officials were

prevented from flying into Tripoli by the rival government.

A post on the unity government’s website confirmed the arrival, the Associated Press reported.

Sarraj told the Reuters news agency that the council members had travelled in a Libyan navy vessel from the Tunisian port of Sfax, a 12hour journey. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

V

e n e z u e l a ’ s Opposition-led congress has passed an amnesty bill that aims to free more than 70 highprofile activists and politicians, setting up a fight with President Nicolás Maduro.

The legislation poses the biggest challenge to Maduro’s socialist Administration yet since the Democratic Unity Roundtable Opposition coalition took control of the National Assembly following last year’s election.

Foro Penal, a Venezuelan human rights group that backed the amnesty bill passed on Tuesday, has logged about 4000 detentions related to protests since 2014. Almost 400 of the detainees were minors

or teenagers.

Among the prominent figures who could be freed if the bill becomes law is Opposition Leader Leopoldo Lopez.

Lopez was convicted of inciting 2014 anti-Government protests that led to violence killing 43 people. He was found guilty of provoking arson, violence and damage to public property and condemned to 13 years and nine months in prison.

But human rights groups allege that the charges were politically motivated and have called Lopez one of Latin America’s highestprofile political prisoners.

Meanwhile, Maduro has vowed to veto the bill, blasting it as an attempt to liberate criminals. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Syria war: UN urges leaders to accept more refugees

Bangladesh: Arrest warrant issued for former PM

Bangladeshi politics has been mired for years in rivalry between Hasina and Khaleda, pictured above [AM Ahad/AP]

A

Bangladesh court issued an arrest warrant for former Prime

Minister and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia over a deadly fire-bomb attack last

year, a Prosecutor said.

The court on Wednesday also issued arrest warrants for 27 leaders and activists of Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party in connection with the petrol-bomb attack on a bus during a party protest in the capital Dhaka in January 2015.

“The court passed the order after accepting the charges against them,” Public Prosecutor Shah Alam Talukdar said.

Early last year, at least 120 people were killed and hundreds injured in politi-

cal violence, most in petrol-bomb attacks on vehicles amid transport blockades and strikes by the Opposition aimed at toppling the Government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladeshi politics has been mired for years in rivalry between Hasina and Khaleda. Both women are related to former national leaders, and they have alternated as Prime Minister for most of the past two decades. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Colombia ELN: Government and rebels to hold peace talks

C

olombia has announced it is starting formal peace talks with the country’s second largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Government and ELN negotiators made the announce-

ment in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, where the two sides have been holding informal talks.

The two sides have been engaged in a five-decadelong conflict.

The announcement came as the Government is near-

ing a final peace deal with Colombia’s largest rebel group, FARC. A joint statement was read by the former peace commissioner Frank Pearl and ELN rebel Antonio Garcia at the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry in Caracas.

The two sides said they had agreed on a six-point agenda for the formal peace talks which will start in the Ecuadorean capital, Quito.

However, the venue of the talks is likely to move to Brazil and Chile, among other places. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Murder accused among 6 escapees from Psychiatric Hospital in Trinidad

P

olice are hunting for an “armed and dangerous” murder accused who was among six people who made an early morning break from the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital.

Sheldon Henry, also known as Sheldon Thomas, was among the group who made their way out of the Forensic Ward by cutting

Police say Sheldon Thomas is armed and dangerous (TTPS photo)

through the burglar proofing and later exiting through the Nursing Station of the Hospital, between midnight Monday night and 01:50h Tuesday.

A release from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said the other five escapees are back in custody, including one who was returned to the institu-

tion by relatives.

Henry, 31, had been referred to the St Ann’s Hospital on March 7 for observation, based on an order issued by a High Court judge.

He had previously been on remand at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, since being charged with murder. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Many refugees have died while fleeing to European countries on rickety boats [AP]

U

nited Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Governments around the world to allow in more Syrian refugees and “counter fear-mongering” about them.

At a conference in Geneva on Wednesday, Ban urged countries to “act with solidarity, in the name of our shared humanity, by pledging new and additional pathways for the admission of Syrian refugees”.

He said they can do so through “resettlement or humanitarian admission, family reunions, as well as labour or study opportuni-

ties”.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR convened a meeting of more than 90 countries at the Swiss UN seat in Geneva, aiming to win new pledges for resettlement and family reunification programmes, as well as study visas.

“We are here to address the biggest refugee and displacement crisis of our time,” Ban said.

These programmes are separate from usual asylum procedures. They are aimed especially at helping vulnerable groups, including women, children and people with medical needs. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Obama, Xi to discuss North Korea, cybersecurity on sidelines of nuclear summit

U

nited States President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping are likely to discuss North Korea, cybersecurity and human rights when they meet on Thursday before the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, the White House said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, US Deputy Secretary of Defence Robert Work said the US has told China it would not recog-

nise an exclusion zone in the South China Sea and would view such a move as “destabilising”.

US officials have expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in the coming weeks on a case brought by the Philippines against China over its South China Sea claims could prompt Beijing to declare an air defence identification zone, or ADIZ, in the region, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

16

thursday, march 31, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

The Reall Stewart and her Candy Bar

R

Reall Stewart

eall Stewart, the owner of Reall Candy Bar, is not yet 17, but already she has started on the journey to business success while juggling a full school schedule and other activities. The candy-loving teen’s sweet tooth sparked her business idea.

“Reall’s Candy Bar started with my love for sweets

and my passion for seeing beauty through designs. My mother then encouraged me to start my own candy supply idea in Guyana thus the birth of my project. I thought that many other persons enjoy various types of sweets for various occasions. Our Candy Bar provides an array of unique, assorted, imported candy to tempt the taste buds of all your guests. Candies vary from rock candies, gumballs, gummy bears, lollipops, ribbon candy, puffy marshmallow, chocolate balls, jelly beans, saltwater taffy, cotton candy, and M&Ms to name a few,” the Georgetown International Academy student explained.

So rather than a bar where you get drinks, a bar where you get candy. What a unique idea for Guyana.

Stewart said she was in-

spired to start her Candy Bar because she wanted to test the waters on how to begin to be able to succeed at her goal of becoming a woman business leader. She said the goal of her business was to maintain a high level of service for customers, with a broad variety of candies and designs for all types of events.

Nonetheless, the Norton Street, Newburg resident, whose dream mentors are Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffet, has her priorities straight. “My schoolwork comes first (she has to be at school for 7:45). I am allowed to be involved in any positive activity I choose once I have completed my school requirements.”

She notes that she has learnt it takes time and commitment to be successful at anything you want to achieve and she plans on

being successful.

“I plan to … make a difference in service and creative new ideas…,” the confident teen says as she talks up the prospects for her business. “I think Guyana is a growing country that has room for young people with creative ideas, therefore, I think there is room for growth for event planners and event ideas.”

For those looking to follow in her footsteps of starting their own business, she has this advice: “Follow your passion.”

She believes that publicity, start-up funding, networking, coaching and a space to be creative would aid all the entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs out there. Stewart, who confided that mu-

sic was another passion of hers, can serve as an inspiration to us all: to get cracking and pursue our passion with full commitment.

You can catch her at the Wedding Expo at Roraima Duke Lodge, April 1-3 as she promotes her Reall’s Candy Bar, on 6639021/666-4984 or at facebook.com/reallcandybar.

Boeing plans to cut up Digicel reports positive feedback on Digicel Play to 8000 jobs – source Business News

B

arbadians have responded extremely favourably to the Digicel Play, a new initiative the company launched recently.

That’s what Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digicel Barbados, Conor Looney, told The Barbados Advocate during an interview.

Digicel Play, which launched at the Colonnade on Broad Street, offers customers high speed broadband television and fixed-line services.

Speaking from his Warrens, St Michael office, Looney said that “the feedback has been phenomenal.

We have had thousands of customers who have signed

up to Digicel Play”.

He recalled that when they launched the service, they actually did it quietly; the reason being that they wanted to make sure they got the service right.

Furthermore, the response is very reassuring.

Having undertaken a significant financial commitment, “it was reassuring from customers who had joined the Digicel family”.

As such, the CEO pointed out that if the company sees an opportunity to offer the best value or the best network, they are certain the customers will respond positively to that.

“So it is not surprising.

It is reassuring that we can see that customers who are experiencing the best service now, are then telling their friends and their families this is something better than what they have experienced before,” he remarked.

He also pointed out that the fixed-line service the company is offering to Barbadians is quite unique.

“In simple terms, what it means is that when you signed up to Digicel Play, you avail of the fixed-line home phone. You basically receive a phone for your home and then you just pay for the phone calls made,” Looney explained. (Excerpt from

Barbados Advocate)

Market statistics Cambio Rates

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

Fixed as at March 30, 2016 Calculated at 94% purity

U.S.

$1236.25

$160.01

Gross

$238,713

$205.98

$208.44

Net

$222,004

$233.19

$236.18

GBP

$296.72

$200.46

CAN

$158.18

USD EURO

Indicators as on March 30, 2016 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$38.50

Price

Change %

+0.10

USD

Change %

Rough Rice

$221.98/ton

London Sugar

$460.30/ton

+0.75 -1.35

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

$1227.40

$1228.40

Low/High

$1222.60

$1244.80

Change

Business Concept – Account

+3.10

+0.25%

Accounting: Chronological record of changes in the value of an entity’s assets, liabilities, and the owners’ equity; each of which is represented by a separate page in the ledger. See also accounting equation and accounts.

Banking: Continuing financial relationship between a bank and a customer, in which deposits and debts are held and processed within a framework of established rules and procedures.

Commerce: On-going contractual relationship between a buyer and seller whereby payment for goods received is made at a later time (usually 30 days). See also charge account and open account. (Business Dictionary)

B

oeing Co plans to cut up to 8000 jobs this year at its commercial airplane division, according to two people familiar with the matter, a move that could slash US$1 billion in costs and help it battle for sales against European rival Airbus.

Boeing on Wednesday acknowledged plans to cut about 4000 jobs in its commercial airplanes division by mid-year, and another 550 jobs in a unit that conducts flight and lab testing.

Sources said the company’s broad goal is to cut jobs by 10 per cent at its commercial airplane unit, which has about 80,000 employees.

Boeing said the 8000 figure was hypothetical and that it did not have a specific goal for job cuts.

“There is no employment reduction target,” spokesman Doug Alder said. “The more we can control costs as a whole, the less impact there will be to employment.”

Boeing said the job reductions are part of a broad cost-cutting drive to keep the Chicago-based aerospace and defence company competitive. But Boeing’s stock posted the biggest decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wednesday, falling 1.88 per cent to US$128.58.

Boeing is enjoying the biggest peacetime boom in its 100-year history, increasing jetliner output to historic levels. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Investors' guide

Asia stocks rise after Wall Street gains, dollar sags

A

sian shares rose on Thursday, taking early cues from Wall Street gains overnight, as receding worries of nearterm US interest rate hikes continued to buoy risk sentiment.

The dollar hovered near seven-week lows versus the euro as cautious comments from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen earlier in the week on monetary tightening continued to resonate.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.4 per cent.

Australian stocks added 1.3 per cent. Japan’s Nikkei .N225 rose 0.7 per cent.

Investor risk appetite has increased since Fed Chair Yellen said on Tuesday that the US Central Bank should proceed cautiously as it looks to hike rates, pushing back against some colleagues who have suggested another move may be just

around the corner.

Yellen’s views were echoed by Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, who said on Wednesday there was a high hurdle to raising rates in April, given low inflation.

Following such cautious views from top Fed officials, the Dow .DJI climbed 0.5 per cent and the S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent overnight.

The CBOE Market Volatility Index, Wall Street’s “fear gauge”, ended down 1.9 per cent at its lowest level since August.

“Global markets are likely to be dominated by monthand quarter-end flows today as markets await tomorrow’s [today’s] US Institute of Supply Management data, non-farm payrolls and global purchasing managers’ indexes, particularly that of China,” wrote strategists at ANZ. In currencies, the euro

was steady at US$1.1335 EUR=, not far from Wednesday’s seven-week peak of US$1.1365. The dollar dipped 0.1 per cent to 112.36 yen JPY=.

The greenback’s recent weakness has been a boon to the Australian and New Zealand dollars, which both soared to nine-month highs.

Crude oil prices dipped after US Government data showed crude inventories were again at all-time peaks despite strong refinery runs.

US crude was down 0.7 per cent at US$38.06 a barrel.

Oil prices, which fell to 12-year lows earlier this year, have risen about 50 per cent since mid-February after major producers floated the idea of freezing production at January’s highs.

Some analysts say the rally has breached fundamentals and crude could trade lower. (Reuters)

news

17

thursDay, march 31, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Region 10 TV saga

“RDC by law cannot own television station” – GNBA Chairman

… more members added to the RBI Board

T

he five-member Board of the Region 10 Broadcasting Inc (RBI) has been extended to 13, while a Chairman is soon expected to be elected.

This comes on the heels of a stakeholder consultation headed by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in Linden recently. Following a dispute over ownership of the regional television station which is to be set up at Linden, stakeholders at the meeting made recommendations for the RBI, which has been branded a Trust Company, to move to include additional trustees.

During an interview on Wednesday, Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leonard Craig sought to clarify misconceptions surrounding the television station issue. He said while the Board has moved to include additional members, the names are yet to be provided to the GNBA. “When the agreement was made between the Region 10 Democratic Council (RDC) and the Government of Guyana under the last Administration this predated the current broadcast legislation, and so a promise was made to return the television station equipment and whatever else will be returned...it was agreed that the facilitating agency would have been the RDC,” he said. Additionally, he noted that subsequently, the Broadcast Act came into effect and the RDC applied for a television broadcast licence. However, the Act prevents the RDC from owning a broadcast station since it clearly states that “you must be either a Trust or a company registered under the Company’s Act, otherwise you cannot own a broadcast entity,” he said.

Craig said the dispute

GNBA Chairman Leonard Craig

over ownership of the television facility stemmed from the fact that the RDC under the law cannot own a television station, since it states that only a company or a Trust can do so.

He also sought to give clarity regarding the misconception that the Board of Trustees may be changed once the RDC changes, noting that the Trust Company – the RBI, which was established under the previous RDC remains in effect.

He said in the event of the recent concerns raised by present Regional Chairman Renis Morian regarding ownership of the television station, the GNBA can provide dispute resolution facilitation. According to Craig, recommendations have been made and stakeholders would have agreed on common ground.

Meanwhile, former Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon, who now serves as Secretary to the RBI, expressed sympathy over the recent passing of Haslyn Parris, whom he noted played an integral role in the affairs of the Trust Company.

Solomon reminisced that Parris was actively involved

in a recent Board meeting and beyond that, assisted in past struggles of the Region.

He added that the Board was expected to give an official statement regarding his passing and the way forward for the RBI on Friday.

Solomon stated also that the issue of the television station was a constitutional one in which Paris played a critical role since he ensured that every argument put forward was based on the Constitution.

“We’ve dealt with this matter for so long, three and a half years and people forget that Haslyn was like the linchpin. He was on the Technical Committee... he was on the Economic Committee, he was a trusted friend of the Region, to do so much...Mr Parris’ contribution during the struggle as in helping us to navigate during the struggle is absolutely critical,” Solomon said.

He added that presently, the Board of Trustees was without a Chairman, functioning only with a Secretary. In moving forward, Solomon explained, however, that a letter containing the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Board was sent to the GNBA. Additionally, he indicated that he has informed the Prime Minister and his representative of what is happening in an effort to have the matter of the television station expedited.

“The Board, based on the last minutes, will move to have a Chairman when we have the expansion, with the inclusion of the other members of the community. So they will be a part in identifying the Chairman”, Solomon stated.

He said too that the Board is seeking to have the issues resolved by April 8, in moving forward.

Businessman elected new Mayor of Rose Hall

A

funeral parlor operator is the new Mayorelect of Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice.

Vijay Kumar Ramo, proprietor of Ramo Funeral Home, was elected as the new Mayor of the town following the recently held Local Government Elections (LGE).

On Wednesday, the recently elected Councillors met to be sworn in as the newly elected officers of the smallest of three towns in Berbice.

The Rose Hall Town municipality has 14 seats, however, only 13 Councillors were sworn in on Wednesday. The Deputy Mayor-elect is Dave Dudla.

The vacant seat is as a result of a tie at the LGE in Constituency Seven between an individual candidate and

Rose Hall Town Mayor-elect Vijay Ramo

the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

That seat will remain vacant until a bi-election is held within three months.

Those elected to the council on Wednesday were

Region 10 hosts science fair finals

By Kizzy Coleman

S

chools from all the administrative Regions in Guyana on Wednesday met in the mining town of Linden, as the final leg of the Education Ministry’s National Science Fair 2016 kicked off.

The event is aimed at providing a forum for youngsters to not only portray their capabilities and represent their schools, but meet the long-term goal of ensuring Guyana is advanced technologically.

The event themed “Enhancing Traditional Technologies to sustain modern societies through S.T.E.M” culminated with all schools that won their respective regions participating in a road march.

All schools were then required to present their winning pieces which were judged.

Speaking at the event, Regional Chairman Renis Morian highlighted the importance of sustaining modern societies.

“This is a very serious exercise, one that it is imper-

Teachers and students at the road march

ative that we look at from a next perspective. What would happen to these children, we need to transform their minds so that they can take this country forward,” he said in his address to the gathering.

Morian urged the students to look at their respective presentations not just as another science project but as something that could one day lead them to be professionals in the technology field.

He further petitioned the representing authori-

D’Urban Park restoration continues – project cost shrouded in secrecy

D

’Urban Park, once an overgrown area, continues to undergo its transformation into a major multi-purpose recreational facility. However, many questions linger over the project cost, its financial allocations and the way in which the contract was awarded.

Guyana Times was on Wednesday informed that project supervisors could not confirm whether the project was on schedule to meet the deadline of the next stage.

However, it was revealed information would soon be disclosed to the public. Even so efforts to contact the contractor were unsuccessful.

This publication visited the site on Wednesday where

Works in progress

construction works were seemingly afoot. The stands to hold persons were still being worked on while the framing for concrete drains was being done.

In an attempt to clarify the cost of the project, this newspaper contacted the Public Infrastructure Ministers David Patterson and Annette Ferguson on

Veerasammy Permaul, Dhanraj Samaroo, Nadira Samaroo, Dave Dudla, Terry Jagat, Elvis Punch, Jagatnarine Ramnauth, and Vijay Ramo from the PPP/C and David Fraser, Rokmi Ramcharran, Winston Hope and Godwyn Allicock from the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Charge (APNU/AFC) coalition.

Following the installation of the new Council, five members were elected to serve on the Financial Committee. They are Dhanraj Samaroo, Elvis Punch, Jagatnarine Ramnauth, Rookmin Ramcharran and Vijay Ramo.

The Council will hold its statutory meetings on the third Wednesday of each month.

Wednesday but to no avail.

Earlier in March, the parliamentary Opposition voiced concerns that the Party was waiting since November 2015 to receive “critical information” pertaining to the development of the D’Urban Park area.

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira had pointed out that there was “a complete lack of transparency” on the initiative.

During one of the Party’s press conferences, Teixeira noted that there has been “absolutely no disclosure” on the undertaking, including the amount of taxpayers’ money being expended, how the contracts are being awarded, and to whom they

are being awarded.

Upon full completion, the Park is expected to have a capacity of 30,000 persons; both seated and unseated, and will be able to accommodate literary events, concerts, sporting activities and other public events.

A statement from the Ministry of the Presidency had noted that the Park was being developed mainly for the benefit of South Georgetown residents, but it is expected to have capacity to house major national events.

During a tour in January, President David Granger said that he looked forward to the commissioning of D’Urban Park.

ties to act on behalf of the children, to aid in the development of their talents.

“We need to bring out the possibilities within these young minds so I would like to petition those in authority to provide scholarships in the technical institutes in Guyana.”

Morian noted that this was the only way to provide more opportunities for the children to move into the developmental arena.

Cheryl Sampson, delivering the feature address on behalf of the Ministry of Education, announced that the Ministry would be handing out 15 scholarships to 15 students in Guyana.

She noted that the fair targets the moulding of young minds and focuses on the conservation and preservation of life for the future.

“We need a sustainable future, this fair encompasses the search for discovery and problem solving and so the component of STEM is important.”

She further noted that Minister Rupert Roopnaraine earlier mentioned that problem solving in schools and communities through STEM caters for formal and informal education and thus he is determined to improving the initiative.

The result of the winner of this leg of the competition is to be revealed on Friday.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, march 31, 2016

ARCHIE

Don’t push unless you want to be pushed back. You (March 21- are best off working at your April 19) own speed on projects you can do alone. Physical activity will help you blow off steam.

ARIES

Share your opinions and of-

dilbert

TAURUS fer original suggestions. You’ll (April 20- attract interest in what you May 20) are trying to accomplish. Faceto-face conversations will bring good results. A romantic gesture will improve your personal life.

Focus on financial matGEMINI (May 21- ters and look for ways to tie June 20) up your cash so you aren’t tempted to spend it on unnecessary items. A personal situation will be riddled with disillusionment.

CANCER

Peanuts

(June 21July 22)

Express your feelings and share your ideas. You may not like change, but what transpires now will have beneficial results. A partnership will offer more than you expect.

Travel plans will lead to LEO professionally valuable in(July 23formation. A good opporAug. 22) tunity will result from an important decision. When opportunity knocks, be ready to jump.

Don’t let personal issues VIRGO hold you back. Stay focused (Aug. 23on detail and doing the best Sept. 22) job possible. Walk away from anyone playing mind games with you.

Calvin and Hobbes

You should listen to someLIBRA (Sept. 23- one else’s plan, but don’t feel Oct. 23) obliged to follow it, and if control or bullying is applied, walk away. Protect your position and your right to choose.

SUDOKU

Sign up for affordable acSAGITTARIUS tivities and ward off tempting (Nov. 23- offers made by associates who Dec. 21) are not looking out for your best interests. Bring about the changes that will benefit you.

TODAY’S WORD – AUTOGIRO (AUTOGIRO: aw-toh-JYE-ro: A propeller-driven aircraft with an unpowered rotor for lift.)

Average mark 14 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in AUTOGIRO? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD – FIDGETED feed feet fete fetid fidget deed deet defied deft

died diet geed gift edge edit teed tide tied

Reconnect with people SCORPIO you have worked or played (Oct. 24with in the past. What tranNov. 22) spires will lead to an interesting outcome with personal or professional options galore.

Romance is featured.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Problems will surface if CAPRICORN you cannot come to an agree(Dec. 22- ment with someone you live Jan. 19) with or work alongside. Look for opportunities that allow you to do your own thing in order to avoid interference.

Market what you have to AQUARIUS offer.

Your determination and (Jan. 20enthusiasm will help you get Feb. 19) the support you need to address a lingering concern. If change is required, make it happen.

A partnership can help PISCES (Feb. 20- you advance. Divvy up the March 20) workload. Using your skills to the fullest will result in recognition and opportunities.

Romance is encouraged.

thursDAY, march 31, 2016

19

England “buzzing” after special performance Y

ou dream of these things.

Your bowlers pull back a side from 89 for 1 in 10 overs to keep them down to 153, and your opener hits four fours in the first over. He goes on to score 78 off 44 balls, and by the time he gets out you are left needing 44 runs at under a run a ball. The nerves of chasing in a big game are knocked straight out of the window. Jason Roy did just that with his uncluttered approach on a pitch he could trust. New Zealand had pulled back sides earlier in the tournament, but they couldn’t recover from the Roy assault.

This was Roy’s first Twenty20 international fifty, but he brings with him an impressive body of work, a career strike rate of 141.46 in all Twenty20 cricket, including two centuries. England have similarly flown under the radar a bit, and Roy was pretty pleased the detractors had been proven wrong. “We’re that sort of a side,” Roy said. “We’ve had a lot of negative feedback from a few people and to be in a World cup final now has hopefully got a few people on our side. There’s been a huge amount of support all tournament

The England dugout erupts with joy after completing a seven-wicket win to reach the final (Getty Images)

from back home and around the world so thanks to all those people.”

This comeback in the tournament is all the sweeter after the way they had been stream-rolled by a Chris Gayle century in their first match.

“It’s pretty cool,” Roy said. “After the

first game it was pretty far away. It’s something that we’re really buzzing for. It’s going to be an incredible experience, and we can’t wait.”

Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes set up the win with an amazing spell of yorkers and variations at the end

of New Zealand’s innings, going for just 20 in the last four. It was a continuation from their impressive effort against Sri Lanka when a late Angelo Mathews assault had put them under pressure. “The momentum that we carried over from the end of their innings to ours was outstanding,” Roy said. “They’ve grown in confidence from the Sri Lanka performance. It was just perfect.”

Then Roy came out blazing. He said it was the plan to try to knock the stuffing out of New Zealand’s defence. “You kind of want to give yourself a chance,” Roy said. “But when you get off to a good start like that you kind of just want to keep going, and I did. I got a bit of luck and got a few boundaries, hit a few gaps.

The next minute I was there and next minute I was out. Yeah it was an idea to go out there and smash every ball to be honest. Sometimes you go out there and struggle your first 10 balls and don’t hit a boundary.

“That’s pretty special for me, to get this group of boys to a final. Obviously it wasn’t just me - the bowlers were outstanding towards the end, their skill sets were amazing. I’m just huge-

ly proud to be involved.”

Coming into the tournament, England captain Eoin Morgan spoke of how they needed to “embrace the naiveté”. Roy said the philosophy didn’t change for a big game. “All the boys today were extremely chilled out,” he said. “We go out and do what we practice: if it works it works, it doesn’t it doesn’t. We’ll have bad days and good days but it’s gone our way the last few days.”

There is going to be one more big day after what Roy termed a day “as good as it probably gets”. It will be a totally new set of conditions for England, and could be against either West Indies, who beat them earlier, or the pre-tournament favourites India. It is a day England are totally “buzzed for”. Roy summed up what’s in store: “We’re getting better with every game. It’s just another game of cricket. It just happens to be at Eden Gardens in the World Cup final in front of 100,000 people. It’s going to be an incredible experience but we’re going to go out there and play our natural way and play the brand of cricket we’ve played for the last year or so.” (Cricinfo)

ICC T20 World Cup…

Kohli, Gayle headline Wankhede big bash fidence to the team.

Samuel Badree seems to take the mickey out of the Powerplay overs every time he bowls. He doesn’t rely on turn, doesn’t often believe in flight, but faithfully follows a wicket-to-wicket line. The batsmen are tied down, and when they try to escape, they tend to fall. Hard.

Virat Kohli

Chris Gayle

C

hris Gayle. Virat Kohli.

Dwayne Bravo. MS Dhoni. The Wankhede stadium will be screening an ensemble-driven action movie as much it hosts a cricket match on Thursday night.

Those individuals and their styles of play contribute to a lot of the interest surrounding this game, and also typify there are various ways to establish T20 batting dominance.

India’s has been to simply extend their Test and oneday game into the Twenty20s arena, and when all goes well, they get the bulk of their runs through orthodox cricket.

West Indies, ideally, wouldn’t want their long-format form anywhere near them right now. Helpfully, this format has a tight cap on the number of overs so the big-hitters can keep hitting big without worrying about consequences.

Case in point are the

methods that their marquee players use. Gayle likes to “beat” the ball. No wonder it rockets as far away from him as it can, hoping to be lost somewhere in the rings of Saturn. Kohli is kinder in assisting with the ball’s travels, and even throws in a few surprises - patrons waiting in the off stump line could end up at midwicket almost as often as they do in the covers.

Both teams clearly have lots of cream at the top, but the middle looks a bit squishy.

It’s been over two years since Denesh Ramdin or Suresh Raina have hit a T20 fifty.

Dwayne Bravo, at No. 5, has looked unsure whether he needs to be the aggressor or the anchor. Yuvraj Singh has been similarly jittery, but an ankle injury ruled him out of the World T20. That leads West Indies to the prospect of bowling at a player - one of Ajinkya Rahane, Manish

Pandey or Pawan Negi - who hasn’t faced a ball in this tournament. But Mumbai is just about the perfect venue for the out-of-form and brand new batsmen to get into the swing of things - the lowest total in the tournament here has been Afghanistan’s 172 against South Africa.

Quite apart from tactics and strategy, there are players from both sides who may be playing their last World Cup, so the incentive to make it to Eden Gardens - for the final - for one more match will be very strong.

In the spotlight The last time India were in Mumbai, they missed the hell out of R Ashwin. It was an ODI, three of the opposition batsmen scored centuries and they were left chasing a 400plus total. He did not have his best game against Australia, but his presence in the XI still goes a long way to adding con-

Team news

India haven’t made any changes to their XI since the start of the tournament. But now, with Yuvraj ruled out, they will be forced to do so ahead of the semi-final of the tournament.

India 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Manish Pandey/Ajinkya

Rahane/Pawan Negi, 6 MS Dhoni (capt and wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ashish Nehra West Indies will be without Andre Fletcher, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury. His replacement Lendl Simmons has a chance at getting a game straight away.

(Cricinfo)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

THURsDAY, march 31, 2016

Women’s ICC T20 World Cup…

West Indies target maiden final appearance W

est Indies have been the eternal bridesmaids at the Women’s World T20.

Having failed to get past the semifinal stage in three previous attempts, they have a fourth chance at redemption when they take on Suzie Bates’ New Zealand, who are in rip-roaring form, having won all their group games with a touch of disdain.

West Indies received a wakeup call in the one-wicket loss to England that left the team shattered. But the manner in which they put the loss behind them and knocked India Women out in a high-pressure game in Mohali showed the team’s character.

When in form, they are one of the more watchable teams - their batsmen can make the ridiculously long boundaries look short, their athleticism has the typical Caribbean punch and they celebrate like no other team. These skills will be put to test against a side whose road to the final four has had little to do with luck or accident.

New Zealand’s bowlers have

has the reputation of being one of the biggest hitters in the women’s game, have suddenly transformed themselves to play the role of anchors, allowing others to bat around them. New Zealand, meanwhile, have banked on the belligerence of their captain Suzie Bates to give them a flier at the start, while Sophie Devine mans the middle order. No total looks defendable on a Wankhede deck these days, however, and this could push both teams to go back to their firebrand approach. The semi-final could thus boil down to a contest between two top-heavy batting sides.

Earmarked to carry the legacy of Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin forward, Hayley Matthews is yet to score big runs in the tournament

adapted to the Indian conditions the best. A battery of spinners, led by Leigh Kasperek and Morna Nielsen, have weaved a web around batting units, giving a power-packed top order sub-par totals to gun down. West Indies, on the other hand, have had to make do with their plethora of me-

dium-pacers, who have mastered the art of bowling cutters on pitches where the batsmen have had to force the pace.

While both teams are high on entertainment value, there has been a conscious change in plans.

Stafanie Taylor, the West Indies captain, and Deandra Dottin, who

ICC T20 World Cup…

Roy’s 78 sets up England charge to final

Jason Roy reached his half-century in 26 balls (Getty Images)

E

nglish cricket’s makeover has delivered a place in the World Twenty20 final in Kolkata on Sunday. New Zealand’s first defeat of the tournament, by seven wickets with 17 balls to spare, ended their involvement. Instead, it is England, an adventurous England freed of old baggage, who lie in wait for the winners of Thursday’s semi-final between India and West Indies in Mumbai.

Jason Roy electrified England’s reply to New Zealand’s far-from-imposing 153 for 8, his 78 from 44 balls ended by Ish Sodhi’s draggeddown legbreak that beat his advance down the pitch and crashed into the timber. “I’ve got to realise I’m not a robot,” Roy said earlier in the tournament. He is precisely the opposite. At his best, he is humanity at its most tempestuous - a mini adrenalin rush - and his first T20I half-century, perfectly timed at the 13th attempt, was the second fastest in England T20 history as he racked it up in 26 balls.

There was wildness about the four boundaries he took from the first over from Corey Anderson, but he middled the ball with in-

creasing certainty, tattooed forearms whirring. A sumptuous straight drive against Mitchell McClenaghan possessed particular poise. After such a scintillating start, he could have reined himself in against Mitchell Santner’s left-arm slows, such has been Santner’s effectiveness throughout the tournament, but instead despatched him with successive straight drive and sweep.

This was England’s third appearance at Delhi - New Zealand, by contrast, had toured the country and were playing at their fifth different venue - and, much to their liking, the Kotla pitch became quicker with each appearance. New Zealand brought in in an extra pace bowler, Adam Milne instead of Nathan McCullum, but England prospered.

England’s three groupstage victories had all been keen affairs, wins by two wickets, 15 runs and 10 runs.

When New Zealand were 89 for 1 at halfway, they must have anticipated being stretched to the limit in chasing something close to 200. To be met by nearly 50 less, especially with New Zealand’s

most talented pace bowlers, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, again omitted as they have been all tournament, was an immense relief.

The architects of New Zealand’s fade out were Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan.

Stokes finished with the best figures, 3 for 26, relishing his good fortune as he took wickets with successive full tosses, but it was Jordan, eyes as wide as if he was peering into a coal cellar and gold chain dangling, who once again displayed solidity beneath the bling.

Roy’s opening partner, Alex Hales, once the epitome of licentious attack, is now an old hand by comparison, a batsman who likes a quiet little look at the top of the innings: they shared a stand of 82 in 8.1 before Hales perished at long-on. Eoin Morgan, once credited with changing England’s one-day batting approach, is almost formulaic by comparison: he was lbw to Sodhi’s legbreak propping forward, another first-baller to go with the one

against Afghanistan, his uncertain run overshadowed by England’s growth under his leadership.

England, at 110 for 3 in 12.2, needed less than a run a ball and Joe Root and Jos Buttler were shrewd enough to settle matters. In Sodhi’s last over they suddenly decided the celebrations had waited long enough - 22 followed; another pulled six from Buttler at the start of the next over gave him three in four balls and took England to Kolkata.

New Zealand had lost only one wicket in the Powerplay but it was the one England will have most craved. Martin Guptill, rested from New Zealand’s last match because of the hint of a hamstring strain, stayed leg side of the ball to counter David Willey’s inswing, and twice bludgeoned him for off-side boundaries in the opening over, but the tactic proved his undoing in the first ball of Willey’s second over as he flayed a catch on the angle to the wicketkeeper. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD New Zealand innings MJ Guptillc †Buttler b Willey 15 KS Williamson*c & b Ali 32 C Munroc Ali b Plunkett 46 CJ Andersonc Jordan b Stokes28 LRPL Taylorc Morgan b Jordan 6 L Ronchi†c Willey b Stokes 3 GD Elliottnot out 4 MJ Santnerc Jordan b Stokes 7 MJ McClenaghan run out (†Buttler/Stokes) 1 Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 6) 11 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 153 Did not bat: IS Sodhi, AF Milne Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-91, 3-107, 4-134, 5-139, 6-139, 7-150, 8-153 Bowling: DJ Willey 2-017-1, CJ Jordan 4-0-24-1, LE Plunkett 4-0-38-1, AU

In the spotlight

A three-run loss to Australia in the Women’s World Twenty20 final in 2010 was particularly gutwrenching for Sophie Devine.

Chasing a modest 107, Devine’s unbeaten 35-ball 38 after a toporder collapse gave New Zealand a shot at victory, only for the side to be pipped at the post. Six years on, Devine, who holds the record for the fastest fifty in women’s

Rashid4-0-33-0, BA Stokes 4-0-26-3, MM Ali 2-0-10-1 England innings JJ Roy b Sodhi 78 AD Halesc Munro b Santner 20 JE Rootnot out 27 EJG Morgan*lbw b Sodhi 0 JC Buttler†not out 32 Extras (lb 1, w 1) 2 Total (3 wickets; 17.1 overs)159 Did not bat: BA Stokes, MM Ali, CJ Jordan, DJ Willey, AU Rashid, LE Plunkett Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-110, 3-110 Bowling: CJ Anderson 1-016-0, AF Milne 3-0-27-0, MJ McClenaghan 3-0-24-0, MJ Santner 3.1-0-28-1, IS Sodhi 4-0-42-2, GD Elliott 3-0-21-0.

T20 cricket, has the opportunity to set things right and enhance New Zealand’s chances of the title win.

Hayley Matthews has been earmarked as the one to carry forward the batting legacy from Taylor and Dottin. But T20I figures of 174 runs in 17 innings at an average of 10.87 are not a reflection of why she is rated highly by her captain. Barring a knock of 41 against Bangladesh Women, she is yet to set the tournament on fire. A substantial score in a crunch game could go someway in erasing doubts in her own abilities as West Indies look to seal a spot in the final for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Teams news

New Zealand have been unchanged for the last three games, but that has had more to do with the confidence within the group than conditions, considering they have played in Delhi, Mohali, Nagpur and Bangalore. Barring any injuries or an early morning sickness bug, they are likely to go in unchanged. (Cricinfo)

Gayle targets big score in today’s semi-final

C

Chris Gayle

hris Gayle is targeting another big World Twenty20 score when West Indies take on India in Today’s semi-final.

The 36-year-old hit a 47ball ton in his side’s first game, against England.

The opener has batted just once since, scoring four against South Africa as the West Indies topped Group 1 to set up the last-four clash with the hosts.

“This is a perfect opportunity to try and pick up where I left off, get a big one for the team and put them in a winning position,” said Gayle.

West Indies tarnished their record in the Super 10 stage by losing to Afghanistan by six runs in their final match, after having followed the win over England with victories against Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Thursday’s opponents India have also lost once in the competition - their opening game against New Zealand - but have followed

that up with three successive victories.

“The only positive you can look from the Afghanistan game is the motive,’’ said Gayle.

“We saw India bounce back from losing games as well, so it can put us in a strong position as well to actually lift our game and do better on Thursday.”

Virat Kohli has been key in guiding India into the semi-finals with 55 against arch-rival Pakistan and an unbeaten 82 off 51 balls in the must-win last group match against Australia.

Gayle is not surprised by the form of India’s master middle-order batsman, who has scored 184 runs at an impressive average of 92.

“No surprise there,” he added. “I have said it over the years he is going to be the world beater he is today.

“He has been fantastic right through the year. He has been in a great form.

He can still get runs but in a losing cause. We’ll be happy with that as well.” (BBC Sport)

21

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pinner Samuel Badree has returned to the number one spot ahead of the second semi-final clash in the T20 World Cup between West Indies and India on Thursday.

The Trinidad and Tobago bowler is among several leading cricketers who have been rewarded for outstanding performances in the tournament.

The latest ICC rankings put Badree as the top bowler after impressive performances which have landed him with six wickets for West Indies- three against Sri Lanka and three against Afghanistan.

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four wickets in as many matches.

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The first semi-final in Delhi on Wednesday features second-ranked New Zealand against fifth-ranked England.

Meantime, India’s Virat Kohli has reclaimed the number-one batting position in the ICC T20 rankings.

Kohli , who averages 92 after scoring 184 runs in four matches at a strikerate of over 132, had entered the tournament 24 points behind Aaron Finch, but has now opened up a 68-point advantage over the Australian.

West Indies’ opener Chris Gayle has gained one place and is now ranked sixth after scoring 104 runs in two innings at a strikerate of 208. (Windies Cricket)

Kohli? Have you heard of Chris Gayle – Sammy confident in West Indies firepower

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est Indies have the firepower in their batting lineup to outshone India’s Virat Kohli, says Darren Sammy.

Virat Kohli may have produced a sensational knock to book India’s place in the World Twenty20 semi-finals, but Darren Sammy is confident West Indies have match-winning firepower of their own.

Kohli struck 82 off 51 balls as India beat Australia by six-wickets in Mohali on Sunday, keeping their hopes of a second title alive.

West Indies face the hosts in the last four after winning the first three of their Group 1 matches with the likes of Chris Gayle, Andre Fletcher and Marlon Samuels all contributing big scores.

And Sammy believes the destructive batsmen he has in his side can nullify the threat posed by India and particularly Kohli.

Asked if he was worried about Kohli’s form, Sammy said: “No not really, have you ever heard of Chris Gayle?

“There’s no taking away from Virat, he’s a very good player, but like I’ve said

Darren Sammy

in all my press conferences we tend to focus on what we can do in our dressing room.

“Like we’ve shown throughout the tournament, once we execute our plans right we’ve won the games, when we’ve not we’ve lost, so it’s going to be a hell of game.

“It’s going to be 15 West Indian players against 78,000 and how many other billions in India and it’s a challenge we are ready to face.

“It feels like David and Goliath, but people tend to forget David won the fight.”

West Indies – like India – are also chasing a sec-

ond title in 2016, something Sammy is desperate to achieve after a turbulent start to the year.

He added: “It [a second title] means a lot, no team has won the event twice.

“I think this year could be the year for the West Indies, the U19s started it in Bangladesh and both men and women’s team took that as inspiration,and come tomorrow we have two West Indian teams vying for a spot in the finals.

“I really wish both teams can go to the finals and win it, 2016 could be the year where West Indies take home everything.” (Digicel Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURsDAY, march 31, 2016

GCB discusses specifics of tri-series with Sport Ministry

GCB officials along with Minister Henry and the Director of Sport Christopher Jones

P

resident of Guyana Cricket Board, D r u b a h a d u r , Secretary Anand Sanasie, TDO Colin Stuart, and Administrator Savitri Persaud, met with the Minister responsible for Sports, Nicolette Henry, Director of Sports, Christopher Jones, and Permanent Secretary, Alfred King and discussed the specifics of the ODI triseries involving West Indies,

Australia and South Africa.

Guyana has not hosted more than two international teams at the same time since the 2007 50-Over World Cup. To pull off a huge event like the tri-series, there needs to be collaboration between the GCB and Ministry of Sports.

Hence, the relevant Officials sat and fine-tuned the specifics to ensure we successfully host this event.

Some of the particulars discussed were the availabil-

ity and usage of the Guyana National Stadium, partnership between the GoG and the GCB, and security of the players and delegations throughout their stay in Guyana. Secretary Sanasie briefed all on the Logistics, prices of tickets and concessions.

Minister Henry expressed her Government’s support for cricket especially this particular event as it is being held in our Jubilee

Independence year. The delegation on both sides expressed the need for communication and collaboration to host a successfulevent that usually.

The event is likely to attract a large influx of visitors from the North American diaspora.

The series will consist of ten matches, slated for June 2016. The first leg will be played in Guyana with all of the matches to be played at the Providence National Stadium with South Africa versus West Indies on the June 3, Australia versus South Africa on the June 5, and West Indies versus Australia on the June 7.

The second leg is slated for St Kitts while the final four ODIs, including the final, will be held in Barbados. Australia last limited overs matches in the Caribbean came in March 2012 when they played five ODIs The two sides split the ODI series - with two wins each and a tie in the third ODI at St Vincent.

Easter swim camp reaping results thus far

Desiree Cummings

T

he annual Easter Swimming Camp organised by the National Sports Commission (NSC) has already seen positive results showcased in the week it has been in operation.

The children are being thought the various skills of the sport and are vastly improving and eager to learn more.

Administrative Assistant of the pool, Desiree Cummings is in firm belief that the participants have conquered the fear of swimming.

“The exercise has been going very good; first, the children have overcome fear

and we really want the children to overcome fear and be very comfortable in water” Cummings further revealed that she was please with the level of the turn out and the fact that his year, they are being allowed to use the National Aquatic center at Liliendaal.

“The turn is very good, every year, we are seeing increases and I must say thanks to the director of sport because he has allowed the programme to be extended to the Aquatic center whereby we can accommodate much more children as no child should be denied.

Swim Coaches Marisa Wray, Marcia Rodrigues and Stephanie Fraser would usually conduct various drills and strengthening exercises.

When this publication, spoke to some of the children, they all expressed their excitement over being able to participate in the camp and learning the various skills.

Organisers have revealed that 120 children from the age of 6 to 11 are registered for the camp which concludes Friday.

GFSCA lights up Crabwood Creek YWCC management

Clement Edwards Head Master of Crabwood Creek School hands over the Mohan & Meena Memorial Trophy to Floodlight Legends Skipper Ricky Deonarain

T

he Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association along with the teachers of Crabwood Creek Primary School organised a spectacular softball competition to raise funds for the restoration of toilet facilities at the Crabwood Creek Primary School.

There were three 15/15 softball matches. Two males and one female.

The first encounter was between Floodlight Legends and Crabwood Creek-Corriverton Masters.

They went at war for the Mohan and Meena Memorial Trophy. (Mohan and Meena are the late father and sister of Mr. Ricky Deonarine).

The Berbice team rattled up 178-4 off their 15 overs. Kash Persaud blasted 66 while Vishaul Persaud supported with 43. The chase by Floodlight Legends was not an easy one. They lose wickets at regular intervals.

They needed 26 runs from the last over. It is here where Wayne Jones came to the party. He smashed four successive sixes and sealed a great victory for his side and in the process copped the man of the match prize.

In the second match which was in the open category, Floodlights disposed of Crabwood Creek by 13 runs.

Trophy Stall Angels, travelled almost a 100 miles to take on Karibee Rice girls.

From ball one, it was none stop action.

Trophy Stall Angels folded for a paltry 73 in the 13th over. Leacock made 15 while Roberts scrambled 11.

Encouraged by total home support, the Karibee Rice Girls reached 74-6 with two overs to spare. Shanna made 19 while Erva Giddings was left not out on 12.

At the presentation ceremony, the Head teacher of Crabwood Creek Primary School, Mr. Clement Edwards, expressed thanks to the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association, especially, Mr. Rickey Deonarine of 4R for putting together the days activities. He also thanked Mikes Pharmacy, Trophy Stall, Massy Group of Companies and the Gopaul’s family for the many gate prizes which include tablets, a DVD player, a majic

and players feature in cutlass attack – Police investigating

Ishwar Singh

Hubern Evans

layers and management of the Young Warriors Cricket Club (YWCC) of Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice have been involved in an off field dispute which escalated on Sunday to the extent that one player was allegedly assaulted with a cutlass by the team’s coach.

Police are investigation a report made by former captain of the club, Ishwar Singh that he was assaulted on Sunday by former National cricketer and coach and executive member of Berbice Cricket Board Hubern Evans.

At the time the players were boarding a bus to travel for a friendly encounter with Zeeburg Cricket Club.

According to Ishwar the issue started when Evans told former national cricketer Gajanand Singh that he was

no longer a part of the team and ordered him to get out of the bus.

That decision did not go down well with Ishwar. “I ask him why, and I said if he is not going that I am not going. I get vex and I start to tell everybody about the some of the corruption that the management involved in, and I know he didn’t like it… When I coming out the bus, I didn’t know he had a cutlass in the bus; the man come out the bus and start cussing me and Gajanand and I answer him and then he come up to me with the cutlass and swing it at me, but is a good thing a guck and it just catch me on my shoulder. Is dem boys come and hold he back.” Police are investigation the report. No charges have been made as yet. (Andrew Carmichael)

P

Captain of Karibee Girls Erva Giddings, receives the Nand Persaud memorial winning trophy from Clement Edwards, Head Master of Crabwood Creek School

Floodlights rattled 157 with Lloyd Rooplall Scoring 38 and Greg De Fraca plundering 35. Crabwood Creek managed 144-8 off their 15 overs with De Fraca picking 3 wickets.

Floodlights took away the Vejay Satnarine-Breed Memorial Trophy while De Fraca won the man of the match award.

The final match of the day was among the ladies. The city girls,

jack and clocks. He also acknowledged the presence of cricket commentator, Inderjeet Persaud and thanked him for sharing his voice at Crabwood Creek.

Dennis De-Andrade was also thanked to get the venue in top conditions. GFSCA made a cash donation of $100 000 while Thakur Sookram chipped in with an undisclosed sum as well. (Inderjeet Persaud)

thursday, march 31, 2016

GCB Inter-county U-17 Tournament...

guyanatimesGY.com

23

GCB assists BCA with monetary donation

Javid Karim, 54*, leads T Berbice to 8-wicket win over Essequibo

Karim drives the ball through the cover region during his fluent innings (Marceano Narine photo)

B

erbice got off to a bright start in their campaign as defeated Essequibo by eight wickets in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-county Under-17 tournament on Wednesday.

Playing at the infamous Georgetown Cricket Club Ground (GCC), Bourda, top order batsman Javid Karim struck a splendid 54 not out off of just 62 balls to spearhead his side’s chase of 133 from their allotted 50 overs.

Karim put together 35 for the second wicket to further shut Essequibo out of the match.

Earlier, Essequibo’s innings at the crease got off to reasonably good start as openers Rayon Venture (11) and Bomesh Ramdahin (13) added 23 for the first wicket but that quickly became 31-2.

Kevin Christian, who top scored with 24, mounted some fight, with some handy partnerships with the lower order.

Karim receives his man-of-the match award from Reon King

The left-handed batsman struck seven boundaries and shared an unbeaten 59-run third wicket partnership with Captain Kevin Sinclair (30 not out) as Berbice reached their target with 21.3 overs to spear.

Berbice got off to a bright start as openers Alex Algoo (13) and Karim raced the total to 40 in just eight overs.

Upon resumption medium pacer Mohabir trapped Algoo plumb in front, but Junior Sinclair, who joined

It was the disciplined bowling performance from majority of the bowlers, with Off-spinner Kevlon Anderson (3-14) and left-arm spinner Keith Simpson (2-29) leading the way.

Left-arm spinner Kevin Omroa and the off-spin of Kevin Sinclair went for just 29 runs off their combined 20 overs and ended with figures of 1-16 and 1-13 and helped bowl out the opposition in 47.1 overs.

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has assisted the Guyana Blind Cricket Association (GuyBCA) with a monetary contribution to compete in the West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WICCBVI) Regional Blind Cricket Tournament which will begin on July eight in Trinidad and Tobago.

President of the GCB, Drubahadur, wished the team success for the Tournament, adding that the GCB has always been supportive of GuyBCA and will continue to do so as they play a very integral part in our society. He urged them to keep up their discipline, zest and eagerness and continue to make a difference in society. The President expressed his admiration for their self-belief and confidence.

Drubahadur also urged the team to perform well in the tournament so that their players could be selected to represent the West Indies Blind Cricket Team in the World Cricket Council

GCB President Drubahadur makes the donation to Cecil Morris

for the Blind (WCCB) T20 World Cup which is slated for November 2016 in India.

Executive Member of GuyBCA, Cecil Morris, thanked GCB for its continuous support, positing that the donation would help immensely in their preparation and the players are extremely grateful for the contribution. He stated that he is looking forward for a good performance from his team, noting that it would

be an honour for some of the players to represent the West Indies Blind Cricket Team at the WCCB World T20 Cup. The Regional Tournament is scheduled for the 8thJuly to 16th July, 2016 where Guyana would play Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and a combine team from the Islands. After which, the top two teams will contest the final.

thursDAY, march 31, 2016

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

ICC T20 World Cup…

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Kohli, Gayle headline Wankhede big bash Pg 19

Chris Gayle will need to lead West Indies from the front for West Indies to have a shot at a second T20 title

Easter swim Roy’s 78 sets up camp reaping England charge to final results thus far ICC T20 World Cup…

Pg 22

Pg 20

The England team line up to congratulate Joe Root and Jos Buttler after the win (Getty Images)

Coach Marisa Wray engages the children in a technique

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