Guyana Times Sunday September 30

LOOK INSIDE !

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

Issue No. 3702

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Sunday, September 30, 2018

PRICE

Sugar estates closure tragedy

“Sometimes my children wake up hungry and all I can do is cry” – mother of 4

Page 3

Drugs, phones, P10 blades, found in NA Prison

Dismissed P11 sugar workers want severance, not sports bar – ex-employees

Regional health centre

…no discretion by farmers – road users

Page 16

WHAT'S INSIDE:

GuySuCo-SPU clash

Region 3 residents fume over mud-laden roadways Pedestrian crushed to death by truck

$120 vat included

Page 2

No visa required for senior Govt officials to travel to Indonesia Page 18

Sanctions recommended for contractor for shoddy works P9

Page 2

ECD 4-lane expansion P14 35% complete

…courtesy not extended to ordinary Guyanese

Roraima Airways commissions new commercial aircraft Page 7

LGE 2018

P17

Better drainage, no rates and taxes increases – PPP candidates

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Region 3 residents fume over mud-covered roadways …no discretion by farmers – road users

A section of the muddied Leguan road

By Lakhram Bhagirat

R

esidents in most of the farming communities in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) are complaining bitterly about the mud-covered roadways caused by farmers. They are contending that mud along the roadways, most times the main access roads, contribute to several accidents.

The issue of farmers unintentionally dumping large quantities of mud along the roadways have been ongoing for a number of years, with very little being done to address it. According to several residents, rather than using a low-bed to transfer their farming equipment such as tractors, combines and ploughs, the farmers would drive those vehicles onto the roadway from the

farmlands, leaving behind large amounts of accumulated mud which contributes to the rapid deterioration of the road surface.

As of recent, a number of persons took to social media to highlight the ever-growing problem. On the island of Leguan, where farming is the number one source of income, residents complained that the farmers are not willing to compromise when it comes to moving their vehicles from their homes to the farmlands and back.

On the island, rice is one of the dominant crops and that means large pieces of equipment would be required to plough and prepare the land for planting.

When it comes to harvesting, they would drive their combines on the main road which aids significantly in the breaking up of the road.

Leguan NDC workers clearing the mud and stones from the roadway

Vidya Persaud, a resident, told Guyana Times that when the road is covered with mud, it is difficult to get through and would often result in minor accidents.

“When them children got to ride and go to school and the place muddy all them school clothes does mud up.

Sometimes them does even skate down and fall off them bicycle, especially when the rain fall,” the woman said.

Another resident, Dhanwantie (only name given), called for the farmers to be more compromising since the road is not only for their benefit but rather the entire island. She explained that the farmers can utilise other vehicles to transport their farming equipment or even wash off the mud from the equipment before they drive

it onto the road.

“Them can wash off them tractor and suh before them drive come home. When it got mud all over the road, them can cause accident and so because some people does drive wild and when them skate on that mud is gone them gone,” she lamented.

Recently, this publication visited the island and residents had complained about the condition of some sections of the road. The sections of bad road start after Endeavour Village and run to the back of the is-

Two days after the workers cleared the road

ing damaged, costing thousands of dollars in repairs.

Meanwhile, the same situation persists on the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara. However, it is more prevalent in certain parts on the West Coast

spective homes, leaving behind a muddy trail. Vehicles are known to speed along the highway and would often have to swerve from the mud deposits or skid on them. This often costs the drivers thousands of dollars

This combine being driven along the Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara road caused a traffic pile up, while destroying the asphalt surface

land, which the villagers are stressing is further deteriorating as a result of the farmers.

In the latter part of 2016, the Public Infrastructure Ministry repaired sections of the road within the island but skipped certain parts. It is those parts that the residents are calling for to be repaired. The call is prevalent among taxi drivers and minibus operators, since their vehicles are be-

due to large-scale rice farming. One of the main villages where this occurs is Hague. The residents there complain about the large amounts of mud that lines the roadways within the village as well as on the main road.

The farmers would usually drive their mud laden tractors out of the rice fields at the back of Hague and onto the Vreed-en-Hoop/ Parika Highway to their re-

A trail of mud along the West Coast Demerara Highway

in repairs or sometimes results in major accidents.

According to several road users who spoke with this publication, the farmers are not exercising any discretion when they deposit mud on the roadways, much to the danger of commuters.

Collectively, residents are calling for the Police to better monitor the usage of the roads and for the farmers to be more cognisant of how they use the roadways.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Sugar estates closure tragedy

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

Sunday, September 30 – 08:30h-10:00h and Monday, October 1 – 09:30h-11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, September 30 – 07:35h-09:05h and Monday, October 1 – 08:25h-09:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Early morning sunshine is expected to give way to sunny intervals, while sunny skies are expected to return in the afternoon. Clear skies are expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to Easterly and Northeasterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 07:43h and 19:59h reaching maximum heights of 2.53 metres and 2.55 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 01:14h and 13:32h reaching minimum heights of 0.54 metre and 0.76 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, september 29, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS E

03 06 16

21 23 28

FREE TICKET

13 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

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

“Sometimes my children wake up hungry and all I can do is cry” – mother of 4

By Andrew Carmichael

I

magine how you would feel if your child or a random child comes to you and asks for something to eat and you cannot provide that, just imagine.

Your stomach would begin churning and that overwhelming feeling of sadness would encompass you, right? Well, that is exactly what Eon Collymore and his wife Melissa Sinclair go through almost every day of the week.

Collymore, 35, and his 25-year-old wife are parents to four very young children and were wounded by the fall of the sugar industry. Three of the seven days of the week the couple’s children; ages one, three, five and eight-year-old, would go to bed with very little or nothing to eat. They would wake during the night and ask their mother for something to eat but would eventually have to resort to drinking a cup of water and return to bed.

The duo was employed at the Skeldon Sugar Estate but were handed the dreaded redundancy letters in December 2017.

They pondered their next move in what they described as a dead economy and are still pondering their next move some 10 months later. Collymore was employed at the estate as a cane harvester for 16 years, while Sinclair worked in the fertiliser gang for a few years.

Now the family goes days without food and live in a house which is halfway completed after the dreams of building their own home were shattered mid-construction. Collymore took a small loan to start construction of their home and shortly after, his service at the estate was severed.

So far, he has received half of his severance package and that would have gone directly to the bank to pay for the loan. Construction on the house is now stalled as the father works odd daily jobs to provide food on the table – a task, he says, he is failing at miserably.

Two of the four window openings to the 10 by 22foot wooden structure have old zinc sheets nailed to seal

Melissa Sinclair and her children in their home with holes in the floor

The 66-year-old man whose pension runs the home

Avanish Singh with his brother and four children watching television

them. The other two window spaces have curtains on them with no added protection. Inside the building is a mattress and a kerosene stove. Some of the boards on the floor have missing parts and a sheet of plywood covers them. The situation is so dire that the man cannot afford to construct a door at the back of the building.

He explained that initially he would purchase a few pieces of wood when he received his wages from the estate and would construct piece by piece his Lot 65 Number 77 Housing Scheme, Corentyne home but now he cannot even do that since he would work a maximum of four days per week.

The single door leading to the building at the end of a ladder is still to be constructed. Collymore cannot raise the money to build a door for his house. Food is the number one priority for his family.

“I bought some cheap wood from the sawmill just to start this house,” Collymore told Guyana Times.

He said it is not only re-

cently that life has become harder in the Corentyne, but rather stated that it started about a decade ago, slowly intensifying with the closing of the estates, thus crippling the Berbice economy. The man, who says he feels defeated, said he would leave his family – vulnerable to elements and bandits – for days and go to

various villages seeking employment but would often return home with little or nothing at all.

“I does work all over.

Sometimes I does be at the sawmill and sometimes by the koker with a man and help him to bring out wallaba pickets. turn to page 17

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, september 30, 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

Polling warnings

E

lections are one of the crucial institutions to ensure the existence – not to mention the functioning -- of democracy. Guyanese know this (or should know this) to their cost, since our country was actually birthed through electoral “fiddling” by the British when independence was in sight. The winner of the 1961 elections was supposed to lead an independent Guyana, but when the PPP fulfilled that condition, with pressure from the then US administration of JF Kennedy, the British changed the electoral system to ensure a coalition between the PNC and UF acceded to power.

Thus while all accept democracy is “rule by the people”, the method for choosing the representatives of “the people” has continued to pose a challenge to Guyana. The PNC’s blatant rigging of elections in 1968, 1973, 1978 (a referendum), 1980 and 1985 through various subterfuges, as verified by a plethora of international institutions and governments, alerted Guyanese to the importance of controlling the electoral mechanism, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The return of “free and fair” elections in 1992 was necessarily accompanied by changes in the composition of that body; its selection and its powers to oversee the elections process; the conduct of elections, and the counting of the ballots. While both the PPP and PNC questioned several aspects of the operations; during the next 23 years, while the PPP remained in office, by and large, the process worked.

With the change of Government in 2015, by the PNC as “APNU”, and in coalition with the AFC, however, a series of manoeuvres were immediately unleashed by the Government, led by President David Granger, to “game” the operations of GECOM. First there was a long and acrimonious debate between him, the Opposition and the Judiciary on the interpretation of the clause “…a judge or any other fit person”, specifically inserted in 1992 to select the Chairman of GECOM. Obdurately refusing to accept the Chief Justice’s ruling that the person does not have to be a Judge, Granger unilaterally appointed ex-Justice James Patterson to the position, which has a casting vote in the Commission’s decisions. Since then, Patterson has consistently voted, when the occasion arose, with the Government’s Commissioners against the PPP’s, such as for the Deputy Chairman of GECOM. The second move concerned the composition of the staff of the GECOM Secretariat, which actually executes the operations of the Commission. One PPP commissioner claimed that the staff was overwhelmingly African Guyanese, which was due to skewed hiring practices; and this condition undermined the confidence of the Guyanese voters in the necessary impartiality of the institution.

Granger’s hand-picked Chairman immediately vouchsafed that the staff was chosen on the basis of “merit,” without any investigation. The matter has since been filed with the Ethnic Relations Commission.

The scheduled Local Government Elections (LGE) in November has raised several other concerns about the fairness of the electoral process, especially since the LGE is widely seen as a precursor to national elections in 2020.

First was the Ministry of Communities, under which the Local Government fall, of creating a new township and “gerrymandering” the boundaries of several constituencies to reduce PPP seats in some NDCs, while simultaneously increasing the latter’s number by eight and LAAs from 71 to 80. This matter is also now before the courts.

Finally, we have the critical matter of the procedure for nominating local Councillors by the participating entities in the LGE. This was severely compromised, with the AFC being accused by the PPP of using the names of dead individuals; forging the signatures of some, and tricking others to be “backers” of candidates. But more alarmingly has been the refusal of some Returning Officers (RO) to remove the names of candidates lacking the requisite number of backers, and the subsequent sequestering by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) so as not to instruct those ROs to perform their duties.

All of this is depressingly reminiscent of previous electoral shenanigans, and raise serious concerns about the integrity of the LGE and the 2020 General Elections.

The curtains will come down today on Amerindian Heritage Month 2018. In photo, a woman of Indigenous parentage displays her creative pieces which were sold during the month-long celebration

Guyanese relegated to drive old vehicles Dear Editor, The foreign concession class, senior Government officials, remigrants, the ultra-rich and the mafia class in Guyana are the most likely residents to be driving new, economy class vehicles that cost US$25,000 to US$30,000/Gy$6,000,000; or drive Corvettes, Range Rovers, Rolls Royces or Porsches, based on the concessions and financing available to this group.

We have relegated working class Guyanese from accessing new vehicles, with the latest technology. The Guyana vehicle tariff regime is antiquated, archaic and visionless, and it has resulted in restrictive and oppressive and irrational vehicle import tax rates.

There are many mid-level sedans and non-premium category cars that have over 1999 Cylinder Capacity (CC). Vehicles in this category, such as the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata, will be additionally taxed at Guyana’s world beating vehicle tariff/tax

rate of between 247 percent and 297 percent.

The vehicle buyer importing a 3000 CC economy class vehicle is asked to pay the same exorbitant tariff as the buyer importing a 6000CC Bentley Continental. It’s only one component of the many malfunction cognitive junc-

tions that permeate our vehicle tariff structure. Is it Government’s policy to reduce fuel consumption and have Guyanese drive low CC vehicles? The vehicles used by our Ministers certainly do not suggest any Government policy to reduce fuel consumption; which is quite acceptable.

However, what is unacceptable is the stupendous tariff rates subjected on Guyanese not eligible for duty free concessions. It is not as if we are protecting Guyana’s vehicle manufacturing industry!

The Guyanese middle class persons have to consider themselves fortunate if they are able to acquire a vehicle six to eight years old with 2000CC or over. We need to change the current vehicle import tariff structure forthwith. No wonder we have so many illegal schemes to avoid the vehicle tariff, resulting in resources being wasted to manage and implement an outdated and illogical vehicle tariff structure.

Henry Ford: “Profits made out of the distress of the people are always much smaller than profits made out of the most lavish service of the people at the lowest prices that competent management can make possible”.

Sincerely, Nigel Hinds

Wanting the law to work one way Dear Editor, Former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said he would suspend his presidential immunity if Granger did the same. What Jagdeo was saying is that he wants the sitting president – Granger -- to do the honest thing and turn up at SOCU and answer questions pertaining to vari-

ous actions in his presidency.

The key word here is reciprocity. If this PNC/AFC Coalition Government is serious about fighting corruption, or anything for that matter, then they, too, must go through the same torrid test as is the Opposition.

The PNC-led coalition is very dicey and highly fear-

ful when they are posed with searching questions about their management or lack thereof when in or out of office. Theirs is a "don't ask me any questions" full stop end of discussion attitude. The maturity and openness that the PPP/C has demonstrated before SOCU so far is something that will never be seen

from the present powers that be.

But this is not the first time the Opposition has been called in for questioning, which they gracefully acceded to. One can recall the honourable Jagdeo being hauled before the court on charges of racial incitement. continued on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SunDAY, september 30, 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

Enigmatic direction of GuySuCo

Dear Editor, Just over a month ago, I wrote a letter to the press, questioning the enigmatic direction of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). I stated that the $30 billion syndicated loan was supposed to be utilised for capital injection, infrastructure maintenance, and other upgrades; and it was clear that this did not materialise. And I further questioned how the SPU would

make the Industry viable when even impassable dams were not fixed to enable the starting of the second crop.

It is common sense that, to be in a viable state, GuySuCo needs to achieve its target for starters, and the fact that the loan was not used to facilitate this, but was instead being used to pay off debts, shows the ineptitude and incompetence to transform GuySuCo; not

to mention the deceit and dishonesty involved. The purpose of the loan should have been strictly adhered to, and applied accordingly. Therefore, apart from failing to invest on capital projects, this action puts the lenders at a high risk, since their returns may be negatively affected.

If the borrowed sums had been used for the intended purposes, I am sure that improvements in the productive capacity would

Wanting the law to...

In that instance, he turned up for the matter in Magistrate Charlyn Artiga’s court to answer charges of racial incitement.

Here’s my point: The PNC always harp on the tune that the PPP/C always hide behind the presidential immunity clause, and that is the reason why they are getting away from prosecution.

This is furthest from the truth, the PPP would willingly like to get to that point, only if the PNC would do likewise. There is no guarantee that they would ever do such. The PNC is all about witch-hunting the PPP/C into incarceration, as it perfectly suits their agenda; only, let them not face the same music. Their mantra is: try to get the PPP out of the picture, so that they can have full reign over this country; only, don’t let us (PNC) be subjected to any scrutiny at all.

They have done it at

National Elections, where a recount of all fraudulent voting cannot be effectuated. They have done it again in Parliament, where they have albeit muzzled healthy debate on matters pertaining to the well-being of this country. The trickery is on right now in the ghost selection for personnel for Local Government Elections 2018. The PNC/ AFC are doing their level best to subvert every norm, every law there is that makes for good, successful and smooth governance.

The framers of the laws of Guyana, where presidents and their parties are in Government, were of the mistaken belief that they would be in power for life, and that the PPP would never be able to enjoy those privileges they were entitled to.

That was Burnham’s firm belief; that is why he framed that 1980 Constitution, the essence of it was that they (PNC) alone would have

from page 4

reaped the rewards of it.

It is their mistaken belief that the Opposition would never ever come into Government.

For this very same reason, you would have heard them make that cry for a reform of the Constitution.

That call was most vociferous when the PNC were in the opposition; however, quite noticeably, it is not a rallying cry right now, because they are the recipients of the 1980 Constitution.

I can guarantee you this issue would be resurrected if they were to lose at the next general elections.

The problem with the PNC is that they would like the law to work one way, and that is: to their advantage only. Well, they are ever so wrong. The law, as it stands, is for all, not to be used at the whims and fancies of any political group.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

have already been evidenced, and sugar workers would have been assured of an improvement in their standard of living.

Even those made redundant would have had some hope of re-employment.

The GuySuCo enigma is made worse when the proposed privatisation process of Skeldon, Rose Hall, Wales and Enmore estates is kept in a state of abeyance. As long as this process is not finalised, the downward slide of the economy along with the devastated lives of the 7,000 dismissed sugar workers will continue unabatedly. It jars one’s sensibility as to why this privatisation process is being dragged into a frustrating snail-like pace while at the same time $30 billion dollars borrowed is being misused and squandered.

At the beginning of July, it was stated by the SPU that “90 percent of the preliminary valuation works of several estates that have been earmarked for privatisation and diversification were completed (at) month end”. Three months have elapsed, and yet no bid has been finalised. It must be borne in mind that this contract with PwC was signed since December 2017. However, I am positive that 2018 will not see the privatisation process being completed. It may well go far into 2019.

It should be noted that the SPU had promised that the closed estates would be brought back into operation so that they can

be sold at a more profitable price. Enmore had started to produce molasses for DDL, and Rose Hall and Skeldon were supposed to follow.

That quota to DDL is still to be realised, and to date nothing has been done at Rose Hall or at Skeldon.

In fact, the co-generation plant at Skeldon is at a standstill.

Nothing that was planned by the SPU has come to fruition. It’s saying one thing and doing another. It’s just empty rhetoric!

It must also be recalled that the SPU had blasted Opposition Leader Dr Jagdeo, saying that “as a former President and former Finance Minister, he should know that the Gy$30 billion bond for the sugar industry at 4.75 percent interest rate was a good deal”.

It now behooves us to ponder on whether borrowing $30 billion at 4.75 percent interest and not utilising it for the intended purpose is a ‘good deal’ or a ‘bad deal’. We are simply piling up interest without any income being generated! Is this a wise move by the SPU? It is a bad deal gone worse!

In conclusion, the proceeds from privatisation would have been enough to satisfy the capital needs of the three operational estates and at the same time do away with the need to

borrow.

This slow pace of privatisation would only seem to create the necessity and justification to borrow $30 billion. The fact that no capital expenditure has been done to date will serve to further validate this assumption.

I will restate what I had said in one of my letters: the $30 billion loan is just another victim of the gross mismanagement and squandermania we have witnessed during the past 3 years by this Coalition Government!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor, Region 6

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Region 10 schools participate in STEAMS Explosion

O

Students intrigued by the STEAMS display in Region 10

n Friday, it was Region 10's (Upper DemeraraBerbice) opportunity to host the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Spirituality (STEAMS) Fair.

The event which forms part of the activities to mark Education Month saw participation from various schools from across the region. It was held under the theme, "Education for a good life, through innovation and STEAMS". Following a march-past by nursery and primary school students, the programme and exhibition, dubbed 'STEAMS Explosion' got underway at the Wismar Market Square.

In her welcoming remarks, Regional Education Officer (ag) Keane Adams said while this year's Education Month activities have encountered many challenges, the region's Department of Education persisted in hosting the day's activities. Adams pointed out that the items on display were created by the region's talented teachers, as she urged all to be inspired by the activities which marked

Education Month. "When we are inspired, we are empowered to perform, and this performance will manifest itself through contribution, the elevation of functional literacy in our society and our country as a whole", she told students.

District Education Officer (Nursery) Shivon GreeneBrewster said STEAMS is in fact a future expansion which seeks to include 'Spirituality', focusing on the state or quality of being dedicated to God, religion or spiritual things of value. "This year, Spirituality has been

incorporated into the event which showcases the innovative skills of the students and teachers from schools at every level.

The official objective of this activity is to show that educational activity is fun, showcase the work that the department has done and will continue to do to provide quality education for all," she noted. Greene-Brewster pointed out that the event, which provided an interactive experience, is also aimed at impacting the lives of parents, teachers, students and the general public.

Some of the creative items on display on Friday in Region 10

Brain development:

Nurturing young minds is an investment for the entire community

By Ervin Dyer

T

o make her point that early parent-child interactions – such as making eye contact, talking to one’s child, and encouraging active play – can alter a child’s brain development, Pitt psychiatry professor Judy Cameron shares the tale of two mothers. Both are from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, and each has a small child.

Abigail talks to her baby, reads her stories, and looks her in the eye. At 18 months old, her daughter has a vocabulary of 200 words.

Abigail continues these behaviours, and by the time her daughter is 26 months old, the toddler can use 800 words.

Betty, on the other hand, does not talk to her child as much. By the time her child is 18 months old, his vocabulary is smaller. At 26 months old, he only has a vocabulary of 200 words.

Because she actively engages with her daughter, Abigail’s child develops strong pathways in the brain for language skills, which she will have for the

rest of her life. Betty’s son will never have quite those same, strong brain pathways for language skills.

“When children get a foundation of sturdy pathways, like those for vision, emotion regulation, problem-solving or language,” Cameron says, “it pays dividends in preparing the brain not only for the development of language skills, but also for higher cognitive functions, and emotional development.”

On a winter morning in 2016, Cameron shared these stories and details of her research with more than 100 people from several local communities, including Braddock, Pa, a neighbourhood hit hard by the region’s steel-industry decline. The gathered parents, social workers, teachers, faith leaders, caregivers, and other community partners listened attentively, as Cameron emphasized that when you support a child’s development, you lay the groundwork for supporting an entire community.

Since the 1960s, neuroscience research has shown that early adversity in children can lead to poor health outcomes later in life. Stress, especially from living in poverty, can short circuit memory and impulse control, and negatively impact brain health. Subsequent negative behaviours, in turn, can affect the community beyond that individual.

Cameron, who is also director of the Pitt Science Outreach program, a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, and a former member of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Early Experience and Brain Development, seeks to better understand how stress exposure leads to long-term problems. She’s found that positive early interventions across social, educational, and community realms can alter and even avert negative outcomes in children’s lives because they can strengthen brain development.

“The developing brain is plastic,” says Cameron.

“When humans are born and in the first few years of life, 700 to 1000 new neural connections form every second.”

Eventually, billions of connections spark across dif-

ferent areas of the brain, and repeated sparks strengthen the connections. For circuitry that isn’t being used, the brain begins a process of pruning – getting rid of unused connections – to allow circuits that are used to become more efficient.

Adverse life experiences impact the brain’s circuitry and change how we see the world, Cameron says.

Children who grow up in an angry household, for instance, may be under stress, and become good at recognizing anger. In turn, they are more in tune to anger around them. As they get older, this anger-induced stress can lead to heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity.

This is why she plans to visit dozens more community centres. She wants more adults to be like Abigail’s mother.

In 2015, Cameron led a winning team in the Pitt Innovation Challenge (PInCh), which is a University initiative to reward pioneering solutions to health problems. The team developed what became Working For Kids: Building Skills. The project is an intergenerational community training program to teach senior citizens, adults, and teens how to provide young children in underserved communities with critical skills for school success, as well as to assess the health benefits to all involved.

A few months after the PInCh, Working For Kids participated in Pitt Ventures First Gear program, an Innovation Institute initiative that trains academicians to reach broader audiences. Later that summer, it also received a $50,000 National Science Foundation grant and won the “most likely to succeed” award for being able to spin into a non-profit or for-profit effort.

“We must see child development as not only a parent’s job, but a community’s job,” says Cameron. “When the parent can’t do it, the teacher can, the neighbour can. Care, support, and encouragement equal engagement and self-confidence.”

We need the village, Cameron says, because “everyone touches the child’s cognitive, emotional and social capacities. They are intertwined throughout life.”

(www.chronicle.pitt.edu)

news

Roraima Airways commissions new commercial aircraft

The spanking new aircraft

A

s part of its ongoing efforts to provide enhanced air transport in Guyana, Roraima Airways on Friday commissioned its third Britten Norman trislander aircraft into commercial service at a ceremony at its aerodrome at the Ogle International Airport.

The aircraft is the second of its kind to be assembled in Guyana by engineers and technicians attached to the Roraima’s Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) and is an investment of over US$700,000.

The trislander, which is powered by three engines, was designed by British Engineers and manufactured in the UK on the Isle of Wight.

This aircraft is ideal for operations in Guyana since it was designed to operate in rough terrain and take off and land on short unpaved runways.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia shared his remarks as he highlighted the fact that this aircraft boasts three engines, which is most suitable for short landing strips that are found in Guyana’s hinterland. He added that the aircraft is equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), to improve safety and the improved acquisition means more fly time.

The aircraft operated in New Zealand prior to Gouveia’s purchase.

“My sons Kevin and Gerry, who are both Canadian-trained aviators, travelled to New Zealand and along with a UK engineer and engineer’s resident there, dismantled the planes and shipped them to Guyana. I watched in awe and total amazement as our local engineers, under the direct supervision of an engineer from the United Kingdom along with inspectors from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) overseeing and certifying every step of the way, expertly reassembled these planes piece by piece. Today both of those planes are once again fully certified and licensed as airworthy by the GCAA,” Gouveia told invitees at the

ceremony.

“The first aircraft that was reassembled here in Guyana by our local engineers has flown in excess of 1000 flying hours since it was launched into service in 2016,” Gouveia said.

“Because of the length of this aircraft’s fuselage, we are now able to transport pipes and other mining supplies without the need to cut the pipes or dismantle the equipment. We fly into the far reaches of Guyana’s hinterland day and night, saving lives and helping to build Guyana one day at a time,” said Gouveia.

The CEO also stated that the trislander planes now form the backbone of the company’s operations and its customers have been expressing high levels of satisfaction as it relates to safety.

“We have been the first to fully equip all of our planes with the ADSB flight tracking systems which allow not only our own operations centre to watch and track our planes in real time but also allow the air traffic controllers to see and follow our planes from take-off to landing.”

Safety, Gouveia emphasised, has always been the hallmark of Roraima’s operations.

The ADSB flight tracking system is backed up by the satellite spot tracking device which is also deployed in all of our planes. This device allows us to see and flight follow our plane’s location every two minutes,” the Chief Executive Officer said.

Gouveia noted that these investments are sizeable and serve to create more jobs for Guyana’s young aviation and tourism professionals.

“We cannot do this alone.

We need our Government and its regulatory agencies to continue to work harder at creating the enabling environment so we could operate in a more predictable manner,” he said.

The Minister within the Public Infrastructure Minister, Annette Ferguson emphasised the continuous growth in the aviation sector as she congratulated Roraima Airways on their achievements in the aviation industry.

Guyana’s International

Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rating has moved from 44.4 per cent to 64.4 per cent, with another scheduled evaluation in November.

Also speaking at the launching ceremony, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Desmond Sears indicated that the new addition to Roraima’s fleet addresses the growing need for air services in a developing Guyana.

“These flights will enhance our physical links with the hinterland and open up new business opportunities,” Sears said.

The Chairman mentioned the complexity and diversity of services offered

by Roraima Airways at the CJIA International Airport, which includes ground handling and aviation security to international airlines operating in Guyana as well as the Executive Lounge and airline catering coupled with the provision of international airline ticketing services, domestic tourism services and hotels and resort.

Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert Field in his remarks pointed out that his agency serves as both a regulatory and facilitating agency “and as facilitators we are committed to seeing the local industry grow. I will not turn my eye away from non-compliance issues, but it is imperative upon the Authority to ensure that business expands,” he said.

Field complemented Roraima Airways on its expansion programme and its ongoing contribution to the country’s development.

The Director General disclosed that amendments are currently being made to Guyana’s aviation policy among which is the provision that would require foreign owned airlines serving the country to obtain a local operating licence within six months of being granted permission to service this market. He explained that this amendment would allow such airlines to utilise local staff on board their aircraft, thereby creating job opportunities for Guyanese.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

8 news Juvenile sent to NOC for escaping from correctional institution A SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

17-year-old boy was on Friday sent to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) for one year after he was charged for escaping lawful custody while he was in detention at the Juvenile Holding Centre in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The decision was handed down by Magistrate Leron Daly on Friday when she informed the court that the juvenile will be sent to the correctional facility until he attains the age of 18.

The teen was placed in the juvenile holding facility in Sophia after he was charged for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition without being licensed to carry same.

Based on reports, on August 9, 2018, the teen was in the process of being handed over to a social worker by the Police when he decided to make a run for it in a bid to

escape.

The lad jumped over the western fence of the compound and made good his escape. However, he was subsequently recaptured after Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage showed the direction in which he ran.

The teen will be heading to NOC where only on Friday last 13 juveniles escaped.

Reports coming out of the Social Protection Ministry stated that an investigation has been launched into the escape of 13 juveniles from the facility. According to the ministry it is also investigation whether the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were followed, and whether the staff had colluded with the juveniles The Police have since conducted several roadblocks along the main access road on the Essequibo Coast in an attempt to recapture the ju-

veniles.

On Thursday last, the juveniles had completed some chores in the compound of the facility, after which they started to run towards the western side of the premises, which is not fenced. This area is lined with bushes which lead to the backlands.

The search is ongoing for a 15-year-old female of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara (ECD), who is serving 18 months for simple larceny; a 16-year-old girl of Bartica, Region Seven, who is serving two years for wandering; another 16-year-old girl of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, who is serving three years for wandering; a 15-year-old male, of the Essequibo Coast, who is serving one year for simple larceny; a 16-year-old female of Number 10 Village, West Coast Berbice, who is

serving two years for wandering; a 16-year-old male of New Amsterdam, Berbice, who is serving 21 months for attempting to escape from lawful custody; a 16-yearold male of Buxton, ECD, who is serving a three-year sentence for possession of a firearm; a 16-year-old boy of Tucville, Georgetown, who is serving 22 months for wandering; a 17-year-old girl of Mahdia, Region Eight, who is serving two years for wandering; and a 17-year-old boy of Lethem, Region Nine, serving 15 months for burglary.

Meanwhile, on Friday last, at about 04:40h, three others also escaped from the correctional facility. They have been identified as a 15-year-old male of Lethem, Region Nine; a 17-year-old girl of Number 5 Village, West Coast Berbice; and a teenage boy of Berbice.

Baker charged for having over $1M worth of ganja remanded

A

Charlestown, Georgetown baker was on Friday remanded to prison by the Chief Magistrate when he was hauled before the court charged for having over $1 million worth of ganja.

The charge stated that on September 26, 2018, Collin Denny of Lot 41 Howes Street, Charlestown, was busted by agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics

Unit at Church Street, Georgetown, with over five pounds of suspected cannabis in his possession.

The 38-year-old man denied the charge when it was read to him.

According to defence Attorney, George Thomas in a bail application, the marijuana was not found on his client’s person but rather in the possession of a minibus driver, with whom

his client was in the company of at the time the bust was made.

However, CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford objected to bail, telling the court that the minibus driver was arrested one day after Denny was taken into custody.

Further, Sandiford informed the court that the State is in receipt of surveillance footage to show

the transaction that was conducted by the accused.

Denny will make his next court appearance on October 15.

Four months ago, the baker and his wife were cleared of charges which stated that they allegedly trafficked over $25 million worth in ganja in gas cylinders and was freed due to insufficient evidence by the prosecution.

Living…

T

…high on sugar workers’ blood

he sordid story of this PNC-led Government’s slow strangulation of the sugar industry and its workers continues to reveal levels of depravity that just boggles the mind. But then it’s said, “man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds”. The latest episode in this serial, which began in December 2016 with the closing of Wales Estate, illustrates the sick mindset behind the tragedy.

Over in Skeldon last week, workers who’d been fired over a year ago were marching in the brutal sun to protest the remainder of their “severance pay” not being forked over. They’d only been paid half – even though the law demands payment in full. In the meantime, with no jobs on the horizon in an economy that’s moribund, they and their families were staring at starvation and hunger.

Over in Georgetown, on the other hand, the PRO of GuySuCo had halted the SPU -- which was just supposed to sell off the fours shuttered estates -- from opening a Sports Bar at the LBI GuySuCo Headquarters!! Yes, dear reader, you didn’t have a sudden attack of dementia, you did read that right: A SPORTS BAR!!!

Last week, your Eyewitness had passed on info from a Chronic report on the very first spending the SPU had made from the $30 billion bind they’d floated to “turn around” GuySuCo: The SPU proudly announced it had “refurbished the LBI Estate lounge with a bar, tennis court, a pool, and other attractions”!! The swimming pool shown in the accompanying pic – costing millions and millions -- was immaculately terraced to match anything Sandals could offer!! The Article explained that “the facility will be open to… the SPU, as well as for staff of various ministries”!!

Now, if that splurging wasn’t outrageous enough when workers’ severance couldn’t be paid, we now hear of a “SPORTS BAR”??

What manner of persons are these? This is worse than Nero fiddling while Rome burnt!! This is Nero “sporting” in luxury by dipping from the blood of sugar workers, while those workers can’t even put food on the table.

Back in the day when the much maligned ‘white man’ was ruling, sugar workers could only gaze through the fence in wonder at the extravagance of the senior staff in their gated compound. Today, forty years after nationalisation “on behalf of the people”, it’s clear the hand-picked appointees of the PNC-Government see themselves as the “new Massas”, to lord it over sugar workers.

And, dear reader, don’t pay any heed to the GuySuCo PRO sniping at the SPU: they all planned and built their special luxury getaway.

It was only when the SPU didn’t share the $30 billion they balked!!

…in Nagga (la la) land

Your Eyewitness could’ve been knocked over with a feather when he read the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) – with pic with Nagamootoo smirking, naturally! -had forked over $5 million to UG to fund “constitutional reform education”. If this isn’t rich, what is??!! The AFC’s biggest manifesto item had been “constitutional reform”, but they didn’t do squat on that front during the last three years!! And now they want UG to teach the subject to students??!

With their (in)actions, the AFC and Nagamootoo have already taught Guyanese all they need to know about “constitutional reform” -- which is: it’s a great subject to TALK about when you’re in opposition, but it’s VERBOTEN once you sidle into Government! But the irony is: Nagamootoo himself is the biggest loser from the constipation on constitutional reform.

One of the PNC’s promises to inveigle Nagamootoo and the AFC into bed was that the OPM was going to be strengthened and given a host of powers that presently reside with the president.

But the mouth is muzzled…isn’t it?!

…on the edge of the margins

One vendor says she was thrown off her spot after giving evidence against the Town Clerk. But sadly, most of her comrades will still rally for Chase Green in her bid to return as Mayor.

Georgetown syndrome?

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

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Regional health centre

Sanctions recommended for contractor for shoddy works

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oncerns over the construction of the Supply Health Centre, including shoddy work by the contractor, has caused Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Chairman Genevieve Allen to step in and order a full investigation into the matter.

The move was sparked after Councillors on the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) recommended sanctions against the contractor, Navin and Sons, at a recent meeting. According to the region’s Public Relations arm, it was pointed out that the contractor has multiple contracts in the region and thus, those projects could also have issues.

“As such, several Councillors unanimously requested for action to be taken against the contractor, noting that to allow such a misstep to slide, would be sending the wrong message and setting the wrong precedent as well.”

“This was supported by several Councillors, with Councillor Suresh Singh reiterating that he had brought this very issue about contractors doing as they like with little or no proper supervision. Therefore, several Councillors said that they firmly believe that action should be taken against the

The Supply Health Centre under construction by the embattled contractor

errant contractor.”

Allen then called for a vote on whether action should be taken immediately or if a separate investigation should be done. It was unanimously agreed that an independent Commission of Inquiry (CoI) should be conducted by the Works Committee.

At the meeting, Regional Vice Chairman Earl Lambert also stressed that the tree stump at Supply has to be removed regardless of whether a stress test was done. He also expressed concern about connections

between the contractor and the supervisor of the project.

He acknowledged that Senior Engineer at the RDC, Elon Austin, who had reported that while a decision is yet to be made on continuing works, a test by the Public Infrastructure Ministry had found that the flooring was of acceptable quality.

“We know what the stress test is saying but the reality is that the very root has to be removed as in years to come that tree root, if not removed, can certainly affect the structure of that building and we may see the root

breaking up the flooring, so certainly there is need for action against this contractor and any other who may have erred,” Lambert said.

“We are spending monies to put up a structure and later on it would start cracking. The contractor at Eccles he was told to remove the zinc sheets because the zinc sheets was not the correct one that was part of the contract and up to now he can’t remove it. The thing is that yes we want to give people work but if you are serious, you have to start operating like you’re serious.”

The Vice Chairman noted that several contractors seem to be more interested in winning contracts than delivering quality work for taxpayers’ money. He also stressed that the region needs to take the required action against contractors who continue to deliver poor quality work in order to ensure that there are not repeat offenders.

“You can’t give one man five contracts and all he is trying to do is to push the work and giving us substandard work and tomorrow he walks away and we are forced to spend monies to correct something that should have been new. I believe there should be action taken against this contractor and I support the call for action,” Lambert declared.

Meanwhile, Councillor Desmond Morian endorsed the call for a full investigation. He noted that the time has come for serious action rather than mere lip service.

Morian told Councillors that he fully endorsed the call for an investigation and also declared that the findings should be made public.

In addition, he observed that appropriate action should be taken against those found guilty of any activity that is deemed unacceptable and or inap-

propriate. Allen thereafter promised to commission a special meeting shortly to commence the investigation.

Concerns over quality of the work, and the actions of the contractor in question, recently brought the construction of the Supply Health Centre to a screeching halt after the intervention of Region Four authorities.

At the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) monthly meeting last month, Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region Four, Pauline Lucas, had revealed that the contractor was ordered by the Clerk of Works to not proceed with casting the foundation of the Centre. This cease work order was reportedly ignored.

According to a report that was submitted by the Clerk of Works, the contractor had failed to comply with a number of requirements for the project. Among the requirements ignored by the contractor was one for the complete removal of tree roots and debris from the site.

The REO had revealed that the casting of the flooring was found to have been done without removing a major tree stump. This, she noted, places the strength and quality of the building in serious question.

10 news Drugs, phones, blades, found in NA Prison R Family money?

SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

anks of the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Police Force have once again unearthed a quantity of contraband at the New Amsterdam Prison.

The joint exercise on Saturday lasted for almost four hours, during which a section of the Berbice penitentiary was searched.

Among the items found during the raid were 220 grams of cannabis, nine cellular phones, a number of phone chargers, several sim cards, and a quantity of wire, razor blades and lighters.

The smuggling of contraband items into prisons remains a perennial problem within the local system. Nevertheless, authorities have been working to curb the practice and these efforts have resulted in several prison officers being caught facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be “big business”.

In fact, only last week, four prison officers were arrested after they smuggled a bottle of rum and a pack of cigarettes into the Lusignan Prison last weekend. The officers have been charged and interdicted from duty on Tuesday last.

Already, five prison officers were relieved of their duties back in July after they were fingered in an incident whereby a parcel containing cannabis had been thrown into the Lusignan Prison Holding Bay area.

Prisons Director (ag) Gladwin Samuels

The Prisons Director posited that these contraband find its way into the prisons because unscrupulous prison officers are colluding to smuggle items into the prison system, hence it has been a challenge to curb the illegal practice.

“The Standard Operating Procedures would see prison officers conducting searches to verify that persons are without banned items when entering the prisons. This system will only be effective when there is no collusion,” he posited.

Samuels asserted that a firm stand must be taken against the smuggling of banned items into prisons.

In a recent interview with Guyana Times, the Prisons Director had lamented on the struggles authorities are facing in detecting and weeding out corrupt officers from within the system. He

had pointed out that despite efforts to rid the prison facilities of contraband, exercises such as raids create the demand for more illicit items, which some officers take advantage of and capitalise on.

Moreover, Samuels noted that while several methods are there to gather intelligence in the prison environment, these efforts are hindered by the practice of officers who witness, or are aware of, such acts by their colleagues but choose to remain mum instead of reporting to higher authorities.

This, the Prison Director

that you cannot link it to so specific time, it is difficult to sanction persons who are on duty because sometimes when you discover these items, it could be days that they’re in the prison already and so to just go and bring charges against the persons who were on duty during that entire period might not be in the best interest of the service,” Samuels had asserted.

Nevertheless, in efforts to further beef up security and prevent the smuggling of contraband into prison facilities, steps are being taken to acquire scanners for

Contraband found during Saturday’s raid at the New Amsterdam Prison

said, has made it difficult for authorities to identify the rogue officers.

“Many persons have not been forthcoming with information they are privy to and so these [corrupt] persons are not known… The fact

the various penitentiary facilities across the country. In fact, Samuels told Guyana Times that the first scanner is expected to be here sometime in December, while three others have been included in the 2019 Budget.

S

atiricus was happy for the fella. As he walked slowly to the Back Street Bar, he wondered how the carpenter fella from Staten Island, Nandlall Mangal, really felt now that his US$245.6 million Lottery win had sunk in. HE wouldn’t mind being in that position to answer the question, he grinned to himself.

“Eh! Eh! Sato!” exclaimed Bungi as he espied Satiricus and his grin. “Like yuh win de big Latto, or wha’?”

“Like you’re a mind reader, or what?” exclaimed Satiricus. “I was just thinking about that Mangal fella and his quarter billion US win!”

“Budday!! All abee a t’ink ‘bout de man!!” said Cappo, as he sipped his beer thoughtfully. “Me t’ink ‘e a wan fam’ly fram me Poowah husban’ side!”

“Really?” asked Hari, with rising interest and clinking his bottle with Cappo’s. “Maybe he might give you a piece of the action?”

“Me na know,” said Cappo doubtfully. “W’en me bin ba’k-tra’k a Nyu Yaak, me na bin check de man out!”

“But da na mean yuh cyaan check am out now!” said Bungi. “W’en rain ah fall ah roof, yuh put barrel fuh ketch am.”

“Well, de ‘Merican Guvment done tek out US$146 million in tax!” pointed out Cappo, signalling for another beer.

“Budday, that still leaves US$99 million!!” pointed out Satiricus. “Even a $50,000 will become $10 million here!!”

“You have to strike while the iron is hot, Cappo,” advised Hari. “I remember a fella from Houston who won $50 million from the Guyana Lottery.”

“Me know de fella,” said Bungi, putting down his beer. “All de money done!”

“Wasteful man money ah guh like butter in de sun,” commiserated Cappo.

“And that’s why you have to get in touch with Mangal before he blows it all in Hawaii!” pleaded Hari.

“I know what you should do, Cappo,” said Satiricus.

“Don’t just ask him for money…tell him you want a loan to invest in the oil business!”

“Da rite,” agreed Bungi. “See how ev’rybady a len’ de Guvment money, now dem know ile a come!”

“That’s a plan!” said Hari with a smile.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

GuySuCo-SPU clash

Dismissed sugar workers want severance, not sports bar – ex-employees two months ago.

According to information surfacing on Friday, the GuySuCo-SPU clash was in full effect when the Sugar Corporation blocked what was set to be the official launching of the “Estate Lounge”. SPU reportedly transformed GuySuCo’s staff club into a lounge but the sugar entity’s notice on Friday said that the launch was postponed until further notice.

By Shemuel Fanfair

L

ess than two weeks after the appointment of its new Chairman, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) are battling over the conversion of the La Bonne Intention estate staff club into a sports bar, called the “Estate Lounge”.

However, this move has drawn GuySuCo’s ire as terminated sugar workers feel resources should allocated to fund their severance payment rather than establishing a sports bar. The SPU secured a $30 billion bond for its divestments initiatives.

However, dismissed Enmore sugar worker Rampersaud Prashad told Guyana Times that since 2017, he was supposed to be paid all of his severance.

Nevertheless, he only received half that amount when Government paid several workers half of their severance in early 2018.

“The 30 billion dollars what they get, they putting in sports bar [but] things real tight. I aint think they should ah do that; they should come out and give people them money,” Prashad observed.

He indicated his eagerness to know the exact cost of the SPU’s overhaul of the staff club. Speaking on his current plight, the former Enmore worker stressed that he is barely able to make ends meet as it has been difficult for him to secure high-paying employment.

“Nothing and deh but I trying to maintain my daughter and my son,” he said.

“They could have given us we severance. Nobody thinking about East Demerara workers. Them

The LBI staff club was morphed into the “Estate Lounge”

in Wales and Berbice get [food] hampers but we never get none. After we get redundant, we don’t have organiser to protest,” the man lamented.

Part-time sugar worker, Alex Paul Singh, who is one of the workers fighting for severance pay at Wales told Guyana Times that he is finding it difficult to care for his youngest daughter, 14, who is still in school.

“The money what they take to spruce up LBI, Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon is fraud because all the estates was in the process of grinding. All the cane is there, NICIL (National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited) doesn’t have to spend money to get any canes,” the 57-year-old man stressed.

He too feels that money currently being expended by NICIL’s SPU should have been directed at paying GuySuCo’s severed employees. He told this publication that he has been finding it difficult to get work outside of his parttime employment as a ‘Service Hand’ attached to the divested Wales entity.

“I hustling with all kind of work; lil mason work for a two-day. I aint getting no permanent work,” he

stressed.

Former Skeldon worker in the fertiliser department, Naskisha Best is a mother of three school aged-children.

She has been waiting on her severance pay and said she applied for a permanent job since June and has not gotten through as yet. She however told Guyana Times that from her knowledge, the SPU-managed entities have been employing fewer women and are opting to take on more men.

“They said that they mostly taking on cane cutters,” Best explained.

The establishment of the revamped sports bar comes amid protests from many workers who are owed severance payment after being terminated in late 2017. The GuySuCo is however clashing with the SPU which is the successive owner of divested sugar estates: Wales, Skeldon, Rose Hall, and the merged East Demerara Estate where thousands of workers lost their jobs as the industry downsized.

Tasked with divestment

by NICIL, the SPU is attempting to make the entities more attractive to investors, with Government having secured a $30 million bond to this end, with $17 billion made available under the first tranche over

“Air-conditioned rum shop”

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall on Saturday berated the Government entity for its use of the $30 billion bond that was secured from Republic Bank. The former Attorney General deemed the situation a disconcerting one, given that the bond is, perhaps, the largest single domestic burrowing in Guyana’s history.

He reasoned that the $17 billion which was already disbursed is lying “idle” in a NICIL bank account attracting interest at a rate of millions of dollars per month.

He deemed the Estate Lounge a relaxation spot for “the big boys to enjoy their liquid and other entertainment”.

“So money can be found to build a well-appointed, air-conditioned rum shop for the elitists to wine and dine but monies cannot be found to pay the 7000 workers, whose family has been placed on the breadline, their severance pay to which they are lawfully entitled.

And this recreational joint is built in the estate’s compound within the clear sight of the workers and their suffering families who wonder daily from where the next meal will come. This must be one of the most inconsiderate, insensitive and cal-

Part of the improved facilities at LBI

lous governments ever,” the PPP executive outlined.

Former sugar workers in Berbice have recently increased demonstrations calling for their severance pay.

Meanwhile, many of their colleagues at Wales have been waiting for the outcome of an ongoing court

case since early 2017.

Justice Sandil Kissoon is said to be hearing the matter in the High Court.

These workers demanded severance since they refused to take up work at the Uitvlugt Estate, which is 22 miles away from their original place of employment.

12 news

SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

More robust regulations needed for mining in Mazaruni River

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ocal civil society group, the Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), is calling for more robust laws to govern mining operations, particularly in hinterland communities, following a recent incident involving a ‘dragga’ which resulted in one man being injured and several other occupants of a boat traumatised.

The incident occurred on Monday on the Upper Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), as a group of villagers from Jawalla were travelling in a boat on a six-hour journey to the famous Karowrieng rock paintings to celebrate the culmination of Heritage Month.

The journey commenced in the wee hours of the day and while it was still dark, the boat approached a Brazillian ‘dragga’, which is said to be a more powerful operation than the traditional dredge. Without any warning, the steel cable anchoring the dragga to trees across the river – an illegal practice – was suddenly lift-

ed out of the water and flung by one of the occupants of the boat, injuring the man on his face.

Luckily at the time, the other occupants were lying in the boat and the cable passed over them, not causing any further harm. Had they not been in that position, they could have been knocked overboard or even beheaded.

However, instead of offering apologies or assistance, the workers operating the ‘dragga’ begun hurling abuses at the traumatised boat occupants.

According to the PFG, navigating the Mazaruni River between Jawalla and Imbaimadai continues to be a daily hazard for residents of Indigenous communities. Even experienced boat captains, the group said, are challenged by the currents and eddies constantly changing as a result of the sand-banks caused by tailings from mine sites.

“Individual villagers are increasingly fearful of dangers posed by river trav-

A dredge in the Mazaruni River

el on this stretch of the Upper Mazaruni, which remains the only physical means of communication between these communities and Kamarang where most sub-regional public services, such as Police, health, education, mining and agriculture are located,” the PFG noted in a statement on Saturday.

The civil society group, which collectively focuses primarily on accountability and transparency issues to natural resources, climate change and extractive industries, posited that the Guyana Geology and Mines

Commission (GGMC) seems to be a by-stander too often in such situations.

“Whether its inaction results from being too thin on the ground, or being in thrall to the mining lobby, or im-

peded by the corruption that seeps like a mist through all levels of mining operations – including in some communities – is unclear,” the PFG asserted.

It further highlighted that local Toshao and Village Councils rules relating to governing operations of draggas on rivers are not respected by owners of mine sites, who are well aware that communities have little power to enforce them. This sense of impunity, according to the PFG, has been reinforced by the court judgement which ruled that the rivers belong to the State and not the communities against a Mazaruni Village Council that attempt-

ed to remove a miner from the Mazaruni.

“The need for a more robust legal regime to protection of rivers is patently obvious. Moreover, since those whose lives are most bound up with clean, safe rivers are Indigenous peoples, greater authority must be vested in Village Councils to control and manage rivers,” the civil society group stated.

The PFG added that if this was the case then the rights of Indigenous communities to life, health and freedom of movement would be better protected and the integrity of the Upper Mazaruni River better preserved.

Man remanded for assaulting wife

A

n alleged wife abuser made his appearance before Magistrate Leron Daly on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was slapped with assault charges.

Cecil Glasgow is accused of assaulting his common-law wife, Lona Khan. The allegations against Glasgow stated that on September 26, 2018, at Stevedore Housing Scheme, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he used threatening language towards Khan, who is his common-law wife of 11 years.

Another charge stated that on the said date and location, he assaulted Khan with intent to cause actual bodily harm. The third charge stated that on the same day, he used abusive language towards Khan.

An unrepresented Glasgow denied the allega-

tions after the charges were read to him.

The prosecution’s case stated that on September 26, the Virtual Complainant (VC) was heading to an eating place at Stabroek Square where she met her daughter. She then saw her reputed husband. He immediately started to use a series of profane language towards her when he saw his step-daughter approaching. On arrival at home, the defendant started to use profane language towards the VC again and snatched her handbag away then threatened to burn it. According to the prosecution’s case, he continued by arming himself with a cutlass and placing it on the VC’s neck. The matter was reported to the Police and Glasgow was later arrested and charged.

The Virtual Complainant

informed the court that her husband abuses her when he is under the influence of alcohol but added that he is the sole provider for the family. In an effort to have the charges dropped, the woman told Magistrate Daly that their eight-year-old child will suffer if Glasgow goes to jail. She pleaded with the Magistrate to have them sent to counselling rather than sending Glasgow to jail.

However, after listening to her pleas, Magistrate Daly in response told the VC she was trying to protect her and the child from being the next victims of murder, since abusive relationships in most cases end with the murders of the abused partners.

As a result, Magistrate Daly disregarded the VC’s pleas and remanded Glasgow to prison. The matter will continue on October 10.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

After months of non-payment

Gandhi and the end of Indentureship (With Gandhiji’s birth anniversary two days away, we repeat this article from 2 years ago)

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ctober 2 is Gandhi’s birthday. When you can refer to someone by just his last name and yet most people in the world know who you are referring to, there has to be good reason. Most know Gandhi because of his introduction of “civil disobedience” – he called it “satyagraha,” or “truth force” – as a form of struggle for justice. Satyagraha arose out of Gandhi’s understanding of the central Hindu principle of “dharma”. He said, “Conflicts have to be sorted out non-violently, not because it is expedient to do so, not because the state exists, but because it is a requirement of dharma.”

He is also associated with the struggle for India’s independence, which was a seminal event for all the other British colonies, including the then British Guiana.

But not so well known is that Gandhi was also Ravi Dev associated with the events that led to the abolition of indentureship, as was alluded to in an earlier article. Gandhi had been hired as a lawyer by a wealthy businessman in South Africa, part of a 5000-strong, mostly Muslim community that had migrated there from Bombay. This community stayed aloof from the “indentured Indians” who were recruited to work on plantations; or, in the case of South Africa, also in the mines – except to sell them “goods”.

These two sets of Indians occupied separate worlds socially, culturally and politically; and it was only when the two intersected through personal experiences of Gandhi that their commonality of interests was briefly glimpsed. We have recounted how Gandhi was thrown off a train at the insistence of a white Britisher shortly after his arrival in South Africa. The newly minted London-trained lawyer insisted, as a “British subject”, he had the right to the first-class seat he had bought.

These and other actions problematised Gandhi’s assumptions about what he had been taught about the “benefits” of India being in the British Empire.

Shortly after the train humiliation, Gandhi encountered the indentured world. As he recounted it: “A Tamil man in tattered clothes, headgear in hand, two front teeth missing and mouth bleeding, stood before me, trembling and weeping.”

And elsewhere the “hat in hand” anecdote is repeated – clearly as a trope for his shaken premise on “Britishness”: “…

Balasundaram entered my office, headgear in hand. There was a particular pathos about the circumstance which also showed our humiliation. I have already narrated the incident when I was asked to take off my turban. A practice had been forced upon the very indentured labourer and every stranger to take off his headgear when visiting European, whether the headgear was a cap, turban or scarf wrapped round the head. A salute even with both hands was not sufficient.”

Balasundaram’s case exposed the inequities indentureds endured, even though they were supposedly protected by a contract – the “agreement” they tried to uphold from their side scrupulously. Eventually, after a great effort, Gandhi gets Balasundaram transferred to another employer, but now understood how SA’s institutions, such as the magistracy, were stacked against indentureds.

In 1896, on a visit to Bombay, Gandhi produced a 15,000word tract on the problems of Indians – merchants, free and indentured in South Africa. He complained bitterly (and indignantly) that the Bombay merchants were called “Coolie Traders”, and were not treated much better than the indentureds.

He earned some notoriety from the Whites when he returned to SA, but at the same time, much goodwill from the indentured Indians.

Between 1907, when Gandhi launched his first “satyagraha” campaign, and 1914, when he left South Africa, even though most of his issues were peripheral to their plight, Indentured Indians formed the bulk of the protesters. As recounted before, he provided his mentor, Gokhale in the Indian Legislative Council, with information on the conditions in South Africa. In 1912, the latter called for the complete abolition of indentureship.

When this was finally achieved in 1917, Gandhi suggested that satyagraha had “hastened the end”.

There has been a steady stream of revisionist accounts of Gandhi’s life – including his 21-year stay in South Africa – especially as they relate to Gandhi’s relations with both Indentured Indians and Native Africans. But we have to remember that while Gandhi was ahead of his times on human rights in many regards, we cannot judge him totally by present standards.

He was a “Mahatma” – a great Soul – not a “Paramatman” – the Supreme Soul.

Former sugar workers turned guards still waiting on salaries T hough the Labour Department had launched an investigation following reports of non-payment, some former Wales sugar workers who garnered employment with the Sentinel Security Inc are opting to discontinue working with the security service. This comes against the backdrop of repeated reports that the company was slow to pay salaries.

Guyana Times has learnt that many workers were finally paid their July wages but salaries for August and September for several workers are reportedly outstanding.

“Them only pay me for July. Them owe for me for August and September so I decided to leave them about last week time,” one former worker who preferred to remain anonymous revealed.

The former male guard

Region Three REO Denis Jaikarran

recently told this publication that he was only able to leave the guard service because he secured work in the trade of welding which was his specialty when he was an employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) at Wales Estate.

A female guard, who claimed that she was being targeted also, spoke on the

condition of anonymity. She indicated on Saturday that the company has been “laying off” some of its workers in recent weeks.

When Guyana Times reported on the Labour Department’s probe, it was stated that some guards on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) were starting to receive salaries. Many of their colleagues on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) have expressed they are struggling to provide for themselves and families. Another sugar worker turned guard had explained that his lack of earnings meant that he could not have afforded his $5000 water bill. He had claimed earlier this month that his service was disconnected.

Sentinel Security Inc provides security services to many schools and medical facilities in Region

Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara). When this newspaper first contacted the company several weeks ago, it said it was owed by the region.

The district’s Regional Executive Officer (REO), Denis Jaikarran, gave assurances in late August that the payments would have been effected in a short time. Guyana Times attempted to contact Jaikarran for an update on the matter on Saturday but this proved futile.

He had in fact said previously that the delay was not due to not a shortage of money, but that there were some difficulties and challenges to secure releases.

However, that was just over one month and many of the guards who remain on the job without salaries are dependent on their families to sustain them.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018| guyanatimesgy.com

ECD 4-lane expansion 35% complete World Habitat Day calls for

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he Public Infrastructure Ministry is holding onto hopes of completing the four-lane East Coast Demerara (ECD) road ex-

pansion by September 2019; assuring that a supervisory firm is on site ensuring ethical and environmental standards are maintained.

Acknowledging the con-

cerns, the Ministry pointed out that much of the work for the four-lane section will be completed by December 2018. The Ministry revealed that a safety and environ-

Therefore, in order to have commuters out of the construction zone as quickly as possible and to alleviate the build-up in traffic, the contractor has begun training

global cities to transition into “Waste-Wise Cities”

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n the first Monday of October, the international community observes World Habitat Day, to reflect on the state of towns and cities and the basic right for adequate shelter. Each year, one unifying theme is chosen, with the focus this year being “Municipal Solid Waste Management.”

This calls for cities to become “Waste-Wise Cities.” The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda, address the key issue of solid waste management. The target of Sustainable Development Goal 12 is: Sustainable Production and Consumption with an emphasis on environmentally sound management of all waste through prevention, reduction, recycling, reuse, and the reduction of food waste.

Ongoing works on the ECD road expansion project

ment audit was done only a few days ago.

There, it was noted that pressing issues affecting residents were logged. In addition, the contractor was given a one-week deadline to remedy them… though they did not say exactly what these issues were.

It was explained, however, that the problem of dust was tackled through the introduction of three water trucks. These trucks are charged with wetting the road seven times per day, a popular tactic to prevent dust pollution.

The Ministry noted that another intervention involved the use of flagmen to regulate the flow of traffic. It was related that more are being trained. Claims that traffic involves two-hour waits were denied by the Ministry, who claimed that the maximum commuters have to wait is 20 minutes.

“One of the interventions which has been implemented is for more trained flagmen to be used to regulate the flow of traffic while materials are being offloaded on site. Thus, trucks will not offload materials during the peak period in the mornings and afternoons. The Ministry is not cognisant of the fact that drivers are waiting more than two hours in traffic. We are aware of commuters having to wait 15 to 20 minutes the most.”

“The speed limit in the construction zone is 20km per hour, which should be understandable since major road works are being done.

more flagmen.”

Meanwhile, it was revealed that an international consultant, Sheladia Associates, was contracted to supervise the project.

Approximately 20 specialised technicians, according to the Ministry, are on site on a daily basis to monitor the works.

The defects liability period – once the US$50 million project is completed – will be one year. The project was awarded to China Railway First Group Company, after Guyana received a US$45 million concessional loan from the China EXIM bank to finance it.

This component of the project entails a total length of 16.998 kilometres of roads and 33.996 kilometres of drains to be built. It also includes the construction of seven bridges and the extension of 12 culverts. A median along with streetlights will be placed in the centre of the four lanes.

As of August, it was explained that the bridges were approximately 35 per cent complete, with works having commenced on four of them; and of the 12 culverts, works are being carried out on the fourth culvert, which brings this aspect of the works to about 25 per cent completed.

The concrete drains were about 90 per cent completed, while the revetment and retaining walls – a total of 190 metres primarily at the Triumph Sluice – were about 60 per cent completed. With regards to the road work, 95 per cent of the extension was completed.

Municipal Solid Waste Concerns in Guyana Guyana, like many developing countries, has long struggled with creating systems to ensure proper disposal of its solid waste.

This is linked to a variety of challenges, which include financial constraints, old and inefficient equipment, lack of reliable transportation to dispose of waste; and, of course, the attitude

An illegal dumping site

of citizens towards the environment. Waste management is a big concern in Guyana, and in response, the Government of Guyana has put emphasis on sensitising the local population through littering campaigns as well as the development and enforcement of policies such as Environmental Protection Litter (Enforcement) Regulations 2013, and the Environmental Protection (Expanded Polystyrene Ban) 2015.

On the path to a Green State…

As Guyana approaches its Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), it is important to remember that the SDGs’ guidelines call for the integration of actions to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Alongside the Ministry of Communities, a comprehensive, economically viable, bio-friendly initiative was rolled out to address solid waste management in Guyana.

The strategy covers a broad spectrum of waste, including residential, commercial, industrial, scrap metal, those produced by healthcare facilities, discarded oils, and electrical and electronic refuse. The Ministry of Communities has noted that, by 2024, forty percent of all generated waste will be recycled, composted, or otherwise put to use.

The plan will also guide the Government’s agenda on collection, transportation and disposal; improving the waste management infrastructure; enforcing existing legislation; and promoting the waste-to-energy initiative. In addition, the draft Solid Waste Management Bill proposes the establishment of a Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA), which would be expected to function as a corporate body under the Ministry of Communities. This authority would provide oversight functions as well as coordinate all policy, operational and licensing aspects of solid waste management in the country.

Additionally, there is a feasibility study being conducted to implement a ban on single-use plastic products by 2020.

Furthermore, there is a push for the implementation of a container-recycling project and the introduction of a robust garden/community composting system.

As Guyana takes on this year’s World Habitat Day challenge, to become more “Waste-Wise,” there must be collaboration and transparency between all organisations, with a municipal solid waste management agenda throughout the country.

Solid waste management is a growing global issue; the amount of waste produced increases daily, and therefore education and outreach to all citizens on the effects of improper waste management is critical. Guyana can begin to use the framework set out by UN-Habitat, which promotes an “Integrated Solid Waste Management Framework”, including good waste collection services, environment protection through proper treatment, and disposal and resource management. Integral to a waste-wise society is environmental stewardship; we need to be conscious of our habits and make deliberate efforts to dispose of our waste properly.

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 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Lindener slapped with attempted murder charge

A financial analysis of the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s financials, extrapolated from its Annual Report for 2016 (Part 1) – in the context of the $30 billion syndicated bond

A

ppearing in the print media during the course of last week were a series of articles in relation to the $30 billion syndicated bond and some other issues relating to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). In particular, in the September 27, 2018 edition of this newspaper, the GuySuCo Chairman was reported as stating that the entity is “starved for capital”.

Readers might recall that, back in April-May, 2017, a series of articles were featured under this column, dedicated to the economic and social impacts of the Government’s move to downsize the sugar industry. In that series, two articles were dedicated towards critiquing the State White Paper that was presented in the National Assembly by the Agriculture Minister in this regard.

It was recently reported in sections of the media that Republic Bank had halted GuySuCo’s bond financing over misuse of the proceeds from that financial instrument.

In response, it was subsequently reported that the top management of GuySuCo claimed to have little or no knowledge of the terms and conditions of that bond instrument. This could be described as undoubtedly a confusing and worrying development.

Key Financial Data

FY 2016 Guy$ billions

Assets Total non-current assets 117,549 Total current assets 19,352 Total Assets 136,901 Liabilities & Equity Current liability Non-current liability Total Liability

44,670 70,860 115,530

FY 2015 Guy$ billions 121,940 18,224 140,164 37,713 81,921 119,634

Total Shareholders’ equity 21,371 20,530 Total liabilities and equity 136901 140,164 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total Revenue 31,903 38,360 (40,571) (41,476) Accumulated deficit Comprehensive profit/loss after tax: 841 (1,868)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Key Financial Risk (Leverage) Ratios 32,336 35,033] *[Net Debt Net debt to equity ratio 1.51:1 1.70:1 Long-term debt-to-equity ratio 1.67:1 2.27:1

Total debt-to-total-assets ratio

0.56:1 0.52:1 Ratios adjusted to reflect $30 billion [FY2018] Syndicated Bond using balance sheet figures as at 2016, assuming that the changes to date are relatively marginal:

Net debt-to-equity ratio 2.92:1 Long-term debt-to-equity ratio 3.65:1 Total debt-to-total-asset Ratio 0.78:1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The financial analysis presented in this article focuses exclusively on the financial risks or leverage ratios of GuySuCo – because this is where the fundamental problem lies, coupled with arguably a complex set of other issues. Financial leverage ratios are used to measure how much financial risk a firm has taken on. Typically, a company can finance its assets with either debt or equity – often times a combination of both. Equity finance does not necessarily obligate a company to pay interest and repay principal – dividends are paid at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

There is always some degree of risk inherent in any operating segment of a business, but how a company chooses to finance its operations – the particular mix of debt and equity – may add financial risk in addition to the business risks.

Thus financial risk is the extent to which a firm uses debt financing relative to equity – that constitutes the capital or financing structure of a company.

(This analysis shall be continued next week, with some recommendations for consideration).

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

T

wenty-two-year-old Preston Skeete of South Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) was last week slapped with an attempted murder charge when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate's Court.

He was remanded to prison for the charge which alleges that he wounded 25-year-old Kevin Valladores, a labourer of Central Amelia's Ward on September 6, 2018, with intent to murder him. The incident occurred at about

19:00h at Victory Valley, Wismar, Linden. According to the prosecutor’s case, Valladores was at a shop in Victory Valley imbibing along with Skeete and others when an argument ensued between the two. Skeete is alleged to have choked the victim, before pulling out a knife and slitting his throat.

He then made good his escape.

Following the alleged incident, Valladores placed a rag to his throat and ran East along Sunflower Street, Wismar. He was picked up by a driver but subsequently exited the vehicle while at

Preston Skeete

Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge waiting for the traffic light.

Valladores then ran in the direction of the Linden

Hospital Complex (LHC) holding onto his throat.

Another public-spirited person saw him, picked him up and rushed him to the LHC where he was treated for an eight-inch laceration to his neck.

The injury resulted in him having to receive several stitches. He was then admitted a patient in a stable condition for observation. Skeete, who later went into hiding, was days later caught by Police and charged with the crime. He will make his next court appearance on October 16.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Pedestrian crushed to death by truck A

40-year-old clothes vendor was on Saturday crushed to death at Good Hope, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), after he reportedly walked in front of a moving truck.

Dead is Cyon Caunders of Lot 101 Melanie Damishana, ECD. Based on information received, the motor lorry GRR 6081, which is owned by China Railway First Group Guyana Inc, was proceeding East along the northern side of the public road at about 04:20h.

The 28-year-old driver alleged that he saw the pedestrian walking East on the

northern edge of the road at a certain distance in front of the lorry. As he approached, Caunders reportedly walked suddenly across the road in the southern direction and came into contact with the lorry.

Upon seeing that, he claimed he immediately applied the brakes but due to the short distance between Caunders and the vehicle, the pedestrian fell to the ground and was run over by the truck. His head was crushed.

Caunders was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead on ar-

rival. However, the driver abandoned the motor lorry and fled to his residence where he was arrested by

Police ranks.

A breathalyser test was subsequently conducted which indicated a zero per

cent alcohol reading. The body was later identified by his mother.

When Guyana Times visited the area, a resident who is employed at a nearby business, related that there was no indication that the truck was speeding.

“I work in the night so I come out and see the guy walking in the corner and it had like two cars before he reach the man. But like when the truck come close, that’s when the guy decide to cross the road and like he didn’t watch for any vehicle on the road,” the man said.

“From what I see, it didn’t look like he (the driver) was

speeding but like he panicked when he see that he actually see that he hit the guy and people around call the Police after he go away,” he added.

The onlooker noted that Police ranks arrived shortly after the accident, but it seems as though Caunders died immediately since brain matter was splattered on the roadway.

“The entire part of the road had blood and parts of his brains they had to collect so he probably passed before reaching the hospital.”

The driver is assisting with the investigations as Police continues to probe the incident.

“Sometimes my children wake up hungry and...

Sometimes I gone and fetch up the coast but right now the paddy work get stiff because they bring in grain carts. Since the estate close down, sometimes you catch day work, sometimes you ain’t catch nothing,” the dejected man said.

Sinclair said she used to operate a small mobile confectionary business but since the estate’s closure, that business became even tougher resulting in her shutting up shop. Now she sits at home wondering when her dreams of owning a proper home would come through.

Because of their dire situation, Sinclair would quite often beg her pensioner mother for food for the children.

“Sometimes we eat salt and rice. That is how we survive.

Sometimes my children wake up in the night hungry and all I can do is cry. Right now, I need a lot of help. I am punishing a lot, because it isn’t easy to raise four children without a job,” she said was tears settled in the eyes.

The children remain in school after being away from

the first week and then went with slippers on their feet.

However, neighbours have assisted the children with school shoes.

Additionally, when the Government decided that they should downsize the sugar industry and ignore the advice of the multimillion-dollar Commission of Inquiry into the state of the sector, they did not put a plan in place to cater for those who were rendered jobless.

Those, particularly, feeling the brunt of the closure are the men and women in Berbice. Because of the limited economic opportunities in the country, the majority of the workers are yet to find jobs – 10 months later.

Avinash Singh, 31; and his 33-year-old brother are two such persons, who are still battling desperately to find employment so that they can send their children to school, take care of their families and provide assistance to their 66-year-old father, who has limited mobility. They both lost their jobs at the Skeldon Estate in

December of 2017 when they were made redundant.

But like a story out of a gloomy book, the brothers are now dependent on their father to take care of himself as well as their families.

The family survives on his $19,500 per month pension.

The brothers live with their father at Number 76 Village, Corentyne, in a small house. The family shares the living room and verandah to sleep. Two chairs decorate the living room, which also acts as the dining room at mealtime. The kitchen has one table on which the stove and all the other kitchen utensils rest. The house is kept clean, but it is the television which the children are forced to view in place of lunch and sometimes also for dinner that keeps them going.

Avinash’s day entails cooking, cleaning and taking care of the four children – ages four, six, seven and eight years old. He said his elder brother would have attempted joining the fishing industry but because of the

high incidence of pirate attacks, he left.

Both he and his brother are separated from their wives.

“Without a job and without money and have a family to look after, certain times you does get frustrated and you could do anything to get

money because you don’t want to wake up in the night and your kids tell you that they are hungry and you don’t have anything to give them,” he said.

“It is hard to send the kids at school because of no job and don’t have money and when the kids go to

from page 3

school, the teachers always get something that they want money… My father does get pension and he does buy the month grocery fo we from he pension money. My father supporting we right now with he pension because we don’t have a job right now,” Avinash said.

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SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

LGE 2018

Better drainage, no rates and taxes increases – PPP candidates

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ith Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan promising countrywide property valuation to assist Local Government Organs improve their rates and taxes collection, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) candidates contesting the November 12 Local Government Elections for the La Grange/Nismes, West Bank Demerara, Local Authority Area (LAA) promise to strongly oppose this move when it is rolled out.

They are of the view that the valuation process would mean increased rates and taxes for their constituents in an already burdening economy. The Party is contesting six of the seven constituencies with the LAA. It is the first time that they are contesting the Nismes Constituency, a seat which has always been held by the People’s National Congress and now the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

Leading the charge for that Constituency is 30-yearold Dr Erica Forte. She said she has been living there all her life and many of the residents there are unaware of the level of representation they get as well as who their representative is. Her vision for the growing constituen-

cy includes tackling the social ills that plague the community as well as focus on the development of proper health care systems for her constituents.

Within the LAA there is just one health-care facility which is the La Grange Health Centre and that provides limited services to residents. The Nismes community was so small when the health centre was constructed that the community was also included to be serviced.

However, over the years the community drastically improved with no improvements to the healthcare system.

According to Dr Forte the entire feels neglected and is looking for development.

She said that the residents are gravely uninformed and aims to have sensitization campaigns since that would better inform them as to what the NDC is capable of and how they as residents should pitch in and assist.

Within her constituency, the roads have never being maintained and with the opening of a new housing settlement in the area the deterioration of the roads have increased.

“Whatever is done we do it ourselves and like many constituencies I feel like the

Dr Erica Forte

people of Nismes are not involved as much. Involved in terms of playing a role in their community’s development because there are no real programmes set up for community services. How can you move forward when you don’t know where you are?” she questioned.

“I can bring a whole new view on the issues and I can resonate more with both the youths and elders because of my age. Apart from that, characteristically speaking, I have always been a go-getter type personality so I am not prepared to sit down and just wait… I am not doing this for the fame or praise…

I want to get things done for the community. Everything has gotten worse in my opinion. No lights in the area.

Garbage disposal is a problem. Wayward youths is increasing because they have nothing to do. There is no community anything and a sense of community in the area,” Dr Forte added.

Meanwhile, the other members on the PPP’s slate expressed similar sentiments. However, one of the major concerns for them is the drainage situation that plagues the partially farming community.

Constituency One – Palmer Street-North Independence Street – candidate, Krishna Codrington, said a number of redundant Wales Estate employees live within his constituency and they have resorted to cashcrop farming, hence the reason drainage is a major issue. He notes that although there is so much the candidates have planned to do, nothing is achieved without teamwork. He also indicated that they are prepared to withstand the pressure of not having any valuation of property done in order to raise rates and taxes.

A d d i t i o n a l l y , Constituency Two Councillor Anjanie Narine

Anjanie Narine

– who is seeking re-election said her first term as a Councillor was marred by a lot of resistance from the Overseer, Lemar Roberts, at the La Grange/Nismes Neighbourhood Democratic Council. She notes that the Overseer would blatantly refuse to act on orders which quite often results in residents breaking the law and the NDC receiving substandard works.

Narine further stated that the NDC does not have its own machinery and other equipment which makes it tougher to get the job done.

“When you have to do work and it costs more than

$100,000 you have to take that to the RDC (Regional Democratic Council, Vreeden-Hoop) for them to take to tender and sometimes, you don’t even get a response.

That affects the work a lot because there is so much we want to do and so little we can do,” she explained.

“We thought that we were going to be an independent body when we were seeking election, but Central Government is controlling our every move and we cannot develop in that way,” Narine added.

On the issue of finances, Narine indicated that there are some defaulters when it comes to paying rates and taxes but noted that Council is advising them to pay up.

She noted that whenever they receive subventions, there is always an issue as to where it would go and to what projects and quite often they are forced to focus on a particular constituency while the others do not receive as much attention.

The other candidates contesting the constituencies are Carlos DeFreitas, Rahman Alladin and Rafi Khan. The group already started their campaigning and is hoping for a clean sweep.

This publication reached

18 news

SUnDAY, september 30, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

No visa required for senior Govt officials to travel to Indonesia

Overseas-based Guyanese donate much needed supplies to Region 9

…courtesy not extended to ordinary Guyanese

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge with the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi

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uyana’s Government officials will no longer require a visa to travel to the Asian country of Indonesia. This was announced after Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge signed an agreement between the Governments of Guyana and Indonesia on visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic and service passports. agreement was The signed on Friday by Greenidge and Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, Retno LP Marsudi during the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The agreement documents that “nationals of either country, holding valid

diplomatic and service passports shall not be required to obtain a visa for entry into, exit from and stay in the territory or transiting through the borders of the other, for a period not exceeding 30 days.”

While Government officials and their high-level staffers will be granted this benefit, ordinary Guyanese citizens will still be required to go through the process of applying for a visa into the country, as the agreement allows for only holders of diplomatic and service passports to enter without that piece of documentation.

Back in May, the two Ministers met where they fostered conversations on strengthening bilateral relations between the nations.

Guyana and Indonesia are said to have established formal diplomatic relations on August 27, 1999, and have collaborated on international fora such as the Non-Aligned Movement, The Group of 77 and China, and the United Nations, among other areas.

Early in 2017, the Arton Capital’s Passport Index ranking international had noted that Guyana’s passport allows its citizens to visit a total of 74 countries without a visa, giving it a ranking of 103 out of 199 countries.

The highest ranked South American nation is presently Brazil. Listed at number 40 with 143 destinations, Brazil jumped three places higher than the 2016 list.

In comparison to Guyana’s continental neighbours, only two other South American nations are ranked lower. These are Bolivia, at number 116 with 67 destinations; and Suriname, at 109 with 70 destinations. Barbados is the highest ranked Caribbean state, topping the Region at number 50 with 132 destinations. Following closely are The Bahamas, at 53 with 129 destinations; Antigua and Barbuda, at 56 with 124 destinations; and St Kitts and Nevis, at 57 with 123 destinations. Trinidad and Tobago was ranked at 59, with 121 destinations.

Dr Oneka Scott as she made her remarks during the handing over ceremony

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undreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of school supplies, among other items, was last week donated to schools located in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) by 10 female overseas-based Guyanese.

Some of the benefactors were Nappi, Parishara, and Kumu primary schools, as well as nursery schools in Lethem.

This open-handed idea became reality after the women read an article on on the Internet about the work of the Adolescent Health Unit of the Public Health Ministry. The 10 women who came together and made the tangible donation were Lorraine Mapp, Eurcelle Lewis, Loretta Adih,

Amanda Mapp, Oni Celestin, Donna Davis, Lynette Grant, Wendella Babb, Lesney Prass and Joyce Celestin.

Dr Oneka Scott, the Maternal Child Health (MCH) Officer (ag) of the Health Ministry, said on Wednesday during the handing over ceremony that the benefactors have since pledged to support the programme on another venture in 2019. The ceremony was held at the Indigenous Conference Hall in the town of Lethem.

Additionally, Dr Scott also used the occasion to address pressing adolescent health matters and teenage pregnancy issues which poses a challenge to some 1000 residents of main-

73rd anniversary

St Joseph Mercy Hospital hosts health fair

5 women charged for robbing man in parking lot

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ive women were on Friday placed before the courts when they were charged jointly for a robbery they committed on a man.

Lisa Barker of Lot 14 Rasville, Georgetown; Timeka Blair of Congress Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Simeon Williams of West La Penitence, Georgetown; Onika Favourite of Cooper Street, Albouystown, Georgetown; and Shanella Adams of Laine Avenue, Georgetown, denied the allegation when it was read to them by Magistrate Leron Daly.

The women were charged for robbing the man of items

and foreign currency totalling $646,000; property of Phillip Benjamin while they were in the parking lot of Nigel’s Supermarket on September 27, 2018.

According to the facts presented to the court by Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh, on the day in question, the females went to the Robb Street, Georgetown parking lot where they met with the Virtual Complainant (VC) who had his car parked.

In an attempt to give the women a lift, he cleared the back seat of his vehicle, which had a suitcase and a haversack containing the valuables.

Further, as the man was about to place other items into the trunk of the vehicle, which was left opened, he realised that the two pieces of luggage were missing, and the woman left.

As a result, the VC then drove to the head of the corner, where he saw one of the women and inquired about the items but the woman denied knowledge of the items.

A report was made, and the women were arrested and charged with the offence.

The women were placed on $100,000 each. The case will continue on October 26.

1 fined, 2 on bail for Alberttown brawl

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hree persons were on Friday slapped with multiple assault charges and appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Odessa Ford, Aqueena Ford and Ron Clarke were all charged separately for assaulting each other on September 20, 2018.

The allegation against Odessa Ford stated that on September 20, 2018, at Lot 55 Fifth Street, Alberttown,

Georgetown, she assaulted Aqueena Ford. She admitted to the charge after it was read to her. The charges against Aqueena Ford stated that on September 20, also at Lot 55 Fifth Street, Alberttown, she assaulted Odessa Ford. Other charges read that on the same date, she also used indecent language towards the said Virtual Complainant (VC) and unleashed her ferocious dog with the intent to have the animal attack the VC. Aqueena Ford denied all the charges.

Meanwhile, the allegation against Ron Clarke stated that on September 20, 2018, also at Lot 55 Fifth Street, Alberttown, he assaulted Odessa Ford. Clarke denied the allegation.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh made no objection to bail and as a result, Magistrate Daly released Aqueena Ford on $70,000. Clarke was released on $10,000 bail and Odessa Ford was fined $10,000. The cases will continue on October 16.

ly the Makushi, Patamona, Wapishana, and Wai Wai Indigenous tribes.

The Adolescent Health initiative’s teen pregnancy clinic and the adolescent support groups’ programmes specifically target differently-abled children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. This programme started two years ago.

According to Dr Scott, the programme has been well-received in the communities where teenage pregnancy, and particularly incest, in relation to adolescent health issues are significant. She said pregnant teenage girls are more likely to drop out of school to take care of their new-born.

With full support from the region’s health-care workers, teen mothers are now being cared for separately from the adult women. This has effectively enabled teens to have better personal interactions with health-care providers.

Also present at the ceremony was Wilfred Toney who deputised for the 10 women in their absence and assisted in the distribution of the items, along with Shawina Davis, a nurse attached to the Adolescent Health Unit of the Ministry. She was also part of the visiting team. The items donated included haversacks, stationery, toys and clothing for the students.

Health-care professionals conducting blood pressure tests on two beneficiaries

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he St Joseph Mercy Hospital on Saturday held a health fair at its Parade Street, Kingston, Georgetown location in observance of its 73rd anniversary, where the health institution boasted of its improved services to meet the requirements of the oil and gas sector.

The event concluded the Hospital’s month of activities to celebrate its existence and growth locally.

More than 300 persons took advantage of services such as breast cancer screening, blood group testing, blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar testing while some even took up the chal-

lenge of donating blood.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the health institution, Debra Ramsy, told Guyana Times, “We are showcasing what the hospital can do, how we assist our patients and we are offering today the opportunity for persons to come and have their blood checked, their vitals done before we actually determine if they need to see a diabetic care specialist”.

In addition to those services, persons also received free counselling, vitamins and even snacks from a few of the sponsors of the event, such as Pinehill, Massy, Banks DIH, Sterling

Products, Mike’s Pharmacy and others.

The St Joseph Mercy Hospital which was founded back in 1945, boasted of its significant growth and expansion over the years.

According to the Deputy CEO, over the years, “We’ve enhanced most of our services and we are still enhancing our services because we have new tests that we are doing because we are catering for the oil and gas industry as well, like everybody is doing, so we have specific tests that relate to stress and ensuring that persons who are on rigs are taken care of and they can come to an institution and ensure that they can get proper treatment at hand”.

A few representatives from the various sponsors were on site and shared how happy they were to be able to give back to society.

Radha Rooplall from Mike’s Pharmacy told this newspaper that the business was offering vitamin samples as well as information on the services they offer.

There, scores of persons benefited from joint care supplements and even vitamins for hair, skin and nails.

Leann Bacchus, a student nurse, who was able to conduct blood pressure and cholesterol testing on a number of folks, said she was excited as it was the first time for her out in the field.

sunDAY, september 30, 2018

19

Asif rolls back Courts 10K runs off today the years as Lahore Whites draw four in four

Mohammad Asif

Flashback! Participants of the 2017 Courts/AAG 10 K

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op athletes from across the country will gear up for the highly-anticipated 6th annual Courts/Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) 10K Road Race.

COURTS pumped over $2M in the support of this project which features on the annual AAG calendar. The event will see the largest turnout of athletes from some of the best ath-

letic clubs, athletes and gyms having the largest registration in history for any 10K event in Guyana.

Among those categories runners will compete in include; Juniors, Seniors and Masters Categories for both males and females following last year’s record-breaking meet. The first- to third-place winners for both male and female staff members will

be awarded with cash prizes and trophies.

The 10K race will commence at the Courts Main Street store at 06:00hrs and run a one-mile race along with a 3K staff event held simultaneously, as COURTS continues to promote healthy lifestyles even among its staff.

Fabian Allen enters Super50 with eye on Windies selection J

amaica Scorpion middle order batsman Fabian Allen sees the upcoming Regional Super50 competition as an opportunity to catch the eye of the Windies selectors.

The 23-year-old Allen, who scored 19 runs for Jamaica on his debut in a four-day match against Barbados in November 2016, told SportsMax. TV that he believes he knows what he needs to do to kick the door in. “Going forward in the Super50 I am trying to be patient, consistent with what I am doing. I have always wanted to play for West Indies so you’re going to keep your belief. I am pretty confident,” he

said.

He is also confident that the Scorpions can compete with the best teams this year even with all of the ‘big’ stars making themselves available for this year’s competition. “All of the players are here, so you’re going to go up against the best but the Scorpions are a good strong team so we are looking to win,” he said, confident, again, that he can transfer his form from the CPL where he scored valuable runs for the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, over into the Super 50.

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emember that snake swing, those in dippers, that cut on the ball either way or that sneering swagger?

Remember Mohammad Asif? He is 35 now, playing for WAPDA, and while he lost five years in his career between 2010 and 2015, he has refused to fade away. After missing three rounds of the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy, he returned with a five-wicket haul against Rawalpindi in the first inning to set up a victory. He ended with match-figures of 7 for 71, with Ehsan Adil taking 9 for 100 as WAPDA beat Rawalpindi by 7 wickets.

Since his return to cricket, Asif hasn’t really made a serious attempt to play international cricket, but when he has the ball in hand, he can still make a difference. His fitness has been a major hindrance and his desire has unquestionably reduced. But the sheer magic of his past performances mean even though Asif is a shadow of that former self, any excuses for another opportunity to indulge in that nostalgia are wholly embraced.

Hafeez trying hard for his career traction

As Pakistan looked to transition towards youth in the international setup, the experienced Mohammad Hafeez was one who missed out. He was overlooked from the Test and ODI sides amid Pakistan’s 2019 World Cup planning.

On the eve of Pakistan announcing the Test squad for the series against Australia, Pakistan’s selectors named their Test squad for the upcoming Australia two-match Test series, Hafeez smacked a double-hundred against red-hot Peshawar in Faisalabad. His 213 off 327 balls took Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited to 472 after they had skittled Peshawar out for 176. In the second innings, Peshawar were bowled out for 191; Hafeez took three for 41 as SNGPL won by an innings - it was Peshawar’s first defeat of the season.

Woe for Lahore

“I look to play all forms of cricket, so 50 overs going to be pretty decent. I am always looking to go as high as possible. I am looking to reach the West Indies,” he said. “It’s all about confidence and expressing yourself. If you don’t have confidence I don’t think you should in the park. You should have confidence, select your shots, play each ball on merit and try to score.” (Sportsmax)

There are three teams that are yet to register a win this year, and two of them are from Lahore. Curiously enough, Lahore Whites are also one of only three sides in the entire competition not to have lost a match. In a tournament often panned for minefields of pitches that see games end inside two days, all four of the Whites’ games have ended up as draws. This particular round saw them take on a KRL side in what can only be described as a match specifically designed to turn fans away; three of the four innings ended with the run rate under two per over, and when KRL did have the chance to seize the game in the final innings, they preferred to limp to the safety of a draw. They laboured to 90 for 4 in 55 overs needing 194 to win. There might be times to lament the lack of crowds at the QeA trophy, but this was a day to celebrate that; anyone watching would more likely have been put off by cricket altogether. (ESPNCRICINFO)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

SUnDAY, september 30, 2018

Dhawan left out of India’s Softball squad for West Indies Tests

S

hikhar Dhawan and Karun Nair have been dropped from the Indian team that will play West Indies in a two-match Test series starting October 4. This means India are likely to go in with another new opening combination with one of Mayank Agarwal or Prithvi Shaw making their Test debut when they walk out alongside KL Rahul in Rajkot next week.

Virat Kohli will return to captain India after a threeweek break. He’ll have to make do with many of the team’s first choice bowlers unavailable. Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been rested.

Ishant Sharma, who picked up an ankle injury during the Oval Test earlier this month, and Hardik Pandya,

who s u f fered a stress fracture of his back in the Asia Cup, were not considered for selection. In their absence, Mohammed Siraj was called up to the Test side for the first time. The 24-year old seamer from Hyderabad is in red-hot form having picked up 40 wickets in nine first-class innings, including an 11-for against Australia A. Dhawan’s axe came on the back of a poor series in England, where he managed a top score of only 44 in eight innings. Nair, meanwhile, did not get to

play in any of the five Tests, and as it happened in the final one at the Oval, he seems to have lost out in a race with reserve batsman Hanuma Vihari.

With India needing an opener, Agarwal finally got his reward for a prolific 2017-18 season in which he scored 2253 runs in 36 innings across formats. The 27-year old from Karnataka was a consistent performer for the A team as well, both on tour in England and at home, when he played against Australia A and South Africa A. He also

scored 90 off 111 deliveries against the West Indians in the warm-up game earlier on Saturday.

Mayank Agarwal’s 2141 runs are the highest by anyone in a single Indian domestic season ESPNcricinfo.

R Ashwin, who recently struggled with a hip injury, will lead India’s spin attack again, alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.

Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur round off the fast-bowling resources. Ajinkya Rahane, who has only two half-centuries in his last ten innings, remains vice-captain, while Rishabh Pant, who became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a hundred in England, retained the gloves. (ESPNCRICINFO)

cricket continues today

Infected hand delays Shakib’s recovery, ruled out for three months S hakib Al Hasan has undergone an emergency operation on the injured little finger on his left hand, after it had become infected during the Asia Cup. The pus had spread quite badly, going up to his left wrist, which was only spotted when he had gone to a Dhaka hospital on Thursday, hours after arriving from Dubai.

Doctors have told him that he will have to wait up to three weeks for the surgery on his injured finger, which will keep him out of competitive cricket for up to three months.

“The moment I arrived in the hospital, the doctors told me that I have to get Shakib Al Hasan the pus out as soon as possiunbearable, forcing him to withdraw ble,” Shakib said to Prothom Alo. “Any delay would put me in great from the Asia Cup. Shakib said that danger as the infection spread till my Chandramohan should have detected wrist. If I had waited another few days, what was wrong when the swelling had my wrist would have become disabled. increased around his injured finger.

“I have been in this state for the “I feel better after they took out the pus, but the problem is until the infec- last 14-15 days. The doctor immedition isn’t gone, there isn’t going to be ately understood what had happened, a surgery on my injured finger. It will but our physio couldn’t find out. It is take another 2-3 weeks to fix. After true that the physio couldn’t detect the surgery I will need eight weeks, which problem. There was a bit of mistake so he has to take some of the responsibilimeans I am out for three months.”

Shakib first noticed a swelling ty. But I won’t blame him fully. Nobody around his injured finger during the knew that it would become infected,” Asia Cup. It is understood that the in- he said.

Shakib added that he had decided fection started to form around the base of his little finger. Bangladesh physio to play in the Asia Cup after the physio Tihan Chandramohan sent Shakib’s had told him that there may not be any X-ray and scan reports regularly to danger in doing so.

“The BCB president [Nazmul doctors in Australia and England, one of whom suggested that there could be Hassan] asked if I could play the Asia Cup or I could go for the surgery. He an infection.

Last Monday, Shakib underwent told me to take the decision. When I another scan as his pain had became asked the physio about what damage

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Part of the softball action

it may have, he told me it won’t be that dangerous. Then I decided that since the Asia Cup is important for us, I will play 4-5 matches with the pain,” said Shakib.

He had been originally injured in January, during the ODI tri-series final in Mirpur. Initially it was a sprain with some tissue damage and he missed the Test and T20I series against Sri Lanka, both of which Bangladesh lost.

He then returned to the side, reportedly at the request of Nazmul Hassan during the Nidahas Trophy, which he was slated to miss as he hadn’t recovered sufficiently from the finger injury.

After playing the T20I series against Afghanistan and the full West Indies tour from June to August, Shakib said that he needed the finger surgery before the Asia Cup. But hours later, Hassan suggested that he may as well “play and the endure the pain as he had done for the past six months.”

(Cricinfo)

he Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association/ Permaul’s trading; Khan’s Trading, Back to Eden and Trophy Stall softball continues today at different venues across Guyana.

At the Ogle cricket ground on pitch one, the SVC Allstars will battle Beach Knight at 10:00hrs and Wellman will face All Stars XI at 12:30.On pitch two, Farm will clash with Speedboat at 10:00hrs and Ariel will attempt to over throw Success at 13:00hrs. At Jai Hind ground located at Albion, host Albion Masters will battle Success Masters at 10:00 am while Parika Defenders will battle Tropical Springs at Parika Salem community ground.

GNIC ground will see, Fisherman Masters challenging Regal Masters at 10:00hrs and Spikeland Challengers clashing it out with Regal All-stars at 13:00 hrs.

Meanwhile, in Sunday last event Regal Masters defeated Success Masters by five runs. Regal Masters took first strike and could only muster 123-7. Mahendra Hardyal made 35 while David Harper supported with 21.

Success Masters could only make 118-9 in their allotted overs. Rudy Rodrigues made 21; Tyrone Sanasie claimed 3-13 and Eric Thomas 2-24. Regal Masters overcame Tropical Springs by five wickets. Tropical Springs scored 91 all out in 17.3 overs, batting first. Mahendra Hardyal grabbed 4-17 and Parsram Persaud 2-10. Regal Masters responded with 94-5 in 18.3 overs. David Harper made 24 and Eric Thomas 22; Randolph Mayers captured 3-21.

Albion Masters beat Narine Masters in their encounter.

The match of the day at Demerara Cricket Club saw Regal All-stars beat Beach Knight by 115 runs. Regal Allstars batting first posted a mammoth total of 225-3.

Marvin Bobb struck four fours and 13 sixes in scoring 111 while Fazal Rafiek made 73 including one four and 10 sixes. Beach Knight was bowled out for 110 in 15 overs in reply. Anand Persaud made 26; Ricardo Adams bagged 4-10, Ravindra Ramnauth 4-29 and Rafiek 2-27.

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ith the 2018 Super50 Cup bowling off next Wednesday, October 3 Cricket West Indies (CWI) have confirmed their schedule, fixtures and dates for the near mong-long tournament.

The tourney opens in Trinidad with defending champions Windward Volcanoes, taking on the home team Trinidad Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval. Just over two weeks since the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Final, the Super50 Cup now occupies an October (November from 2019 onwards) window to allow continuity of white-ball cricket as the WINDIES builds toward the 2019 ICC World Cup. Some 42 matches will be played before the Final on Sunday, October 28 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados as the tournament hosts the region’s biggest cricket rivalries over an action-packed 26 days. The six Franchises will once again be joined by the Combined Campuses and College (CCC) Marooners and the USA, with Canada and WINDIES B completing the 10 participating teams.

Matches will be played in Trinidad and Barbados, with the Brian Lara Academy, Queen’s Park Oval, Kensington Oval, 3Ws and Windward the confirmed venues. With the WINDIES now qualified for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the region’s best 50-over players, that aren’t touring India with the Test team, will be looking to impress the selectors and force their way into the Windies ODI squad.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO, Johnny Grave said: “We are really looking forward to this year’s Super50 Cup and are delighted that both Canada and the USA are able to participate for the first time. Over the past year we have invested heavily on providing additional opportunities for our best young cricketers, through an expanded A team programme and the WINDIES B development team that played in Cricket Canada’s Global T20 and Summerfest tournaments, and it’s great that the WINDIES B team get another opportunity to play competitive cricket.”

ESPN Caribbean is once again partnering with CWI to show 13 matches live matches from Kensington Oval, with all other matches streamed live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel and the redesigned www.windiescricket.com.

According to Commercial Director, Dominic Warne, the new 4-year ESPN Caribbean deal is “fundamental to showcasing our premier 50-over competition to as many people as possible in the region and throughout the world.”

Warne added, “We’re highlighting the big regional rivalries with all matches streamed live and a record number of live high definition day/night match-ups on ESPN Caribbean.

We are continuing on our promise to make it easier for fans to watch the Super50 at the ground, on the TV or online.

“Tickets are on sale with affordable early-bird offers from just BDS$10 or TT$35 available online through the “Buy Tickets” button on the new Windiescricket.com website. Ticket booths at Kensington Oval, Queens Park Oval, and Brian Lara Cricket Academy will be open from week starting October 1.

Patrons over 60 with IDs will be free as do children under12 when they attend with a paying adult. For matches played at the 3Ws ground and Windwards in Zone B (Barbados), fans can watch for free.

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, september 30, 2018

23

West Indies vs. South Africa 2nd T20…

Mohammed’s Magical 5-for hands South Africa 9-wicket loss S

pinner Anisa Mohammed’s match-winning 5-wicket haul, help orchestrate a 9-wicket drubbing as the South African Women continue to suffer at the hands of the World T20 champs in the ongoing Sandals T20 International Home Series.

The 5-match series currently belong to the hosts who lead 2-0 thanks to the homegirl Mohammed who showed why she’s the all-time leading T20 wicket-taker. The Trinidadian spun her way to a hat-trick with the last 3 balls of the match, finishing with breath-taking figures of 5-24 from her allotted 4 overs.

South Africa toiled as they scraped to 101-8 from their 20 overs. All-rounder Hayley Matthews (2-16) drew first blood when she had Lizelle Lee caught by a diving Mohammed for a 12-ball duck. Four balls later she got one to skid through Sune Luus’ bat and pad to knock off the bails for a duck.

Chloe Tryon, skipper and top-scorer Dane Van Niekerk (36) and Mignon Du Preez all tried to rebuild the South African innings in the middle. Windies Captain Stafanie Taylor picked up the wicket of Chloe Tryon for 21 Mohammed commenced her show.

The right-arm off-break spinner removed Du Preez for 27 in the 18th over before crippling the Proteas in the last. On the second ball of that final over she removed, Van Niekerk but saved her best for the last three deliveries of the match.

Firstly, she bamboozled Marizanne Kapp as she was expertly stumped by veteran keeper Merissa Aguilleira for 14 before knocking over Saarah Smith and Masabata Klaas, for ducks in quick succession.

The Windies Women approached the small target with aggression, as Matthews and Natasha Mc Lean (42 not out) opened the batting with Matthews getting off to a flyer reaching 17 with three boundaries before she was caught by du Preez off Luus.

Then the partnership that saw the WINDIES Women to victory began as Mc Lean was joined by her skipper Taylor. Mc Lean continued her free scoring from the first match, as she carted the South African bowling around the Brian Lara Cricket

Match MVP Anisa Mohammed bowled the Windies to another win with her 5-wicket haul

Academy.

Taylor then showed why she’s the number one T20 batter in the Match results world as she picked up a SEPTEMBER four and six Sun 16 1ST ODI - South Africa Women won by 40 runs of her own Wed 19 2ND IWC ODI – No result as she rotatSat 22 3rd IWC ODI – WINDIES Women won by 115 runs ed the strike 1st Twenty20 International – WINDIES Women won by 17 runs Mon 24 with McLean, to finish on REMAINING MATCHES 35 not out from 30 balls.

SEPTEMBER the hosts Fri 28 2nd T20I – WINDIES Women won by 9 wickets, will now look Sun 30 3rd T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy to cap off a strong perOCTOBER formance Thu 4 4th T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy and wrap up Sat 6 5th T20I – Brian Lara Cricket Academy the series as

Edghill, Lowe, Franklin book Semi-final spots

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he Guyanese contingent continues to excel at the 60Th Caribbean Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) championships with three of their players billing semifinal spots in the men’s and women’s singles.

In the women’s singles, Chelsea Edghill and Trenace Lowe have asserted their dominance against their Caribbean counterparts whilst Christopher Franklin excels in the men’s department.

Franklin, before making it to the quarterfinal, demolished Samuel Delepine of Martinique and repeated the feat against Abit Tejada of the Dominican Republic to advance to the semis where he will face defending champion Samuel Galvez.

On the other hand, Lowe overcame Trinidadians Aleena Edwards and Catherine Spicer to advance through the tricky stage, but she has yet to meet with the tough competition. Lowe has made it to the semifinal where she will match skills with Dominican Republic’s Yasiris Ortiz.

Seemingly fuelled by her Under 21 win, Edghill dusted the competition with wins over Dominican Republic’s Dahyana Rojas and Puerto Rico’s Alanis Reyes, to earn her semifinal spot. There the twenty one year old will wield her racquet against Eva Brito of the Dominican Republic.

Newly crowned Under 21 male champion, Shemar

they resume battle in the 3rd of 5 T20’s, a Day/Night affair which continues today (Sunday) from 16:00h at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago. (Clifton Ross) WINDIES WOMEN: Stafanie Taylor (captain), Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Sheneta Grimmond, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN: Dané van Niekerk (captain), Chloe Tryon (vice-captain), Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Suné Luus, Zintle Mali, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Robyn Searle, Tumi Sekhukhune, Saarah Smith, Faye Tunnicliffe, Laura Wolvaardt

Sarah Taylor ruled out of ICC Women’s World T20

Trenace Lowe

Britton looked good in the competition but could not surpass Dominican Republic’s Emil Santos for the semifinal spot.

Out of the groups, he over-

E

Taylor signs autographs during this year’s Women’s Super League

Christopher Franklin

powe r e d Maxime Graignon of Guadeloupe 3-0, Kweisi Willoughby of Jamaica 3-1 and Simon Tomlinson of Jamaica 3-0.

The remainder of the Guyanese contingent had great showings also. In the women’s, Natalie Cummings defeated Barbados’ Krystal Harvey, Jamiaca’s Seija Monee Rose and Trinidad and Tobago’s Brittany Joseph before missing out at the hands

of Yasiris Ortiz.

The men saw the experienced Nigel Bryan failing to make it out of the group stage witt two tough losses to Curtis Humphreys and Kevin Farley of Barbados.

Meanwhile, Joel Alleyne registered two wins against Derron Douglas of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaican player Kane Watson before losing his marbles against Curtis Humphreys.

ngland wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor will miss the ICC Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean due to a recurrence of her anxiety issues.

A mutual decision has been made by both the player and the management staff, ECB has said. The news is a blow for England as they prepare for the ICC WT20 in the Caribbean from 9-24 November. England women’s coach Mark Robinson said: “Since the end of the summer, Sarah hasn’t been able to train fully with the squad due to not being as fit as she would want to be from a psychological point of view.

“At the moment she isn’t in a place where we would all be comfortable that the demanding training, playing and travel schedule wouldn’t potentially put her backwards and make her road to full recovery longer. It’s important we see mental health in a similar way to a player with a physical injury.

You wouldn’t risk a player if you felt that playing them with an injury would increase the chances of them being out for a long time, or the issue even becoming career-threatening.

“Sarah will continue to train at Loughborough at a pace more suited to where she is right now, with a view to hopefully being fully fit in the new year.

“All of our players’ health and well-being is the most important thing, and we must never lose sight of that in the intense and demanding world of professional sport.”

Taylor’s place behind the stumps is likely to be taken up by Amy Jones, who kept in some internationals during the summer.

Opening batter Tammy Beaumont is another wicket-keeping option.

England’s squad for the tournament will be announced on Thursday, November 4 at Lord’s.

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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

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West Indies vs South Africa 2nd T20…

Mohammed’s Magical 5-for hands South Africa 9-wicket loss Pg 23

Anisa Mohammed and her teammates celebrate a South African wicket

Courts Pee Wee tournament Limacol action on kicks off in fine style Pg 22

tonight!

Courts Marketing Manager, Pernell Cummings takes the honour of the first kick-off in the presence of Petra Co Director Troy Mendonca, Guyana Football Federation’s Vice President Rolston Adams and players

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

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Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

W

e all have that one teacher who made an indelible mark on our lives and for Keisha Rose that teacher was her “stern” Grade Six teacher. The mark was made when her teacher explained the principles of long division in great detail, and that moment led her to the light of teaching.

“At that very moment the light bulb went on for me not to say that I had an idea, but I found my passion, and from that day onwards I told myself that I wanted to be a teacher...,” she said.

Davis started her teaching career at the Port Mourant Secondary School in 2005 and according to her, the knowledge and experience that she gained over the past 12 years have definitely helped her to develop as a teacher in all aspects of teaching. She said that the passion for teaching was one that was too intense to quell.

“Teaching is a noble profession. I feel overwhelmed when I see my students after completing school in military uniforms, or in the nursing outfit. It makes me feel proud – proud to know that I have contributed towards making another individual functional towards society. That feeling makes me want to go on. My passion has not yet died, nor do I see it doing so before I reach age 55. I hope, however, that situations in the future do not hamper me from staying,” she says.

Davis’s life has always been centred on the upliftment of herself and she applies that to her teaching style. She believes that every new day is a day to learn and she is currently a student of the University of Guyana Berbice Campus reading for a Bachelor of Education in Social Studies.

The 31-year-old teacher remembers herself as a very quiet student who despite knowing the answers to questions would dare not speak up in class. She would later come out of that shell and become a bit too vocal which quite often led to her being on the receiving end of the teacher’s whip. The Corentyne native attended the Winifred Gaskin Memorial School and upon completion attempted to join the nursing profession. However, fate had other plans for her and she never got a response from the nursing school.

“It was during the first quarter of 2005 my mom came home and told me to write an application and go to Port Mourant Community High School to the then Deputy Head Teacher, Miss Georgina Sinclair – a Home Economics teacher. I was told that ‘two teachers were expected to migrate shortly and a replacement was needed’. Ms Sinclair then wrote a letter stating that the school will be in need of a Home Economics teacher to replace two teachers who were scheduled to leave. On the 23rd June, 2005, I was appointed at the said school with a TQM status, where I taught mainly the Home Economics subjects, and other subjects as well to fulfil the needs of the school at time.”

In 2008, she enrolled at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute where she completed the Basic and Intermediate Programmes in Computer Studies. In June 2009, she successfully completed the Mathematics and English upgrading programme for teachers, which gave her the opportunity to enter the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) Rose Hall/Johns Centre.

Three years later during the summer of 2012, she completed her trained Teachers’ Certificate.

After completing CPCE, she immediately enrolled in the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) at New Amsterdam and completed studies in

Industrial Relations and Management.

“My interest to do this was because I was acting [Head of Department] HOD, Home Economics, at Port Mourant Secondary. I knew that I needed the knowledge and skills to be a great leader for the teachers under my charge. I was determined to be the best HOD there, so I sought the necessary help I needed to be able to provide the necessary guidance and leadership for the teachers to guide a successful programme.

“I think what sets me apart from other teachers is the fact that I am compassionate about the students in my charge and the fact that I love what I am doing (teaching) and that I genuinely love children and I want to help them to develop their full potential,” she adds.

Davis tries to understand the individual child rather than categorising them as a group. She identifies personalities and qualities in order to help her students develop their full potential. She is always there to go the extra mile to ensure that her students are the best version of themselves.

She said that her almost 13 years of teaching has exposed her to a variety of personalities and she used that as reference to deal with similar personalities.

“I have many philosophies, but my two favourites are never give up on an opportunity to have an education – it is the stepping stone towards achieving greatness, and never let anyone’s opinion(s) of you define you or say who you are going to be: show them that you can be victorious.”

Davis tries to use her past experiences as a child to mould her students into the best versions of themselves.

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Feature

leg, just a few weeks b e fore he

By Lakhram Bhagirat

Q

uite often the struggles of a teacher go unnoticed despite them making so many sacrifices in order to educate the nation’s children. Over the past decade, Modern Languages teacher Anurama Ramgobin has been indomitable.

Ramgobin is now in the prime of his life and says he is very much proud of all he has accomplished so far, noting that the road does not end here but rather there are so many more miles to go. For the past 10 years he has been teaching Spanish and Portuguese at President’s College, his alma mater.

Ramgobin is just 32 years old and holds teaching close to his heart, but says the system is crippling.

“I’m going to be honest; I don't see myself continuing teaching. I have my personal reasons. I love teaching, but I just dislike the system that I’m teaching in,” he tells me.

Ramgobin’s childhood was one that was filled with excitement and adventure.

He was born and raised in the Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and is the third of four children. Growing up along the river had its perks and one of them was him learning to swim before he was five years old.

“We had lots of animals: ducks, chickens, cows and goats along with a vibrant kitchen garden back then.

After-school activities for us entailed feeding the ducks and fowls, sweeping goat pen, cutting grass for cows, the occasional search for a goat or cow when they go missing. And between all of that, we still found time for the occasional game of cricket and ‘ketcha’ in the river.

But it wasn't all fun,” he remembers.

At the age of eight, Ramgobin had a minor accident that caused him to damage the sight in his left eye and as a result, miss a lot of his classes at the Charity Primary School. He explained that he hardly attended classes while in Grade Three owing to the constant travel to Georgetown to visit the Eye Clinic. He would later have surgery to try to correct his vision. Tragedy would strike once again on February 23, 1997 while he was on a fishing trip with his brothers: Ramgobin broke his left

sat the then Common Entrance Examination.

“I recall my foot being in cast and my father fetching me up the school steps to write the exams and then fetching me back home.

In spite of that, I topped my class that year at the Common Entrance Exam.”

He was awarded a place President’s College. After graduating from PC, he then moved on to pursue a Diploma in Agriculture at the Guyana School of Agriculture from 2002 to 2004 after which he joined the staff at President's College as a Livestock Supervisor.

In 2010, Ramgobin was part of the first batch of students at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) to pursue an Associate Degree in Education majoring in Modern Languages.

“I’m well known amongst the Modern Language teachers as I am constantly trying to change the face of how Modern Languages are being taught in Guyana.

I began teaching 10 years ago at President's College as a Spanish teacher. Before that I was self-employed doing some agriculture in Essequibo. I recalled seeing the ad for a Spanish teacher at my alma mater and decided to apply for the position, since I was fluent in the language.”

For Ramgobin, joining the teaching service was his way of giving back to the school that gave him so much. He said had it been another school advertising, he would not have applied for the job.

“Being a teacher for only 10 years I have certainly grown personally and professionally. There is so much more than just delivering a curriculum in being a teacher. We are mothers, fathers, doctors and nurses.

Counsellors, judge and most of all, we become the best economists,” Ramgobin said.

“Teachers are often constrained to the chalk and talk method of teaching because of the lack of upgraded resources being available to them. However, I think our teachers here in Guyana are the best because we produce with limited resources and support from both parents and administration.”

Over the years in the teaching profession, he has seen a slow move to improve the methodology of teaching and as a language teacher he has been striving to

ensure that the language learning process is holistic.

Every year, he, would take his students on language immersion trips where they are exposed to not only the use of the language but also to the cultural aspects of the language.

The students would go to Panama for the Spanish Immersion Trip, Brazil for Portuguese and Martinique for French.

“What I find different today from when I started teaching is that our children are coming to school with less respect for their adults and there is no single source to be blamed for this. There is more indiscipline in the schools today and as such, teachers have to evolve in

order to deal with this ever-growing problem,” he notes.

Ramgobin thoroughly enjoys teaching and tries to make his classes as interactive as possible. Apart from teaching, he also enjoys protecting the environment. He is an avid beekeeper and a foodie by definition.

When asked what is his philosophy, Ramgobin’s answer was one that included all he loves doing.

“My philosophy in life is simple: work, save, travel, eat and enjoy, for money and time spent gaining experience is way better than spending it on material gains.”

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

“A

re teachers born or are teachers made? I think we are made … I certainly was made into a teacher. It was never what I wanted, but it’s something that I can’t imagine myself now not being a part of. I am an advocate of education and I love what I do. Passing new knowledge to my students and sharing my experiences with them has become a passion,” says Ron Ghanie.

Ghanie is a teacher attached to the Three Miles Secondary School in the town of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The 37-year-old is passionate about imparting knowledge, but still thinks about what life would have been if he had pursued his dream of becoming a cardiologist.

“I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge over the 18 years I have been a part of this noble profession. I use what I know to now help and guide my students. My students look up to me. I have earned their respect… past, present and my hope the future ones too,” he said.

Ghanie received his education at the Bartica Secondary School. He gained his Trained Teacher’s Certificate from the Cyril Potter College of Education in 2004. He is currently reading for his Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology and Computing at the University of Guyana.

Reflecting on his childhood, Ghanie said growing up was an experience he would not trade for anything. He said his childhood dream was to become a doctor. He spent his boyhood days playing by the river, swimming and playing in the streets with the other children. He enjoyed the simplicity of life back then, explaining that telephones, television and so on were all luxuries he was not privy to, but, all the same, never needed.

“After high school my dream of becoming that doctor was fast becoming something far-fetched. I quickly entered into the world of work as a clerk at a pharmacy, then at a timber company in my area. Working became the way of life and I did that for about three years. After that, I started to work at a stationery shop. I was a month in to that job when the Regional Education Officer at the time – Mr Reginald Hoppie – came into the shop one day and asked me what I was doing there and told me to come see him the following day. I did and a week after that I reported for duty

at my new job as a teacher at the St Anthony’s Primary – my old primary school,” he said.

He started teaching on October 17, 2000 at just 19 years old. After one year of teaching at the St Anthony’s Primary he went off to the Cyril Potter College of Education, where he trained to be a Secondary Classroom Teacher with a Major in Science – Chemistry, Biology and Physics. He graduated with credit in 2004 as a Class One Grade One Secondary Teacher.

Over the years, Ghanie has seen the teaching system as well as the students evolve. He said that morals and values have slipped away to some extent.

“Back then students were answerable to their parents for their failing grades. Now… I am. The right to an education and the right to be taught, but somewhere there someone who tend to the other part … that they are responsible for their own learning. But like I said I am hopeful. I give of my best every day I am on the job.”

He thoroughly enjoys moulding the future generation of Guyana. He said that his love for education is what sets him apart

from other teachers. He sees his students as individuals who all have the ability to learn. The students may not all shine at the same time, but in the end they will all shine with the right kind of guidance and that is exactly what he is there to provide.

“I always seek to encourage my students and try to make them never to give up on their aspirations. To be relentless in the pursuit of their goals,” he noted.

Ghanie is not all work

though; he enjoys swimming, biking, hiking, travelling and taking photographs.

“My philosophy is student centred.

I believe that every student is different with an individual way of learning and their own set of needs and gifts that are brought to the classroom. It is my responsibility as a teacher to expound on their gifts and provide an environment that will foster maximum learning and

meet each of their individual needs,” he says.

Ghanie notes that every student is unique and learns at their own pace and time.

As a teacher, he believes that it is important to teach in a way that employs a variety of teaching strategies.

The students should learn from each other and learn to work together through cooperative learning. The students should be active learners exploring concepts through hands-on learning. The students should also learn to be able to apply the concepts at high-order thinking levels. I will do my utmost as their guide to excite them about learning.

Learning needs to be fun.

Teaching is a challenge and a joy. It is also a lifelong process of reflecting and making necessary adjustments. To be a good teacher, one has to love teaching. Ghanie says he loves the uniqueness of every day and every child and is very excited about the opportunity to be a part of the lives of students as they grow intellectually, socially, and physically. It is a great joy and privilege to impact the lives of children in these ways, he notes.

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

A

s a young c h i l d , we all have dreams and we plan our lives around those dreams but as we grow older and reality kicks in, we are forced to accept that our dreams are sometimes too farfetched. That was the same dilemma Rajkumarie Lall found herself in when she was ready to enter into the world of work a few decades ago.

The 48-year-old teacher has been attached to the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School for over two and a half decades but has been teaching for over 30 years. For someone who has been in a profession for so long, one would think that they always dreamed of doing just that but that was not the case of Miss Radha, as she is popularly known.

Miss Radha has always dreamt of becoming a lawyer to lift herself and family out of poverty. She explains that while growing up on the Island of Wakenaam in the Essequibo River her family was extremely poor but saw education as a way of breaking the cycle of poverty.

“My father always encouraged us to do good in school and focus on our education since he saw that as the way of getting us out of poverty. So we did just that and because of our situation I could not follow my dreams of becoming a lawyer and I had to take the first job that was offered to me and that was teaching,” she said.

After being a part of the profession for so long, Miss Radha has come to love

it and cannot see herself doing anything else. She says that the level of excitement she experiences when her students excel and not only exams but at life, in general, is far too great to measure.

She would have received her secondary education in part at the Essequibo Island Secondary School and completed at the North Georgetown Secondary and subsequently joined the staff at the North Georgetown in October of 1987.

She attended the Cyril Potter College of Education from 1988 to 1991 and graduated as a trained t e a c h er in the Pre-

Vocational Studies programme. In 1991 she was transferred to her alma mater, Essequibo Island Secondary on her home Island where she taught for three years.

She would later get married and moved to the Essequibo Coast which caused her to be transferred ARMS in 1994 where she remains a teacher to date.

“However, for 4 of those years, I was seconded to Queen’s College in order to attend the University of Guyana in 2012. My experience at the University of Guyana

was very rewarding and because of my age and experience I graduated in 2016 as the Best Graduating Student in the Faculty of Education and Humanities.”

During that time she also received several awards with two being the closest to her hear. She received the Vice-Chancellor Special Awards and the Guyana Teachers Union Award.

During her years of teaching, she has seen her students and the sector evolve beyond expectations. She notes that every student comes to school with different abilities and to tap into that is the teacher’s responsibility. The teacher is there to nurture and provide the right kind of guidance to that student so that they can become the best version of themselves which ultimately aids the progression of development.

However, Miss Radha is not all about sugarcoating things for her students rather she likes to give them doses of reality in order to better prepare them for the world ahead. She is not focused on producing students who are only good on paper but also students who can function in the capacities they ought to.

“My love and empathy towards my students, especially the underprivileged, is my strong point. Their issues are my issues and their successes are my successes. I create a special bond with my students so that they trust me to confide in me so we can get over obstacles together and become the individuals we were destined to become,” she says.

Her philosophy is finding the joy in the Miss Radha simplest things in life with her since life does not have husband and to be perfect to be wontwo sons derful.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

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Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

E

very teacher has his or her goals when they join the profession, the aim to mould and impart knowledge to make their students worthy citizens and that has been the goal of Lloyd Phillips from the beginning Born and raised in Kwakwani, Berbice River, Phillips is a 29-year-old Spanish, Theatre and Performing Arts teacher at the St Joseph High School. Education is and has always been a priority to Phillips and his family as, he explains, education is viewed as the gateway out of poverty.

He notes that his childhood was filled with lots of fond memories and childhood experiences that taught him lessons while developing his true potential to be functional in society. After completing his formal secondary education at the Kwakwani Secondary and the Linden Foundation High, the boisterous young man joined the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

In 2012, he graduated from CPCE and in 2014, he completed a Diploma in Theatre Arts and Drama at the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. In 2015, he graduated with a Certificate in Dance from the National School of Dance.

“I grew up in a middle-class family who saw education as a means of change and upward mobility. So my late grandmother, Mrs Margaret Thomas ensured that she did everything in her power to send us to school and invest in our education with the help of our immediate and far-fetched families.

Her main goal was for me to have an education and develop myself in an attempt to decrease the instance of poverty,” Phillips said.

His teaching career formally began after he completed CPCE when he joined the St Joseph High School where he teaches students from Grades 8 through 12.

“I perform the roles and responsibility of teaching while executing the task of Assistant Examiner with the Caribbean Examination Council. My first day of teaching was quite interesting. The classroom and its environs were so different from what was inculcated in college and I had to adapt quickly. The adaptation allowed me to exer-

cise and develop new strategies to meet the needs of my learners while linking the classroom to society,” he explained.

However, the profession has evolved into one of great importance over the years as he has taken the career as a personal achievement that has moulded him to develop the minds of the future generation. Phillips’s students, over the years, have shown great interest in their work and presented positive energies that motivate him every day to continue within the profession.

“Their behaviours are no different from that of an adolescent and so I am unbothered by it because my sense of humour, pro-

fessionalism and approach reduce the instances of frustration or an uncontrollable classroom. I see myself as continuing in the path of a great educator with my goals clearly aligned and the targets achievable.

Hence, I will continue to do my best to ensure that quality education is delivered to all my students so as to eradicate instances of illiteracy and by extension build my nation.

“However, staying in the classroom for a lifetime is uncertain because it is my greatest desire to serve on the panel of policy makers in the education sector. This will definitely assist me in achieving my ultimate goal of bridging the gap between education and culture in Guyana,” he adds.

Teaching is not the only career Phillips focuses on as in his spare time, he runs a performing arts company – Lloyd N De Arts Production. This company was established in 2016. The main goal is to develop youths across Guyana in the field of performing arts while showcasing their talents. As a company, Lloyd N De Arts Production has successfully hosted a number of productions, including "Culturama 2" with a tribute to local theatre icon Desiree Edghill.

“My philosophy is to educate every child to the best of their ability with all the resources available to me, so that he or she may function beyond the classroom and become meaningful citizens in Guyana,” Phillips says.

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

Teachers protesting

A

s cliché as it sounds, teaching is really the mother of all professions but our teachers are more than often given the short end of the proverbial straw. In most counties throughout the world, teachers are overworked and underpaid.

We recently saw the power of teachers, in Guyana, when the 2018-2019 school year commenced. Schools had to be closed down and students sent away because the majority of the teachers decided to take to the streets demanding better working conditions, benefits as well as increased salaries. This move came about after almost three years of failed negotiations between the Education Ministry and the Guyana Teachers Union.

The threat of another strike, on a larger scale, hangs overhead since the government is being accused of strong-arming the Union.

However, the teachers are not going down without a fight. They are prepared to close the classrooms and take to the streets once more to have their cries and pleas for a better life heard.

Before we get into the actual strike and the impending strike action, let us looks at the factors that would have led to the teachers making such a drastic move. In 2015, the multiyear salary and benefits agreement with the previ-

ous administration came to an end and the GTU then went to the bargaining table with the government to negotiate another one.

Bear in mind, the APNUAFC government during it's 2015 General Elections campaign promised to make teachers the highest paid public servants. When the time came to negotiate all of the proposals by the GTU were basically shot down but the government which caused President David Granger to order the establishment of a task force to deal with the issue. The task force made a number of recommendations, which are yet to be acted upon by the government.

Following the recommendations, the GTU went back to the table with MOE and proposed a 40 per cent increase in 2016, 45 per cent in 2017 and 50 per cent in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

However, they compromised during the negotiation phase and agreed to accept a 40 per cent to serve as a base from 2016 with 5 per cent incremental increase for the remaining years.

MOE once again shot down almost all of the requests by the Union which led to the strike at the commencement of the 20182019 school year. The teachers handed over keys to the schools during the week leading up to the opening of school on September 3. They

Empty classroom during the strike

went out in their numbers on the street and picketed the various Regional Education Departments. The demonstrations lasted for four days and were called off when the government agreed to take the negotiations to arbitration.

Now that the issue is at the arbitration level, the government is still set in their ways to “bully the GTU”. The government selected the Chair of the Arbitration Panel without the consultation of the GTU and rejected their proposals for the Chair. This has led to the threat of another strike since the GTU feels the Junior Social Protection Minister, Keith Scott, who had earlier referred to the striking teachers as “selfish and uncaring”, is bullying it.

The teachers are ready to go on the streets again if the need arises.

Teachers over the years have given selflessly to the development of the nation’s children. They do not ever stop working because they are weighed down by so many records that need to be completed on a daily basis. Lesson plans are a major “headache” to teachers since they are required to write one for every class they teach.

Additionally, teachers are tasked with babysitting the children and ensuring that they are safe while on the school’s compound. They

Salary negotiations

also have weekly, monthly, termly and annual journals

to write up. They have to get classrooms ready and they

do that quite often by delving into their own pockets.

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

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SEPTEMBER 30 , 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 9

Preserving our literary heritage

Literary Corner

Three Singles to Adventure by Gerald Durrell

T

he phrase ‘procreative expletive’ in the book Three Singles to Adventure’

by India-born British naturalist, zookeeper, and conservationist Gerald Durrell hooked my attention, in the first instance, due to a local video that had gone viral recently leading to the courts, and I further say not on that matter.

That phrase was there when I first read the book in the late 1960s (macaw on cover; there were umpteen cover designs by various publishing houses issued down the ages) as it was present when the book was first published in 1954, and in subsequent reprinting down the years into the new millennium, even when it was translated into various languages.

There are many other phrases that begged my attention during this current reading, some of which I will share herein. For instance, on one of their sorties, the group came upon a flock of tiny birds which raised the question of species to which the author replied, ‘Tanagra Violacea’ and received this from the questioner, ‘I can’t understand why you zoologists insist on burdening creatures with such awful names’. At the end of the book, there is an index of animals with their popular and zoological names like agouti – dasyprocta; electric ell – electrophros electricus; jaguar – felis onca; piranha – serrasalmo etc.

The other reason why I latched onto that phrase is because it is characteristic of Durrell’s writing which is ‘powerfully descriptive’ and humorous (and satirical) poking fun at himself and life around him, drawing you into the narrative. The other major and significant dimension of his writing was that

his books written as potboilers to fund his zoological adventures and conservationist ventures. In other words, he had fun writing, sharing the fun with readers, all for a worthy cause.

Of the scores of books Durrell authored and collaborated on, Three Singles to Adventure seems to be the only one set in Guyana.

During 1950, Durrell with his partner, Kenneth Smith, came to Guyana to take back to England ‘for various zoological gardens in this country, a living collection of birds, mammals, reptiles and

fish’. This is that account of them teaming up with and assisted by many others to fulfil that obligation, names including Robert Lowes, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dowding, Vincent Roth, Ram Singh, Mr. and Mrs. McTurk.

This is how the book came by its name. While the trio was deliberating on where would be their base for their first ‘animal-collecting trip to the interior’, they happened on a place with the ‘provocative name’ - Adventure. To get there, they went down to the quay in Georgetown where the author bought three singles to Adventure which would allow them to ride on ‘a large and ugly ferryboat’ from Stabroek to Vreeden-Hoop then to join the train which would take them to Parika where they would join a steamer to take them to Adventure on the Essequibo Coast. What a smooth transition in those days!

However, buying the ticket was not that smooth for according to the author in his inherent style there was a ‘delicate question of class’ to be settled which one of his travelling companions explained that one travelling on ‘second class’ ticket ‘was herded somewhere down in the bilges of the ferry’ while a ‘first class’ ticket afforded you the privilege of sitting ... on the top deck...and even get lunch’.

Their venture took them along the Essequibo Coast from Adventure to Charity to Pomeroon – ‘the last outpost of civilisation’ – then to the interior (Karanambo Ranch) and back to Georgetown in a

tiny bar (perhaps, the same bar in which first plans were made) in the back streets ‘drinking rum and ginger beer’.

Even in Georgetown, they ran into adventure while hunting for toads which ‘strongly objected to the torch being flashed on them, and so did the courting couples’ whom they tripped over, and on another adventure, having to apology to the ‘nightwatchman’ at the slaughterhouse for having rouse him from his sleep.

Saying goodbye to Guyana – the land of many waters

– was sort of bittersweet because they were headed to ‘the grey and gloomy docks of Liverpool, England – the ‘Land of Perpetual Downpour’.

Three Singles to Adventure is an adventure in reading for the language is educational yet not pedantic and highly entertaining.

‘Gerald Durrell was first and foremost a storyteller, and millions of his readers would probably never have taken an interest in wildlife or its conservation were it not for his books,’ writes John A. Burton in the obituaries column of

the Independent.

Gerald Durrell, born in India in January 1925 died in Jersey in January 1995.

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

Teacher

'Teacher' - a word that takes me back to the start, The start of my very first day at school.

I tightly clenched my mother's hand, I was afraid to let her go.

But suddenly somebody held my other hand and all my fear flew 'cause there was someone to understand.

She wiped my tears and took me to class.

It's when my grooming starts.

I understood that a teacher is the second mother or father I had, For which I'm still glad.

I am glad that I lived under their guidance.

They taught me all, all they had.

All the manners and values I have are just because of them.

In my growing life, they are the stem.

Like a tree, I have reached heights, For my strength re-unites.

Teachers are my preachers, They'll live in my heart forever.

For they have given me strength to endeavor.

They are my most precious treasure.

By Shambhavi Singh

Notice to Readers

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.

10 Sunday Times Magazine

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Fashion

I

t is hectic picking out an outfit for work every day but we are here to ease that burden. Our picks can and should be worn together, so getting dressed in the morning will easy, formulaic—but never boring. Translation: You'll never feel guilty for hitting the snooze button four times in a row again (maybe). Read on for key items to own that will make you look, and more importantly, feel like a boss.

A Perfectly Tailored Skirt Whether you pair it with a plain t-shirt or a sharp blouse, a skirt that actually fits and flatters your body will become your favorite item in your closet.

Day-to-Night Dress Find a dress that can easily transition from the office to your favorite bar, because you'll never forgive yourself for missing happy hour because you had to rush home after work to change.

Casual Friday Denim Distressed boyfriend jeans are fine for the weekend, but opt for darker denim at work. The true blue hue reads more professional than its faded cousin and won't look out of place in a meeting.

PullsEverything-Together Blazer Wear this as a part of a twopiece suit or stash it on the back of your office chair to combat the office AC blast. A crisp blazer pulls together any kind of outfit.

An Easy Button Down You can never have too many white button-down shirts, but to avoid looking like a cater waiter, find one with minor details like this pajama top cut with contrast piping.

A Structured Bag Nothing says "I got this" like a bag that sits by itself on the board room table (and is big enough to hold your laptop).

The Power Shoe It doesn't matter if you’re a single sole pump kind of girl or someone who never wears heels—everyone needs a pair of shoes that puts you in a takes-no-shit sort of mood.

Ankle-Length Cigarette Pants Not only does this flattering cut work on most body types, it's super versatile.

We love this option which is literally called "smart."

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

D

ecorating your home is not a big conspiracy – whatever your budget, there are quick and easy things you can do to make your interiors sing. From writing a design brief to finding your style – here are some inside decorating tips to get you styling your home like a professional.

Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 lbs oxtails 1 ½ tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp oil 3 tbsp flour 1 medium onion, sliced 2 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces 1 ½ inch piece of ginger, sliced 3 cloves garlic, sliced ½ tsp Jamaican pimento 1 bay leaf 10 sprigs thyme 3 whole scallions ½ scotch bonnet, seeds removed

• About 4 cups beef broth (enough to cover oxtails) • 1 tbsp tomato paste • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Season oxtails with salt and black pepper and then lightly coat with flour.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet and brown oxtails on all sides.

3. Add oxtails and all other ingredients to the slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours.

4. *If gravy needs to be thickened. Mix 3 tbsp cornstarch with ¼ cup water and stir to combine. Add to oxtails in the last hour of cooking.

LAYER YOUR LIGHTING Great interiors have a variety of layered lighting that can be individually controlled for different times of the day, events or moods. Most rooms require three types of lighting: general, accent, and task. Ambient or general lighting illuminates a room in a fairly uniform manner.

Accent lighting is used to emphasise a room's features, such as art and decorative objects. Task lighting is all about directional and adjustable light sources – think reading lights and study lamps.

Try and illuminate most of your room with an assortment of lights and lamps, preferably all fitted with dimmers. And please, enough already with down lights!

DRAW INSPIRATION FROM A RANGE OF SOURCES I like to brainstorm all, and I seriously mean ALL my options, from the modest to the deliciously over-the-top. Travel, magazines, journals and trade shows help to keep a designer up to date with new products and materials, and even design ideas.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup kidney beans • 3 ¼ cups water • 14 oz can coconut milk • 2 cloves garlic • 2 scallion, chopped • 10 sprigs thyme • 2 ½ cup long grain rice • 1 wiri pepper or ¼ of a scotch bonnet pepper CREATE A DESIGN BRIEF Even if you are going to be your own designer it's important to follow a process. It all starts with the design brief… or perhaps a long wish list. A good design brief should focus on the outcome of the design.

A design brief is often referred to as a scope of works.

It includes details on all elements that need to be covered in the project, a shopping list of needs and wants, together with ideas on the budget and timeline.

Instructions

1. Place beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight. Drain.

2. Add beans with 3 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. When beans are tender, add coconut milk, garlic, scallion, thyme and pepper; bring to a boil.

3. Add rice, stir well then lower the heat. Cover pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Rice should be soft but not mushy. Fluff with a fork, then serve.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY Many stores and suppliers will let you take pieces like artwork and rugs home on "appro". Rugs and artwork are two VIP "try before you buy" candidates. I would even suggest that it's impossible to make a great rug selection without first viewing it insitu.

The lovely exception is if you have the opportunity to simply buy what you like and build the perfect room around it.

UNDERSTAND THAT CHAIRS ARE TO INTERIORS WHAT SHOES ARE TO FASHION You know what they say about shoes: they will make or break an outfit. It's the same with chairs. Think of them as accessories. They are the perfect design tool to add sass to any interior.

It's sensible to play it safe on really big-ticket items like sofas, rugs and dining tables but chairs can defy the rules. Let loose. Fake fur, animal prints, velvet, vintage leather…

Just remember that a chair has to be comfortable.

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Puzzles

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ACROSS

96 Is pouty Deli buy 97 Prowl Wooden peg

98 Clingy seedpod Norwegian composer

99 Fabric meas.

Red ink

100 Truck stop sight Like an armadillo 101 Adroit Foolish plus

102 From Havana Twangy

104 Paperwork (2 wds.)

Frankfurt's river

107 Witty Bennett -Reunion attendees

108 Any miss You can float in it (2 wds.) 109 Mooed Hitchhiker's need

113 They're no nudists Dine

114 Toga party site Humdingers

115 Donald's ex Greek war god 117 Calf-length Stops

118 Harmonious (2 wds.)

Chatty equine (2 wds.)

119 Of an historic time Damsels 120 Soon Potter's oven

122 1 in. = 2.54 -Bows and scrapes

123 Nerve network Vaccine

124 Fragrant vine Large green parrot

127 Add later (2 wds.)

Wits' bits

129 "I" problems Fails at dieting?

130 Smaller than mini Errand runner

131 Butler of fiction Elbows

132 A Mandrell sister Quaking tree

133 Bumper mishap NBA official

134 DeGeneres sitcom Hightailed it

135 Twig junctures Clink or cooler

136 Caked with dirt Lead Chipmunk

DOWN Execs 1 Twitches Reflections 2 Glamour Huge blossom

3 Cyndi of pop Pinches off

4 Midnight teller Even more awful 5 Repair Dark line on Mars

6 Common phrase Dunaway of films

7 More giddy Retainers

8 Lake near Syracuse Spin on an axis

9 Peddlers' stocks Type of sight?

10 1960s space chimp Floor cleaners

11 Table part Philadelphia sch.

12 Growls Said in fun

13 Crow cousin Actor -- Wallach

14 Mother of Horus Do an office job

15 Raid the fridge Ask on one's knees

16 Animal starch Robins' beaks

17 Conductor Antal -City, informally

18 Menlo Park wizard Veld grazer 19 Moistens Genuine warmth 20 Ringlet Fish-eye, e.g.

27 Cloudbursts "I kid you not" guy

31 Bucket of song Perfectly clear

34 Actor -- McGregor San -- Capistrano 36 Understood Wharf

38 -- Khan Island nation

39 Desert headgear -- -garde

41 Gourmet mushroom Hong Kong dwelling

43 Aspirin target Taken -- (shocked)

44 Replies to an invite Gauzy fabrics

46 Notes on the scale Toodle-oos

47 O'Sullivan role

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- HIERARCH HIERARCH: HYE-ur-ark: One who occupies a position of authority.)

Average mark 21 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 28 or more words in HIERARCH? hair hare hear heir hire hirer each race racer racier

rare reach rear rice ricer rich richer ache achier acre

arch archer care chair char chirr cire crier

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.

48 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 63 65 66 67 69 70 71 72 74

UFO pilot Nouveau -Inbox filler Mortgage giant (2 wds.)

Noisy birds Means to -- -Speck of dust Bit by bit Denver hrs.

Jeans go-with Traipse about Billowing garment Stir-fry pans Do a laundry chore Great achievement Breaks in Gray matter Mongolia's -- Bator Part of mpg Quick turn -- accompli

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Hits a high point 102 A-frames Guitar part

103 -- de plume Evaluated

104 Break a promise Orchestra section 105 Singer Sheena -RN assistants

106 Most arid Thick pieces

107 Kid's marker Deadbolt 108 Willowy Confidant 110 Blackhearted Scientist's lair

111 Count of Monte Cristo Leafy climber

112 Theme park name Andrews or Christie 113 Installed electricity Pub missile

114 "-- Jacques" Wall painting 115 Peeved Restarts a battery 116 Caper Wide-awake

119 SASE, e.g.

Polish

120 Canyon reply Round container 121 "Mr. Mom" actress "No idea!" (2 wds.)

125 Fossil fuel Good, to Pedro

126 Vase with a foot British gun

128 Actor -- Gulager Super buys See Solution on Pg 14

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

YouTube adds HDR support for iPhone XS and XS Max

A

pple might not be using the codecs that YouTube prefers, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be getting a second-rate viewing experience on the latest iPhones. YouTube has updated its iOS app and added HDR support for the iPhone XS and XS Max, as noticed by AppleInsider.

The phones were released on Friday, and in the few days since launch, users have noticed that they couldn’t play high dynamic range content from the service — whereas the iPhone X, 8 Plus, 8, and iPad Pro all can. YouTube didn’t have HDR ready in time for Friday, but thankfully the company didn’t take long to roll out compatibility for the wider color gamut and more vi-

U

ber has reached a settlement with all 50 US states and the District of Columbia over a 2016 data breach that the ride-hailing service failed to disclose.

The company will pay a $148 million fine that will be distribut-

ed in varying amounts across all states, attorneys general said Wednesday.

Uber will also be required to adopt several new data security practices.

"Uber's decision to cover up this breach was a blatant violation of the public's trust," Attorney General Becerra said in a statement. "The company failed to safeguard user data and notify authorities when it was exposed.

Consistent with its corporate culture at the time, Uber swept the breach under the rug in deliberate disregard of the law."

In October 2016, hackers were able to breach Uber's system and steal data on 57 million drivers and riders. The pilfered data included personal information such as names, email addresses and driver's license numbers, but not Social Security numbers and credit card information. Uber then paid $100,000 to the data thieves to delete the information.

The issue for the state attorneys general was that Uber waited for more than a year to disclose the hack. The law requires companies to notify customers of data breaches.

Initially, Uber didn't reveal any details about the hacker or how it paid him the money. But it was later reported that a 20-year-old Florida man was responsible for the breach. The payment

brant, splashy video.

It took YouTube until May to introduce HDR support for the 2017 iPhones after it debuted on Android last September. The highest resolution you’ll be able to get from YouTube on either new iPhone XS model is 1080p.

Back in August, YouTube announced a “Signature Device” program that’s meant to signify which smartphones offer the “best experience” when streaming videos from the platform. Right now, it’s all Android smartphones and no iOS devices. This is due to Apple’s lack of support for the VP9 codec. iPhones check off all other requirements to earn the Signature Device badge except for hardware decoding of VP9.

The codec requires less bandwidth for high-resolution videos, but Apple has yet to embrace it across iOS, macOS, or the Apple TV. As a result, most of Apple’s devices — including the Apple TV 4K — remain capped at 1080p resolution. (Higher-res video can be viewed in Chrome on Macs.) (The Verge)

was reportedly made through a program designed to reward bug hunters who report flaws in a company's software.

T h e breach

happened under the watch of Uber's former CEO Travis Kalanick. The company's new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he didn't learn of the breach himself until shortly before it was disclosed to the public.

Of the 57 million people affected by the data breach, 600,000 were drivers for Uber. The company said that their names, email addresses, cell phone numbers and driver's license numbers were likely downloaded. Whereas, only riders' names, email and phone numbers were possibly obtained.

Uber will be paying portions of the $148 million to all 50 states partially based on how many drivers were affected. In California, 174,000 drivers' information was breached, so that state will receive $26 million, according to Becerra. Each state will have their own discretion on how to use the money.

In addition to the fine, the settlement also requires Uber to adopt several data security and privacy practices to "prevent future breaches and to reform Uber's corporate culture". These include notifying users of breaches concerning their personal information, protecting data stored on third-party platforms and implementing strong password policies for access to the company's network. (CNET)

S

ony is finally enabling cross-play for Fortnite. The PlayStation 4 maker had been blocking cross-play and progression between Fortnite on PS4 and Nintendo Switch / Xbox One in recent months. The move angered Fortnite fans who couldn’t access progress, skins, and purchases on an Xbox One or Nintendo Switch if they’d played on a PS4. Sony now says it is enabling cross-play for Fortnite fans.

“We recognize that PS4 players have been eagerly awaiting an update, and we appreciate the community’s continued patience as we have navigated through this issue to find a solution,” says Sony’s PlayStation chief, John Kodera. “The first step will be an open beta beginning today for Fortnite that will allow for cross platform gameplay, progression and commerce across PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Mac operating systems.”

Meanwhile, Epic has said that it’s working on a solution for those players who ended up creating a second account to get around the previous cross-play restrictions.

That solution should be available soon. “For

players who created an extra account to play Fortnite on multiple console platforms, we’re working on two things,” the developer wrote on Twitter. “1) An account-merging feature to combine Battle Royale purchases, coming in November. 2) Enabling unlinking a console from one Fortnite account, and relinking to another Fortnite account. Coming in a few days.”

Sony has previously blocked cross-play between PS4 and Xbox One for Fortnite, Rocket League, and Minecraft, despite Nintendo and Microsoft supporting it.

Microsoft and Nintendo teamed up to promote cross-play in Minecraft in an unusual move.

The policy change is “major,” according to Kodera, and Sony is now working towards fully supporting cross-play in Fortnite. Sony is opening a beta today to test its cross-play support and says it’s looking to open up its platform in the future. This move could signal more support of cross-play games on PS4, and either way it’s a major change for PC, PS4, and Xbox users to be able to play games against each other. (The Verge)

Google Maps now lets you poll friends on where to eat

G

oogle’s group planning feature for Google Maps, which the company first announced back at Google I/O 2018 in May, is now rolling out to users (via TechCrunch).

The feature allows users to create a shortlist of restaurants or other destinations that can be shared with friends so they can vote, ceasing the endless planning messages that groups have to contend with.

You can use the feature by long-pressing each location to drag into a shortlist, which can then be shared with the friends you invite. The group will be able to see the relative locations of each destination in their app or browser, and they can vote with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, and Google will keep score.

Members of the group are also free to add their own sug-

gestions.

Group planning was just one of the new features Google announced for its navigation map. Others have already launched, including the For You tab, which surfaces restaurants or other businesses in your area that you might be interested in using “Your Match” scores that attempt to rank your favorites.

The company is also working on an augmented reality Street View mode for Google Maps, which will overlay directions onto a live feed from your phone’s camera.

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Bollywood/Hollywood

A

bhishek Bachchan has had his fair share of criticism when it comes to acting but even the critics can sometimes overdo it. Always the one to ward away trolls online in the most gentle fashion, Abhishek recently shared an instance from his life when a woman was not very gentle with her review of his acting performance.

The actor was at the Jagran Film Summit recently when he talked about an instance from 2002 at the screening of his film Shararat. “It was a tough time. I had once gone to Gaiety Galaxy to see how my film (Shararat) was doing; a lady came out and slapped me and said you’re embarrassing your family’s name, stop acting. Thankfully, I’m able to laugh about it today, but at that point, it was not a very good feeling,” he said. Now that’s one review no actor will feel good about.

Abhishek recently tackled a

troll on Twitter who blamed him for Manmaziyaan’s bad performance at the box office. “ “ # Ma nm a rziya a n tanked at box-office, once again proving @ juniorbachchan to be legend with amazing ability to make

good film a flop! Kudos to his abilities, not many have it! It time to end #nepotism and for #StarKids to start #Vadapav stall..lol! #Stree proves #TalentCounts!!” He also added, “It time to end #nepotism and for #StarKids to start #Vadapav stall..lol! #Stree proves #TalentCounts!!”

Replying to the tweet, Abhishek wrote, “With all due respect kind sir, I

would expect an esteemed doctor such as yourself to study all the facts and figures before proclaiming anything. I certainly hope you do so with your patients. Learn the economics of the film before you tweet something that will embarrass you.”

Abhishek made a comeback to movies after a break of two years with Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan. “It was a personal decision about how I want to approach my work. It wasn’t the kind of work I was doing or anything. It was just that I felt I as an actor had become a bit complacent,” he told PTI. Abhishek said he really enjoyed working with Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal, the main leads in the upcoming film, along with him, describing them as gifted actors, and it was a great learning experience for him. He said he has been focusing on his schedules in the last one year and has “lots and lots of work” going forward. (Hindustan Times)

A

ctor Tanushree Dutta recently spoke up about being sexually harassed on the sets of her 2008 movie, Horn OK Please. On Monday, she named actor Nana Patekar as the alleged harasser.

While she had made the same claims right after the incident, her words went unheard. However, she has found a new, stronger voice in the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movement.

In an interview published on News 18 website on Tuesday, Tanushree revisited the incident and said she was one of the first people in Bollywood to speak up on the issue. Now, journalist Janice Sequeira has also chimed in with her claims and said that she was at the film’s sets when the entire episode unfolded 10 years

ago.

In a series of tweets, Janice went through the details of the day. “Some incidents that take place even a decade ago remain fresh in your memory. What happened with #TanushreeDutta on the sets of “Horn Ok Please” is one such incident - I was there,” she wrote in her opening tweet. Janice wrote

Crossword Solution

that she was on the sets to cover the behind-the-scenes aspect of the song. When she arrived on sets, she was told the shooting has been stalled because of Tanushree.

“I could see Tanushree on set, visibly upset about something. #NanaPatekar, choreographer Ganesh Acharya and a man (who I later found was the producer) were having a conversation, while 50-odd dancers sat waiting. The official version was that the “heroine was not cooperating”.

A while later, shooting resumed. Tanushree resumed work, and a couple shots later, #NanaPatekar joined her. Not long after that, Tanushree walked off set.

Shooting halted again. She locked herself in her vanity van, refusing to come out. Out of nowhere, goons turned up and began banging against the vanity van door. I was told the producers had called them to set. Cops arrived. Amidst this chaos, I got hold of #NanaPatekar. All he said was, “Meri beti jaisi hai” (she is like my daughter), which didn’t really make any sense at that point.

“Eventually, Tanushree’s parents arrived to pick her

up. Her car was attacked, the windshield broken. I tried to get in touch with Tanushree to get her version of events. Around midnight, she asked me to come to her place. In tears, she narrated what really happened,” she wrote. Tanushree told Janice that choreographer Ganesh Acharya made her practise her dance steps for three days only to change it all on the day of the shoot so Nana could be a part of the sequence. “Later, she said, a lewd dance step was introduced on the insistence of #NanaPatekar, so he could touch her inappropriately.

That’s where alarm bells rang, and Tanushree decided to walk off set. What she didn’t expect was the aggression shown by the producers after,” she wrote in her tweets. HT cannot verify her claims independently.

Ganesh Acharya has denied Tanushree’s claims in an interview to News 18.

Meanwhile Nana Patekar laughed when questioned about the allegations and asked, “What does she mean by sexual harassment? We were on the set and there were 200 people sitting in front of us.”

Asked if he will take any legal action, the veteran actor said, "I will see what can be done legally. Let's see. It is also wrong/inappropriate to talk to you (media) since you publish anything." On Tanushree’s allegation that there's a different face to the National Award-winning actor, Nana said: "Let anyone say anything. I will continue to do in my life what I have been doing." (Hindustan Times)

E

ven O.J. Simpson is warning that Bill Cosby should watch his back behind bars — because “rapists are frowned upon in prison.”

“I’m sure there will be guys protecting him but they’re gonna have to put him in protective custody … because it takes one nut, ya know?” Simpson, 71, told TMZ while out golfing in Nevada on Wednesday.

“The problem is the nature of the crime,” added Simpson, who spent nine years behind bars for kidnapping and armed robbery.

Cosby was slapped Tuesday with three to 10 years in Pennsylvania state prison for sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. Roughly 60 women have come forward to say the disgraced comedian committed sex crimes against them, including rape.

So far, the former Jell-O pitchman is being kept alone in a cell at the State Correctional Institution

Phoenix. He’s awaiting his final prison assignment.

A prison spokeswoman told The Post the ultimate goal is to integrate the 81-year-old into the general population.

Simpson, who was acquitted of murdering his wife, Nicole, and her friend Ron Goldman, said the disgraced TV star would be better suited to house arrest.

“With his health and his age and the nature of the crime, there’s not a warden in this country wants the responsibility of a Bill Cosby,” Simpson said.

Music superstar Stevie Wonder is also grappling with the idea of “America’s Dad” behind bars.

“I don’t like prisons,” the musician told TMZ. “I respect the work that he’s done in his career as an artist. He’s inspired a lot of people and I just pray God will give him mercy.”

But, he added, “Every woman should be protected.” (Washington Post)

House of Cards Final Season Trailer Declares "The Reign of the MiddleAged White Man Is Over"

F

rank Underwood who?

It's Claire Underwood's United States of America now.

Netflix unveiled its first official trailer for the final season of House of Cards featuring Robin Wright's Claire Underwood as president and she's suffering no fools. We already know the series is killing off Kevin Spacey's character, but now viewers get a first look at Claire's "grieving" process.

"Here's the thing," Claire says. "Whatever Frances told you the last five years?

Don't believe a word of it."

It's her turn. "The reign of the middle-aged white man is over," Claire says.

The final season of House of Cards features some highprofile cast additions including Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear as siblings Annette and Bill Shepherd, the leaders of Shepherd Unlimited.

They head up an industrial conglomerate and are a powerful force in the American political sphere. Kinnear's Bill says he had a deal with Frank, but Claire makes sure to let him know she's not her husband. According to Netflix, the new characters "share a vision for the future of America, as well as a complicated past with the Underwoods."

Returning to the cast alongside Wright and the newcomers are Michael Kelly, Jayne Atkinson, Patricia Clarkson, Constance Zimmer, Derek Cecil, Campbell Scott and Boris McGiver.

"It's going to be different, for you and me," Claire promises. From the looks of the trailer, she's right.

House of Cards' final season premieres November 2 on Netflix. (E-Online)

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Offer suggestions and be prepared to pitch in and help. What you do for the benefit of your community, a cause or someone you love will result in unexpected rewards.

Look for an opportunity TAURUS that will encourage positive (April 20- changes to how or where May 20) you live. Getting upset over something you cannot change will be a waste of time.

A day trip will turn into GEMINI an adventure. The challenges (MAY 28you face will help you realize June 20) what you want and who you want to spend time with.

Discuss your intentions.

Invest time and money in yourself. Lowering your (June 21- overhead, getting rid of or July 22) selling items you no longer need and adopting a moderate lifestyle will help ease stress.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Ask an expert and consider his or her suggestions, but don't jump into something without doing your research. Someone will try to take advantage of you if you appear gullible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Taking a day trip, attending a reunion or doing something special with a loved one will help you make a lifestyle choice. Romance is in the stars.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Share an experience with someone who is facing a situation like the one you are up against. Discussing your options and considering what's best for you will lead to a positive personal change.

Problems while traveling SCORPIO or doing something physical (Oct. 24can be expected. An argument Nov. 22)

Peanuts

will escalate into a physical confrontation. Do your best to keep the peace and avoid indulgent behavior.

Go over your plans for the SAGITTARIUS upcoming week and address (Nov. 23any issues that might conflict Dec. 21) with someone else's schedule.

Be up-front about the way you feel. Misleading someone will make matters worse.

Calvin and Hobbes

Make a point to follow CAPRICORN through with your promises.

(Dec. 22- You'll be phased out if you Jan. 19) are all talk and no action. A romantic gesture will help ease stress.

Figure out your next AQUARIUS move and make it happen.

(Jan. 20- Don't let anyone make Feb. 19) decisions for you or tempt you to take on too much.

Use your intelligence and be practical.

Someone will take PISCES advantage of you if you (Feb. 20- share personal information.

Mar. 20) Look over your financial papers, contracts or pending settlements.

A physical change will boost your morale. Romance is featured.