Guyana Times September 23, 2018

LOOK INSIDE !

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

Issue No. 3695

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Loan agreement signed between Guyana, China Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyana P13 urged to use natural agricultural practices

– funding to include Public Service College, ICT upgrades – as China’s Foreign Minister arrives for 2-day visit P7 Bandits prowl on NA residents

Lawyer’s ‘cuss out’ saga

China’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Wang Yi, along with Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun and other Chinese dignitaries in discussion with President David Granger, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge at State House on Saturday

7 PPP supporters say they were tricked into signing APNU LGE forms

P2

Cop can be punished for sharing video on Facebook – Commander

Page 14

Co-op society secretary fired Page 12

…after allocating already transported lands to new persons

Guyana Prize for Literature, Drama Festival in limbo

Page 11

“We need another bridge” – Belle West residents P10

…as community infrastructure dilapidates

Uitvlugt hit-and-run

Driver surrenders, to face 6 charges

P9

– former winner criticises lack of Govt action in creative arts

Projected 29.1% GDP growth will have limited effect – Jagdeo Page 9

Canal Number 2 residents fume over drainage issues P17

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news

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Lawyer’s ‘cuss out’ saga

Cop can be punished for sharing video on Facebook – Commander

Attorney Ryan Crawford leaving Vigilance Magistrate’s Court on Friday

T

he traffic rank who posted on Facebook a video of Attorney-atlaw Ryan Crawford “cussing” him out after being stopped could face disciplinary charges for acting in what has been described as an unprofessional manner by ‘C’ Division Commander Calvin Brutus.

Commander Brutus told this publication on Saturday that even though the video could be used as evidence in court, the rank would be subjected to departmental charges for posting the video on social media.

“There is a process to deal with that image that was recorded. Because it becomes evidence in a case like that, releasing it without permission or without the matter being properly investigated is not appropriate, and it falls under our disciplinary code,” he told this publication.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , Commander Brutus stressed that there is no regulation prohibiting anybody from videoing anything. Road users can also video Police officers while they are preforming their duties, or if they

feel subjected to mistreatment.

Further, departmental charges mean that the traffic rank could be subjected to suspension, or to not being considered for promotion over the next two years.

The commander disclosed that a file has been submitted to the Legal Practitioner’s Association in order to facilitate that body taking legal action against Attorney Crawford.

Accompanied by a battery of lawyers, Attorney Ryan Crawford appeared on Friday before Vigilance Magistrate Peter Hugh and denied five charges with which he was slapped for reportedly verbally abusing the policeman.

The charges stated as follows: that on September 13, at the Yorkshire Public Road in Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, he 1: failed to produce his driver’s licence when asked to do so; 2: drove an unfit motor vehicle; 3: used obscene language; 4: behaved in a riotous manner. A charge of prohibition of tinted glass was also slapped on him.

Presiding Magistrate Peter Hugh subsequently released the lawyer on his own recognisance. The case will continue on October 10.

3 Loan agreement signed between Guyana, China news

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, September 23 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction at 14:30h-16:00h and Monday, September 24 – a night retraction at 04:30h and a day retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, September 23 – 15:30h-17:00h and Monday, September 24 – 16:00h-17:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny weather is expected throughout the day, with clear skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees.

Winds: East South-easterly to Easterly and East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tides: 03:24h and 15:44h reaching maximum heights of 2.49 metres and 2.53 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:19h and 21:35h reaching a minimum height of 0.68 metre and 0.66 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, september 22, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS B

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17 21 26

FREE TICKET

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DAILY MILLIONS

10 13 17 22 26 LUCKY 3

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

– funding to include Public Service College, ICT upgrades – as China’s Foreign Minister arrives for 2-day visit

By Jarryl Bryan

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greements signed on Saturday with the People’s Republic of China would allow for concessional funding for the Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other sectors, as Guyana hosted the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister on a State Visit.

The signing took place at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre following brief bilateral talks with Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. While one agreement was for a concessional loan between the two governments, another was for “economic and technical cooperation”.

Speaking on the agreements, Greenidge noted that proposals would now have to be evaluated to receive funding.

“During today’s (Saturday) meeting, we discussed how the two countries would move forward with the cooperation areas identified,” Greenidge explained.

“While the MoU includes broad areas of trade and people-to-people exchange, we must now identify specific proposals that can be evaluated at the technical level.

“We are committed to utilising the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative as well as existing bilateral mechanisms to channel support to critical sectors, mainly infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, health and ICT, in order to bring direct benefits to the citizens,” Greenidge explained.

He further explained that one of the projects signed into place was to implement the Guyana National Broadband Project, to upgrade networks for delivering services in the education, health and security sectors. The project for technical and economic cooperation, he explained, would also include funding for the Public Sector College.

Those aside, Greenidge revealed, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has commenced discussions with other Government agencies in order to get their input, assess their needs, and identify their priority areas for funding.

China's Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi and President David Granger on Saturday at State House

“These agencies are represented here today, and we are committed to utilising this new framework of the Belt and Road Initiative as well as existing bilateral mechanisms to channel support to critical sectors, namely infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, health, and ICT inter alia, in order to bring di-

status as one of the most influential in the Caribbean.

In fact, Minister Yi was optimistic that Guyana could play a part in China’s cooperation with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“Today we covered much ground on our bilateral cooperation agenda. Also, we talked of future priorities for

ing today for the National Broadcast Network expansion. You may be aware that some of the towers we use with the e-governance network are all around Georgetown and the coast. Now, there are some gaps, and the signing today is meant to address those gaps,” he explained.

“In terms of tangibles, we’ll have improvements in our data centre… improvements in the capacity of our network. Our network includes fibre optic cables and microwave technology. We’ll improve all of those, and we’ll also have solutions geared towards the security sector that will focus on more cameras, (and) better location of the cameras; for instance, at points of entry and exit for Guyana. We’ll be improving the smart classrooms,” he promised.

Levi described some other aspects of the plans, some tangible benefits of which

Foreign Affairs Ministers of Guyana and China, Carl Greenidge and Wang Yi respectively

rect benefits to our citizens,” he noted.

“You also witnessed this morning the official handing over of China’s contribution towards our hosting of the Seventeenth Session of the Committee for the Review and Implementation of the Convention, CRIC 17, of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, (to be held) in January of 2019. I believe that it is the first occasion on which the Government of China has contributed cash to this very important undertaking,” Greenidge said.

In his address, delivered through an interpreter, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hailed the bond existing between the two states, and acknowledged Guyana’s

cooperation, including construction, fisheries, agriculture, renewable energy sources, ICT, education, sports and public health,” he declared.

“We will continue to do what we can to assist Guyana, our old friend. We would be happy to see our friend Guyana, another developing country, achieve faster progress and prosperity,” Minister Yi said.

Benefits

In an interview with the media following the signing, Chairman of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Floyd Levi, gave some more details in regard to the funding secured for the ICT sector.

“You’ve seen the sign-

will include enhancements in Government’s data centre, and platforms for doctors to have sessions with patients remotely. The broadband project, he noted, costs some US$37.6 million.

When speaking of Chinese assistance to developing countries, the Belt and Road Initiative, or the Silk Road Economic Belt, is often cited. The project aims to connect the disparate regions in China’s near and distant neighbourhoods through a massive programme of infrastructure building.

Guyana became part of the initiative when Greenidge and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July of this year.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 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, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

The Guyana Amazon Warriors season

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t has been exactly a week since the finals of the 6th T20 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament was played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, where our Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) unfortunately lost to the Trinbago Knight Riders. That it was to a team they had defeated twice during the season – the last occasion guaranteeing them a place in the finals – was hard enough for our Guyanese fans; but that it was also the fourth time they lost in the finals, was heartbreaking.

From the launch of the CPL in 2013, when the GAW local franchise was acquired by a local business entrepreneur – an event still unique in the league – it became clear that cricket was more than just a game to us in Guyana. It represents the seminal event that brings together our diverse peoples as one and made Providence the most energetic cricket stadium in the world, as the fans expressed their support for their team in the most creative and vociferous manner possible.

The CPL games at Providence Stadium have now become a fixture on the calendars of a wide swathe of Guyanese from all strata and all regions of our country.

The professionalism in which the games have been organised and executed have redounded to the capacitybuilding facility of our Private Sector, working in tandem with State agencies, such as the Police. The Government itself has recognised the value of the CPL games through its support via several Ministries such as tourism. The lead sponsor for the last season by Exxon, the first by that multinational corporation with operations in most of the cricket-playing nations, is another endorsement of the GAW. For all these reasons, we cannot simply dismiss the impact of the GAW’s loss in the CPL finals as “just another game”.

But in doing so we cannot also merely fixate on just that last game: we must consider the pride the Warriors aroused in all its fans during this season and in the seasons before. The fact that the GAW appeared in four of the six finals tells a story in itself: that the worse it did in four of those seasons was number two. Indeed, that was true for FIVE seasons, but we were ousted in one of the “eliminators”. This was an extraordinary performance to sustain over six years, since each of the other teams would have been exhorted to better their performances, and this must be acknowledged and appreciated.

What makes this consistency – the best in the League – even more amazing is that it was done without any of the more T20 flamboyant figures that some believe are essential for success in modern cricket. A measure of this success therefore must be due to the managers and coaches of the team who play such an invaluable role in motivating players to rise to their full potential and even more importantly, to play as a team. The GAW has also acted as a crucible for blooding and developing new and young Guyanese cricketers, from their sponsorship of U19 players to participate in their local camp to signing them up when they show promise. Beaton, Paul, Hetmyer and Rutherford are only some names from the latter group.

It has been said that one of the definitions of “insanity” is to do the same thing over and over again but expect a different result. But to their credit, the management of the GAW has been willing to make changes after every season in an effort to better the performance of the team. Meaning, to win in the finals, which is certainly the goal in any sporting tournament, they have changed players, coaches and staff – not reactively but rather in a considered, deliberate fashion, to correct identified shortcomings.

It is expected that the same will be done after this season to facilitate the GAW reaching the pinnacle of achievement in the years to come. The loyal Guyanese fans deserve no less.

This elderly man casts his net into a trench along the Enmore Seawall, East Coast Demerara hoping to pull up a big catch (Lakhram Bhagirat photo)

Treatment of sugar workers unforgiveable and criminal

Dear Editor, It is awful to see, on a daily basis, the vicious assault on sugar workers.

This assault started almost immediately after the May 2015 elections.

APNU/AFC promised “change”, and among the changes they promised was that greater security and respect would be extended to sugar workers, including an annual 20 percent increase in wages and benefits.

Some sugar workers, though skeptical, placed their destiny in Moses Nagamootoo, Ramjattan, and others in Region Six and Five, and provided some of the critical votes that APNU/AFC needed to take over Government.

They exercised their democratic right and opted for “change”. They have been betrayed; and, today, sugar workers are the poster child for betrayal.

The thing is that as the assault continues unabated since May 2015, their champions, like Nagamootoo and Ramjattan, are AWOL, missing in action.

The latest assault on sugar workers is the now frequent late payment of their wages. Last week, sugar workers were paid four days late, without an apology and without an explanation. The vast majority of these work-

ers live from paycheck to paycheck. Any delay in receiving their paychecks poses unconscionable difficulties for their families.

The media continue to expose this egregious violation of the labour laws of Guyana. Every time wage payments have been delayed, senior officials of GuySuCo have confirmed the late payments, but only off-the-record and unofficially. GuySuCo refuses formally to communicate with workers, or with anyone.

GAWU has confirmed that late payment of wages to sugar workers has become a norm these days.

Late payment of wages to the sugar workers is not just unacceptable, it is illegal.

The President, who recently declared that paying severance to sugar workers whose jobs were ripped from them is hemorrhaging the treasury, is silent about late payment of wages to workers. The prime minister, who bombastically deemed himself the champion of sugar workers, is silent; even though he went to his home village of Whim to launch the AFC’s LGE campaign.

The Agriculture Minister is, as usual, not just silent, but nowhere to be found.

He continues to behave as if he has no role to play.

The Finance Minister

may still be out of the country, having found it necessary to be carnivalling in Brooklyn earlier this month. The Social Protection Minister and her junior minister responsible for labour appear not to know or not to care.

Khemraj Ramjattan simply does not want to talk to sugar workers anymore, and MPs such as Charandass no longer find sugar workers relevant.

More than 7,000 sugar workers have lost their jobs, and most of them have either received none or only part of their severance.

It is more than nine months since that severance was due for many, and some have been owed now for almost two years.

Severance is due to an employee at the time his job is taken away because of closure or down-sizing. This is Guyana’s law, and it is also international law.

There is no room for prevarication on this matter. The only word from the President is that the severance is a drain on the national treasury; no word on whether GuySuCo, a Government public entity, will pay soon, and whether the workers will be paid with interest.

Those who are lucky to still be working are now subjected to late and de-

ferred payments for wages earned. They have worked without a pay increase for three years (2015, 2016 and 2017), and it is unlikely that there will be an increase in 2018, making it an unprecedented four straight years.

Their annual production incentives have essentially been dumped.

In 2015 it was reduced, and none has since been negotiated. Land which was promised to them is being taken up by the Government, or being offered for sale to private investors and friends and families of the Government.

Guyana made the list of shameful countries because of how we treat prisoners. Guyana deserves being on the list because of how we treat sugar workers.

The silence of this Government is shameful, a disgrace, and makes them complicit in another illegal assault on sugar workers. GAWU has spoken up.

Will FITUG and the GTUC speak up? Will the Guyana Human Rights advocates stand up and speak out? Who is willing to stand up and speak out against this injustice?

Sincerely, Leslie Ramsammy

guyanatimesgy.com

SunDAY, september 23, 2018

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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

Crime, income inequality and poverty Dear Editor, Please allow me to respond to Dr Mark Devonish’s letters regarding the crime problem.

First, I must say I am sorry to learn that Dr Devonish’s family and friends went into crime, and so I understand that he is hurting. However, it does not give him the right to instigate armed robberies by glorifying the poor values of the Jamaican reggae artist Bounty Killer: Look into my eyes (lyrics), and also by justifying why poor people who are gifted with AK-47s use these weapons to rob.

Guyanese must understand that these are precisely the kinds of values that drive the crime problem. Editor, I must point out that AK-47s should never ever be given as gifts. As

such, if any Guyanese is an unauthorised holder of an AK-47, then please immediately turn your weapon over to the Police; that is the right thing to do.

Dr Devonish is a medical doctor, and those from the medical profession are expected to protect people, not hurt them; but Dr Devonish is out to hurt Guyanese. I am shocked by the insane values of this doctor. And, of course, Dr Devonish can’t be in a position to diagnose the crime problem and provide solutions.

Further, Dr Devonish would like Guyanese to subscribe to the dogma that criminals are impoverished and are also desperate members of society who feel used in some way. So, because of this, should criminals be allowed to engage in armed

robberies? This is dead wrong.

Dr Devonish must also know that under no circumstance is armed robbery morally or legally right, no matter if you feel used.

I personally feel used by many, but does this give me the right to hurt another human being? No way!

In fact, criminals are largely not impoverished.

And, of course, Dr Devonish buries such a fact so as to champion his dysfunction.

Editor, we all know that criminals show up at our homes in expensive cars and on expensive motorcycles, dressed in name brand outfits like Nike and Adidas, toting guns and expensive gadgets to rob, rape, and murder. Editor, the poor can’t afford motor cars and motorcycles etcetera, but

criminals do. Further, even members of the GPF and the GDF and various professionals participate in armed robberies. Moreover, even some of our college graduates holding prestigious jobs participate in armed robberies. How can Guyanese forget the infamous armed robbery of the Republic Bank Limited by a highly qualified college graduate? Therefore, criminals can hardly be classified as impoverished. In fact, criminals rob the poor and traumatise them.

So criminals are simply lawless bullies who are unfortunately influenced by bad moral values championed by folks like Dr Devonish and by politicians looking for votes.

Further, the Guyanese people also observe how thousands of dirt poor and

starving sugar workers, who are also unemployed, admirably steer themselves away from crime because of their values. They work hard like Nakisha Best, an unemployed sugar worker who now provides laundry services for 1,000 per day just to survive.

So, Dr Devonish, the reality on the ground violates the dogma that poverty drives crime.

Dr Devonish also wants Guyanese to believe that income inequality drives the murderous armed robbery problem. I disagree. In fact, crime drives income inequality and poverty. This can be logically explained: If it were not for the crime problem, lots of businesses would open up here. But because of crime, Guyana attracts very few businesses; and those

that come here can’t survive, and they are forced to leave because they are repeatedly robbed and vandalised, and their workers hospitalised or murdered.

Just recently, Guyanese saw how the owner of the Real Value Supermarket was brutally beaten and robbed, and how a hard working cheese vendor was gunned down for his own sweat by violent criminals. Under those circumstances, business can’t survive, and as such wealth can’t trickle to the poor through economic activity.

So, Dr Devonish, in large part crime effectively drives income inequality and poverty. This is a major reason why Guyana remains poor.

Sincerely, Annie Baliram

Arrogance and disrespect has been displayed by GECOM

Dear Editor, There should be a fullfledged enquiry into Justice (r’td) James Patterson’s irrational decision to cancel an August 7th meeting that was supposed to address a review of the report of the United Nations’ (UN) Needs Assessment Team. The rejection conflicts with any genuine intent to update the accountability mechanism of the GECOM and, certainly, the organisation’s image of acceptance locally and internationally.

A posture of total arrogance and disrespect has been displayed by GECOM Chairman James Patterson relative to the need to address the report of the UN Needs Assessment Mission.

This is certainly disappointing and regressive; and is an enigma, since the likely outcomes of this negative poise will neither engender assurance of reliance in the organisation nor affirm credence of its policies and decisions. Rather, it conveys significant uncertainty about Chairman Patterson’s intent to remedy the problems, and this has become more pervasive with his in-

creasingly negative signals.

The Chairman’s decision belies the rationality of scrutiny, and flies in the face of respected global recognition and partnership.

It also certainly undermines effective counter-check verification that would result from the establishment of the automated data system to treat electoral matters.

In February of this year, GECOM sent a letter to the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Guyana requesting electoral assistance. The purpose indicated was for the UN to provide the Information Technology expertise to aid the Commission in voter registration and the 2018 Local Government and 2020 General Elections.

It is rational for one to envisage that GECOM’s intent in engaging the UN was to purposefully improve the organisation’s regulatory and validation capacity.

This is particularly relevant given that the questionable results of the 2015 National and Regional Elections were also tarnished by significant gaps between GECOM’s IT

systems’ tally and the actual counts, among other glaring issues.

Naturally, the response and undertakings by the UN to GECOM’s request would have been initiated by a Needs Assessment Mission, in accordance with the standard UN procedures concerning electoral assistance. Significantly, an impressive high level Mission was led by the Electoral Assistance Division within the Department of Political Affairs at the UN Secretariat (EAD/DPA), and was joined by representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

I was reliably informed that the GECOM Chairman and all six Commissioners participated in the ear-

ly May assessment led by UN Mission team. It is understood that they conducted a thorough investigation and research which targeted several sensitive issues and resulted in findings related thereto. These include: the results’ tabulation process; design of the necessary software to expedite the process; the biometric instrument use at polling stations; verifications of electoral listings; and approach to ensure security at the polling stations. Along with these substantive and sensitive issues, it is noted that the UNDP will be willing to give relevant assistance.

Following the assessment, the Chairman, Justice (ret’d) James Patterson, said the recent visit by the UN team was a success, and was

highly confident that his request for an internationally recruited Information Technology specialist would be provided by the UN. So why the turn around? It is incomprehensible that, following the submission of the UN Report, GECOM Chairman James Patterson cancelled the scheduled meeting with the UN Team to review the report.

Worse is the fact that the necessary review meeting with the UN is now “indefinite”.

What is it about the report that the Chairman wants to hide? Why should there be delays in improving the GECOM verification mechanism?

The organisation desperately needs to set the record straight!

It cannot be denied that the Election Commission has been receiving most valuable aid from the UN, USA, UK, Canada, India, and the European Union.

The rejection or indeterminate reluctance to consider the findings of the report is vulgar, offensive, and perhaps a waste of valuable and dedicated resources.

It is time to demand a ‘fit and proper’ performance from the GECOM Chairman. The entire nation deserves better!

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Annual career fair aims to create leaders

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undreds of children poured into the West Demerara Secondary School (WDSS) on Friday to participate in the Education Ministry’s second annual Career Fair 2018 as part of Education Month activities.

Held under the theme: “Predict your future by creating it”, the event materialised under the umbrella of the Guidance and Counseling Department to expose senior secondary school students on career paths that can be pursued.

Some of the partnering stakeholders included the Guyana School of Agriculture, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), the University of Guyana (UG), the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Georgetown School of Nursing, the Rajiv Gandhi School of Medicine, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the National Library among others.

While interacting with representatives of the various booths, students from as far as Wakenaam Island were engaged in discussions pertaining to their ca-

One of the booths being represented by Nations Inc

reer choice, while being entertained by popular calypso rhythms from the WDSS band.

Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Regional Education Officer (REDO), Anessta Douglas, expounded on the importance of such events, noting that, “It is important for us to ensure that our learners are given the best opportunities to progress into the future and to help them with important and relevant choic-

es.”

Senior Guidance and Counselling Officer, Priscilla Gonsalves also gave insight into the fair which highlighted the main goal as making interventions for students to make good decisions when choosing a career path.

According to Gonsalves, this will ensure that responsible youths are created to lead Guyana.

Guyana Times spoke to representatives from some of the institutions which stu-

dents can attend after completing their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination to pursue courses and specified training.

Shazam Somwar, of Greenheart Medical University stated, “The programmes that we offer include four and five-year programmes. We currently have approximately 125 students pursuing studies with us in the medical field. We always push our students to do bet-

Indian Govt invites participants for Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz

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he High Commission of India in Guyana is inviting Indian Diaspora youths to participate in the Government of India’s ‘Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz’.

The quiz has four rounds, two of which will be done online while the third and final round will be held in New Delhi, Indian. The quiz will commence on October 16 and run until October 31.

Last date to register for the quiz is October 15. It is open for Indian Diaspora youth across the world between the ages of 15 to 35 years.

The Indian High Commission is urging all NRIs (Non-returning Indians) and PIO/OCI (Persons of Indian Origin) card holders in Guyana,

Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and Anguilla to register themselves online and make the quiz a grand success.

This is the second edition of the ‘Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz’ for young overseas Indians. The first edition was held in 2015-16.

The quiz is being conducted to motivate overseas Indian youth to enhance their knowledge about India.

Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz is open for categories of participants – PIO, NRI and foreign nationals between 15 to 35 years.

Topics of the quiz include Indian art, Indian democracy, economy, geography, personalities in music and dance, science and technology, languages and litera-

ture, education, tradition of Indian craft, Indian cinema, and renowned personalities.

The first round of quiz will be executed by the mission abroad, while the other three rounds will be executed by the Ministry in New Delhi.

The second round would be conducted online. The third and fourth round (semi-final and final round) would be organized onsite in New Delhi.

The missions will select the top three contenders in each category (NRI and PIO) by conducting the first round of the quiz competition. The top three contenders/participants of the Mission level quiz competition from each category will participate in the second round of quiz (on-

line) to be conducted by the Ministry in New Delhi.

Top 10 finalists in each category (PIO and NRI) will be selected on the basis of marks secured in the second round and they will be invited to participate in the third round (semi-final) and fourth round (final round) in New Delhi. All participants who are invited for the onsite round would attend the workshop in New Delhi and participate in the Bharat ko Janiye Yatra; a 15-day tour of India.

After Yatra, the final onsite round will be held in New Delhi and the top three winners will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. Those interested in taking part can register online at www.bharatkojaniye.in.

ter and we have some of the best lecturers around.”

At the Cacique Accounting Centre booth, Joshua Bissoon indicated that the institute focuses on accounting and finance courses. He said, “It is very, very important no matter which sector you operate in because with any organisation, you need money to operate.”

At Nations Inc, Felicia Mohamed and Joanne Andrews were present to greet students with flyers and educational aids on some of the business and law certificates which can be obtained.

“We have a whole lot of

courses here so we’re basically here to promote the ‘A’ levels which is our Sixth Form and the pre-law. We also have courses from ACCA, ABE, the Cambridge University, University of London, University of Bedfordshire and [Project Management Institute] PMI.” At the Leonora and Technical Vocational Training Centre, skills training are offered for persons of all ages in carpentry and joinery, metal work, engineering, electrical installation, plumbing, agriculture machinery, welding and motor vehicle works.

Local companies launch new products at GUYTIE

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s the Guyana Trade and Investment E x h i b i t i o n s (GUYTIE) continued at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, several companies have introduced new products to the market. Comfort Sleep introduced a wide range of mattresses and Massy Technologies Guyana, introduced their alternative energy initiative.

Director and General Manger at Massy Technologies Guyana, Jason Sahai, is quoted by the Department of Public Information highlighting the company’s new alternative solar energy initiative.

It includes inverters, a so-

Comfort Sleep has been operating for over 13 years with its unique brand of sleep technology. The Managing Director of Comfort Sleep, Director Dennis Charran said his company is focused on innovation with the introduction of the new products. He added that the new mattress is the company’s eighth line of mattresses which is their highest foam line launched.

Charran highlighted that the international standard mattress has high-density foam with 300 grams of fabric which has a 10-year life span on it.

Charran expressed that the purpose of launch-

The new solar energy initiative introduced

by Massy Technologies Guyana

lar panel, charge controllers and charge regulators were included. Director Sahai highlighted that the Massy company has intention of working with small-scale to medium-scale contractors to deploy the solar and wind energy countrywide. In addition, Sahai said the new product line has already drawn interest from several international investors and contractors who can help to deploy the company’s solutions. He added that individuals can save money on electricity costs.

ing this new product at GUYTIE, seeks to attract international buyers.

Cuban and Korean buyers have already been attracted to Comfort Sleep’s new product.

GUYTIE is a business-to-business event intended to create a platform for local export-ready businesses to captivate foreign buyers and other potential partners. Potential investors from the United States, Canada and Europe are attending the event. The exhibition ended on Saturday.

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Bandits prowl on NA residents

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Some of the articles which were stolen

esidents of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Saturday told Guyana Times that Friday evening was the first time for the week that they had a good nights’ rest.

This was after four persons were taken into custody after a spate of breaking and entering at Smithfield during the month, which had escalated and become nightly over the past week.

The spate of robberies started in early September when an 18-year-old boy was pounced on by four armed men. According to the teenager, he was on his way home when the men met him three houses from his home.

One had a gun, another had a cutlass and two were carrying crow bars. He said he was searched and asked where he was going. The teenager said

entered her bedroom and demanded cash and jewellery.

One carried a cutlass and the other a crow bar. The bandits took money they found in two purses along with two laptop computers, a DVD player, two cellular phones and a television set.

The following morning, a building adjacent to hers was broken into. The bandits broke open a window and stole cellular phones, an electronic tablet, jewellery, wrist

A back door which was wrenched open

move. They however left with a smaller water pump and a pressure washer. The following night, on September 12, 2018, another house in Smithfield was broken into.

No one was at home at the time of the burglary. Entry was made by cutting open a grilled window. The bandits

A window the bandits tried to use to gain entry to a home

they did not take anything from him.

The same night a re-migrant’s home was broken into. According to the re-migrant, neighbours told him that three men broke into the lower flat of his home. He said they appeared to have targeted a water pump, but it was too large for them to re-

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

removed a flat screen television, among other articles.

The house on the opposite side of the street was also broken into and electronic devices were also stolen.

Reports are that the owner heard a strange sound and upon checking, saw a flashlight moving in her house.

According to her, two men

watches, cash and alcohol.

According to the owner of that home, she was awoken by a telephone call.

Thereafter, she realised that her front door was opened and several articles were missing from her home.

During last week, residents raised an alarm after bandits were seen in the community. Guyana Times was told that six men were seen in the area, but they fled after they attempted to steal a motorbike which failed to start.

According to the residents who have formed a security group, they operate by calling neighbours in the community by telephone whenever they suspect that the bandits are trying to get into a home.

Police were able to apprehend two men; one of them at the time had a bag with articles which were stolen from a home.

Further investigation led to the recovery of more articles at a home in a community next to Smithfield, Angoys Avenue. Two more persons were arrested there.

The Police continue to investigate.

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Friend who allegedly gave man poison tablets released from custody

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he friend who allegedly fed his buddy, 46-year-old Gary Sullivan of Lot 4 Duncan Street, Kitty, Georgetown, carbon tablets on Sunday last has been released from Police custody as investigations continue.

This was related to Guyana Times on Saturday by the Commander of A Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara, Marlon Chapman.

Sullivan was rushed

to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Sunday last at about 22:00h after he complained to his wife of feeling unwell and began to vomit.

He subsequently died.

Commander Chapman informed too that the wife was questioned as investigations continue.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Sullivan’s body on Wednesday by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh was inconclusive. The man’s body was

nevertheless handed over to the family for burial.

Reports are the dead man’s wife informed Police that her husband left home at about 11:00h on Sunday and returned about 20:00h with a bottle of tablets which were supposed to be ‘Garlic Extra 1000mg’.

The wife told detectives that her husband told her the pills were given to him by a friend for relief of gas pain.

Sullivan later consumed

the tablets and at about 22:00h he began to vomit.

The alarmed woman said she immediately contacted the ambulance service and he was rushed to the hospital, but passed away while receiving medical attention at the facility around 00:45h on Monday.

The bottle and contents were taken to the hospital by the deceased’s wife where it was discovered the pill bottle contained carbon tablets.

Husband remanded for assaulting wife

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man who allegedly assaulted his wife was remanded to prison by Magistrate Leron Daly when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.

Roy Hughes denied that on September 7, 2018, at Oronoque Street, Queenstown, Georgetown,

he unlawfully assaulted his wife, Tracy Hughes.

In court on Friday, Tracy Hughes, a teacher of Norton Street, Georgetown, refused to give any evidence against her husband when she was called to the witness box.

However, Magistrate Daly remanded the man to prison and adjourned the matter to September 24.

Man who ‘cussed out’ aunts placed on bail

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hirty-one-year-old Cheddi Bacchus was on Friday slapped with multiple assault

charges and appeared before senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Bacchus denied all the charges. The first charge alleged that on September 19, 2018, at Norton Street, Georgetown, he used threatening language towards businesswoman Agnes Bacchus, who is his aunt.

The other charges stated that Cheddi on the same date also used threatening language towards Debra Bacchus and indecent language towards Agnes

Bacchus thereby breaching the peace.

He also assaulted Agnes causing actual bodily harm and malicious damage to the said Virtual Complainant’s property.

Prosecutor Sanj Singh made no objections to bail which resulted in Bacchus being released on $80,000 bail for all the charges.

The case will continue on September 24.

Suspicious minds…

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…or realism?

resh from trying (unsuccessfully) to explain away frivolous spending (“retreats” at posh resorts) and nepotistic appointments (wife of AFC big-wig made Editor-in-Chief with no work responsibilities!) the Orwellian-sounding Director of Public Information took it upon himself to poo-poo Guyanese concerns about his Government giving away the store to outsiders. Quoting Elvis “the Pelvis” Presley, he criticised the Guyanese people for having “suspicious minds”!

Well “Good for them!” says your Eyewitness!! In the realist school of International Relations -- which all countries have adhered to from the 20th century onwards -- a state can never be sure about the intentions of other states; it therefore has to always assume that other states are acting to further their own interests.

This is a “security dilemma” that naïve idealists like the DPI ignore at their peril, since economic or political diplomacy is just another way of waging war to gain advantages.

To say that Guyanese are “xenophobic” is to suggest they have no reason to be suspicious of all these foreigners suddenly beating a path to our door! But don’t they? In the realist school, the goal of all states is not only to survive, but also to EXPAND – by any means necessary; with war as the last resort.

Take China and the loans they have in front of Granger. They have US$4 trillion sloshing around in their foreign reserves, from which they’re offering loans to poor countries – even for projects that just won’t generate the revenues to repay the loans.

Why? Well, states always compare the capabilities they have; and to China, we’re a minnow they can easily influence. Eventually, even if they don’t take over the facility they funded – like that port in Sri Lanka – they’ll have influence over the strategic facility to project their power. In the modern world, the huge multinationals like Exxon act just like independent states; and it was very idealistic for President Granger to declare that Exxon won’t take advantage of us!! Exxon had a duty to its shareholders (analogous to the citizens of states) to maximise their returns, and that’s why they took the Trotman to the cleaners!!

With T&T, what was their posture up to when we were on our knees economically? That debt forgiveness Rowley threw into our face was done because they were invited to join the big gun creditors in the “Paris Club”, and went along for the prestige. When the “Jagdeo Initiative” suggested a solution to the region’s food imports – by funding agriculture in Guyana – didn’t Manning’s PNM Govt kill it by launching “mega farms” in TT?? Which all failed?!!

Since the DPI is such an Elvis fan, does he remember, “Your cheatin’ heart”??

…about being Regional Godfather

On the heels of signing the Energy MoU with T&T, President Granger announced he’ll be inking an “economic pact” with Barbados. In fact, he signalled an even more expansive plan: “We see Guyana’s future in the Caribbean, and we see the Caribbean’s future in Guyana.” Well, since 1973, when CariCom was launched, wasn’t that the goal?

Taking off his idealistic lens, shouldn’t he ask how come the CSME – which was to at least create a “single market and economy” – had been “put on hold?? And maybe ask Secty General La Rocque what the answer was to his request for all members to give him a report on their compliance with previous agreements?

But, as Granger might be suggesting, let’s start with a new slate. Since he brought up that US$4billion CariCom-imported food bill, shouldn’t he revive the Jagdeo Initiative on Agriculture, which divvied up the responsibility to make Guyana into the agri centre?

It should be “all for one”, and not only “one for all”, shouldn’t it?

…on Teachers’ Arbitration Panel

The Ministry of Education asked the Ministry of Social Protection to intervene in their impasse with the GTU to name an Arbitration Panel.

Before the impasse was created? Return (the suggestion) to sender!!

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

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Projected 29.1% GDP growth will have limited effect – Jagdeo ...says gross national product would provide better assessment

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tatements by Finance Minister Winston Jordan alluding to projected growth of 29.1 per cent in the Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are being contested by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

At his press conference earlier last week, Jagdeo was very lukewarm about the figures Jordan cited based on the International Monetary Fund. He noted that even if Guyana has growth on such a scale, it will only result in a limited increase of onshore jobs for Guyanese.

“Jordan says, in Saudi Arabia, that GDP will grow.

He said 29.1 per cent in 2020. But this might not be a lie, 29.1 per cent. But this is exactly what I’ve been pointing out, that linkages will not be great.”

“Just imagine GDP from the non-oil sector growing by 29 per cent. You’ll create 50,000 new jobs. The GDP will grow by 29 per cent in that year and will create 300

new jobs. That’s what Exxon Mobil said… and maybe a few onshore, not exceeding a thousand. So it’s enclavic.”

According to Jagdeo, referencing the Gross National Product (GNP) would be a better way of assessing performances relative to capital intensive sectors. The GNP is most often used to cover production of Guyanese whether in or outside of the borders.

“They should look at GNP figures. In this case where you have large capital inflows in the capital-intensive sectors, a better assessment would be to use the GNP rather than the GDP figures. So this might be true, this is a feel good, it won’t translate into more money into anyone’s pockets or more jobs. It’s just feel good.”

Minister Jordan was at the time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, accompanied

by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, to sign a loan agreement. The agreement, with the Islamic

Development Bank, is to the tune of US$20 million.

Government has said the money will go towards the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) Utility Upgrade programme.

But while Government continues to borrow, various indices are indicating hikes in Guyana’s indebtedness.

Debt reporting

The Finance Ministry’s Public Debt Annual Report for 2016 had showed that since 2015, there has been a 4.1 per cent rise in Guyana’s indebtedness to International lenders. A breakdown of the figures showed that total external debt amounted to $240 billion, a 72.6 per cent bite out of the total public debt. On the other hand, domestic debt stood at $90.6 billion, or 27.4 per cent of the total.

The report notes that Guyana’s four main external creditors are the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),

Uitvlugt hit-and-run

Dead: Chapil Dave Kumar

away.

At the time of the accident, Kumar was with his wife. She did not sustain any injuries.

The young man’s sister, Sariyana, told this newspaper that her brother and his wife had left home to purchase food earlier in the evening. The aggrieved woman related that her brother was severely injured since he was dragged some distance away causing one of his legs to be severed.

The injured young man was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body is at

The abandoned car found at Vergenoegen

23-year-old Chapil Dave Kumar of Leonora Village, WCD, was killed while standing on the southern side of Uitvlugt Public Road, waiting to cross the road. The motor car was proceeding West on the southern carriageway when it struck Kumar and drove

the State-owned ExportImport Bank of China (China EXIM Bank) and lastly, the Venezuela State-owned oil

the stock of public debt and the public debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio had increased. According

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, right, after signing the loan agreement with the IsDB

Driver surrenders, to face 6 charges T he driver of the motorcar, which sped off after hitting a 23-year-old pedestrian, who subsequently died on the Uitvlugt Public Road, West Coast Demerara, has turned himself in to Police and is expected to face a sleuth of traffic-related charges.

According to Police, the 25-year-old suspect of Tuschen Old Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), surrendered on Saturday shortly after authorities found an abandoned Toyota 192 motorcar without registration plates at Vergenoegen, EBE. The vehicle, PKK 7495 which is registered to a resident of Parika, EBE, was found to be tinted and several of its documents expired.

The suspect has since admitted to his involvement in the accident, claiming that the pedestrian ran into the path of his vehicle. He is nevertheless being processed for court at Leonora on Monday since the post-mortem examination on the deceased is expected to conclude earlier the same day.

Among the charges to be instituted are causing death by dangerous driving; unlicensed motor vehicle; uninsured motor vehicle; tinted motor vehicle; failure to stop after an accident, and failure to render assistance.

Reports are at about 22:30h on Thursday,

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

million. The public debt to GDP ratio actually increased by 0.9 per cent to be recorded at 46.1 per cent.

According to the report, higher disbursements of money from the ExportImport Bank of China (China Exim Bank); the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and the Caricom Development Fund (CDF), as well as delayed debt service payments, were to be blamed.

When it comes to servicing these debts, the report stated that total public debt service amounted to US$71.7 million for 2017.

the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The now dead man is father to a three-year-old and would have celebrated his 24th birthday on Saturday last. Additionally, he and his wife are expecting their second child.

company (PDVSA).

Last year’s End of Year Outcome report had also revealed that for that year,

to the report, total public debt was recorded at US$1.6 billion, exceeding the projected amount by US$8.4

This was, in fact, lower by 2.5 per cent than the projected 2017 sum of US$73.5 million.

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

“We need another bridge” – Belle West residents …as community infrastructure dilapidates

Responsible drinking

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The bridge that needs to be repaired

Potholes along multiple roads

esidents of the Belle West Housing Scheme on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) are calling for another bridge to be built in their community, since one dilapidated bridge cannot suffice the thousands of commuters, who traverse the scheme every day.

The current situation revolves around a bridge that serves as the only medium for vehicles to cross into the Canal Number Two Polder roadway to exit the scheme. Added to that, it is situated four miles into the Canal Number Two road.

For this, a massive traffic build-up is caused at peak hours when everybody is rushing to leave for work or school or when they are returning home.

Some are even scared of using the passage since it is deemed ‘unsafe’.

Dennis (only name given), a young lad who lives

coming in the main road cause this one is like far… people got to drive down till here and then drive out back. They could even make one to come and we could repair this one so people could go out and have two,” another resident said.

While the bridge continues to be a pending issue, complaints are being raised over the crosshatched roads which are filled with large potholes stretching for many meters. As a result of this, many residents are complaining that taxi drivers are charging extra since their cars are being damaged as they traverse the deteriorated roadway.

“This place, look how far from the public road.

When these bus and car got to come in, sometimes you got to give them extra money to come over the road,” a resident told Guyana Times.

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just a few houses away from the structure, told Guyana Times during a recent visit that he was astonished at the shenanigans and arguments that transpire on a daily basis over a simple crossing. Along with that, if the bridge were to collapse, vehicles would be left stranded in and out of the scheme.

“It got one lane…one lane. So people got to wait until you cross and then they got to stop on the other side for the other side cross. We need a proper bridge. That thing is not safe for all them vehicles that does be crossing over every day.”

It was recommended that another bridge be built to link the two roads at a closer distance to the public road.

“I say the only way to end this is if we get about two more. We got to get one in front by the when you

This is accompanied by unlit streets which increase the number of robberies in houses which are under construction. So far, the resident indicated that many dwellings were broken into and construction materials stolen.

“Plenty people get rob like window and cement and zinc that they buy.

When they get the land, some people now building.

At least by them corners need the light.”

Business owners and citizens are calling for their plights to be heard and are hoping that the Local Government body will seek to fix these problems since it has been reported on numerous occasions.

They claimed that spending two hours just to cross the bridge is unacceptable and also fear that lives are at risk since the bridge can collapse at any moment.

atiricus was intrigued. Here it was that the folks who were producing alcohol for fellas like him and his buddies to drink were now promoting “responsible drinking”? Satiricus knew he wasn’t the brightest bulb in the room – any room – but he was confused. How exactly would the rum companies discourage drinking? He’d have to get the fellas at the Back Street Bar, where he was headed, to explain this to him.

“Ow Budday!! Wha’ yuh a tek worries fa?” laughed Cappo when Satiricus unloaded his disquiet. “Abee a drink beer only! Da respansible!”

“I know, but what will these rum companies do?”

Satiricus asked, as he downed a beer in one long gurgle. “Put warning labels like the cigarette companies?”

“Like ‘RUM GUH EAT OUT YUH LIVAH’ pan ev’ry baattle?” laughed Bungi, who’d matched Satiricus gulp for gulp. “Me na t’ink suh!”

“Sato, old friend, the rum companies are just being politically correct,” said Hari, as he wiped the beer fuzz from his lips. “Unless they do something, the Government will step in on alcoholism.”

“Well, they SAID something,” said Satiricus. “But what will they DO?” “Dem guh stap advatising?” asked Cappo, reaching for another beer. “Or promotin’ all dem sportin’ show?”

“I don’t see them doing that,” said Satiricus firmly, as he waved frantically for another beer. “These are businesses that make profits depending on how much alcohol they sell!”

“Well, notice dem na tell abee fuh STAP drinkin,” pointed out Bungi, as he clinked his bottle with Hari’s. “Suh maybe dem guh tell abee how much fuh drink?”

“Like people mus’ only tek two shat?” asked Cappo, worriedly sipping his third beer. “Or only two beer?”

“Budday, don’t worry about THAT happening!” said Hari as he started on his fourth. “They’ll leave YOU to decide the meaning of “responsible’!”

“We know when you start singing “Kutch Kutch Hota hai” that’s it for you!!” grinned Satiricus. “Like you’re about to do!”

“Fuh Bungi, da w’en ‘e cyaan stap skin ‘e teeth!” said Cappo, poking the target of his jibe in the ribs, who vainly tried to stop grinning.

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Guyana Prize for Literature, Drama Festival in limbo – former winner criticises lack of Govt action in creative arts

ER Burrows School of Art Valedictorian Joanna Suchit collects her prize

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parks flew last week when a best graduating student for creative writing and former Guyana Prize for Literature winner rapped the Government's laid-back approach to the creative industry at his graduation ceremony.

Subraj Singh, the second youngest Guyana Prize for Literature winner in history, was one of 60 graduates from four schools under the Government's Institute of Creative Arts (ICA) initiative that evening.

At the ICA’s fifth convocation at the National Cultural Centre, Singh used his speech as Valedictorian of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama to critique the coalition Government's creative arts legacy.

He touched on everything from lack of funding to limited scholarships and work opportunities. And as Social Cohesion Minister with responsibility for Culture, Dr George Norton, was in attendance, there can be no doubt his concerns found an attentive audience with someone from within Government.

“Teachers will head out to teach, bankers will head to the bank, doctors to the hospital,” Singh said, “artists, on the other hand, will not be given the opportunity to do what they love. Most dancers will not head out to dance in the morning. Actors will not head to the stage. Writers will not turn to their manuscripts.”

“We, in the creative arts, will be the only one’s tomorrow morning who will have to prepare for their day jobs while being left unable to pursue that which is truly important to us… our true passion.”

Singh cited the misconception that the creative arts are of less importance than other fields like Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). But according to the young writer, this is not so as these fields all have important roles to play in society; an argument that received loud applause from the audience.

“Sometimes I think this is a viewpoint shared by members of the current Administration. I say this because there is so little fund-

ing sent our way. We don't know if there is going to be a National Drama Festival.

Meaning students of the National Theatre and Arts will be denied an opportunity to showcase all they have learned.”

“Thus far, there has been no opportunity of the publication of stories, poems or plays by local writers, given out by the Government.

Meaning their work cannot be shared. A great majority of the scholarships given out by the Government seem to be geared towards science and technology.”

With this, Singh questioned why programmes at the degree and master's level were not being funded.

The young writer noted the unique role the arts can play in healing a divided nation, overcoming racial barriers and bringing awareness to social inequalities and injustice.

“It is time for the Government to ask themselves how they want history to view them, particularly when it comes to culture. Do you want to be remembered as the people who lusted after oil while neglecting other sectors? As the Government who didn’t publish a single book? Who didn’t fund a single graduate or post graduate student in the arts? I want to ask the Government, do you know what your own legacy will be in the creative sector?” Singh closed to loud applause.

Besides Singh, Joanna Suchit was the Valedictorian from the ER Burrows School of Art. In addition, Kimberly Manbodh was Valedictorian of the National School of Dance and Austin Sindo the National School of Music Valedictorian.

Funding

When questioned afterwards about the status of these projects, Secretary of the Guyana Prize for Literature Committee, Al Creighton, explained to this publication that funding was an issue for some of these initiatives. This includes both the Guyana Prize for Literature and the National Drama Festival.

“At the moment I can’t say when it will be, because

we did have a meeting with Minister of Social Cohesion.

At that meeting, there was quite a bit of promise as to what would happen. When I say promise, I mean the outlook was good as to what would happen with the Guyana Prize.”

“But since then,” Creighton continued, “That situation has not resulted in the actual award of the funds that are necessary for the prize to continue. And so we are still awaiting that and hoping that it will come forward. That is the major issue.

The Minister has said there are a number of things he wants to consider. I am still optimistic it will take place.

But it is clear it will not hap-

Subraj Singh’s play was featured in a skit by students from the National Drama School

pen in 2018 as we had hoped.”

When it comes to the National Drama Festival, the prognosis was not much improved.

According to Creighton, talks have begun to arrange for the Festival to be held, but once again funding from the Government was an issue. The Festival was last held in November of last year.

Creighton also acknowledged that opportunities for scholarships in the arts are sorely lacking. He noted that while he understood the emphasis on STEM, he was strong in emphasising that more attention was needed from the Government in the creative arts.

12 news

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Co-op society secretary fired

…after allocating already transported lands to new persons

Residents stood in the rain as they explained what happened during the first incident

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he secretary of the North Haslington Coop Society, which is located in Enmore, East Coast Demerara, who was responsible for distributing new ownership documents for lands that were already owned, was dismissed from her duties on Friday.

Information reaching Guyana Times indicated that this was done during a meeting with the Junior Social Protection Minister, Keith Scott and officials from Enmore and North Haslington.

“She was fired. The officials say that they don’t want her back in the co-op office and then we went around to see what was happening and to take pictures of the land and house them that she send out transport documents for,” an official close to the dispute told this newspaper.

It was indicated that new members will be elected to manage the co-op society to ensure that the lands are returned to the correct owners. During the meeting on Friday, the Enmore and North Haslington officials were given until the last day of October to establish a new committee.

“We elect some people but

we got to get some more so from now to the 31st of next month (October), we have to form the group by then. What she was doing was wrong so we will try to get new members for the co-op,” the official related.

The official added that persons who were “illegally” given the lands are still constructing houses, despite knowing that they have to move.

“They still building. They still have construction going although they know that the land was not supposed to be given to them and nobody supposed to be having a transport because this is black lease land.”

For many months, the coop’s secretary has been issuing documents for properties that were already owned in Enmore, which created a ruckus in the community. Additionally, the homes of many in the community were invaded, and their belongings thrown on the roadway on many occasions. Outsiders were appearing at the homes of random people with transport documents, claiming that they legitimately owned the land.

As such, assistance was sought by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who

highlighted the matter for actions to be taken by other bodies. He indicated that such an act was illegal since the persons rightfully owned the lands and were not squatting.

Police protection was also requested since the affected persons were threatened that they would be harmed if they returned to their dwellings.

Prior to her dismissal, the co-op society secretary was ordered to cease all issuances of new land ownership documents. However, many persons were hassled when they went to her to repossess their lands.

Several residents in the area told Guyana Times that they are relieved that such actions will not be occurring in the future but are now trying to recover their lands.

“I go all over trying to get help and it’s the same thing we ending back to. When we go to the co-op, they say that the land is not transported land, its black lease. They had stop this woman from giving out transport to other people land and causing all the stress cause she giving people the authority to take over we land,” said Nadia Rambarran, as she recalled what occurred when she tried to recover her land.

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana urged to use natural agricultural practices Vivekananda in Chicago, 2018

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ohandas Karamchand Gandhi left India for South Africa in April 1893, and made quite a name for himself after he evolved the technique of “satyagraha”, or peaceful civil disobedience, from Hindu principles and took it back to India. But a month later in that same year, another young man who had made as great an impact in his native land as Gandhi left India for Chicago, USA. His name was Swami Vivekananda, and the name for himself and for Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions at Chicago on Sept 11, 1893 was such that, upon his return to India in 1897, he was feted from one end of his country as the epitome of a new, vibrant India, with the tenets of its ancient Sanaatan Dharma at its core. The World Hindu Congress in Chicago Ravi Dev commemorated the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s speech at the Parliament of Religions, and vowed to spread it worldwide – beyond the 60 countries represented.

Vivekananda’s words instilled in the nationalist and political leaders of the time -- of all stripes, from the spiritual Aurobindo to the socialist Nehru -- a sense of self-respect and sincere pride for India and its heritage.

His vision of a resurgent and rejuvenated India, coupled with the lofty, ennobling ideas grounded in Hindi Dharma, percolated, agitated, and spurred them into action to free their motherland. In 1901, Gandhi, an unknown delegate to the Congress meeting at Calcutta, visited Belur Math to see the great Swami, but he was not there. Vivekananda was to pass away the following year at the age of thirtynine. Twenty years later, Gandhi was to visit again, during his agitation for nascent struggle for independence, and confessed that after studying the life of Vivekananda, his love for India “grew a thousand-fold”.

What was this message of Vivekananda that was being commemorated? His opening speech, after his “Sisters and brothers of America” spontaneously received two minutes of standing applause, summarised a position that the world sorely needs today, more than ever. “I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.

“We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered, and is still fostering, the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth.

They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.”

And it was this call for universal acceptance for diversity that resounded at Chicago in Sept 2018.

– Mauritius High Commissioner says it could help reduce NCDs

By Samuel Sukhnandan

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uyana is being encouraged to use lowcost home-made fertiliser which produces high-quality fruits and vegetables, as it could help to reduce many illnesses among the general population.

Mauritius High Commissioner in India, Jagdishwar Goburdhun, who grows his own fruits and vegetables, says natural agriculture is the best way to conduct farming.

Goburdhun, who represents research development movement that encourages natural agricultural practices, said Guyana should adopt the ZeroBudget Natural Farming (ZBNF) technique, which was introduced and used in several states in India.

He feels with this form of inexpensive agricultural practice being used, it could help in a large way to reduce the widespread pandemic of noncommunicable diseases (NDCs).

“No chemicals, no pesticides, only natural farming.

That is the best technology and cheapest and good for the farmers. Most times farmers are poor, and that will make them rich. Not only rich for themselves, but at the same time keep us healthy and we won’t have these diseases and the budget of the Ministry of Health will decrease,” he stated.

Goburdhun who is in Guyana for a visit said the practice being encouraged by his movement has been adopted in several major states in India and in Mauritius.

He said that international organisations like the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have already called for less use of chemicals and pesticides in agricultural practices, and have warned about the dangers in using these chemicals on fruits and vegetables.

“All the information and statistics we have… formerly we hadn’t much NDCs. But since we have inherited chemical plantations, that has increased. And we are sending billions and billions of insecticide in the ground, and that continues to become more serious,” he added.

ZBNF is a set of farming methods, and also a grassroots peasant movement, which had initially spread to various states in India, and is now being talked about throughout the world.

This was developed by Subhash Palekar, a farm philosopher from Maharashtra,

Mauritius High Commissioner in India, Jagdishwar Goburdhun explaining how the ZBNF technique is working for Indian farmers

India, has been generating interest in a large number of farmers across the country.

All crops in the world can be cultivated through ZBNF, including coffee, areca, coconut and sugarcane.

For 13 years, while they were practising chemical farming, the agriculture production was on a continuous rise. However, after 1985, it began to decline.

Disappointed with the declining yield, Palekar then began his quest for an alternative method to chemical farming. He realised that it was false premises of chemical farming on which Green Revolution was based, one Indian newspaper reported.

Resolute to find an alter-

native, Palekar began his relentless research, which continued for six years, on the natural processes of vegetation in the forests. He experimented with the observations made on his own farm, and eventually ended up with his ZBNF technique.

Having extensively studied the tribal forests of his state, he found that there is a self-nourishing, self-developing and a completely self-reliant natural system in the forests, by which all the vegetation and ecosystem exist without any external human intervention.

He suggested that this system could be replicated in the farms, discouraging the use of chemical

fertilisers, HYV seeds and extensive irrigation techniques that were being promoted extensively during Green Revolution’s hay day.

ZBNF employs methods of farming wherein the cost of production and cultivation is zero. There is no application of fertilisers, insecticides and only 10 per cent of water is to be used for irrigation in comparison to conventional farming technique.

Instead, a culture is prepared, a fermented solution called jiwamrita (a combination of cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, gram flour, water and soil) that enables the micro-organisms to thrive and multiply faster. In addition to this, a carpet of the residue of harvested crops is to be spread between the crop rows, which absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and prevents the emergence of weeds.

After years of research with trials and errors, Palekar has homed in on the fact that it is only the locally available seeds, local breed of the cow and local soil that can be used in the preparation of this culture, making it essentially a self-sustainable, home-grown, no additional cost involving method.

14 news 7 PPP supporters say they were tricked into signing APNU LGE forms S SUnDAY, september 23, 2018| guyanatimesgy.com

upporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are claiming that they were tricked into signing forms which put them as candidates for the A Partnership for National Unity team to contest the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE).

Seven persons have reported this to the party’s regional office in New Amsterdam.

According to them, the incident occurred at the Plegtanker/Koortbradt NDC on the East Bank of Berbice.

Omesh Kumar is one such person. According to him, he did sign a form to indicate that he will be a candidate for the PPP but on Nomination Day, his name also appeared on the A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) list of candidates.

Meanwhile, Tulapersaud Heeman Kumar claims that he was tricked into signing a second form. He told Guyana Times that following a consultation meeting which the PPP held last week, he was nominated to be one of its representatives.

However, the following day, a prominent villager who once supported the PPP, and whom he later learnt now supports APNU, went to his home and gave him a simi-

Omesh Kumar (left) and Tulapersaud Heeman Kumar

lar form to sign. According to him, the man told him that there was a mistake on the form he had signed for the PPP and he had to sign it again.

Heeman Kumar said he was unaware that the second form he was signing was going to be taken to APNU. Other persons from the community also gave this publication simulate stories.

The persons have since signed affidavits indicating their choice of party they wish to support. The PPP is expected to present this alleged fraud to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Monday.

While the LGE Nomination Day when smoothly in several parts of Guyana, in Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) there were several hiccups.

At the Plegtanker/ Kortberaadt NDC on the East Bank of Berbice – one of two new NDCs in the region – the PPP is contending it had arrived at the NDC with its list since 20:00h on Thursday, but the security guard there reserved a place for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which arrived sometime after 05:30h on Friday – the same time at which the returning officer arrived – and the Returning Officer allegedly

A community’s vision for responsible mining

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arbel Thomas is the Toshao of Campbell-Town, an Indigenous village close to Mahdia. She wants her village to lead the way in practising responsible

mining.

“This is our vision for our village. We want to practise mining in a way that has minimum impact on the environment, and is safe for people, so that we can

A declaration signed by one of the persons whose names appears on both the PPP and APNU list

allowed APNU to submit its list first, which according to PPP Member of Parliament, Adrian Anamayah, is an act that has raised concerns for his party.

According to Anamayah, APNU members had fooled persons and had caused them to sign documents which APNU members used to indicate that those persons were APNU candidates.

He said that had his party been allowed to be the first to submit its documents, as should rightly have been the case, some of those names would not have been allowed on the APNU list.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the region, a similar situation played out, wherein the PPP said it was at the office first and was given the number one tag, but the Returning Officer asked for APNU to be first to submit its list after members of that party began to behave unruly in the GECOM compound.

Again, Anamayah is contending the PPP was denied its right to be the first to submit its list and he is alleging that GECOM already is acting in a seemingly biased manner.

According to the parliamentarian, the PPP will be challenging the actions of the Returning Officer in court.

(Andrew Carmichael)

continue to earn a living to take care of our families,” she said.

In early September, she welcomed to her village a group of partners implementing the El Dorado Gold – Responsible Mining for Guyana Initiative, to meet with councillors and other residents. The El Dorado Gold Initiative encourages actions around responsible mining for Guyana. It encompasses a Global Environment Facility and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperationfunded mining projects which tackle reducing the use of mercury in gold mining, and the impact of mining activities on forests.

About ten minutes outside of Mahdia, small to medium mining sites are visible from the sky. Mining is the main source of income for Campbell-Town and Mahdia. Even before villagers began mining, Campbell-Town earned profits by granting permission to non-residents for mining of small concessions within the village lands.

Campbell-Town miners operate small-scale mines.

Thomas said there is very little awareness of the impacts of using mercury in the mining process. “We don’t know anything about mercury, but we want to learn,” she said.

“We want to educate our miners.”

There are at the old mining sites ponds where residents sometimes fish. “We catch them, we eat them, and it’s normal for us to do this. If mercury use at these mined out sites could possibly affect our health, then we need to know; and we’ll want to change this,” Thomas said.

While the village leader does not remember any out-ofthe-ordinary cases of sickness occurring in the village, she believes it is better to be careful than take unnecessary risks.

“I would like to see our village restoring mining sites,” Thomas said. She added that Campbell-Town is currently thinking of ways to do this.

During a short visit to the St. Elizabeth mining site, the team also saw one of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s restoration sites. Since 2010, efforts have been made to plant Acacia mangium in areas that have been heavily mined to promote the return of surface vegetation and stabilise the soil. Over time, it is hoped, by planting this species, the area would undergo natural succession, resulting in secondary forest cover.

Vincent Xavier, a resident who has been mining since 1992, believes there are many challenges which the small miner faces. “Financially, we don’t have the support that we need,” he said. “The price of equipment, fuel and other supplies are high. Support in financing and learning ways to increase production are key needs of the small miner.”

Both Thomas and Xavier look forward to finding innovative ways to reduce the impact of mining on nature and people, while increasing production and profit for miners.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@ gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Hope rice farmers land woes

Attorney objects to Assessment Committee members

The importance A of cost of living and policies to address it “

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ost of living” and “inflation” are two terms that are often confused, since they are sometimes used interchangeably. Despite the fact that both are somewhat similar in nature, since both measure and compare changes in price levels, they are related to different economic conditions. Inflation is a macroeconomic condition that affects all parties in an economy, while cost of living can be controlled by the mobility of resources.

The key difference between the two is that cost of living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living, whereas inflation is the general increase in price levels in the economy. However, both are strong economic conditions that showcase the economic status of a country or region. Generally, if there is high inflation, it is backed by high cost of living. It should be noted, however, that cost of living cannot be controlled easily by Government intervention, since cost of living is mainly driven by demand and supply of resources in a geographical area (Jacobs et.al) and (Pak, 2011).

Implications of cost of living adjustments

The importance of cost of living in determining the true value of income shows why policymakers should not be single-minded in pursuing policies that appear to achieve greater economic growth, but should also work toward a lower cost of living. It should be noted that, for example, reducing the cost of living by 10 percent has the same impact on the standard of living of the population or people as a 10 percent increase in their incomes (Schomach, 2017).

Income Inequality

Another issue that arises from addressing cost of living is income inequality. This has become a central motivating issue in recent years, owing to the writings of various economic authors. Personal incomes unadjusted for cost of living do not reflect how well or poorly people actually live.

Cost of living and some policy implications – the case of some U.S States.

Empirical studies have shown that cost of living across some states in the United States can vary profoundly.

Studies showed that cost of living were impacted by policies such as stricter zoning, higher minimum wages, occupational licensing, and other labour and business regulations, with more highly regulated states seeing higher costs of living. Consequently, higher regulated states also greatly disadvantage those with low and middle-class incomes. As such, the cost of living should become a major policy consideration with the aim of keeping cost of living as low as possible.

Conclusion

In order to address the issue of rising cost of living, the policy approach must be multi-dimensional, and must include measures to address urbanisation, such as housing, and connectivity, improving financial awareness, and enhancing productivity and income. Importantly, greater efforts should be directed at increasing productivity levels; inter alia, the adoption of modern technology and increasing the skills of workers through access to better education and training. This would enable the average lower-income earners and mid-income class to move up the value chain towards higher value-added jobs to achieve higher incomes, and hence afford a higher standard of living.

In the case of Guyana, however, in the context of pursuing policies to address rising cost of living, much more needs to be done by perhaps the National Bureau of Statistics, to address the lack of data compilation of cost of living indicators and to develop a cost of living index. This, in turn, can greatly aid policy makers to pursue the right mixture of policies to ensure that cost of living is kept at the lowest levels possible.

(For comments, questions and responses on articles featured in this column, readers can reach the author at jbinsights@outlook.com).

ttorney Anil Nandlall representing the dozens of rice farmers at the Hope Estate, who are being taken to court by Government for failing to pay a unilateral increase in land rents, has objected to the composition of the Rice Assessment Committee was has been established to resolve the matter.

Under the Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) Act, all issues in relation to the recovery or rent of rice lands are governed by the Act which provides for a Rice Assessment Committee to be the tribunal which determines all issues relating to rice lands. The Act also outlines how the Committee should be constituted and the qualifications of those appointed as members of the Committee. These appointments are made by the Agriculture Minister.

As such, when the farmers appeared before the Rice Assessment Committee at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court on Friday, Attorney Nandlall raised a number of preliminary legal objections on the Committee’s composition.

“I objected to the composition of the Committee on the grounds that the persons who constitute the Committee do not possess the qualifications as prescribed by the Act,” Nandlall, a former Attorney General, explained.

Nevertheless, he was ordered by the Chairman of the Committee, Attorney Yoganand Persaud, to put his objections into writing and have it delivered to the Committee.

The matters have since been adjourned to October 4, for continuation.

Earlier this year, the Government had given notice of its intention to repossess land being leased by a number of these farmers at Hope Estate, ECD, for falling behind in their rent last year. In 2015, the farmers were paying $3000 per acre but in the ensuing years, the rents were increased to some $15,000 per acre. The farmers have since been complaining of the burdensome hikes, saying that it will be hard to pay.

In a letter seen by Guyana Times, farmers were instructed by Attorney and Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) Chairman Omadatt Chandan to “quit and deliver possession” of their land.

But these requests resulted in the farmers and their legal representatives taking a stand.

In one case, Khemchan Sukhlall, a tenant of De Hoop, Mahaica, was ordered to hand over 16 acres of rice land situated at Nooten Zuil… all within one month of receiving the notice. The notice, dated January 16, 2018, was signed by Chandan who identified himself as an agent of Hope Estate

Attorney Anil Nandlall along with rice farmers from Hope Estate outside the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court on Friday

Coconut Industries Ltd. Back then, Nandlall, who had visited several of the farmers alongside fellow Member of Parliament Dharamkumar Seeraj, had issued a warning to the Agriculture Ministry via letter; stating that the farmers are protected by the Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) Act. Section Five (1, d) stipulates that a notice to eviction cannot be issued outside what the Act permits.

Nandlall had informed the Ministry that he instructed the farmers to ignore the notice since the law gives them a regime of security of tenure. He had informed the Ministry that its letter is not only premature and precipitous, but it flies in the face of the Act. “In short, rents charge-

able for rice lands cannot be increased and a tenant of rice lands cannot be removed from possession except by the procedures outlined by the Act. We are not aware that any such procedures have been initiated or undertaken,” Nandlall stated.

Nandlall further explained to Guyana Times that these farmers have been in possession of their land for several years. These lands, he noted, provide the only source of livelihood for them and their families.

The Government last month had issue summons for a total of 32 rice farmers; however, not all of them were served. At Friday’s court session, only 12 of the rice farmers appeared before the Committee.

In 2016, the Government

in a well touted deal had arranged to export rice to Mexico. The Agriculture Ministry subsequently disclosed that 17,000 tonnes of paddy were shipped to Mexico in a deal said to be worth some US$17 million (GY$3 billion), and 43,000 tonnes more will be shipped to the Central American country over the next few months.

However, the days of farmers getting premium rates for their paddy crops have since passed, following the end of the PetroCaribe (rice for oil) deal which was cancelled by Venezuela in 2015. Under that arrangement, farmers accrued some $9000 per bag of paddy, but this has been reduced to between $1800 and $2500, depending on location.

16 news IDB launches ‘Blue Tech’ challenge SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

…up to US$2M in funding for proposals

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he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is set to focus on firms and organisations that are looking to upgrade its business models with technologies that will contribute to the sustainable management of oceans, marine ecosystems and coastal resources.

According to the Bank, up to US$2 million will be awarded to eligible companies which can demonstrate “cutting-edge technologies” during the ‘Blue Tech Challenge’ which was materialised through its Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), Natural Capital Lab, Sustainable Islands Platform, and in alliance with the Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility.

To qualify, entities will be

considered by the IDB to implement a development project to pilot the blue economy model in one of the 14 target countries. The funding requests should be within a range of US$150,000 to US$500,000 for non-reimbursable technical assistance in the form of grants.

Additionally, proposals for loans should be within a range of US$500,000 to US$2,000,000 and the proponent entity should contribute at least 50 per cent of the project budget.

It is a way of fostering long-term sustainability of the ocean economy in the targeted countries which include The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda,

Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“The Sustainable Development Goals recognise the critical contribution the ocean makes to the world economy, and specifically to the development of the smallest and most vulnerable nations.”

In majority of the Caribbean Island countries, almost 100 per cent of the population depend on the oceans for their basic livelihood, food security, and economic development.

In contradiction to that, over-exploitation of marine ecosystems and increased pollution are causing damage to ocean ecosystems.

As such, the challenge emerged as a unique oppor-

tunity to address sustainable management of oceans and marine ecosystems countries.

“Since every sector of the blue economy is affected by the technological advances, it is essential to take advantage of this trend to pilot new

approaches, develop new materials, and implement novel approaches that deliver pragmatic and tangible solutions for business models that, at the same time, foster the long-term sustainability of the ocean economy.”

Qualifying entities will

become part of the IDB Group’s network of global innovators working in the Caribbean region poised to exchange knowledge, expertise, best practices, and with ample opportunities to participate in IDBG’s related regional networking events.

Sawmill accident

Linden labourer died of multiple injuries – PM

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post-mortem examination conducted on the body of Lindener Stephon Braithwaite, called “Grinch” who was crushed to death at his place of work on Thursday, has determined that he died from multiple injuries to the body. The examination was conducted

by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary on Friday.

The 20-year-old labourer of Lot 100 Block 22 Squatting Area, Wismar, Linden, was crushed to death by a falling log while trying to clear the filter of a lorry at the RI Forest Products, Sawmill and Lumber Yard located at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Preliminary investigations revealed the now dead man was servicing one of the trucks in the compound.

Dead: Stephon Braithwaite

As he continued his work, he reportedly went to another truck which was being offloaded with lumber to get fuel from the tank to put into a filter. In the process of extracting the fuel, one of the logs slid off the truck and pinned him to the ground, crushing his abdominal cavity, causing his intestines to protrude.

Guyana Times understands that upon hearing the noise of the log sliding off and a brief scream from the now dead man, several employees rushed to his assistance, but it was already too late.

Nevertheless, they managed to lift the log off of him and rushed him to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Francis Braithwaite, mother of the dead man, claimed she was told that one of the workers released the chains from a log that was secured to a truck, causing it to fall on her son.

The aggrieved mother stated that she was told that her son, who is a father of two, was at the time servicing a truck to head back into an interior location when the accident occurred. His body has been handed over to the family for burial.

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SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Child Protection week kicks off today

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week of activities geared at raising awareness and celebrating children will today kick-off with prayer services in churches across the country, followed by several other activities.

Trailing the prayer services will be an open day expected to be held on Monday at the Child Care and Protection Agency’s (CC&PA) head office on Broad and Charles Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown.

This activity will begin from 10:00h and will facilitate questions from interested persons on various topics.

The Director of CC&PA, Ann Greene told Guyana Times that, “All the officers are going to talk and show things that they are doing so we are inviting the public to drop in and see a day in the life of a child protection officer, so they will see what we do, they can ask questions and we’ll tell you about our programmes and everything”.

One of the things the Agency is proud to be doing this year as part of Child Protection Week is to launch advertisements in two dif-

ferent Amerindian languages. This too will be done on Monday as she hinted at the National Communications Network on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

Initially, plans were being made to launch the ads in four different languages during the week.

She explained, “We are launching for two now we still get two more to do but the two more can’t be done now until, the advice is that (we) get the radio stations to cover the areas so these are the two ads (that are most needed). We will be launching four ads in two languages now…we still will do the two (other languages) later on”.

On Wednesday, the feature activity which is a rally will be held at the Stabroek Square, commencing at 16:30h with the objective of ‘Breaking the Silence on Child Sexual Abuse’.

Greene noted that she anticipates the public will turn out in their numbers to support the initiative, while adding that several local artistes, including Michelle “Big Red” King and Jomo Primo are expected to perform.

CC&PA Director Ann Greene

A much anticipated activity will however be the launch of the Child Abuse Registry, which Greene said works are still being finalised on.

The Child Abuse Registry will be helpful in providing information in relation to a person’s biography. Greene pointed out that the perpetrators of sexual abuse will be publicised and exposed to the public, who will be able to access the requisite information on the Internet.

Canal Number 2 residents fume over drainage issues

The canal which was unevenly dug, leading to flooding during the rainy season

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anal Number Two residents are fuming over the neglect of the main trench that runs along the seven-mile roadway that leads to the Demerara conservancy, which has been plagued with aquatic plants and moss.

The canal serves primarily as the main drainage network for water to leave the lands during the rainy season and high tides.

However, the channel has been clogged with silt and moss that almost reaches the meniscus of the water level. To the knowledge of the villagers, the waterway has never been excavated.

Speaking with Guyana Times during a visit to the community, residents indicated that the waterway is in need of a proper cleaning and interventions are needed to dig sections of the canal. At this moment, the upper half of the canal

is shallower than the lower half. On most occasions, it was related that the canal is cleaned alone, and the moss would regrow in a few months.

This causes an imbalance when it rains, which results in flooding to those who reside close to the conservancy. To fix this issue, the canal needs to be dug evenly and to a certain depth.

Speaking to this publication, a taxi driver, who lives in the village stated, “We get the back half which is deep than the front half so the buildup in the canal does affect the force of the water.

They don’t send to excavate it so that all the water could leave, so we always having this issue.”

“Rainy season coming soon so they better get the stuff out cause is flood again, especially how the back deeper than in front when you come in.”

During high tides and intense rainfall, Canal Number Two along with its neighbouring village, Canal Number One, have been flooding.

Back in July, livestock and produce were affected after many premises were inundated during a flooding situation. The water was unable to leave the land, which resulted in millions of dollars in losses.

Residents indicated that the waterway was cleaned at that time but they are still back to the same situation.

On numerous occasions, the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Lionel Jaikaran, was asked to look into the matter. However, residents indicated that there was no response from the REO. Efforts by this publication to contact Jaikaran proved futile.

“People were clamouring for that, and so I gave a commitment to launch the Child Abuse Registry. It is really to put online the persons who would have committed offences against children.

If anybody wants to employ anybody, you could run the Child Abuse Registry,” she had told Guyana Times during a recent interview.

Along with this, a few other events will be hosted before the week of activities wind down on Saturday, with a fun day and mini concert in the Botanical Gardens, where all are again invited to attend.

That event is expected to commence at 14:00h.

Child Protection Week is being held from September 23 to 29, under the theme ‘Supporting families to prevent child abuse through education and community involvement’.

The event comes as at a time where Guyana has seen an increase in reported cases of abuse against children. As of June 2018, Guyana has recorded a total of 481 cases of sexual abuse against children.

The eye-opening figure was related by the Director of the Agency during a previous interview.

Numerous cases of child sexual abuse have managed to ache the heart of Guyanese in recent weeks.

Several weeks after being found guilty of two counts of sexually penetrating a 10-year-old girl on May 30 and June 2, 2014, at a West Coast Demerara (WCD) village, Abdool Jamil, a 67-year-old pensioner, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail.

On August 13, 2018, he was ordered to serve two life sentences by Sexual

Offences Court Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who said the offender must serve at least 45 years before he was eligible for parole.

Back in July, in what she said was meant to send society a strong message, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry also sentenced 46-yearold Navindra Badal, called “Uncle Ravi,” to serve two consecutive life sentences for raping a nine-year-old girl on two separate occasions during 2016.

It was determined in the Sexual Offences Court that the acts were committed between July 1 and 31, 2016, and August 14 and 15, 2016, at an East Coast Demerara village.

Last week, another child rapist committed suicide before a life sentence could have been handed down on him.

18 news

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Roraima Airways, Cuba delegation explore cooperation in air transport, tourism Executive Officer of Roraima, Captain Gerry Gouveia, pointed to the critical importance of efficient logistics, including air transportation for both passengers and cargo. He drew attention to daily flights by Aruba Airlines to Guyana from Cuba which bring hundreds of Cubans to the country each week, mainly for shopping.

Gouveia said the introduction of some non-stop flights between the two destinations would not only boost passenger travel but provide for the movement of cargo, especially item such Roraima’s CEO Gerry Gouveia in talks with the Cuban delegation

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recent meeting between officials of Roraima Airways and a Cuban delegation has seen a range of issues, including direct air transport between Havana and Georgetown and collaboration in tourism being discussed and initiatives identified to move the

process forward.

The three-member Cuban delegation led by Director of International Relations of Cuba’s Chamber of Commerce, Dr Celia Labora Rodriguez, was here for the inaugural Guyana Trade and Investment Exhibition (GUYTIE).

Dr Rodriguez indicated her Chamber’s interest in further developing commercial ties with Guyana, pointing out that there are several opportunities that would be of benefit to the business communities of both nations.

Meanwhile, Chief

as pharmaceuticals which require quick transport so as to avoid spoilage.

Both Gouveia and Dr Rodriguez indicated that applications for operating permits for Aruba Airlines to introduce some non-stop flights are currently under consideration by civil aviation authorities in both Guyana and Cuba and are optimistic that approvals will soon be granted. Talks in this connection have been undertaken over the past two weeks.

The two teams also discussed initiatives for the promotion of tourism pack-

ages in both destinations.

In fact, the two are to exchange information and promotional material which will be shared with tour operators.

Furthermore, discussions were also centred on Guyana’s participation in next month’s Havana International Trade and Investment Fair (FIHAV) and the role Aruba Air could play in facilitating the movement of passengers and exhibits to Cuba.

The delegation thanked Roraima and Aruba Air for assisting in their travel to Guyana for GUYTIE 2018.

CJIA officially commissions new arrival terminal

Passengers at the baggage carrousel at the new arrival terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport

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he management of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) on Saturday officially commissioned its new arrival terminal.

Arriving passengers on Saturday were treated to local beverages as they entered through the newly opened terminal.

Public Infrastructure

Minister David Patterson is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying he is pleased with the current development of the new services. Further, the Minister stressed that with the new services available, the immigration process is expected to be diminutive.

The departure terminal of the CJIA is set to be com-

pleted in December of this year.

The new arrival terminal and boarding bridges were tested earlier this month to ensure all systems under the passenger treatment/loading conditions are acceptable to allow the identification of final opportunities for improvements ahead of yesterday’s opening.

The 4891 square metre terminal features 10 passport control booths, one elevator, one escalator, two functional boarding bridges, three baggage carousels, a spacious customs area and a public greeting hall to welcome the arrival of family and friends.

Under the previous Administration – People’s Progressive Party – Guyana had secured a US$138 million loan from the China Export-Import (Exim) Bank to fund the expansion and modernisation project, for which the Guyana Government has injected some US$12 million.

However, when the coalition Government came into power in 2015, the project was put on hold, but following discussions between the Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and the contracting company, China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC), it was announced that the project would be continued, but with a reduction in its design and capacity.

sunDAY, september 23, 2018

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2018 GCB/CGI Jaguars 50-Overs League…

Intense 5th round bowls off as tourney nears end M

onday’s Round Five of the Jaguars 50-Overs League will feature mouth-watering encounters as a number of in-form players as well as franchises are rearing to finish this season as the number one team.

At Enmore, Lower Corentyne and East Coast look to better each other, especially after East Coast’s last game was rained out on Wednesday.

Lower Corentyne have always been a top franchise, with the likes of Jason Sinclair, Junior Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson and Jonathan Foo leading the batting, despite their lack of runs in the last game, which cost them a win against Essequibo.

East Coast could likely capitalise on the loss, as their batting line-up features Windies U-19 all-rounder Bhaskar Yadram and his brother Kamesh, along with Windies A batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj, who could come to the party on Monday. Spinners Amir Khan and Gajanand

Anthony Adams

Robin Bacchus

Kevlon Anderson

Sukhanand are in good form.

So too are the Berbicians in spinners Kelvin Umrao, Foo, Kassim Khan and Veerasammy Permaul.

East Bank suffered a loss to defending Champs Georgetown in their last game, with in-form opener Trevon Griffith continuing his form with a ton, and Vishaul Singh being the only other batsman to hold his ground with the bat, as his teammates found some quality bowling hard to play.

This encounter against West Berbice at Bush Lot could see the home team pulling out the stops, given their easy 7-wicket win in the last game.

Much will revolve around Guyana Jaguars duo of pacer Keon Joseph and leftarm spinner Gudakesh Motie, fresh off a 4-for, while Guyana’s U-9 players Javid Karim and Kevin Sinclair will also have huge roles to play.

In the bowling depart-

ment, East Bank will rely heavily on national youth all-rounders Ronaldo Alimohammed and Trevor France.

The defending champs Georgetown, fresh off consecutive wins in the 3rd and 4th rounds, would want to continue their form against the likes of West Demerara, whom they battle at Everest.

Skipper Leon Johnson, with two unbeaten fifties, could convert into something big; while veteran all-round-

er Chris Barnwell is also in good form with both bat and ball. Georgetown would also want more from Robin Bacchus and Raymond Perez with the bat, while Ashmead Nedd and his U19 teammate Qumar Torrington, along with the in-form spinner Ramaal Lewis, would suffice with the ball.

West Demerara are a talented side, but their washed out game against East Coast in the round prior could see them having to push in extra work against the champs.

Spinner Richie Looknauth, former national youth skipper Travis Persaud, and Ewert Samuels will have huge roles to fill, while the likes of ex-Windies U19 wicket-keeper batsman Tevin Imlach will need to lead from the front with bat.

The fourth encounter of round five will see Upper Corentyne and Essequibo locking horns at the Port Mourant Ground in the Ancient County. The Berbice side would want Alex Algoo and Clinton Pestano to continue their batting form, as

both batsmen have fifties under their belts; while Joshua Ramsammy and spinner Eon Hooper have thus far shown their class with the bat.

Shawn Perreira, a former Guyana U19 skipper, and Andy Mohan were the only performers with the bat in the last game, but they would need to play more important roles come this round. Essequibo, former Franchise champs, are with few worries, especially given their bullish attack which features centurion Kemol Savory, Kevon Boodie, Ricardo Adams, the legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who could feature before the league ends, and a few others.

Their bowling unit, probably one of the best in the competition, are in topform, with left-arm spinner Anthony Adams, brother Akenie, Ricardo and a renewed pacer Ronsford Beaton are all capable match-winners. Round five’s matches will bowl off from 9:00h, weather permitting.

(Clifton Ross)

Wilder, Fury sign contracts Liverpool beat Southampton for December 1 bout L D

eontay Wilder and Tyson Fury’s blockbuster heavyweight title bout has been confirmed for December 1. Both fighters announced on social media that they had signed their respective portions of the contract, setting the stage for arguably the fight of the year, which will reportedly be held in Las Vegas.

WBC champion Wilder and former unified champion Fury each hold undefeated records.

Wilder is 40-0 with 39 of those victories coming by knockout, while Fury has 19 stoppages in 27 wins. Fury stunningly defeated Vladimir Klitschko to become world champion in 2015, but a failed drugs test saw him being stripped of his titles and losing his licence. He returned this year and defeated Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta.

Wilder had, for a long period, seemed primed for a unification bout with Anthony Joshua, the American holding the only belt that does not belong to Fury’s fellow Briton. However, contentious negotiations failed to reach a positive result, and Wilder has turned his attention to Fury.

The winner is almost certain to face Joshua, should he successfully defend against Alexander Povetkin on Saturday.

Joshua already

Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder

has Wembley booked for an as-yet-unconfirmed bout slated for April 13, 2019.

“I can’t wait! It is going to be an exciting fight, an explosive fight, one for the legacy.

Definitely one for my legacy,” Wilder said in a social media video. “You’ve got the WBC heavyweight champion of the world versus the lineal champion. It is going to be a pleasure.

“The two best heavyweights competing against each other, the best fighting the best - giving the people what they want.

This is what we’re doing.

“I just beat, in my opinion, one of the best heavyweights in Luis Ortiz, and now I’m going

for the next best in the heavyweight division.” Fury said on Instagram: “S*** just got serious. I just signed my end of the contract with the Wilder fight.

Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

“Deontay Wilder - you’re going to get it mate - you’re in big trouble. I’ve never met a man I couldn’t beat in the boxing ring or outside on the street or in general. “I know you’ve got a big punch, I know you’re unbeaten, I know you’ve got a big mouth and I know you wanna win. But you don’t want it like I do, you can’t beat me, I will outheart you, I will force my will upon you until you quit, and that’s a promise.”(SPORTSMAX)

iverpool, for the first time in 28 years, won a seventh straight game in all competitions from the start of a season by easing past Southampton at Anfield.

The hosts took the lead after just 10 minutes when Xherdan Shaqiri’s shot deflected off Shane Long and then Wesley Hoedt for a peculiar own goal.

Joel Matip rose above opposing centre-back Jannik Vestergaard to head in Trent AlexanderArnold’s corner and double the advantage.

Liverpool effectively made sure of victory just before the break, as Shaqiri’s superb freekick came down off the crossbar and Mohamed Salah turned the ball in from close range.

The Saints were not quite as poor as being three down at half-time suggests.

However, they largely sat back in the second half, perhaps content not to be embarrassed - though Salah did have a goal disallowed for offside late on.

Jurgen Klopp’s side go back to the top of the Premier League with their sixth straight win in the competition, and they also beat Paris St-Germain in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.

Liverpool have won eight straight league games, and 10 in all competitions from start of the 1990-91 season.

The second half of this game at times felt almost like an extra training session for both sides, given how emphatically

Liverpool’s first-half spree had ended the match as a contest. Their opener was fortuitous, but did originate from Sadio Mane’s superb pass to pick out Shaqiri on the left, before the Swiss, who was making his first Liverpool start, cut back onto his right and try to pick out the far corner. Long blocked the strike, but Hoedt could not prevent the deflection rebounding off his thigh and past the scrambling Alex McCarthy.

Mane, Salah, and Roberto Firmino -- making his full return after an eye injury -- scythed through Southampton at times but could not quite find the decisive final touch, with Salah denied by a fine Cedric Soares’ tackle after a one-two with Firmino.

But if the Reds’ poise was slightly off, the power was not - Matip thumping a header into the top of the net from the corner that followed Cedric’s intervention.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018

Boss” turns 39 Aguilleira pleased with “Universe – top cricketers send World T20 preparations Gayle birthday wishes

V

eteran Windies Women’s wicket-keeper Merissa Aguilleira has said the team’s preparation leading up to November’s maiden stand-alone ICC Women’s World T20 has been coming along nicely for the defending champs.

The Trinidadian, speaking with Cricket West Indies (CWI) Media on the eve of the 3rd and final One Day International (ODI) of the ongoing Home Series versus South Africa at Kensington Oval, Barbados, has praised Head Coach Hendy Springer the fantastic job he’s been doing.

“Well I’m pretty pleased about the (training). One thing I love about our coach (is) he’s been putting his foot down on lines about things he wants, and the board has been really helping as well. They are giving him what he wants, he has a vision, and his vision is to take

this team to a different level”, Aguilleira said.

themselves organized ahead of November’s World T20.

Apart from the various camps and training sessions, t h e

Windies ladies are n o w locked in a 3 ODI/5 T20 series against an in-form South Africa, leaving the 32-year-old to dub all their recent experiences as key areas in the growing of strength.

“Knowing we are defending

The women have been heavily engaged in training over the past few months, as they get

champs, we are preparing for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. It will be nice to display our talent and see how we are as a team in that area, because we have been trying as a team. T20 is quite a quick-pace game, so we want to demonstrate our cricket for the people of the Caribbean,” she said.

A veteran of 88 T20 Internationals, the righthander said the upcoming T20 series against the Proteas, all of which will be played in her home country of Trinidad & Tobago, at the Brian Lara Stadium, is a special occasion for her.

“Definitely it is always good playing on the home turf. Some people say it’s a pressuring situation, but I don’t think so, I’m looking forward for that, and for playing in front of the friends and family”, she ended.

(Clifton Ross)

REMAINING MATCHES

SEPTEMBER Mon 24 Fri 28 Sun 30

OCTOBER Thu 4 Sat 6

1st Twenty20 International – Kensington Oval 2nd T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad 3rd T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy

4th T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy 5th T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy

C

Chris Gayle

ricketers around the world have taken to social media to wish West Indies star Chris Gayle a happy birthday as the player turned 39 on Friday.

The big-left hander, who made his Test debut in 2000, has evolved as one of the game’s most successful batsmen, after achieving major milestones in all forms. To list a few of his accolades, Gayle remains the only player to score a century in each of international cricket’s three formats. He is the only player in world cricket to hit a triple-hundred in Tests, a double-hundred in ODIs, and a hundred in Twenty20 Internationals.

Gayle is also the record run scorer in

the T20 format, becoming the first player to score over 10,000 runs.

Just a year shy of his 40th birthday, the maverick left-hander continues to be one of the sport’s biggest characters both on and off the pitch. Gayle, who recently took part in both the Indian Premier League and Caribbean Premier League (CPL), is also expected to feature for the West Indies in the ICC World Cup in England next year.

On Friday, several players and former players, including Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Darren Sammy, took to social media platform to leave best wishes for the popular West Indian. (Sportsmax)

Mashrafe irked by BCB’s batting reinforcements B

angladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has made it clear he wasn’t consulted before the BCB flew in two batting reinforcements in Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar for the remainder of the Asia Cup. He was unsure how bringing two new players into the squad would lift an under-fire team that needs backing after losses to Afghanistan and India, where they were bowled out for 119 and 173 respectively.

“Listen, those who are coming in have also lost their places in the team,” he said.

“As I said, there has not been a discussion on this. They were dropped because they have not performed. And in these conditions, I don’t know what they have done technically to suddenly come in and take the pressure. Whether they have rectified the problems for which they were dropped in the first place, I’m not sure. So all these things will matter in such a tournament,” he said.

The loss to India now puts Bangladesh in a must-win situation as they prepare to face Afghanistan again to stay alive in the Asia Cup. Shakib Al Hasan, the vice-captain, summed up the confusion best through a cheeky remark when asked about the team combination for Sunday’s game. “Since you get the news [early], maybe you will also get the news of who is playing and who is not.”

Nazmul Hossain Shanto, the 20-year-old left-handed opener, has scores of 7 and 7 in his only two ODIs here at the Asia Cup, after being brought in as Tamim Iqbal’s replacement. He was part of the West Indies tour earlier this summer, but returned without playing a game. He made his Test debut in New Zealand in January 2017, and

has since been among the more consistent domestic performers; his temperament and poise even eliciting rich praise from his Khulna Titans coach Mahela Jayawardene.

Liton Das, meanwhile, is the regular Test wicketkeeper, who is seen as a like-for-like replacement should Mushfiqur Rahim’s workload need some easing off. At the Asia Cup so far, he hasn’t hit top form, aggregating scores of 7, 6 and 0 in his three innings. Liton was incidentally tried for the opening slot only after Anamul Haque failed to nail down a place after a successive run of seven ODIs since January, where his highest was 35.

Anamul, meanwhile, had replaced Soumya, while Kayes has been in and out of the ODI set-up over the last two years.

He hadn’t been picked since the series in South Africa last October, wherein he made 100 runs in three ODIs. This merrygo-round situation isn’t ideal, but Shakib called for calmer heads and consistency in selection to derive the desired results.

“Actually, we put so much pressure o n them [young players] in such a short time that their chances of performing well reduce even further. The people you are talking about - the four or five of us (Mushfiqur, Tamim, Shakib, Mahmudullah) -- we were never superheroes.

“You may be looking at our careers over the last twothree-four years. But the previous six or seven years, the cricket we have played, how well did we

actually play? People start doing well only after encountering many situations and learning from them. Maybe we are not able to give them the chance or create that situation.”

Mashrafe, who has been vocal about the scheduling earlier in the tournament, also didn’t stop short of speaking his mind, admitting to being confused by the signals sent out by the BCB at the sudden turn of events.

“Particularly for the Afghanistan match, if you think about it, they [Soumya and Kayes] will have to face even tougher bowlers. For sure, it won’t be easy for anyone -- not for those who are currently playing, nor for those

coming in. But in international cricket, you have to score, bat well and bowl well within that, and we have staged comebacks like these. Nothing is impossible; whoever plays has to take a little responsibility.”

While he wasn’t sure of the external factors at

play, Mashrafe insisted there had been no pressure on the batsmen from within the team.

He insisted batsmen were given a clear mandate to play freely, without worrying about run rates, given how dry surfaces have produced middling totals both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

However, he called for a strong show from the top order to ease the pressure.

“Actually, we don’t really want runs [in the early overs]; it’s not like we have to score 60 in the first 10 overs. We know that there are new balls from each end, and you need to take time,” Mashrafe explained. “In the recent past, we’ve tried to look for 30-35 or 40-45.

“If you see since the West Indies tour, the middle order has always had to set up the game. If you keep asking this from the middle order all the time, it becomes difficult.

As we have been saying for some time now, the middle order will not score all the time. Ultimately, in such matches, when two quick wickets fall, there is a lot of pressure on the middle order. We have collapsed in two successive matches.”

Amid all the confusion, Mashrafe wanted his team to only look as far back as the West Indies tour after they bounced back from losing the two Tests in five days combined to clinch the ODI series.

“I think it is still possible. I of course believe it is still possible,” he said. “We’ve done it recently.

I don’t think that there is reason to lose hope. I think we have a chance to come back. If we have a good day and can win the match [against Afghanistan], there will be a 50-50 chance in the match against Pakistan.”

(CRICINFO)

sports

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T

he in-form Fruta Conquerors took on the thirdplaced Western Tigers as the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF’s) Elite League III continued at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground last night; and expectedly, the match ended in favour of the Conquerors.

As the referee blew the whistle to signal the start of the match, both teams looked mean and hungry, and the expectation was that they had a score to settle. The Conquerors took possession of the ball, and it was not long before they secured their first goal, in the 11th minute, when number 21, Ryan Hackett, fired a scud missile into the back of the Tigers net, leaving them in shock.

The score was now 1-0, and the big cats were hunting for an equalizer.

They employed every foot-

Part of the action in the GFF Elite League III

ball tactic in their arsenal of strategies, but still came up short. The felines had 54 percent possession of the ball, but the Conquerors somehow were able to fend them off; thus at half-time the score remained 1-0 in the Conquerors’ favour.

On the defensive for

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NOT RECEIVING YOUR

akistan’s Hasan Ali and Afghanistan’s Asghar Afghan and Rashid Khan have all been fined 15percent of their match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct in separate incidents during their Super Four clash in the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

One demerit point was subsequently added to their disciplinary records. It took Afghan’s demerit-points count to two within a period of two years, having already received one in February 2017.

Hasan and Asghar were found to have violated Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”; while Rashid breached Article 2.1.7, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon

Hasan Ali celebrates with Shoaib Malik after Pakistan’s win

his/her dismissal during an international match.”

Hasan was penalised for threatening to throw the ball towards Hashmatullah Shahidi, after the batsman had driven it back to the bowler, in the 33rd over of Afghanistan’s innings. Afghan was pulled up for brushing shoulders with Hasan, the bowler, while completing a single four overs later.

The incident involving Rashid came in the 47th over of Pakistan’s tense 258 chase, when the leg-spinner gave Asif Ali a send-off, holding his index finger up and staring into the eyes of the batsman.

After the game, all the three players admitted to the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft. (ESPNcricinfo)

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lead Celtics to NBA title

K

yrie Irving is healthy, motivated and ready to lead the Boston Celtics to their first NBA championship since 2008.

The five-time All-Star’s season was ended in March after two procedures on his problematic left knee, and he missed the Celtics’ run to the Eastern Conference finals. Irving has been pushing himself hard during the offseason, and believes he can take his game to a higher level in his second term with Boston.

“I’m moving completely differently,” Irving told ESPN. “I’ve worked on my strength, and have a heightened

awareness of what my body needs on a day-to-day basis. I spent all summer trying to get my left leg to catch up with my right, and it’s there.

“Now when I go to the rim I’m able to maintain my strength and athleticism, so when I get under there I have all sorts of options; no limitations. I can pick my spots.

It’s a lot better.”

In addition to the return of Irving, star forward Gordon Hayward is back, and healthy after his horrific ankle injury suffered in last year’s season opener.

The fact the Celtics made it to Game 7 of the Eastern

Conference Finals without their two stars has the team’s hopes high for an even better finish to the upcoming season.

“Can we beat Golden State in a seven-game series?

Yes!” Irving said. “Because of who we have and what we’re establishing here, not just for this season, but hopefully for the next few years; something that’s pretty special.

“I’ve played against Golden State in three straight Finals [2015-17], two that I was able to participate in. I’ve seen them up close. I’ve played them so many times … I know what it takes.” (SPORTSMAX)

22

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018

Bingo Spartans, St Joseph dominate overseas competition H

istory was made in the hockey world over the past weekend when two Guyanese Under-16 teams attended their first ever international tournament and produced the performances of their lifetime to return home with gold medals.

Paragon Hockey Club’s 4th Youth Indoor Tournament was staged in Trinidad and Tobago. It proved a difficult challenge for the Guyanese players, who not only had to overcome several other teams, but had to attain this feat on their opponent’s home turf. The team’s successes can be attributed to the successful junior hockey program and competitions staged over the past two years by the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB).

On the male side, Guyana was represented well by the St Joseph

Boys and North Ruimveldt Multilateral (NRMS).

Bothe teams surged through their pool matches; however, the St Joseph team met a hurdle when they were pitted against the Diego Secondary. It was a rather close encounter, with the Guyanese team losing 1-2. Despite this, their luck struck when Diego lost a group match to Futuristiks, affording St. Joseph a spot in the semifinal. St, Josephs would defeat the NRMS, also of Guyana, in their semi-final to set up a repeat match against Diego, who edged past Futuristiks in the other semi-final.

The St Joseph boys were up for the challenge in the entertaining final, as they managed to reverse their fortunes against Diego with a 4-2 victory to lift the trophy. Tournament leading scorer Warren Williams,

Girls U16 MVP Madison Fernandes on the attack

was on fire for St Joseph as he chalked up a pair of goals in the final, with Nandalall Persaud and Louis Adams scoring one each.

Given the final result and their excellent play throughout, St Joseph se-

cured several individual awards at the final presentation, with Warren Williams receiving the Most Goals Award for Under 16, Paul DeAndrade receiving the Best Goalkeeper Award for under-21, and both Paul DeAndrade and Nandalall Persaud being named to the All Star selection.

The North Ruimveldt Multilateral appeared to be the youngest team in the competition, but managed to finish in a creditable

fourth position.

On the female side of things, the GCC Bingo Spartans were even more dominant in the Girls Under-16 competition after they blazed through their pool stage, settling for a draw in just one encounter with a combined school team which was fittingly named ‘Combined’.

With COMBINED defeating the Magnolias in their semi-final, they would have a third crack

at the Spartans in the Girls Under-16 final. The COMBINED goalkeeper put on a fantastic performance in the final, and made the Spartans sweat to earn their opener minutes into the second half through a penalty corner shot from tournament top scorer Sarah Klautky.

While COMBINED had their chances, the Spartans earned several penalty corners in the second half, which were well defended

by COMBINED to keep the score at 1-0. The final buzzer would leave the Spartans celebrating their undefeated run to the title.

At the presentations, the Spartans carted off four individual awards, with Madison Fernandes securing the Most Valuable Player, Sarah Klautky receiving the Most Goals award, Jessica Mittelholzer the Best Goalkeeper, having conceded no goals; and Makeda Harding being named to the All-Star Team for defenders.

Seven Dust, Lucky Star, Orion ready for action

O

Part of the action in the annual Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility Horse Meet

ne of the biggest horse race meets ever to be staged in Guyana will be held today at The Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility at Alness Village on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice.

The races will be run in six categories, which are mentioned below. The H Class and Lower race would be the feature event of the meet. Carrying a top prize of $300,000, one can safely say this race is going to be a real thriller that will be long remembered.

Fans will be awaiting the most anticipated clash of the day, as the in-form Seven Dust, hailing from the Habibullah Stables, is expected to prove a point to defending champion Lucky Star, hailing from the Pooran Stables, and veteran jockey May May will be on board

Lucky Star.

With both horses having titles to their names, the track is set to be on fire when the two equestrian heavyweights go head-to-head.

Races will be run in these other categories: the L2 & Lower, which fetches a first prize of $70,000; L1 & Lower, with a prize of $100,000 for the winner; the J & Lower, the victor of which would cart off $160,000; the L3 race, with a first prize of 50,000; and the Two-Year Maiden, which has a first place prize of $100,000.

Participating in the programme would be horses that also are expected to cause upsets, such as Orion, coming out of the Crawford Stables, and Not This Time, hailing from Sophia, which recently won the race for three-yearold Guyana-bred horses in the Guyana Cup 2018.

Other entrants billed to compete include Chammaley, Party Time, Kentucky Woman, Mary-Ann, Gypsie Princess, Slim Shady and Baba Rosa. Among these might be many proverbial dark horses that can cause colossal upsets.

With more than 40 entries already confirmed for the card, the day promises to be an exciting one.

For further details, interested persons are kindly asked to contact President of the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club & Sports Facility on 678-5342, or the club’s organising secretary, Compton Sancho, on 691-1175.

The sponsors on board for this event include Kanhai’s Electrical on Regent Street, Curtains and Drapery Designs, Stag Beer, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Candy Corner, and Attorney-at-Law Poonai.

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, september 23, 2018

Indigenous Heritage Games – Going beyond the sport

23

…final games to be held today

F

or the countless year, the Indigenous Heritage Games got off to a stylish start on Friday, seeing participation from 600 athletes. The annual event, which has par-

urging patrons to join their Indigenous counterparts in the final day of festivities, which would see the final round of all events.

“The turnout has been excellent so far since the

competition. They defeated both St Cuthbert’s and Saints Rush to secure their spot in the semifinal against Waramadong, who trounced Canima to earn their spot.

Like their male coun-

A female cricketer launches a big shot

ticipation from Indigenous communities around Guyana’s 10 regions, kicked started the second day of activities on Saturday in various sport disciplines, namely cricket, volleyball, football, swimming and archery.

As expected, the Everest Cricket Club ground was a hive of activities; however, this went beyond the boundary lines and perimeters of the sports to encompass Indigenous tradition and culture.

Among the spectators, Guyana Times Sport caught up with Communications Officer at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Oleta Grant, who noted that this year’s event has lived up to its theme.

“If you look around the stands, it’s a colourful atmosphere, the music and the unity we’re trying to promote. This comes in tandem with our theme for this year, which is ‘Proud of our Indigenous Identity, celebrating in Unity’,” So proud were the attendees that many of them could be seen sporting mini headdresses and jewelry which are on sale at the event.

Grant also touched on the diversity of the spectators and the various activities that the Heritage Games have to offer. She is

Indigenous Games started.

And of course we look forward to persons coming out and supporting us,” she declared.

The competition became more intense on Saturday, as teams would have already completed the preliminary rounds, and were now battling for a chance in Sunday’s finals.

One sport that didn’t have to wait was swimming, which was held at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal. This year’s competition in the pool saw Region One, Barima Waini, emerging victorious with 272 points.

terparts, defending female champions Pariuma village are having a great outing.

The Pariuma women secured their semifinal spot by demolishing Region Six United. Since Region Eight United got the better of Canima, they will meet with the defending champs in their semi.

and food gathering. During the Heritage Games, those instruments were used to test the accuracy and skill of those who felt they have what it takes.

It was highlighted to Guyana Times Sport by Archery Guyana Executive Nicholas Hing that the sport’s participation at the games has seen a drop from last year’s attendance. Hing attributed this occurrence to the fact that many archers are multitasking sportswise.

“A lot of the athletes are playing another sport.

They’ve signed up, but they’re either playing volleyball or cricket,” he said.

Nevertheless, the younger talents did not fail to reveal themselves when they got to the firing line. When asked about anyone who might have shown potential, Hing replied in the affirmative. “Yes, some of these young chaps seem to be very good. If you notice, at Number two there are some arrows close to the middle, same thing with number one,” he stated as he pointed out some of the participants.

He also noted that this is

roof.

The male cricket match, deemed the slugfest of the century, began with each team playing eight overs per side. The first match got underway with Santa Mission battling St Cuthbert’s Mission. Sent in to bat first, Santa Mission racked up a whopping 87-4 in their al-

A few youngsters opted for an up-close view of the activities

lotted 8 overs. Replying, St Cuthbert’s Mission demolished the total in 7.3 overs, scoring 88 with the fall of two wickets.

Following the excitement of that first match,

Football

Although no football action was played during the day, as the sun withdrew and the venue lights were turned up, both male and female teams took to the field to showcase their football skill.

In the male segment, Port Kaituma are strongly gunning for another title, having made their way into the quarter final, where the will take on Region Two United. Also slated to compete in that round is Paiwomak and Region Six United.

However, in the other group, Tabatinga are a threatening side, having blazed through their

A female player dives to save a point during a volleyball game

Having mauled St Cuthbert’s 16-0, Kamarang have advanced to the other semifinal. There they will meet with Gladiators FC, who surpassed Moruca for their spot. The male and female finals will both be played this evening.

Archery

In many Indigenous villages, archery is either a fun pastime or a skilled profession, as the arrow and bow are often used for hunting

a good sign, given that the sport may prove to be difficult. “But the archery here is traditional type, which can be difficult for anyone to shoot. It’s a learned process,” Hing explained.

Speaking optimistically about what can be done to improve archery after the games are done and dusted, Hing said they would be looking to further develop players. In one instance, a toshao has already contacted him about developing the sport within his village.

“We want to get everybody involved, but it’s only a matter of time. We’ll see from the scores who are good and who we can identify to develop more, of course depending on the region and stuff like that,” Hing stated.

Cricket

When they were not a part of the crowd, attendees took the time to check out the booths on display

The tension was high, the players were poised, and action was expected. One could see the hunger in their eyes as many members of both male and female teams from across the ten administrative regions of Guyana competed for glory even as they all gathered under one

cricket had matches that fixated the crowd, with the women virtually outplaying the men in spirit and heart in 8-overs-per-side matches. Such was the intensity and passion of play among the women that one could feel every dive and every six coming sweetly off the blade of the bat.

Moraikobai were sent in to bat in their match against Campbelltown, and made 101-5 from their 8 overs.

Defending such a small score looked virtually impossible, but towards the end of the match, Campbelltown, needing 17 to win off the last over, could scrape only 16, resulting in the first super over of the Heritage Games being played.

With players from both sides looking nervous, Campbelltown were sent in to bat, and mustered 10-1 in their six balls, while Moraikobai could manage only 8-1 from their allotted 6 balls.

Jubilant Campbelltown fans flooded the field in celebration, assured their team had now moved up in the points’ tally.

Other matches that followed saw Port Kaituma (88-5 from 9 overs) defeat Orealla (85-8 in 10 overs) by 5 wickets; and Region 2 United (70-5 in their 8 overs) defeating Sandhills (63-3 in 8 overs). The progression to the semifinals and finals will continue today.

The female round of the

The first match saw Orealla (69-3) losing to Kartabo (75-2). All other matches played were scintillating, all leading up to the two semifinal matches, with Swan clashing with St Cuthbert’s in semifinal 1 and Karatabo battling Region 2 United for a spot in the finals. In semifinal 1, St Cuthbert’s made 86-5 from their allotted overs, while Swan were bowled out for 62, placing the defending champs St Cuthbert’s into another final.

Region 2 United looked threatening as they started off their opening innings, but a few late wickets from Karatabo pegged them bag to a modest 76-2. In reply, Karatabo made 77-2 in 6.3 overs, their innings dealing mostly in boundaries.

The final between St Cuthbert’s and Karatabo is scheduled for today.

Volleyball

With the action heating up at every event, in the Volleyball it definitely did not disappoint, as seven teams competed for a spot in the semifinals, namely Moraikobai, Moruca, Pakuri, Kanaimas, Orealla, Siparuta and Swan.

In the first match, Moraikobi went down to Moruca 30-22, trying in vain but failing miserably to gain the necessary point to secure a win. Orealla then proceeded to trounce Siparuta; Pakuri defeated Kanaimas 30-25, and Orella defeated Swan 30-12.

In semifinal 1, to be played today, Orealla will battle Pakuri; and in semifinal 2, Moruca will clash with Siparuta. The semi-finals and finals are scheduled to continue today.

The male preliminary rounds will continue today as well.

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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Indigenous Heritage Games – Going beyond the sport Pg 23

…final games to be held today

An archery participant takes aim on the firing line On both days, the stands at Everest were packed to capacity and no less is expected today

Bingo Spartans, St Joseph dominate overseas competition Pg 22

Male U16 Most Goals Warren Williams

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

September 23, 2018

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Elders’ Experiences

By Lakhram Bhagirat

I

f you have ever met David Dewar and had a conversation with him or even heard him perform, I am sure you could never forget him. He has a presence that is larger than life, a voice that emanates from his core and the uncanny ability to make you forget your issues.

Dewar is not your average 70-year-old; he is full of life and enjoys the simplest things in life. He is one of the most versatile persons in Guyana and could easily switch between engineering and music. It may not seem as much of a feat for everyone but to understand the intricacies of a musical instrument or use your voice to take people to a faraway land is, in my book, is one of the greatest accomplishments.

Recently I sat down with Dewar as he was teaching music to a Queen’s College student and his passion for the art was one that filled the room. He could continue a conversation with me while he taught her about the intricacies of reading musical notes. I am a fan of music across genres but as much as I have tried, I cannot read music. And just sitting with Dewar and his student I was able to identify some notes after our conversation.

He explains that music has always been a part of his life and he considers it running through his veins.

Dewar is the elder of Lucille and Hilton Dewar’s two children. His mother was a music teacher and always attempted to get him to learn how to play the piano.

“I grew up hearing notes and I was a very bad student and I gave her a very rough time or I would have been fluent. A fluent pianist like my wife,” he tells me.

Dewar attended St Sidwell’s Anglican School

working life. He is now the Vice Chairman of the GWI Board of Directors and enjoys serving there.

His achievements, academically, are a lot in the fields of business and engineering but his passion is music. He is forever trying to keep up with the evolution of music but still believes in a firm background in classical music.

“The music never left. It was always there and I always was doing something in the field even when I was deep in studying engineering. I joined the Woodside Choir when I was about 20 years old and now I am 70, so I have been with them for 50 years and it was there that I discovered my instrument. My voice. I was taken under the wings of famous composer/conductor (Billy) Pilgrim.”

Now, Dewar is the Chairman of the Woodside Choir and can still belt his classical tunes. He developed his voice continuously and was an outstanding student while he completed the Grade Eight level singing examination of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).

Moving back to his family life, Dewar got married to music teacher, Marilyn, some 45 years ago and their marriage bore three children. He said that their family is quite a musical one, with all their children know-

teacher and the Secretary of the Guyana Music Teachers Association and my mother was a member. It was a very big thing. My mother-in-law is still alive and she is 94 years old and may very well be the oldest member of the Association and now Mrs Dewar is the Secretary having followed in her mother’s footsteps,” he tells me.

Now that he is retired, Dewar spends his time teaching at the music school founded by his wife and also teaches theoretical music at the Success Elementary School. He is also quite active in advising the engineers at the GWI. He said now music has moved from just a hobby to his purpose in life since he has started living on “borrowed time.”

“I feel and Mrs Dewar feels the same way that we are living on borrowed time because the Bible says that your allotted life is 70 years.

So we feel that we should help out and we are doing that by teaching music until our borrowed time comes to an end and we are perfectly happy doing that,” Dewar shared.

When I asked him what are his thoughts on how we can develop the local music industry, he said that first our musicians should be trained. He said that classical training is important because they would be better able to read and understand music. He also said

David Dewar and one of his student

and he later went to the Wedgewood Private School.

He received his secondary education at Central High School. He then went on to the Government Technical Institute where he studied electrical engineering. He would complete his engineering degree at the University of Guyana and later gained employment at the then Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commission (now Guyana Water Inc (GWI)) where he remained all his

ing an instrument or two.

“Music was always there.

Mrs Dewar (his wife) always taught music throughout the year and there was piano in the house and that is how we got a daughter in law. My youngest boy would put a stool for his wife and so when they were younger and we observed.”

“Even when Mrs Dewar and I got married it was a big thing because she was from a musical family and I was from a musical family. Her mother was a music

that music should become a bigger focus here with it being more widely taught.

“We want more people studying music and more people funding it. We have been doing ABRSM examinations in Guyana for over 100 years and yet we only have like 100 students writing those exams every year.

Over in Trinidad, it is far more and we have to strive to have a more musically inclined population. Music is continuous and always there.”

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Elders’ Experiences

Kathoon DeNobrega relaxes in her home now

By Lakhram Bhagirat

S

he stands just above five feet tall, yet her personality towers over my five foot eight-inch frame. At 81 years old, she is by all means the embodiment of the cliché – small but powerful -- and I was taken aback by the wisdom she had to share. I felt an instant connection when I saw Kathoon DeNobrega as I saw her peeking out of the door while I made my way up the stairs.

“Good morning and what will you be asking me today,” she greeted me in a soft but steady voice.

Before I could respond, her little soft hands took mine into hers, flashed me the broadest smile one can think of and led me to her plush couch where we had our formal introduction and begun our conversation. Kathoon tells me that she was born and raised in Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara and now she resides in Wales with her daughter.

At her age, she has very little complications but advised me that she would be speaking softer than usual due of a cyst growing in her nose, which is inopera-

A younger Kathoon

ble due to her constant high blood pressure. Apart from that “small” complication, she has very little medical issues and still enjoys trav-

elling.

Going back to the early days, Kathoon explains that she is the youngest of four children and remembers her childhood as one that was mixed with hard work and fun. She never knew her father but her mother, Jumratan, worked tirelessly as a “weeder” attached to the Wales Estate.

Khatoon gained her education at the Wales Government School but was forced to drop out when she was in Standard Five.

“It was my mother alone working and I was very bright in school but when I was in Fifth Standard my mother told me that I would have to leave school. The headmaster spoke to her and asked her why she was taking me out of school and she told him that she could not afford to send me to

school and buy the textbooks too,” she said.

She dropped out of school and remained at home taking care of the household.

She would cook for the family while her brothers worked at the Wales Factory. When she turned 22, Kathoon gained employment with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) as a Switchboard Operator.

“I was so excited when I got the job because I was happy to go out and work. I always wanted to work and to have that dream come through was the best. I started working and it was so fulfilling. As a Switchboard Operator I was responsible for making sure that all the calls that came through went to the person it was designated to.”

She explained that she enjoyed every moment working as a Switchboard Operator as they had a “powerful team.” The team consisted of four members who worked round the clock to ensure that every call was answered and directed where it should be. The team worked shifts from 06:00h to 14:00h; 14:00h to 22:00h; and 22:00h to 06:00h.

“I enjoyed working with GuySuCo. I trained in switchboard and we would work in the office two days every week doing envelope cash. We used to monitor and transfer the calls to the managers and so on. We get the calls from all over the country and they would talk to us first.”

Kathoon spent 22 years

as a Switchboard Operator and rose through the ranks at GuySuCo. She retired at the age of 60 and remembers that she was never ready to retire. Until now she has that kick in her step and feels that she could conquer the world.

She explains that the idea of earning a little and making the most of it was instilled at an early age since she had very little growing up. She tells me that when she started working at GuySuCo, her salary was $15 per week and gradually increased over the years.

Prior to her retirement, Kathoon said the entire Switchboard System was upgraded and they had to get accustomed to the new system. The new system grew on her and she was so excited to continue working with the new system but be-

cause of the limitations, she had to retire.

Moving over to her family life, Kathoon said that unlike many girls, marriage was not something she was dreaming of. Rather she did not get married until she was 35 years old and her marriage had to be arranged.

“I was focused on my career and wasn’t like them other girls and my husband, Hubert DeNobrega, was a mechanic and he lived in South Ruimveldt. I didn’t know him but one of my friends lived next to him and she brought the match.

So I had a match wedding when I was 35 years,” she tells me.

When she got married to Hubert, Kathoon moved from Sisters Village to

Kathoon and her two children Angelina and Hubert Jr.

Kathoon (centre) is flanked by her husband Hubert and a mutual friend

Kathoon and her husband Hubert on their Wedding Day

continued on page 4

4

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Elders’ Experiences

from page 3

By Lakhram Bhagirat

A

t 72, Charles Gilkes now he spends his days reminiscing on the golden days of his youth and keeping up with the current affairs of the country. He explains that he is particularly interested in the developmental boom that is on Guyana’s horizon.

"We have so much oil and is a good thing I can listen to the news. I am very happy about how the country will develop from all the oil money. I am following it very closely and it will be nice when we start getting that money," the Archer's Home resident said.

Gilkes is the third, of four, children to Ruby and Hubert Gilkes of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara. He remembers his mother working as a cook for the workers at the Uitvlugt Estate while his father worked at the Atkinson Air Force Base-now the Cheddie Jagan International Airport.

He said that his childhood was quite a memorable one and to this day some of his experiences are etched in his memory. He remembers the long afternoons of swimming in the trench and the games of cricket with the boys. He also remembers the hard work and helping around the home.

Education also played an integral role in Gilkes' life but due to circumstances, he could not further his education. He always had a knack for engineering and remembers making and breaking things while a young student at the Uitvlugt Government School. When he finished school,

at the age of 16 he then joined the workforce at the Versailles Estate.

"I was a Fill and Press Chute Operator," he said. I probed deeper to understand the role he played in the operations of the estate.

"Well you know when they grind the cane and all the muck settle at the bottom, well part of my job was to make sure that the much did not become part sugar making process."

After the estate closed its operations, Gilkes went into the interior to work as a miner. He said at that time he was a diver and had some issues adjusting as a miner at first.

"After a little time, I get accustomed to diving for gold and so. Looking back now it is something that I enjoyed doing and I would do it again if I was younger," Gilkes noted.

Moving over to the personal side of his life, with a smile on his face, Gilkes said that he is the father of five beautiful children.

He got married in the early 1970s to Norma Gilkes and their union bore two girls.

“Norma was a beautiful woman and very nice. We lived together for a long time and but then we grew apart. I don’t know how but sometimes people just grow apart and that is what happened to us. Around 1991 we separated but we remained cordial because of our children.”

Over the years he would father three additional children but never remarried. He notes that one marriage is more than enough for him.

In 1992, in search of better employment Gilkes moved to the island of Barbados where he stayed for 16 years. During that time he worked several jobs and speaks of the level of indifference he experienced during his time on the island.

He worked for a construction company and did some amount of landscaping as well.

Like every Guyanese in a foreign country Gilkes “hustled hard” and saved most of the money he earned. He would work three to four jobs at once to support his children back home as well as live a comfortable life.

“Sometimes I would be working three work at the same time. I was a construction worker and did everything in the trade. I also used to do landscaping and paint in my spare time too. It was more hard because the people there always used to feel that Guyanese come to take away all them work and money… it was hard to get work sometime but not all the people was bad. I made some very good friends too.”

When he moved back to Guyana, Gilkes spent some time adjusting and getting back into a routine. For the past 7 years, he has been a resident at the Archer's Home.

“Now is all about living a comfortable life. The days of hard work are over and I now relax. Life is about making yourself happy and I am doing that.”

Kathoon and her friends going for a ride

Rahaman’s Park, Houston, Greater Georgetown. Every day she would travel from Houston to Wales to work as a Switchboard Operator.

Their marriage bore two children, Angelina and Hubert Jr and in 1992, Hubert Snr passed away.

Kathoon packed up her family and moved back to her home village and focused on ensuring that her children were well taken care of. She tells me that she never thought about remar-

that still working there tell me that they have old people that does go by the office and sit down and cry for the estate. I understand why they would cry for the estate because we all built so much from there.”

The tears started to flow and I was taken aback by the level of emotions and hurt she still feels. I tried to concole her as I ended my conversation with her. I then asked her to see some photographs from

Kathoon on the job as a Switchboard Operator at the Wales Estate

rying and dove deeper in her career.

As I prepared to end our conversation, Kathoon began talking about how she felt after she learned about the closure of the Wales Estate. Her eyes welled up as she began talking about how she was able to build her entire life from the money she earned working at the Wales Estate.

“That money I earned from working at Wales helped me to buy this house and land. I repaired this house, I painted the house, I put on light and water and everything I did was through the estate,” she told me amid tears.

She said the day she heard of the estate closure, she sat down in her couch and the tears just kept flowing.

“I felt so bad that I started to just cry. I cried for everybody that was working there because they would have achieved so much working there. The guard

her younger days and was amazed by how quickly her frown turned upside down.

She brought over 200 photographs to show me. Some as old as 80 years and in pristine condition.

Her daughter, Angelina, tells me that her mother cherishes those photos and does not allow anyone to touch them. Kathoon excitedly started to go through the photos with me, identifying her late husband, her parents and her children.

These days her life consists of travelling and reminiscing. Her best friend is the comb as she likes her hair neatly combed at all times. I asked her for one piece of advice before I left and she told me “live the life that you want and not the life that is expected of you. Do great things and do them honestly and you will achieve true happiness.”

I left with a smile on my face and a promise to visit her again.

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Elders’ Experiences

By Lakhram Bhagirat

N

obility is the fundamental principle of the teaching profession and teachers are epitomes of nobleness. They are the ones who take in a stranger’s child and instill knowledge beyond bounds and encourages that child to aim for beyond the skies.

Teachers are the ones who teach us to define ourselves and make our mark and that is exactly what Kamal Persaud has been doing for over 36 years.

It is surprising that she can make such a commitment to caring for a stranger’s child as she would her own. During her lifetime Miss Kamal has nurtured thousands of minds, solved millions of conflicts as well as assist in potty training hundreds of children. But, how can she do that when she is the mother of only one child?

Miss Kamal is an extraordinary teacher who has been a mother to all her students. She is well respected by her peers and well loved by her students.

Miss Kamal formally ended her teaching career on April 1, 2017, when she retired as Head of the Vreed en Hoop Secondary School, West Coast Demerara. She has given 36 years of her life to helping the children of Guyana realize their true potentials. Many of her students as co-workers just knew the stern but fair woman. They just knew that she was professional and expected the same conduct from them, for some this will be the first time they are going to get personal with her.

They are going to know the story that made this strong,

Miss Kamal with her sister

independent woman who she really is.

She was born and brought up in a small village called Blankenburg on the West Coast of Demerara.

Growing up was an experience for her as she remembers that academics played an integral role in her life.

She was destined to succeed and was always someone who aimed for beyond what was expected of her. She attended the Blankenburg Primary School and when she sat the Common Entrance Examination Miss Kamal was awarded a place

at Stewartville Secondary.

In Secondary School, she was laser-focused on being the best version of herself and her teachers consistently pushed her to do exactly like that. In 1979, Miss Kamal wrote the General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination but was undecided as to what career she wanted to pursue.

“Back in that time, we had very little choices. It was either you become a nurse or a teacher but not a lot of people wanted to do that because you had to do some time with the National

Service. It was only for three weeks but then it would end up as six weeks or even three months sometime.

It was very rough so I was home for a little time before I decided to go out and pursue a career,” she explained.

Miss Kamal joined the teaching staff at the Leonora Nursery School as an acting teacher in 1981 and later moved to the Meten Meer Zorg Primary in 1987. After she moved over to Primary, Miss Kamal then took the Teacher’s Examination and gained entry into the Cyril Potter College of Education in 1990.

She graduated CPCE in 1992 and was placed at the Uitvlugt Secondary School where she stayed for two decades. During her time at Utivlugt Secondary, Miss Kamal graduated from the University of Guyana with a Degree in Reading-a rarely specialized field. She taught English and was one of the most and still remains one of the most respected teachers at the school.

In 1999, she became Head of the English Department and eventually rose through the ranks. Miss Kamal is a teacher that not only saw her students as mere students rather she threw her all in the classroom and dedicated her time to help them become well rounded human beings.

“Once you are a teacher, you always remain a teacher. I believe that a teacher should be there for their student as a parent is and that is all I wanted to be for my children. I believe that children develop the best when they have given the help they need,” Miss Kamal said.

In 2012, Miss Kamal was

transferred to the Vreed en Hoop Secondary School where she was eventually promoted to the position of Head Teacher in 2014. She remained in that position until she retired in 2017.

The 56-year-old said that her personal life is not much to talk about since she now spends time with her daughter, who is also a teacher, and her grandchild. She explains that while she enjoys travelling, her personal life is always entwined with her professional life since she is yet to find the switch to turn being a teacher off.

“Teaching made more uplifted, morally and spiritually. It is one profession it makes you. You have to

work in and out and it keeps you abreast with whatever is going on. You have to know what is going on. Even though people may try to smart you, you know what is what and it has helped me to build my life because being a teacher is a noble profession.”

Now she teaches Literacy at the CPCE and continues to adjust to not getting up early in the morning and head to school. She is adjusting to not seeing hundreds of students every day and chatting with them. She misses her classrooms filled with children who are eager to learn and those who are not so eager.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

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SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Literary Corner

Preserving our literary heritage

by

Petamber Persaud

T

he book ‘Jungle Cowboy’ first published in 1972 was in 1999 reissued as ‘All the Cowboys were Indians’, a title that sits well with the current celebration of Amerindian Heritage Month in Guyana, an annual event held during the month of September initiated

by President Cheddi Jagan in the late 1990s, setting aside a whole month to honour the contributions of our indigenous people. Apart from the adventures of Brock, ‘All the Cowboys were Indians’ celebrates the indomitable spirit, skill and knowledge of the ‘Indians’ – in this instance, mainly the Wai-Wai and Macushi nations, to survive in the wilds by living in accord with nature.

‘Jungle Cowboy’ was set in Guyana, South America. To be precise, it was set mainly on the Dadanawa Ranch in the Rupununi during the early 1950s and late 1960s.

Stanley E. Brock, the author of ‘Jungle Cowboy’ and two other books – ‘Leemo’ and ‘More about Leemo’ - set on the above ranch passed away in Rockford, Tennessee, on August 29, 2018 at the age of 82. He died at the RAM Headquarters - his signature legacy to Guyana, America and the world. The idea for RAM - Remote Area Medical - came to him while on the ranch suffering from a nasty injury with the nearest healthcare weeks away.

Brock was born in 1936 in Preston, Lancashire, England. His school days

and thrust of the narrative was rounding up cattle from the expansive savannahs of the Rupununi, corralling and sorting the animals and driving and swimming them to market in Georgetown by way of crossing the Berbice River by ferry and final trip by train from Rosignol to the abattoir in the city, a gruelling venture taking its toll on man, animal and the environment.

A sort of secondary thread in the narrative was according to the book’s blurb ‘Brock’s observations on South American’s wildlife, and collection of study material for the Royal Ontario Museum and the United States National Museum have been significant contribution to natural history knowledge’, resulting in at least one species of bats named in his honour, ‘Vampyressa Brocki’.

were not enjoyable, confessing he was ‘a prisoner of the establishment …herded like a convict carrying armfuls of Chaucer, Homer, Henry VIII and the Holy Bible…’

Ironically, the location of the school was his saving grace, ‘set in the beautiful countryside of southern England’ where he developed a love for

nature – ‘for gurgling streams, leaping salmon, birds, butterflies, bats, squirrels, the elusive stoat and the artful fox’.

That love for nature was fired by tales of ‘boundless animal wonders’ in Guyana told to him by his father who had worked there on the installation of a new communications system.

Brock came to Guyana in August 1953, according to the book, at the age of 17, ‘stepping out alone into the world for the first time, with nothing’ but ten pounds in his pocket and ‘a thirst for adventure’.

And adventure was his name. Brock in the first chapter of the book, labelled, ‘I suddenly met a new way of life’, said while walking the streets of Georgetown, he chanced upon the head office of the Dadanawa Ranch: Rupununi Development, Co., Ltd. where he was hired on the spot to work some ‘350 miles’ away.

An intense narrative follows filled excitement and entertainment. More than that it was a narrative filled with many touching love stories, love stories with animals, wild animals. More than that it was filled with busted myths and living recipes on survival in the wilds – recipes like making farine, curare, roping longhorns, healing wounds without medicine etc. But the main thread

Notice to Readers

Adventure was his middle name and that’s how the book ended with a chapter titled ‘New Horizons’ wherein Brock was offered to do television on a popular show in the United States ‘Wild Kingdom’.

The closing paragraph is worth quoting: ‘Nothing much had changed since August of 1953. On that day a schoolboy had come. Now it was time for a cowboy to leave the Dadanawa’.

WHAT’S HAPPENING: New Arrivals: Monsoon on the Fingers of God (poetry) by Sasenarine Persaud; Red Hibiscus (novel) by Scott Ting-A-Kee; Aftermath of Empire: The Novels of Roy A. K. Heath (literary criticism)

by Ameena Gafoor.

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

A Tribute To The Elderly I thought upon the elderly And whispered a prayer, Giving thanks to God For their sojourn here.

Such kind and gentle souls From generations ago, What they are to us, They will never know.

A sure and beaten path.

A guide along the way.

The dedicated laborer Who's now old and gray.

Patriarchs and matriarchs, And early pioneers.

The bridge that has brought us As we've journeyed here.

Soldiers of great sacrifice, Treasured more than art.

We honor, love and cherish them Deep within our heart.

By Walterrean Salley

If you have a poem and/or short story you would like to publish on our Literary Corner page, please email to timessundaymag@gmail.com. Kindly include your correct name and a contact number in your email. If you have any questions, please call 223-7230 or 223-7231.

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SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Humble living on a grand landscape. These two youngsters enjoying a donkey ride in Annai. (Photo: Rocky Vanlong)

A beautiful dragon fly at the water edge of Rewa Eco Lodge. (Photo: The Jungle Blog)

Children enjoying an after school game of cricket in Sawariwa Village, South Central. (Photo: Polo Junior)

T

Feature

he Rupununi is one of the most picturesque places in Guyana. it is filled with lush grasslands, exotic animals, beautiful mountains and wonderful people. The Rupununi is mostly inhabited by the Indigenous tribes and way of life remains almost the same. The name Rupununi originates from the word rapon in Makushi which is a black-bellied whistling duck found along the river.

The Rupununi River is one of the main tributaries of the Essequibo River and is located in southern Guyana.

The river originates in the Kanuku Mountains, which are located in the Upper Takutu-Essequibo region. The Rupununi River flows near the Guyana-Brazil border, and eventually leads into the Essequibo River.

Here are some of the everyday sights that people living in the Rupununi experiences. The images were taken from The Rupununi Experience Facebook Page.

The Kanuku Mountains watches over pristine grassland (Photo: Darrel Carpenay)

A sunny day at Surama, Surama Eco-Lodge. (Photo: Vitor Colin Edwards)

8

Sunday Times Magazine

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

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SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

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10 Sunday Times Magazine

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Fashion

Local designer extraordinaire, Marcie De Santos recently launched her latest hand painted collection. The pieces are stunning and available in store at The Fashion Atelier located at 159 Waterloo Street, Georgetown. Here are a few pieces from the collection.

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

Give your party a creative and one-of-a-kind touch with these easy-to-create DIY decor ideas for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups finely crushed gingersnaps/ digestive cookies • 1 tbsp sugar • ¼ cup melted butter • Filling: • 2 – 8oz packages cream cheese (room temperature) • ¾ cup granulated sugar • 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the crust by mixing gingersnap crumbs, sugar and melted butter.

Stir to combine then place in a 9 inch spring form pan. Press down the crust by using the bottom or a glass or baking cup to form an even layer. Set aside.

3. Beat room temperature cream cheese using a mixer until the cream cheese

2 tbsp premium hot cocoa powder 2 tsp caramel(I used storebought) ¾ cup brewed coffee Whipped cream + caramel to garnish Place hot cocoa powder and caramel in a mug then pour hot coffee and stir to blend. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.

• • • • • • • •

1 – 15oz can pumpkin puree 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground cloves

Caramel Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream or heavy cream 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp caramel

is light, fluffy and smooth.

4.

A d d sugar and mix until combine, just about a minute. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that the cream cheese can be well beaten.

5.

Next add eggs and beat until combined.

Then add pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, clove and mix until combined. Pour in to the prepare crust then place in the preheated oven.

6.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

The center of the cheesecake will jiggle slightly.

Remove from oven and allow the cheesecake to cool completely before placing in the fridge to cool. It’s best if it’s made a day before so that it can be refrigerated overnight.

7. Serve with Caramel Whipped Cream.

8. To prepare the Caramel Whipped Cream place 1 cup whipped cream, 1 tbsp sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until firm peaks are formed. Gently fold in 1 tbsp of caramel. Chill until ready to serve.

Tissue Paper Tassel Garland M a t e r i a l s Needed: 1/2 sheet of 20" x 20" or 20" x 24" tissue paper or scissors ribbon or cord Cut Fringe Fold a piece of tissue paper in half and in half the other way. Cut strips towards the fold to create fringe, leaving about 1 inch uncut at the fold line.

Once all strips are cut, unfold the tissue and cut in half so you have 2 sheets with fringe (to make 2 tassels).

Roll one half together and attach onto ribbon or cord

Ice Cream Cone Party Balloons Materials Needed latex balloons latex balloon sealant helium tank ribbon scissors craft knife brown Kraft paper brown wide-tip marker pencil double-sided tape dinner plate Cut Paper for Cone Use a dinner plate and pencil to trace a large circle onto brown Kraft paper.

Find the center of the circle and, using the ruler and pencil, draw two lines out from the center to create a wedge that's about 1/5 the area of the entire circle.

Use scissors to cut out the circle and wedge to create the cone template. Roll and attach to balloon.

Paper Flowers Using Cupcake Liners MATERIALS 8 cupcake liners per flower a button/jewel per flower pipe cleaner/sticks Fold each of the liners in half. Fold the liner in half again. Finally, fold one of the halves back and then fold the other half back so it looks like a zigzag.

Take two liners and using a glue stick, glue the two points together. Hold tightly together

for about 30 seconds, then set aside.

Glue two more together and hold tightly.

Repeat this step until all of the liners are glued into pairs. Glue two sets together at the points and hold for about 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Make sure all the pieces create a full circle.

Let it sit for a few minutes while the glue dries completely.

Turn the flower over and glue a button, jewel or small pom to the center of the flower. Use a glue gun to secure a pipe cleaner or a stick to the back of the flower.

12 Sunday Times Magazine

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SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Puzzles

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ACROSS 110 Discovery Part of PGA 111 Snare Medicinal plant

112 GI mail drop Davis of "The Fly"

113 Dolphin habitat Winter coat

115 Weed whackers Crummy 116 Mdse.

Ike's missus

117 -- Dawn Chong Defended a title

118 Organ part PC notee

120 Guitarist -- Paul "The Lion King" voice Cheech

121 Cotton gin name 123 Droop Teresa's town

124 Black as night Storm warning

125 Oregon, to Yves Five, in combos 127 Revises Ice zoomer

129 Pull a muscle Plant growth medium

131 Chariot race locales Matures, as fruit

135 Festive event Textile workers

140 Like a new candle Arizona tribe

141 Turn inside out Contented murmurs

142 Sky blue Estuary

143 Kind of coverage Newlywed title

144 Reunion attendee Sweater front

145 Bogart in "High Sierra" Etching fluid

146 Sort of tablet CAT scan relative

147 Mr. Musberger Morse click

148 RBI and GNP Its HQ is Houston

149 More crafty Minstrels

150 John Lennon's wife Car grill cover

151 -- eyes (dice toss) BP platform (2 wds.)

DOWN Bringer of ill

1 Mendicant's shout Scrapbook item

2 Motel freebie Girder (2 wds.)

3 "You bet!"

Math figure

4 Basket willows Papyrus or bulrush

5 Ms. Lauper What we have

6 Fine cigar Memorizes 7 Radiates Jimmy's big brother 8 Peeve 1950s crooner

9 Male adornment Wall climber 10 Weightier Yield territory

11 Moray catchers

49 "Road" movie locale

12 Big pitchers

50 Kind of sale (hyph.)

13 Par for the course

51 Iron-rich range

14 Dirty Harry, e.g.

52 Subject for Keats

15 Enliven (2 wds.)

55 Fill a pipe

16 First name in flying 56 Lemon drink

17 Sari wearer

57 Klutz's mutter

18 Eartha - 58 -- cit. (footnote abbr.)

19 Wings, in botony 60 Goober

21 Succeed (2 wds.)

62 Music makers

29 Bit of holly

64 Unfold, in verse

31 Dorm denizen

66 Rap music fan

34 Vocalist -- Sumac

67 Chest-beater

36 Omnia vincit - 69 Asteroid zone

37 Pavarotti piece

70 Kept informed

38 Knife handle

71 Lit incense to

41 Wine casks

74 Latin I verb

43 10-4 buddy 75 The -- suspects

44 Cyrus' realm, today 77 Skylab's path

45 Blocks, as a stream 78 Louis L'Amour's "-- Sackett"

47 Designer label

79 "Scent of a Woman" director 48 Zilch

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- AIMLESS AIMLESS: AME-les: Without purpose or direction.)

Average mark 24 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 33 or more words in AIMLESS?

aisle alms amiss isle mail male mass meal mesa mesial

mess mile miss missal lame lase lass lassie less lime

email sail sale same seal seam seism semi sisal slam

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

Piqued, plus Get the point Element no. 5 Colanders Paddy crop Dances to jazz Wedding-vow word Cronyn of "Cocoon" Howls Dog-paddle Rock clinger Spouted rhetoric Officer wannabe Trophy, often Prior to Double helix Aerie hatchling Trinket Linen vestment Jeer Extremely cold

81 84 87 89 90 91 93 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 105 106 107 109 111 114 115

Elvis' birthplace 116 Dressed Fiery gem 119 Portray Tourist center of Japan

121 Channel-swimmer Gertrude -Peer Gynt creator 122 Antiseptic pioneer Monster's loch

123 Boom box sound "Wake Up Little --" 124 Young doctor Apt. unit

126 Large handbags Groan causers

127 Abrasive mineral Practically forever 128 Like some lizards Opened a crack

129 Crept away Fall guy

130 Poets' feet Orchestra member 131 Attila's horde Periods of time

132 No future -- -Roswell crasher

133 Earnest request City near Zurich 134 Almond-shaped Meryl, in "Out of Africa"

136 Opera's -- Pinza He and she 137 Hunch Wild hives (2 wds.)

138 Moo companion Psychic -- Cayce

139 Statistician -- Silver Vine- -- cottages Gold record See Solution on Pg 14

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

C

ode hidden in an upcoming Galaxy S9 Plus update suggests that Samsung might be planning to release a 5G variant of the Galaxy 10 next year, reports XDADevelopers, echoing previous rumors that Samsung would include the next-generation connectivity in one variant of its flagship handset.

There are four main versions of the upcoming phone that seem to be in production. The code refers to them as “beyond 0” (expected to be an entry-level model), “beyond 1” (the standard S10), “beyond 2” (likely the S10 Plus), and “beyond 2 5G” where “beyond” is the rumored codename for the S10 lineup. Similar sleuthing at the beginning of 2018 successfully revealed some of the manufacturer’s Galaxy lineup for this year.

The codenames also include “q” variants running

A

pple’s recently released iOS 12.1 beta contains code that suggests a new iPad is coming this fall. The string “iPad2018fall” was discovered

by Guilherme Rambo, reporting for 9to5Mac. This, along with the numerous other leaks, suggests that we should expect a new iPad to be announced before the end of the year, possibly a new iPad Pro with Face ID and an edge-to-edge notched display.

Although we’ve already seen a new model of the standard iPad released in 2018 (which mostly delivered iterative improvements outside of Apple Pencil support), rumors suggest this upcoming iPad Pro will be a much bigger step forward.

For one thing, we’re potentially looking at the first iPad equipped with Face ID. iOS 12.1 beta brings support for the face-unlocking technology while your device is in landscape mode, a useful tweak for tablets when used with keyboard accessories.

The software also allows Memoji’s to be synced between devices. Although this could be included to serve the small number of people who use two iPhones, it’s much more likely that this is meant for people with both a phone and a tablet, implying Memoji’s imminent

X Qualcomm Snapdragon chips as opposed to Samsung’s own Exynos chipset, XDA speculates.

There appears to be both a Qualcomm and an Exynos version of the 5G S10 coming, although it’s likely to be the Qualcomm model that makes its way to the US. Samsung’s release schedule appears to mirror the state 5G will be in by mid-2019 when the S10 is expected to be released.

Although each of the major operators is aiming to have launched 5G services in some form by the end of 2019, they’re unlikely to of-

arrival on the iPad. There have been other developments that also suggest Face ID is coming to this next iPad. Developers have noticed the feature cropping up in previous iPad iOS 12 betas, along with support for AvatarKit. Apple also moved the iPad’s clock from the center to the left of the status bar at the top of the device, potentially making way for an iPhone X-style notch.

Outside of Face ID, the only other significant iPad rumor comes from analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, who’s said that the upcoming iPad Pro will make the switch from Lightning to USB-C. This potentially opens the tablet up to using a world of USB-C peripherals and docks, further cementing the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement. iOS 12.1 beta also sees a return of the group FaceTime calling feature, which was originally supposed to arrive in version 12 of the software but was later delayed. It’s unclear when exactly we might see the new tablet. Previous iPad Pros have been released in November, March, and June over the last three years, making the lineup one of Apple’s most irregular.

Although the appearance of “fall” in the 12.1 beta certainly hints at an announcement during one of Apple’s special October events.

fer exhaustive coverage, and the actual utility of a 5G handset is likely to be low.

As a consequence, Samsung is rumored to be planning to produce 5G versions of the S10 in more limited quantities, according to The Bell.

Samsung has already said that it doesn’t expect the S10 to be its first 5G handset, and this latest news suggests that’s because another handset might beat it to the punch rather than because the technology won’t be ready in time for its next flagship.

(The Verge)

iaomi continues to expand its Mi 8 phone lineup. On Wednesday, the company announced the new Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Lite. In China, they’re known as the Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint and the Mi 8 Youth Edition, respectively. The Pro is definitely the more interesting device, as it includes a built-in fingerprint sensor beneath the display.

Other specs include: 845 • Snapdragon processor • Either 6GB or 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage • 6.21-inch, 1080 x 2248 OLED display • Dual 12-megapixel rear-facing cameras and a 20-megapixel front-facing camera • Face unlock in addition to fingerprint It looks similar to the iPhone X, but instead of costing more than $1,000, the Mi 8 Pro starts at CNY 3,200 ($467) for the 6GB / 128GB model. It starts shipping in China on September 21.

S

ony is following in Nintendo’s footsteps and bringing back its original PlayStation console nearly 25 years after its initial release as a miniature gaming device called the PlayStation Classic, the company announced today. The device is now up for preorder at Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop for $99.99 (€99.99 / 9,980 yen / £89.99) and, similar to Nintendo’s NES and SNES Classic consoles, will come pre-loaded with 20 “genre-defining” titles, including Final Fantasy VII, Tekken 3, and Ridge Racer Type 4. The device will launch globally on December 3rd.

In addition to a standard mini-PlayStation, buyers will also get two classic PS1 controllers for games that support local multiplayer when they purchase the bundle. We don’t yet have a full list of

S

ega announced on its Twitter account that the release of its Mega Drive Mini, a miniature version of its classic console, would be delayed until sometime in 2019. The Mega Drive Mini’s release was originally slated to coincide with the console’s 30th anniversary in Japan, but its global availability was unknown. Now, the company has confirmed that the miniature console will be released as the Mega Drive Mini in Japan and Europe and as the Genesis Mini in North America.

Sega also announced that it was working with a Japanese developer to review the design and soft-

Meanwhile, the Mi 8 Lite features a 6.26-inch LCD display, Snapdragon 660 processor, 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel rear-facing cameras, a 24-megapixel frontfacing camera, a rear fingerprint sensor, and a 3,350mAh battery. It starts at CNY 1,400, or $204.

Of course, the Mi 8 Pro isn’t the first phone to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor, but it’s one of the first with hopefully more to follow. OnePlus just confirmed that its next device — the OnePlus 6T — will feature an in-display sensor.

The Verge’s Sam Byford also tested Vivo’s X21 phone and found that its fingerprint sensor worked well most of the time.

Given that Apple typically waits a while before incorporating brand-new tech, we’re probably going to see the in-display fingerprint sensor in a Samsung device before an iPhone, so don’t get your hopes up just yet for an iPhone X model with an indisplay sensor. (The Verge)

games, but Sony’s press release confirms two other titles: Jumping Flash and Wild Arms.

Considering Sony seems to be a bit better than Nintendo when it comes to hardware supply, it doesn’t seem likely this will be quite as hard to get your hands on as the NES or SNES Classic have been. That’s good news for those longing for retro PlayStation feels and

some good old fashioned Square roleplaying games. (Granted, you can already play a lot of classic PlayStation games as it is on iOS, PC, and, soon, the Nintendo Switch too.) (The Verge)

ware for the console. It’s not clear if this news means that AtGames, the US company behind the poorly reviewed

Genesis Flashback console, is still involved in the project as it was originally announced. It seems that AtGames has deleted the original Facebook post from April that announced that the Mega Drive Mini would be powered by its hardware.

The nostalgia for “classic” miniature consoles isn’t ending anytime soon, either: Sony just announced today it’s making its own PlayStation Classic console. The tiny PS1 will come with “20 genre-defining titles,” and it’s set to release this December for $99.99. Also coming this winter is the Sega Mega Drive collection on the Nintendo Switch, and the trailer for it was published on Monday.

Photo ent2

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Bollywood/Hollywood

I

n recent times, pay disparity has been a point of much debate. In two of world’s major film industries, the disparity is rather stark. In the past, actors such as Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut, Anushka Sharma, Sonakshi Sinha and Katrina Kaif have all spoken about the huge gap between what the leading male stars are paid and what female leads get. In Hollywood, actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Patricia Arquette, Emma Stone and

T

elevision’s biggest night wasn’t that big.

The Emmy Awards drew a record-low audience of just over 10.2 million people, down 11 percent from the past two years.

Michael Che and Colin Jost of “Saturday Night Live” hosted the awards show on NBC Monday.

Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” became the first show from a streaming service to win best comedy, while HBO’s “Game of Thrones” was the top drama.

The show reached virtually identical audiences of 11.4 million each of the last two years, the Nielsen company said.

The decline to 10.21 mil-

Meryl Streep, have been raising their voices against the issue.

Meanwhile, very few men (barring Shah Rukh Khan and Arjun Kapoor) from the industry back home, have spoken on the issue. Now, Varun Dhawan has touched on the topic. In an interview to Film Companion, Varun said: “Why has it taken the trade and the industry as a whole until a Raazi to realise that Alia Bhatt is a big star.

Be it Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and even 2 States, were all

lion continues a troubling trend for televised awards shows. The Oscars audience this year was down 19 percent from 2017 and the Grammys were down 23 percent.

The further fragmentation of television undoubtedly plays a role in audience interest levels. When “Frasier” was winning awards in the 1990s, the comedy was regularly seen in nearly 20 million homes.

Streamed shows like “Mrs. Maisel” are far less popular and, in fact, it’s still difficult to get precise numbers about how many people watch them.

Three times in the 1990s, the audience for the Emmy Awards exceeded 20

Crossword Solution

hits and Alia Bhatt was just as responsible for its success as I was or Arjun was (Arjun Kapoor was the male lead in 2 States).”

In fact, it was Varun who made Alia realise that she was demanding less money than she deserved, given her status as an actor-star.

He said: “I would always tell Alia, what are you doing? You take very little money. Are you stupid? Increase your price.”

Varun and Alia have been good friends and have had a successful run together as well. They will soon be seen in Karan Johar’s Kalank.

They started out together with Student of the Year in 2011 and soon did many successful films -- Varun did October, Badlapur, Judwaa 2 while Alia did Dear Zindagi, Highway and Udta Punjab.

Varun will next be seen as Mauji in Sui Dhaaga with Anushka Sharma. The film is scheduled to release on September 28. (Hindustan Times)

A

nushka Sharma has opened up about what makes her and husband Virat Kohli tick. The cricketer and the actor are one of the most watched couples in India but they don’t let their celeb status faze them. Talking to Anupama Chopra, Anushka -- while promoting upcoming film Sui Dhaaga: Made In India -- spoke at length about her relationship with Virat Kohli and how they keep it real.

The actor explained, “I think we are both not so attached to what we do. The other day someone asked me a question you know ‘power couple and two powerful people from your own industry. You know when you are together, how do you manage this and all’.

And I thought to myself and I told them also, we don’t see ourselves like that. We start to see ourselves that way then there is something really wrong in the nature of our relationship. If someone really wants to have an insight into our lives, we are very simple people, wanting to do normal, very simple things.”

Anushka also said that the two of them look at fame from the same perspective. She said, “We are both very awkward with the fame that we have we don’t embrace stardom and fame and that’s why, I think, we connect so much. We run away, sometimes, from these things. Sometimes, we find a need to be in our own cocoon. And that’s the reason why we are so self-sufficient. And when I see self, I mean both of us because we don’t see each other as two different peo-

ple. Him and me are male and female versions of each other.”

She added, “Yes, of course, the outer expression might be different, the way people look at 2us might be different but inside the values are exactly the same. And we both are very spiritual people. First and foremost, we lead spiritual lives and then it is what we do our professions are just what we do. So that’s where we find our strength from. This is our duty, we perform our duty and then we come back.” (Hindustan Times)

million people.

On the bright side, it’s likely to have contained the most-watched marriage proposal of the year.

Emmy winner Glenn Weiss heartened audience members by proposing to his girlfriend while onstage accepting an award for directing the Oscars telecast.

Jan Svendsen said yes.

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emi Lovato is still in rehab -- nearly 2 months after her overdose -- and one person has put his life on hold to be a constant presence -Wilmer Valderrama.

TMZ has learned Demi quietly transferred from a rehab center on the East Coast to another facility that is world-renowned for its addiction programs. She has been at that facility for more than a month, and Wilmer has flown there several times during visiting days to be with her.

Several people in a nearby town tell TMZ, they have seen Demi and Wilmer at a local Starbucks several times, and it appeared to

people in the shop they were boyfriend/girlfriend.

“We don't know if they're back together ... what we do know is that Wilmer put everything on hold when Demi almost died from an opioid OD on July 24 and was a constant presence at the hospital, where she spent nearly 2 weeks.”

Demi and Wilmer were together for 6 years and split back in 2016.

As for rehab, the facility offers intensive, long-term treatment for drugs and alcohol and is very much a group program. In fact, Demi was also seen several times at the Starbucks with other patients from the rehab facility. (TMZ)

shton Kutcher accidentally hit a young man with his car on Tuesday. Leo Marenghi, the 19-year-old man struck by the vehicle, told E! News he was heading over to a school in Los Angeles to pick up the kids he was babysitting when the accident happened. He was riding one of the children's scooters when Kutcher pulled out of a driveway and hit him with his black Tesla.

"He was coming out of a driveway of the Sunset Bronson Studios, and there was a wall blocking so he couldn't see me coming," Marenghi said. "Once I was in his sight, it was too late for him to stop and I got hit."

Realizing what had happened, Kutcher jumped out of the vehicle to see if the victim was OK. "He immediately got out of his car and said, 'I'm so sorry. I didn't see you. Are you okay?"' Marenghi re-

called, adding that he recognized the actor as soon as he got off the ground.

The teen said he told Kutcher he was fine and asked if his car was all right.

"He said, 'I'm not even worried about that. Are you sure you're OK?'" Marenghi said.

Again, the young man confirmed was OK and asked Kutcher if he'd be willing to pose for a picture. Kutcher obliged and Marenghi thanked him for the photo.

"He was very nice about the situation," Marenghi said. "And although I'm sore, I don't have any broken bones so there is no reason for me to go to the police."

Marenghi posted his pictures with Kutcher on Instagram. He also shared a photo of the scrape he suffered from the accident.

"Got hit by a car today...," he wrote. "But it's ok because it was by Ashton Kutcher."

(E-Online)

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Don't let uncertainty lead to a mishap. Take better care of your emotional and physical health, first and foremost. An innovative plan will change the way you help others.

Don't hold back the way TAURUS you feel or what your expec(April 20- tations are. An open and honMay 20) est discussion will result in a better understanding between you and a loved one.

Social encounters will GEMINI highlight your day. Day trips, (MAY 28events and activities that June 20) stimulate your mind will lead to a host of new ideas and plans.

Start a new hobby or do something in conjunction (June 21- with a loved one. Children, a July 22) partner or a good friend will have an impact on your life.

Don't misjudge someone's feelings.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Don't overdo it. The changes you want to make should be within your budget. Consult with an expert before you start or take on a project.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

You'll be given the OK to proceed with something you've wanted to do for some time. Travel, love, romance and building a better future with someone special are favored.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Speed things up a little.

If you lag, someone will complain, ruining your mood and quashing your enthusiasm.

If you take charge, a positive change will come your way.

Take care of family matters.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24- Make your place more comfortNov. 22) able or convenient. The chang-

Peanuts

es you make will please someone who depends on you. Romance is in the stars.

SAGITTARIUS Take care of your responsi(Nov. 23- bilities. Leave no room for erDec. 21) ror or complaints. An emotional situation will leave you in a vulnerable position if you let someone speak on your behalf.

Calvin and Hobbes

Keep your personal money CAPRICORN matters secret. Consider your (Dec. 22- options and what you need to Jan. 19) do to secure your financial position. Romance will improve your day and ease stress.

Look for the best way to AQUARIUS invest your time, money and (Jan. 20- energy. Doing what's best Feb. 19) for yourself may not please everyone, but it's time to put yourself first.

An emotional encounter PISCES (Feb. 20- may confuse you at first, but Mar. 20) if you let your intuition guide you, everything will fall into place. Trust your heart to help you make the right decision.