Guyanan times 5 june 2016

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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2876 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

2 killed in separate motorcycle accidents June 5, 2016

Pages 10&14

Guyoil raises fuel prices Page 3

– public transportation users fear increased fares

Police ranks continue to seize driver’s documents

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$120 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Barabina Road rehabilitation reverses P7

Senior crime journalist, Dale Andrews dies P7

Page 8

...“This is forbidden!” – Traffic Chief

Granger pushes security, sustainable development at ACS summit

City Hall mulls forensic audit P17

Page 17

GNNL racks up $2.4M fuel bill for rented vehicles P15 Operation Dragnet P18 extended indefinitely

President David Granger among Heads of States at the Association of Caribbean States 7th Summit of Heads of Government in Havana, Cuba

Tension rises over prolonged suspension of CDC elections – Regional Chairman Page 2

Forensic audit

MMA/ADA bought 14 vehicles without authorisation − says policies and good practices Page 14

lacking in general operations

Poverty decreased to 15% in Guyana

P5

2 news

SunDAY, june 5, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Tension rises over prolonged suspension of CDC elections – Regional Chairman

N

early four years have elapsed since Community Development Councils (CDC) across the country have had their elections, and sheer chaos is reigning in those communities where there is a desperate yearning for the removal of dictatorial leaders.

Region One (BarimaWaini) Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley during an interview with Guyana Times disclosed that there are tremendous administrative and community problems occurring in the CDCs within his district, owing to the fact that residents are beyond aggrieved over the protracted suspension of elections.

“Because of no elections, there is a decay in the council itself. The leadership is done in a dictatorial manner where only one person is making the decisions for the community, and it is chaos,” Ashley relat-

fall under the responsibility of the Ministry.

mandated to supervise elections for Amerindian Villages (meaning those villages with Amerindian Land Titles).

By: Devina Samaroo

Meeting

Responsibility

Region One Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley

ed.

CDC elections were supposed to be held last year along with the National Toshaos Elections; however government took a decision to suspend the elections until further notice.

Ministerial Adviser on Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Mervyn William had explained to this newspaper that the ministry was only

During the interview, he had sympathised with the fact that the CDC-run villages needed elections, but he made it clear that the responsibility was not with the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry: “We inherited an operation that was a bit snub … The previous Administration created CDCs, but there is no statutory body that provides for CDC. It is not provided for by law… the Ministry only supervises Amerindian Villages. I guess the AREOs were accustomed to running these elections in this manner, but the Ministry is not responsible for elections in CDCs,” he had stated.

Williams added that the Communities Ministry, headed by Ronald Bulkan, is likely to oversee the elections in the CDCs.

Yvonne Pearson

However, former Advisor to the Amerindian Affairs Minister Yvonne Pearson had disregarded the above justification.

In an invited comment, Pearson previously pointed out that the Amerindian Act 2006 shows that there was a clear distinction between an Amerindian Village and an Amerindian Community, and that the Ministry in charge has responsibility for both.

According to the Act, an Amerindian Village means “a group of Amerindians occupying or using Village lands; “Village lands” means lands owned communally by a Village under title granted to a Village Council to hold for the benefit of the Village”, whereas an Amerindian Community is “a group of Amerindians organised as a traditional community with a common culture and occupying or using the State lands which they have traditionally occupied or used”.

Pearson argued therefore that both Community Councils and Village Councils

Since the suspension of the elections last year, government is yet to announce a way forward with the Regional Chairman contending that the longer it takes for a decision to be made, the more chaotic the situation will become.

Ashley came down to Georgetown earlier this week to visit the respective ministries with the intention of discussing the issues but his journey turned out to be in vain.

According to Ashley, when he arrived at both the Communities and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, he was informed that there were no available persons to meet with him on the matter.

Resources

However, the Regional Chairman said he finds it odd that while the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry is claiming to have no control over the CDCs and their elections, they are still providing resources to the communities to carry out its functions: “How effective is it that you are still supporting and giving resources yet you find it difficult, you are saying it is unconstitutional for the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to carry out elections in these communities. I don’t understand what is the concept that is trying to be displayed here,” Ashley expressed in utter bewilderment.

Moreover, he pointed out that because one person alone is in charge of the communities, re-

sources are often abused and used for personal interest instead of for the benefit of the people.

“Because it is one person, the chairperson, when assets are given, it becomes as though the asset belongs to that individual and the community does not benefit from it.

The process of accountability, the financial resources, are being given and the communities are not benefitting and they are not accounting to the community for their actions,” he explained.

He highlighted that in many cases, the chairperson is also the secretary and the treasurer, therefore that individual is free to do as they please with the resources that have been allocated for the community.

Additionally, the Regional Chairman said there are a number of land problems in the CDCs where the Chairperson would allegedly authorise the granting of lands to affiliates or on the basis of bribery.

“Sometimes there is a collaborative effort between the one man that is controlling the community and sometimes the officer responsible for carrying out the function of the Lands and Surveys Commission,” Ashely alleged.

In this regard, the Regional Chairman is pleading with the relevant authorities to address the matter with urgency so that elections can soon be held and a constituted body installed, so that democracy can prevail in the CDCs.

NEWS

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SunDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, June 5 – 05:00h-06:30h and Monday, June 6 – 05:00h-06:30h.

Guyoil raises fuel prices

– public transportation users fear increased fares

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, June 5 – 16:55h-18:25h and Monday, June 6 – 05:00h-06:30h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected in the morning and early afternoon hours, while light rain showers are expected in the later afternoon. Partly cloudy conditions are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 1.34 metres per second and 3.57 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:21h and 16:51h reaching maximum heights of 2.85 metres and 2.70 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:23h and 22:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.36 metre and 0.54 metre respectively.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

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A

Ferris Day

Donelle Pillu

Earlington Payne

Amanda Ramkission

s the country continues to experience an economic downturn, the challenges consumers face will likely increase as the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) on Saturday announced that there will be increases in fuel prices.

These increases will take effect today and have been premised on the backdrop of an upward trend in the acquisition cost for fuel.

The local oil company revealed that from all indications, fuel acquisition will continue on an upward path.

According to Guyoil, the retail price per litre of gasoline in the capital city will move from $170 to $180, while the price for kerosene increased by $10 per litre and will now retail at $105. Diesel users will be paying $152, up from $150 and Berbice fuel users will pay $2 more per litre more than users in Georgetown on each commodity.

“The Guyana Oil Company Ltd (Guyoil) has always sought to make petroleum products available to the Guyanese population at prices better than the competition, which has once again been demonstrated in our delayed price review,” a Company’s release stated. Guyoil added that it will continue to inform the public of any actions on relative price movements.

However, the increased price movements did not sit well with many taxi and minibus operators.

On Saturday, a number of drivers expressed their dissatisfaction with the increased fuel prices, with

many pointing to rising maintenance costs, especially with the recent ban on used tyres, adding that it will cause much strain.

“How come gas all over de world drop and gas raise

This fear was echoed by commuters, many of whom told Guyana Times that they are finding it hard to make ends meet with the current economic situation.

Speaking with this

here [but] if it raise we can’t do anything but we gone feel the squeeze,” a taxi driver, Eon (only name given) noted.

“Customers will got to feel de squeeze if everything raise. Cause transportation price gon raise too,” the taxi driver further opined.

newspaper, Ferris Day, a pensioner, said as someone who utilises the public transportation system, he is worried over possible increases.

Donelle Pillu, a single parent of Sophia, Greater Georgetown, explained that she is worried that with the increased gas prices,

she will have a larger burden to send her children to school if public transportation prices rise also.

A sales girl, Amanda Ramkission, told this newspaper that subsidies should be implemented to cushion the trickledown effect of such an increase.

It was just over four months ago that Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced Government’s decision to slash fuel prices after mounting calls came from the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and main Opposition, People’s Progressive Party/C (PPP/C) for there to be a reduction considering that the world market price for the commodity was low.

In February, the price of gasoline at Guyoil service stations moved from $190 to $170 per gallon, diesel dropped from $161 to $150, and kerosene had decreased from $120 to $90 per gallon.

The increases, effective today

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guyana-times.com

SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Meaningful lives

H

appiness is the goal of human life. In our quest to give substance to our independence, our leaders have focused all our efforts towards increasing the production of goods and services that comprise our “Gross National Product” (GDP).

The presumption is that those goods and services form the basis of happiness. Other countries, including some in Europe however, have since followed the lead of Nepal, which insists that governments must work to improve the “happiness” of their citizens.

But even apart from the difficulties of measuring “happiness” there are disagreement as to how exactly do we pursue it. Studies have shown the manner in which citizens seek and respond to those material rewards which make up much of the GDP is part of what determines their overall happiness. Aristotle famously said there were two basic types of joys that mankind seeks. The first is “hedonia” – from which we have the word “hedonistic” – the path of wine, women (or men) and song. This is the dominant conception of “happiness” in the modern world. But there was also eudemonia, or the pleasure that comes from helping others, doing meaningful work, and otherwise leading a life well-lived.

While this is not spoken about much nowadays, recent psychological research has suggested that this second category is more likely to produce a lasting increase in happiness. Hedonic rewards may generate a short-term burst of pleasure, but it dissipates more quickly than the surge created by the more selfless eudemonic rewards.

This suggests that the suggestions made by some concerned citizens to introduce “civic” education back into our school curriculum are on the right track both in terms of creating happier citizens and also a more cohesive nation.

This approach is not based only on speculations but has recently been backed by scientific evidence. Over the years, scientists have found they can measure the quantum of a person’s enjoyment of something by taking MRIs of activation levels in the ventral striatum – the “reward centre” nestled in the bullseye of the brain. It seems this part of the brain of teens is particularly sensitive in responding to all kinds of rewards. It is because of this phenomenon late adolescence is also when depression peaks for many youths, because of being frustrated in not getting enough “enjoyment”.

In one study, researchers aimed to figure out how the brains of adolescents reacted to the more consumptionbased rewards, like video games and drugs, versus the more pro-social ones, like “helping others in need, expressing gratitude, and working toward long-term goals.” Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers followed a group of 39 teenagers over the course of one year to see whether the way their brains reacted to either eudemonic or hedonic rewards correlated with how depressed they felt over time.

It turned out the teens who were more giving of their efforts had the greatest declines in depressive symptoms over time. And those who got a boost from the risk-taking game were more likely to have an increase in depression. The types of reward the teens responded to, it seems, changed their behaviour in ways that altered their overall well-being.

While it might not be possible to change the ingrained reactions of our adults, we have to begin to inculcate our youths, who are two/thirds of our population, with civic virtues.

After we commemorated our fifty years of Independence, there are few who will gainsay we have not achieved the goals set on May 26, 1966. But as we embark on rectifying that circumstance let us at least incorporate in our plans what we have discovered as to be the meaning of the “good life”.

While man does need “bread” for living, being a social being he needs to find meaning for his life in his relationships with others even as he works for that bread.

Girl power: This young lady shows off her cricket abilities at the Guyana National Stadium during the break of play at Friday’s game of the West Indies vs South Africa

GuySuCo disappointed with Ramotar’s assertions Dear Editor, Once again the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) feels compelled to respond to another of Donald Ramotar’s letter. Ramotar’s most recent letter that focused on GuySuCo has been received with great disappointment. The disappointment is due to the fact that Ramotar seemed to have now joined the company of naysayers, who are out to paint GuySuCo and the efforts of the new Board of Directors and management in a negative light.

The truth of the matter is that, GuySuCo is challenged and that might be an understatement, the Corporation is much challenged, and in order to make any intelligent conclusion about the prospects of GuySuCo, one has to examine how the Corporation got to this stage. How it was governed and managed in the past as against how it is currently governed and managed.

This is necessary in order to sensibly determine the way forward and to ensure that some of the mistakes are not repeated. An honest examination of the shortcomings in the type of governance and management which resulted in the GuySuCo we have today is important.

GuySuCo did not become a loss-making Corporation overnight; it went through a gradual process of deterioration of systems and structures; which included poor leadership and man-

agement that resulted in a Corporation that was practically bankrupt with demoralised management and staff, unstable targets, hence, the lack of confidence from suppliers and customers and the wider public in the Corporation.

The new board and management are trying to salvage a Corporation and industry that has undergone a systematic process of decay.

The new leadership has inherited a GuySuCo where critical departments were marginalised, due to the lack of appreciation for their critical role to the viability and sustainability of the Corporation and the sugar industry as a whole.

The new board and management are a response to the urgency that presented itself, to redirect the course of the Corporation and the sugar industry for its own survival and that of its employees and other stakeholders.

Ramotar stated in his letter that ‘…They seem hell bent on closing down the sugar industry. At the moment, they are dismissing highly qualified technical personnel and replacing them with pensioners.

These people are being paid huge salaries. Recently, they employed nine persons who are earning more than $200M per year’. He further noted that ‘the regime seems intent on running the sugar industry down and enriching their friends at the expense of GuySuCo and Guyana’.

The Corporation is saddened by these statements and at the same time we are incensed that Ramotar would reduce our qualified and competent employees and consultants, to mere pensioners. These pensioners of whom Ramotar speaks are highly qualified and experienced Guyanese who are making tireless contributions to reviving the Corporation and the sugar industry. Some of these persons are assigned full-time employment while others are recruited in a consulting capacity. The alternative would have been to recruit expatriates, who would have cost the industry significantly more.

Further, Ramotar stated that ‘while it is true that the industry is experiencing some difficult times, the main reason for these difficulties lies beyond our control since it was the decision of the European Union (EU) to end its agreement with the sugar-producing African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.

While this might be a fact, Ramotar is still in the diagnostic mode, the current board and management of GuySuCo have gone past that stage, the Corporation is at a stage where, having diagnosed what are the problems facing the industry, it is now prescribing and implementing solutions.

The leadership is taking responsibility for the future of the Corporation

and sugar industry and is engaging the relevant resources to find its own solutions to problems. Hence, the thrust is to develop a resilient GuySuCo that will withstand the changes in the world around, changes which might be beyond its control. It is therefore logical that there is even a greater need to find and recruit the best expertise.

Notwithstanding, the Corporation considers Ramotar a very useful player in the new emerging GuySuCo and sugar industry.

However, his value would be better maximised, if there is less emotional involvement and more objectivity and an honest reflection of and an understanding of the depth of the issues facing the industry and a rational position on possibilities for the future of the industry.

Finally, it is important to note that the total cost paid to the persons mentioned in Ramotar’s letter, is far less than the $200M per annum that was stated.

The Corporation also wishes to state that while Ramotar has the liberty to discuss his views on the packages of persons in our employ in the public domain; it is against civilised organisational practice for GuySuCo to engage in such conversations in such a casual manner.

Yours faithfully, Audreyanna Thomas Senior Communications Officer

5 Govt to focus on reducing youth offenders, prison population – President I NEWS

SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

n light of recent reports that government has engaged the judicial branch on reforms for sentencing policy, President Granger has observed that too many young offenders are incarcerated.

Speaking at the handingover of the Camp Street Prison riot Commission of Inquiry report on Wednesday he said the Administration had discussions with the judiciary on sentencing policies to reduce the rising number of inmates.

He also stated that no President would be happy to see large numbers of young people spend so much of their lives incarcerated.

It was explained that some individuals start off at the Onderneeming facility, spend time at Camp Street Prison and end up at the Mazaruni Prison, which the Guyanese leader said was responsible for Government’s dialogue with the Judiciary.

Meanwhile, the Head of State opined that the main prisons in Guyana; the Camp Street, Mazaruni and New Amsterdam

The Camp Street Prison structures, being over a century old, were not designed to cater for the current huge prison population and suggested that the facilities at Lusignan and Timehri were built to assist the main prisons.

The President recalled his visit to the Mazaruni Prison earlier this year with Minister of State Joseph Harmon and

Public Security Minister Kemraj Ramjattan where they sought to explore how the conditions of prison life could be improved.

“We looked at improving the production of food; providing facilities to encourage inmates to alter their behaviour so that they don’t have to return into that system,” Granger noted, explaining that his team looked into re-

habilitation while on their visit.

The Head of State noted further that government will now direct its efforts towards ensuring the country becomes a safer place and expressed hope that fewer children, men and women will end up in the country’s prisons.

It was only last week that the President told the media that in

efforts to reduce the overcrowding in the prisons, the government could review custodial sentencing for persons in possession of small amounts of marijuana.

He however cautioned that while the matter came up for discussions, no decisions were taken.

The Social Protection Ministry earlier in the year had announced that alternative sentencing for young offenders could become mainstreamed, but it was cautioned that such offenders should not be “grave violators” of the nation’s Criminal Laws.

Calls were also made for consideration for reduce penalties against offenders between the ages 16 and 21.

The Social Protection Ministry’s Chief Probation and Social Services Officer Gavin Munroe told the media earlier this year that systems for alternative sentencing were being addressed but he had observed that an assessment by departmental officials would done and the requisite recommendations were also submitted

Poverty decreased to 15% in Guyana G uyana has successfully combated poverty, dropping to figures to 15 per cent. This is according to International Development Adviser to the United Nations on Poverty, Dr Naresh Singh, during the recording of ‘The Factor’ hosted by Neaz Subhan, to be aired on Television Guyana (TVG) Channel 28 at 20:00h tonight.

According to the expert, Guyana has been successful in reducing poverty from about 28 per cent in 1992 to roughly 18 per cent in 2006. Singh asserted that with sound technical advice, it is believed that Guyana in 10 years time can be able to ‘fix’ the poverty problem with the creation of an inter-ministerial body.

Guyana has two poverty lines – extreme poverty and moderate poverty.

Extreme poverty which is also a global pover-

Host Neaz Subhan with Dr Naresh Singh

ty line, is define as people who live one less than US$1.25 a day, people who do not get enough food for normal functioning of everyday life.

Moderate poverty is defined in Guyana as people living on US$1.75 which is G$350 per day. Both type of poverty have been majorly affecting persons living in the hinterland regions, especially Amerindians.

However, as Guyana successfully continues to

fight the issue of poverty, effort to alleviate the scourge appears relentless globally also.

According to the Singh, the UN has been able to mobilise resources to help fight poverty. It has established global goals such as the Millennium

Development Goal (MDG) which ended in 2015. The world has made tremendous success in reducing poverty over the years by using the Millennium Development Goal.

MDG was established in 2002 based on the year 2000 Millennium Declaration where all world’s leader got together at the United Nations General Assembly.

Their number one goal was to reduce extreme poverty by 50 per cent by the year 2015 which the world was successful in achieving. However, even as the reduction was seen globally, not all countries achieved a reduction.

So currently, the 2015-2030 Sustainable

Development Goal (SDG) has been formulated, where nations would come together to achieve goals set by the UN. Seventeen goals were agreed upon by the United Nations last year and the UN is now mobilising the countries to work towards those goals. “So my task in the meeting will be to

draw all the lessons I have learned, what countries have done... [what] worked and not worked, to help them influence the way the Sustainable Development Goals will be shaped,” Singh relayed.

The United Nations stands firm in its commission to have poverty eradicated.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016

Page

Foundation

guyana-times.com

My first clinical rotation! Positive parenting

Anu Dev After my series on Indian immigration from a female perspective, I thought I’d share some of my experience as a medical student over at UWI. Maybe I’ll remove some of that “mystique” from the medical profession?! I really do believe medicine ought to be more accessible - in terms of what it is all about - to the general public to whom it delivers its services.

I’ve just completed my first 4th year rotation - general surgery. And I can say, it was quite the shock to the system being plunged into the hospital setting after three years of sitting passively in a classroom being lectured. For a 1st rotation, it was quite tough being thrust into surgery right away, but on the flipside, it forced us to connect much more of our book-learning with real life bodies over the past two months. We saw

a lot, we spoke to lots of patients and got a lot of handson experience. Finally we were doing some of the ‘real doctor things’.

It was quite difficult getting used to the long hours every day and to being “oncall”. Was this endurance training to prepare us for what’s ahead? But it was quite satisfying being able to help our team to make interventions that were actually helping patients. We were moving out of the theoretical realm into the real

bers of my extended family from both sides are diabetic. One of the most common conditions we saw on the wards was diabetic feet.

Some of the complications of diabetes are poor woundhealing, nerve-damage and reduced blood-flow to their limbs. Because of the nervedamage, diabetics don’t really detect pain as well as nondiabetics, so if for example they stepped on something sharp and injured their foot, they mightn’t even notice the injury.

“Surgeon: A man who’s always out for his cut.”

– Anonymous world. Finally! We weren’t just practicing to take blood from plastic dummies, we were taking blood from actual patients that would be tested to guide their diagnosis and management.

While it’s spreading like wildfire in the rest of the world, diabetes is already a major challenge in the Caribbean. Several mem-

And because of the reduced blood flow and their reduced ability to heal, there’s a greater risk of the wound staying open and becoming infected. It was quite frustrating to see that some of the patients let things get so bad that they were left with no other option but amputation.

So if you know that

you’re diabetic, make sure you’re taking your anti-diabetic medicine, inspect your feet regularly for any bruises or cuts, and try to not walk around barefoot.

Nothing takes away the glamour of surgery faster than actually spending time in surgery. For every “cool” surgery we saw, there was a peri-anal abscess to drain or a gluteal abscess to drain. In the happy event that you’ve never had to encounter one of those, I can tell you that the smell stays with you - it lingers and becomes absorbed (it would seem) into the very fibre of your being. I’m exaggerating, but I think you get the point.

For some reason Grey’s Anatomy never covered any of those things in any of their episodes!

But I quite enjoyed the structure of surgery. There was an order to things, a specific pattern of doing things.

I’m now one week into my second rotation - Obstetrics and Gynecology. So far it’s been rather exciting seeing newborn babies and hearing their heartbeats. It’s all I can do to keep myself from going “aww” and squealing when I see how cute they are. I have seven more weeks in this rotation and I’m quite excited about all of the new things I’ll be seeing and doing!

your tween

(CONTINUED FROM SATURDAY)

6. The tween years are the perfect time to teach values ...which is best done not by lecturing, but by asking questions. To get your child talking, become a brilliant listener, empathiser, and question asker. Tweens are usually curious about your own early years; those can be great opportunities to reassure them that even their parents were insecure, as all tweens are. It’s also an opportunity to teach; don’t be afraid to share real life examples of teens who died from drinking and driving, or became addicted to drugs. It’s best, though, if stories about your own life set a positive, rather than negative example, such as having struggled and overcome obstacles.

7. Be aware that the more popular culture your child is exposed to, the more risk she runs ...of drug and alcohol use, depression and early sexual experimentation. Tweens want to feel grown up, so naturally they ape adult popular culture. Yes, they have to fit in with their friends, but they count on their parents to keep them safe and let them know what’s age appropriate. They aren’t ready for the attention they'll get when they wear that revealing top or sing that inappropriate song at the recital. They need you to enforce strict rules regarding internet use and what movies are appropriate. Tweens want and need your guidance, even if they can’t show it.

8. Tweens are actively shaping their identity. Support their experimenting and exploring, even when they’re into a new fad every few weeks. Don’t comment on their fashions as long as their body coverage is appropriate, and keep an open mind about their music. Especially support the deep passions into which they really pour themselves; those are protective during the tween and teen years.

9. Stay aware of your tween’s schoolwork ...offering help as necessary in developing time management skills, insuring that homework gets done and big projects are worked on over time.

Be aware that how hard your tween works at school will depend on whether his peers do, and try to have him attend a school where the children consider good grades cool. Maintaining high expectations and insuring that homework doesn't get neglected in favor of evening screen and social time is critical.

10. Teach your tween good physical self-management: at least nine hours of sleep every night, regular protein and low glycemic snacks, regular exercise. Instilling these habits can take real creativity on the part of parents, but they greatly reduce moodiness and you’ll be happy they’re well-established when your child hits the teen years.

11. Don't be surprised if your preteen son or daughter develops some anxiety or dependency. It's not at all unusual for preteens to get scared by all the changes in their bodies, the peer pressures to grow up, or the fear of separating from mom and dad. This is most often expressed as separation or sleep anxiety, and if you empathise and let them cling to you a bit, it probably will not last long.

12. Be aware of the special needs of your son or daughter as they grow into adults in a culture that perpetuates unhealthy attitudes about men, women, and sexuality.

Girls will need your help handling media images of women, cultural expectations about attractiveness, the pressure to be sexy, her relationship with food, the concept of consent, and her body. Remember that girls naturally fill out before they shoot up, and be careful not to impose society's insistence that only thin is attractive. Notice any issues you have as her body blossoms. Be aware of the research showing that most tween girls are very anxious about the bodily changes ahead and the sense they have from the media that becoming a woman puts them in danger from men. Girls particularly need their fathers to continue offering physical hugs and open admiration for what a beautiful daughter they have, in an atmosphere of total safety and appropriate boundaries.

Boys need help integrating their sense of connection, tenderness and vulnerability – which are a part of all human relationships – with societal images of manliness. It's normal for boys approaching their teen years to act cool, indifferent, and invulnerable with their peers, even when they're actually highly sensitive children. A responsible, affectionate father or uncle can be a critical teacher as a tween boy learns how to be a good man – while fitting in with the guys. It's particularly valuable for Dads or male role models to talk with sons about the idea of consent and respect for women. And Mom needs to keep warmly talking and listening with her son about his interests and experiences, without jumping in to solve his problems. (ahaparenting.com)

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Barabina Road rehabilitation reverses

Before rehabilitation, during rehbailtation and after rehabiltation

By Devina Samaroo

O

ver $3 million worth of work now wasted with the recently rehabilitated Barabina Swamp Road in Region One (Barima -Waini) now back to a sludgy trail, and residents are peeved.

The 200-metre track is constantly inundated, and villagers have grown accustomed to slushing through the water to traverse around the region.

Central Government, through its special initiative aimed at rehabilitating hinterland roads, had allocated some $3 million to fix the road.

Reports indicated that the rehabilitation works were completed sometime in April.

During an interview with Guyana Times, Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley explained that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) had no knowledge of the undertaking until after works had commenced.

He claimed that the Regional Executive Officer Leslie Wilburg, who has responsibility for the awarding of contracts for the region,

was aware that the Public Infrastructure Ministry had committed financial resources for the rehabilitation but failed to inform the council.

Regional Chairman, I highlighted that, although I am not an expert in civil engineering, I believe that if we find ways to open avenues

the problem is solved and only focused temporary solutions.

Shortly after government announced that the

Senior crime journalist, Dale Andrews dies

N A woman slushing through the swampy trail

Ashely said the REO took it upon himself to sole source an inexperienced contractor to carry out the project, and posited that because of the substandard works, the road is back to square one.

“He went around to do the road by sole-sourcing someone who has no engineering idea or technical idea of road construction… when we found out, even though as an RDC and as

for water to have a free flow out of the creek that leads to Barabina through the Kumaka area, it would help to alleviate the flooding that is taking place and damaging the road; and then we can think about rehabilitation with construction,” the Regional Chairman explained.

He posited that the entire undertaking lacked future vision to help ensure

rehabilitation works were completed, a letter to the editor appeared in one of the daily locals, complaining about the substandard

work done.

The writer explained that two vehicles were stuck in the road and had to be pulled out by a tractor, and by a pick-up.

Currently, attempts are being made to engage the Public Infrastructure Ministry in an effort to garner assistance and advice on the way forward.

With the rainy season ongoing, residents are worried about the extent to which the heavy showers will compound the situation.

In an effort to provide some relief, the RDC provided the leaders of Barabina some resources to rehabilitate a dilapidated catwalk which can now be utilised as an alternative route to traverse the area.

ational Media and Publishing Company (Kaieteur News) senior crime journalist Dale Andrews died early Saturday morning at a city hospital after he reportedly suffered a heart attack.

Andrews, 45, of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, was reportedly on a three-day sick leave at the time of his demise. Andrews, who worked with the Kaieteur News for more than 12 years was described as a stalwart in the media fraternity. He started his journalistic career at the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation and then joined Kaieteur News in early 2000’s. While there he excelled in the way he reported crime and security matters.

Editor-in-Chief of Kaieteur News Adam Harris, when contacted on Saturday told Guyana Times that the entire staff is in a state of shock and disbelief. He also confirmed that Andrews suffered from a heart complication and was on sick leave.

On Friday evening, Andrews reportedly took in and upon checking for his medication, his wife realised there was none. He was taken to the hospital where he succumbed.

Harris noted that Andrew’s death will definitely leave a hole in the editorial team at the entity.

“Dale was a dedicated worker. Even though he was on medical sick leave he sent in stories to be published… We have lost a gem,

Dale Andrews

a void that cannot be filled”, Harris added.

Guyana Times/TVG/ Radio Guyana extends sympathy to the family, relative and friends of Dale Andrews.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police ranks continue to seize drivers’ documents ... “This is forbidden!” – Traffic Chief

By Ramona Luthi

V

ehicle operators are incessantly told to hand over their documents to traffic ranks, and ordered to drive to the Police Station despite this being declared prohibited on several occasions by Traffic Chief Boodnarine Persaud.

According to numerous complaints from drivers on Saturday, after being stopped by Police Traffic ranks, they are ordered to turn over their drivers’ licences and insurances for inspection but on most occasions, these law enforcers would confiscate the documents and demand that they drive to the respective Police stations.

“Look, the other day I was driving up to town, a officer stop me, he ask foh me licence, I give he. Then he ask foh me insurance, I give he. Then he collect all two, put it in he pocket and

Traffic Chief Boodnarine Persaud

tell me drive to Ruimveldt Station,” Johnson Charles told Guyana Times.

The actions of the traffic officers have triggered questions by vehicle operators about the traffic laws enforcement. “If they saying you can’t drive without your documents, why are they taking it away and telling you to drive? Not even tell, order you to drive to the station. What sense is

the law to not drive without documents, then?” Jenny Ramcharran, another driver questioned.

A young lady told this publication that she was parked for no more than 15 seconds across the Mon Repos Market on Saturday, when an officer approached her, requested her documents and opted to seize them while stipulating that she drive to the Beterverwagting Police Station. However, when she requested to have her documents returned before she followed the order, the officer refused to comply.

The young lady said when she informed a senior officer of the situation and asked “is it right for the officer to take away my documents, his response was no, but would you rather an officer give you back your documents then hold you by your pants, arrest you and embarrass you in front of people?”

Meanwhile, Traffic Chief Persaud told this publication on Saturday that the custom by ranks taking away drivers’ documents is forbidden. He said the only time traffic ranks can do that is if there are suspicions that the documents are fraudulent.

According to Persaud, officers are expected to inspect and return the documents and if necessary arrest the driver and have them taken to the Police station, or accompany them as they drive to the station to be arrested.

“The Police supposed to check the documents, return the documents, and if they have to, arrest the driver and take him or her to the station or they can go along in the vehicle with the driver to the police station and arrest them.

Officers are totally forbidden from taking away documents from drivers.”

Eyew tness

Heroes... ...passing

Your Eyewitness’ flag’s flying at half-mast: Muhammad Ali is dead. Even though he knew it was coming - after the great man was stricken for so long with Parkinson’s, he’d thought it would’ve happened long before - your Eyewitness is still very saddened. It could be because he’d so identified with Ali when he was just a young Eyewitness, maybe a part of him also passed on.

They say that young boys need positive role models... and Muhammad Ali was one positive role model to the young Eyewitness. Guyana’s struggle for independence coincided with Ali’s rise to fame. And while events conspired to make the local political heroes’ images become tainted after 1966, Ali’s burned even brighter.

Your Eyewitness wasn’t old enough to remember Cassius Clay at the age of 18 winning the Olympic medal back in 1960....nor his knocking out of Sonny Liston to win the world heavyweight title 1964.

But right after his Liston fight he’d converted to Islam and taken the name “Muhammad Ali” and your Eyewitness was so proud he became a boxing fan thereafter. Ali was not just a bruiser...nor even just another “pretty face”: he was a man who had the courage of his convictions. Few today, could imagine how “weird” the name sounded because of the western media’s portrayal of Muslims.

In the US, Islam was seen as a joke because it was not the religion of a billion people but of some “fringe” US blacks. Muhammad Ali gave pride to Muslims everywhere...this man who “floated like a butterfly but stung like a bee”. But in 1967 when he gave it all up because he refused to be drafted into the US army to be sent to Vietnam the world had to take notice. “The Vietnam Congs weren’t his enemies...they hadn’t called him ‘nigger’.”

Ali could’ve had it all...money, fame and a US poster boy: that government wouldn’t have sent him to fight, he would’ve just even sent to boost the morale of the troops. Which included so many black Americans. But he was stripped of his title, hounded and harassed until the Supreme Court reversed his conviction.

Your Eyewitness remembers the 1971 fight when Ali faced the new champion, “Smokin’ Joe Frazier”. Even though he lost he did so gloriously - and never made the excuse that he’s been prevented from being in the ring for almost three years. He remembers Ali taking back the crown from Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire. But he remembers also, Ali coming to Guyana in 1979 to attend the opening of a small Masjid in Whim.

That was his greatest memory of “The Greatest”.

...denied

Say he’s naive, but your Eyewitness hoped Walter Rodney would’ve been given a posthumous award in this the 50th Anniversary of Independence. This isn’t to detract from the 85 awardees...but surely not all of them did as much as Rodney did for this country. And then, what would’ve been wrong with giving out 86 awards?

Rodney is a true Guyanese hero. Born in comparably humble circumstances, he won a place at Queen’s and excelled there in both sports and academics. Imagine he wrote an article on slavery that was published even when he was a fourth former! He did us all proud to earn his PhD at the age of 24!! And this was no PhD mill that just hands out awards but the London “School of African and Oriental Studies”.

Most importantly, for one glorious moment he brought this nation together. And showed how it can and must be done.

By being true to his identity (as an African-Guyanese) but respecting all other identities.

...everyday

Let us honour all those who toil daily in the fields to put food on our tables. With the economy’s implosion accelerating exponentially, only they can save us from starvation by providing us affordable food.

They are heroes, also.

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

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guyana-times.com

News

Porter dies after crashing into utility pole

A

porter was killed in the wee hours of Saturday after he lost control of the motorcycle he was riding and crashed into a utility pole at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara.

Shawn Patrick called “Collie” of Lot 89 David Rose Street, Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, died on the spot after crashing into a utility pole in the vicinity of the Guyana Power and Light, Goed Fortuin, WBD. He would have celebrated his 22nd birthday on Monday.

According to information, the man who worked as a porter allegedly overtook a car while negotiating a turn and jammed lorry GJJ 5817 at the rear which was travelling in the opposite direction. Upon contact Patrick, who was under the influence, lost control of the motorcycle and slammed into a utility pole.

Guyana Times understands that the young man was not the holder of a driver’s licence and did not own a motorcycle.

At the home of the dead man, his family was making preparations for a wake

son alive when he left home with some of his friends earlier that day.

“His friends came out on the road, and they were going to Middle Street to hang out, it has a hangout place there and he went with them… The boy that own the bike, he went to drop off a girl at home with a car and left his bike for one of his friends to ride home and my son was the one to ride it home,” she cried.

The mother explained that she was told that a

de want to ride the bike…

He also say that he didn’t want to give him the key because, Shawn was high after they been drinking beers and so.”

The woman further detailed that her son lost his job on Friday and to ease some stress, he decided to go with his friends.

Meanwhile, the driver of the lorry was taken into police custody and is assisting with investigations.

Patrick’s body was taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home

Dead: Shawn “Collie” Patrick

with the assistance of close friends.

His mother, Abiola Lynch told Guyana Times that at about 04:00h at home, she received a phone call informing that her son was involved in an accident and was badly injured. She rushed to the scene only to find her son’s mangled body lying on the parapet of the Goed Fortuin Public Road.

In tears, she related that she could not recognise him since his face was in blood and was damaged due to the impact of the collision.

She said she last saw her

The motorcycle Patrick was riding when he met his demise

man pleaded with her son not to ride the bike. “He said he didn’t want Shawn to ride the bike but Shawn

and is awaiting post mortem. He leaves to mourn his parents and five siblings.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

Trump trumps all

S

atiricus was caught betwixt and between - and it wasn’t a position he was comfortable with. As a fella without any pretensions to being a brain box, he was always ready to speak his piece - knowing he’d be corrected pretty soon! But how to deal with Georgie, his cousin who was visiting from New York?

The two of them were hanging out at the Back Street Bar with their old friend Cappo, the Canecutter. Satiricus knew politics would be sure to come up...that and religion were always the top topics that kept the joint jumping.

Satiricus thought Trump was a great fella and would make a great president of the USA. While Georgie simple loathed the host of “The Apprentice”. The dilemma for Satiricus, was Georgie was also paying for the beers. Should Satiricus risk going thirsty?

And sure enough, Georgie plunged right in when they hadn’t even downed their first round. “Can you believe Trump doesn’t even need to win California tomorrow?

The idiot has already won enough delegates to be the Republican candidate.” Georgie sounded glum.

Satiricus kept his mouth shut...but Cappo took the bait.

“Wha’ mek de man a wan “idiot”. If suh much ‘Merican like Trump ‘e must be prappa sma’t, All ‘Merican a sma’t people!”

“Listen Cappo, people can be smart but sometimes other people can fool them,” Georgie sounded defensive.

“Even the smart people who like Trump saying he will send back all immigrants.”

“But if dey suh smart, dem must know why alyu immigrants should get kick out!” Cappo was smirking.

“Maybe alyu tek alyu bad habit ova deh!”

“What bad habits?” snapped Georgie. Satiricus, worried about his funding for beers, was casting pleading looks at Cappo, who either didn’t understand or was ignoring him.

“Well me hear alyu a bribe politician fuh cheat pan mortgage and thing,” Cappo knew Georgie was a real estate salesman.

“Buddy, everybody does cheat in real estate in America.

Even Trump get rich in real estate,” Georgie said smugly.

“Budday!! Me know me a wan Canecutta... but me know if Trump bin bribe anybady... de story woulda be pan de front page a dem newspaper!” He looked angrily at Satiricus, “A wha’ yuh kick me fa?”

“Oh...my foot must’ve touched you when I moved.

What’s going on now that the sugar crop is over?” Satiricus was desperately trying to change the subject.

“If Trump buy GuySuCo, sugar gon be fine,” replied Cappo. He was not to be deterred. “Suh wha yuh seh about dem sma’t ‘Merican, Georgie?”

“Cappo, alyu Guyanese like talk sh*t about wha alyu na know wan fart ‘bout. Me a guh home.” Georgie left without even paying for the beer.”

Satiricus kicked Cappo openly this time.

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14 NEWS

SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Lindener killed in motorcycle accident Younge’s Take

By Utamu Belle

P

olice in Linden are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal accident which occurred at about 23:30h on Friday along the Amelia’s Ward Public Road, Mackenzie, Linden.

Dead is Michael Fox, 22, of Lot 9 Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward. The man killed when the unregistered CBR motorcycle he was riding at the time slammed into the right rear side of a car bearing licence plate PTT 2372, which was driven by a 20-year-old Government Technical Institute (GTI) student.

Both were rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) where Fox was pronounced dead on arrival, while the driver was admitted for observation. A passenger in the car escaped without injuries.

Police E Division (LindenKwakwani) Commander Calvin Brutus confirmed that the motorcycle was proceeding east along the Amelia’s Ward main access road, allegedly at a fast rate, while the car was proceeding south.

Dead: Michael Fox

According to information, the car reportedly stopped at the intersection and then proceeded to cross the main road heading to Amelia’s Ward when the CBR slammed into its rear side.

Commander Brutus sated that the CBR had been recently cleared by Customs, however it was not registered at the time of the accident.

Meanwhile, at the home of the deceased on Saturday, family and friends gathered

to extend condolences to the bereaved family. Fox’s mother Debra Gooding, who was visibly traumatised, said she received a phone call confirming the sad news shortly after the accident on Friday evening.

She described her son as a “cool, loving and quiet” person. Fox’s brother, Raphael Bourne, on vacation from the United States, said he and the deceased were hanging out at Central Mackenzie shortly before the accident but he informed Fox to ride home since he was driving home.

He said shortly afterwards, he received a call informing him that his brother was involved in an accident.

According to Bourne he was only a few minutes from the scene.

“As soon as I came out I recognised the bike and I saw my little brother lying on the road. From the time I approached the crowd and I see the bike I knew it was one of my bikes,” Fox’s visibly-shaken brother related.

He said after realising what had happened he was so confused he was not thinking straight. He is ad-

amant that his brother had the right of way, adding that the motorcycle was equipped with HID lights.

Even more heartbreaking, he noted, was the fact that he returned to Guyana only last November to bury his daughter whom the family had lost to cancer.

“Now I gotta bury my little brother,” Bourne said tearfully. The driver of the car is assisting Police with investigations.

he damaged motorcycle T at the scene

Forensic audit

MMA/ADA bought 14 vehicles without authorisation

– says policies and good practices lacking in general operations

T

he MahaicaM a h a i c o n y Abary/Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA) has been operating without adhering to the policies and good practices, purchasing over a dozen vehicles without any authorisation, according to a forensic audit report.

The auditor, TSD Lal and Company, noted while the entity does not have a code or policy on good corporate governance, authority failed to comply with certain areas of the MMA-ADA’s Act. “Policies and good practices were lacking in areas of asset management, inventory management, fuel consumption, lease distribution, rental of premises, etc,” the report added.

In fact, it was pointed out that, “instances were found where vehicles were purchased but no authorisation was seen in the budget or minutes of the meetings of Board members.” This was in reference to the purchase of four vehicles in 2012 and another 10 vehicles in 2013, with no appropriate authorisation.

Moreover, the auditors found that the MMA-ADA’s asset management needs improvement. “Registers were not kept up to date, assets were disposed of with no documented evidence, vehicles were crashed with no proper investigation being done or staff being penalised,” they noted.

The latter case is in relation to the authority’s “Mechanical Manager”, Shilendra Singh, being as-

signed motor vehicle PSS 2052 which crashed and was extensively damaged.

However, no report was forwarded to the Board of Directors and no disciplinary action has been taken to date, as well as no rectification had been done to the vehicle.

According to the auditing company, the Authority may have to bear the cost of replacing/repairing the vehicle; as such, the auditor recommended that all assets should be properly safe-guarded and in the event of an accident and a full investigation and follow up action be undertaken promptly.

On this note, it was also observed that the assets register was not up to date and instances were found where serial numbers, location of assets, assets numbers or labels were missing. Additionally, assets were being transferred between MMA-ADA and the Agriculture Ministry and other Ministries without proper documents or correspondence being sent.

This was highlighted in the case where it was discovered that the Hydromet Office had purchased and stored fuel valued $19,865,486 at MMA locations and the MMA utilised the fuel with no documented authorisation but had reimbursed Hydromet with a vehicle (PRR 2131) costing $8,060,580 in full settlement of this expense.

The auditor pointed out that there was no approval of this transaction even though it was noted that this was a one-off incident. However, the report added too that the fuel may have been misappropri-

ated and so a recommendation was made for inter-authority transactions to have proper approval from relevant authority.

In relation to fuel consumption for the period January 2012 to May 2015, the auditors found that a total of $43,195,943 was spent on vehicles on MMA/ADA assets register, while some 23,982,000 for vehicles not on the MMA/ADA assets register.

TSD Lal and Company believes that the funds for fuel consumed may have been misappropriated and expenses overstated. It was recommended that the Authority should only provide fuel to vehicles that have been approved by the Board of Directors.

This brings the issue of “expenses” to the fore. The auditors noted that MMA/ ADA operates a cash basis of accounting, with all revenues collected documented and banked subsequently. In many of the cases, payments were without the relevant documents, such as invoices or quotations being prepared to support the payments as well as payments being made without the relevant authorisation.

One instance was outlined whereby a payment of $3 million was incurred by the authority to one Adesh Rampratop for repairs to motor vehicle PRR 7716, a vehicle designated to former Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, and which was not part of the MMA/ADA’s fixed assets register.

“The Authority incurred expenses not belonging to it,” the auditors noted, while recommending that “only goods or services procured for the benefit of the Authority should be paid for.”

Furthermore, the auditing company detailed in the report that there was a strong possibility that the Authority may be losing revenue because of under-valuations of rental property, minimal rent charges and not collecting fees in relation to drainage and irrigation services.

As it relates to rentals, the auditors noted that the Authority did not update the files for tenants regularly and instances were found where agreements were missing.

Additionally, it was stated that many agreements that expired were not renewed.

“This may affect the Authority’s claim to rental of these premises. Additionally, it indicated a breakdown of the system of internal controls… For every premise rented, there must be a signed copy of the rental agreement in relation to the premise. Also, the agreement must be updated and filed securely,” the auditors stated.

Moreover, it was disclosed that rent to the tune of $35 million was receivable (owed) and upon investigation, many of the amounts were found to be over one year. This, the auditors said, indicates that the Authority may not be able to recover some of this rent and cast doubt on the ability of the entity to collect moneys from tenants. It was recommended that legal action be taken to recover these amounts.

The real Pharaohs

L

ast week, former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive and House Speaker Ralph Ramkarran described Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo as a “pharaoh”.

Ramkarran said that Jagdeo was a master at politics of abuse as he, among other things, sought to justify and explain the disrespectful and hostile behaviour of some vendors to Jagdeo while he was doing a walkabout recently in Georgetown.

Michael Younge Ramkarran also took several swipes at Jagdeo’s integrity, public conduct and commitment to the founding principles of the PPP while warning that he was selfish and out to achieve personal power at the expense of the Party.

In short, Ramkarran, from his writings and the commentary therein, appeared excited by some of the vendors’ response to Jagdeo as it signalled some sort of premature hope for his already dead political career and presidential ambitions, and success for those behind the current anti-Jagdeo campaign which still lacks imagination and impact.

The truth is, Guyanese and supporters of the PPP have become accustomed to the infantile politics of Ramkarran and other anti-PPP/Jagdeo writers who are continuously seeking to rewrite history for their personal gain, distorting truth and facts while aiming to weaken the PPP because they were rejected by the Party’s principals, who saw their true colours at some point and time in their past.

Ramkarran cannot seriously expect Guyanese to believe that Jagdeo is a pharaoh or still operates like one when compared to those who currently control Guyana’s Executive and sit at the helm of a cosmetic political coalition of convenience.

He does not expect us to believe that Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan do not live in “opulence” and are not masters at the politics of abuse when one considers their postures and actions; both in Government and within the walls of the declining Alliance For Change party.

The privately owned media in Guyana is replete with examples of just how power drunk and arrogant these two leaders are and have become since 2011.

There are so many other politicians who are deserving of that title because of the little regard they show for half of the electorate, the poor, minority groups and the socially disadvantaged. Ramkarran’s attack on Jagdeo was cheap, weak and without merit. As a learned Attorney, surely he could have mounted more serious analogies and arguments that could convince John Public that Jagdeo was bad for Guyana and bad for the PPP. Does he expect us to believe that, he while in the PPP, had no influence over his fellow comrades in pointing out just how allegedly wicked Jagdeo was and how pharaoh-like he was becoming? After all, most of the comrades would have been junior to him politically and their minds impressionable as well as loyal to the PPP. The truth is, the tone of Ramkarran’s recent writings suggest he is bitter and very jealous of the accomplishments of Jagdeo, Clement Rohee and Donald Ramotar – politically and personally.

If he seriously wanted what was best for his former Party, he would have never left. He would have done what Margaret Thatcher did in the 1970s and 1980s. He would have stayed and shake up the Party by causing both a political and ideological revolution within it. He would have put his personal ambitions and self-interest aside and served the Party while seeking to curtail whatever he thought was bad for the PPP or anti-Jagan.

Good leaders do not run from battles and storms, they welcome and embrace them because they test their political resolve and worth as well as purpose.

The history of the PPP from 1954 to 1989 and 1992 to 2016 proves that the Party is always bigger than any one person. Like the senate proved that it was willing to murder Caesar so that Rome could live.

Jagdeo is no pharaoh or Caesar in the PPP. He never was and is not today. Ramkarran knows fully well that Jagdeo has earned his place in the Party and has managed to win the respect and admiration of the Party’s youth corps which indefinitely will determine its future agenda.

The Opposition Leader cannot coerce or control any PPP Executive. He is equal to any other and does not have any special magic to control the free minds in the Party.

Instead of his continuing his obsession with Jagdeo and the PPP, Ramkarran should form his own party or cement his relationship with the one in power to show just how much Guyanese favour him over an alleged “pharaoh” like Jagdeo.

Just like the presidential race within the Party, Ramkarran would be astonished by the results of any such poll as it would no doubt prove who Guyanese favour to lead.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Robbery spate suspects remanded

T

wo men appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after being charged by Police for robbery under arms.

Kevin Rose and Orin Glasgow pleaded not guilty to the charge that stated, on May 13, 2016 at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD), being armed with a knife they robbed Vanessa Cordis of one Samsung cellphone valued $65,000, a wallet valued $9000, one gold chain valued $24,000 and $70,000 in cash.

The men also denied a charge which stated that being armed with a gun they robbed Shamir Hassan of one .32 Taurus revolver valued $75,000 along with six live matching rounds on May 25, 2016 at Georgetown.

The unrepresented men were read a final

Orin Glasgow

Kevin Rose

charge by Chief Magistrate McLennan, which stated that along with others they attempted to commit a felony, that is to say robbery under arms with a gun on May 27, 2016 at Bagotstown.

They both maintained their innocence of the allegations against them and

pleaded not guilty to the felony charge.

Rose, 19, was however slapped with two counts of gun and ammo charges.

It is alleged that he had a .32 revolver without being the holder of a firearm license, on May 27, 2016 at Bagotstown. Also on the

same day at the same location he had a B2 revolver in his possession.

Rose, who is a mason by profession and resides at Lot 1058 Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Bail was objected to by Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers, who told the court Glasgow has pending matters against him of a similar nature at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

He also placed weight on the seriousness of the offence committed, and the fact that the firearm and cellphone were both found on Rose when he was apprehended by officers.

Chief Magistrate McLennan remanded the duo until June 27, 2016 and transferred the joint matter to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

Police hunting suspects who robbed missionary

D

etectives from A Division are now searching for two men who on Friday pounced on a missionary from the United States and relieved him of $190,000. They have been identified.

According to reports, Otis Smith who is a missionary attached to the United Pentecostal Church was making his way from a city bank and traversing Church Street in the vicinity of St George’s Cathedral when robbery occurred.

Based on information, Smith had emerged from an office when a car blocked his path. A gunman exited and lashed Smith on his head and shoulder before snatching the bag

with the money. The gunman re-entered the car and escaped.

Meanwhile, subsequent to the robbery, two media operatives who witnessed the ordeal gave chase.

During a high speed chase the suspects, aware they were being followed, exited the vehicle at Crown and Oronoque Streets, opening gunfire at the vehicle the media operatives were in. Fortunately none of the journalists were injured.

Contact was made with A Division Commander Clifton Hicken, who along with his team took over the chase.

The men were however able to escape.

Injured: Otis Smith

Forensic audit

GNNL racks up $2.4M fuel bill for rented vehicles

T

he forensic audit conducted on the State-owned Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) has revealed that the company spent in excess of $2 million on fuel for vehicles that were rented.

According to the auditor, Parmesar, all gas bills were reviewed for the period December 2011 to May 2015 amounting to $2.5 million and it was observed that gas to the tune of $2.4 million was supplied to several vehicles that were not owned

by GNNL. These include: PMM 44 – $236,140; PHH 7738 – $1,371,003; PKK 2895 – $437,969; PKK 925 – $328,910; PRR 491 – $18,895, and PJJ 7546 $20,264. “Management advised that these vehicles were rented for Company use and contracts were seen,” the auditor stated.

It was recommended that “GNNL should ensure that all gas bills processed by the company are for company vehicles.”

Parmesar further outlined in the report that there was poor oversight over trade receivables after the balance almost doubled within five years to a whop-

ping $102,489,156 outstanding at May 31, 2015. At December 31, 2011 the receivable balance outstanding was $59 million. It then rose to $71.5 million at the end of December 2012; $85.5 million at end of December 2013, and $90.9 million at the end of December 2014.

“There is not adequate

is no evidence that the Company made efforts to recover this debt,” Parmesar noted.

On the other hand, the auditor highlighted that the omission of billings for several Political advertisements in 2015. “Based on our review of the system, it was identified that

evidence to confirm that significant efforts were made to collect the debts outstanding,” the auditor pointed out.

Moreover, the report outlined that the top ten receivable balance amounts to some $88,981,814 as at May 31, 2015. Among these customers is the Government Information Agency with a debt of $74,091,147 for advertisements printed in the newspaper for several government agencies. “There

a few advertisements were not invoiced to Video Mega Production – agent for A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC),” he stated.

The ads in question were three 14x6 – all published on May 7, 2015 amounting to $263,088. “After this matter was raised during our review, the above amounts were incorporated in the accounting record through general journal in October 2015,” the auditor

stated.

These matters bring to the fore, the issue of credit control. According to Parmesar, once a sale has been made, it is the duty of credit control to monitor the accounts to ensure that payment is commenced within the normal credit period and that any accounts which are not settled promptly are investigated and appropriate action taken.

“Credit sales to customers should be approved by authorised personnel of the company based on approved credit established,” the audited stressed.

In this regard, Parmesar recommended that systems be implemented to ensure all advertisements printed by GNNL are invoiced to customers.

Recommendations were also made for systems to be implemented to ensure that all statutory audits are completed on a timely basis.

“GNNL should establish a debt collection committee with specific responsibility to collect all outstanding debts within six months.

Establish definitive credit policy which should be documented and approved by the Board of Directors,” the auditors recommended.

By: Lorraine Ince-Carvalhal

What is emotional intelligence and do you have it?

E

motional intelligence (EI) has nothing to do with how many CXCs or degrees you have and everything to do with your capacity to recognise your own, other people’s emotions and use the information to guide thinking and behaviour. There is no correlation or link between IQ and EI. EI is often confused with being happy, optimistic or agreeable and while these characteristics may enhance life, this is not emotional intelligence. Instead, EI is personal and social competence. It is having personal awareness or the ability to perceive and stay aware of emotions and personal management where the awareness is used to focus emotions in a positive way. Also, it is having social awareness and social management; the ability to pick up on others’ emotions and using the awareness to manage interactions successfully.

There are four stages of emotional intelligence and it has been argued that these skills can be developed; they are not just part of an individual’s personality. The first step is to perceive emotions accurately like picking up on body language, facial expressions and other nonverbal communications. Secondly, reasoning with those emotions; using them to direct thinking and reactions. Next is to understand the origin of the emotion – is it a result of something you did or an outside influence? What does it mean? Finally is the response, which is critical in managing emotions effectively and responding to the emotions of others.

So what are the advantages of being emotionally intelligent? We are more able to manage behaviour, navigate social difficulties, make sound personal decisions and achieve positive results. Not only can it help to achieve success in personal relationships but it has been directly linked to successful careers and higher salaries. Being in tune with people around you allows you to read and understand them. It means you will be able to get the most of others because you recognise when they are experiencing certain emotions and you can respond accordingly. This reaction can be significant in how people view and respond to you; mostly in a positive light.

Another reason EI is advantageous is that understanding ourselves better is the first step to knowing what we need as individuals to make us happy, fulfilled and content. Just as importantly, being aware of what makes us sad or angry, and recognising when these feelings are building allows us to manage them and be thoughtfully reactive. If we are unsure what makes us feel a certain way, or indeed are unable to recognise feelings when we experiencing them, how can we hope to be in control of our happiness? Before we can choose a compatible partner, do we not first need to know what we are looking for? How can we decide if someone is right for us if we are unaware of what we need?

In order to improve EI, there are areas we can work on.

These include self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Self-regulation concentrates on staying in control and managing emotions. To do this, we can employ calming techniques, pausing and thinking about reasons behind certain emotions, and taking responsibility for actions and behaviour.

To increase motivation, people need to work on selfdiscipline; setting and reaching long-term goals while celebrating small wins along the way in order to appreciate achievements.

Developing empathy by thinking about others viewpoints enhances EI. Practising active listening allows for a deeper understanding and stronger connections.

Finally, social skills such as developing trust, building good working relations, not shying away from conflict but finding ways to resolve it, all build confidence.

Being emotionally intelligent gives a substantial element of control to our lives and our happiness. Developing this type of intelligence can help you to be calm in a crisis, understand what to say to people to make them feel better, inspire people to take action and be resilient in the face of adversity. Go develop your own!!!

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ANNA’S

Granger pushes security, sustainable development at ACS summit

The President’s pointless letters

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lmost two months ago, some twelve hundred residents of the Rupununi petitioned President Granger to have the Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region Nine, Carl Parker, removed.

The request was founded on 14 different grounds of violation of their democratic and human rights, inclusive of sexual harassment, Anna Correia political discrimination and discriminatory work ethics.

The petition came as a surprise to both Parker and Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan. But while the first sought, in a manner which befits his reputation, to intimidate the woman who submitted the petition, the Minister simply tried to discredit it and shrugged it off. Several stakeholders to indigenous rights were copied, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, the Social Cohesion Ministry, The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) and the Guyana Empowered Peoples Action Network (GEPAN).

To date, no one knows whether or not efforts have been or are being made to investigate the matter. Minister Bulkan’s arrogance has climaxed to a point where he deems it unnecessary to respond to the repeated requests of the civil actors involved, to discuss a way forward on the matter and provide an update on any undergoing investigation.

The Ministry of the Presidency issued letters of acknowledgement to GEPAN and to the petitioner who solicited the President’s intervention. Both letters were presumably issued by President Granger, but, since they carried preformatted signatures, it is hardly likely that he cared to pen them himself. These letters are unsubstantial insofar as they do nothing else but dump the responsibility for handling this petition on the Communities Minister who in turn, has turned his back on the Amerindians, the Regional Democratic Council and the non-governmental organisations who were asked to intervene on behalf of the petitioners.

Unsurprisingly, President Granger has adopted the same stance on the issue of a People’s National Congress member of Government who mines on Amerindian proposed titled land in Tasserene. All he cared to do when asked for his urgent attention on the issue, was to send another pointless preformatted letter which delegated full responsibility for handling the conflict of interest to Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman. Of course, to date, the Natural Resources Ministry has motionless on the fact that it is in violation of the requirements of the Amerindian Land Titling Project.

Perhaps President Granger and his Cabinet are hoping that both cases will eventually be forgotten if no one mentions them again. Or maybe, it is that they are giving false hope to Amerindians by sending useless letters reassuring them of the Government’s dubious commitment to indigenous rights. Unfortunately, both matters represent grave violations of indigenous rights in which the Government of Guyana is directly implicated. Consequently, full resolution of these issues depends entirely on the Government’s goodwill, a notion to which it seems oblivious, if not alien.

These corrupt practices of the Government however, will go down in history as the first of their kind, for never before since 1966, were we faced with a Minister whose mines obstruct Amerindian land titling, and never were we faced with a petition exceeding a thousand signatures, against a political appointee accused over and over and over again of violating indigenous rights. But more importantly, the President’s complacency cobbled with that of the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister who to date has not said a word on either case, exemplifies the disempowerment of indigenous peoples in 2016.

The question is, what recourse do Amerindians have when the Government is keener on protecting its politicians than its own people?

One would think that the best solution at this point would be to seek out the help of international actors. Strangely however, those present in Guyana seem to have a penchant for this Government, quite unlike the attitude they had adopted under the former Administration. For instance, when asked to intervene on the Tasserene case, the UNDP like the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, remained unresponsive, even to a request to meet with one of the civil actors involved.

The Guyanese civil society also demonstrates a troubling level of indifference to both matter, and so Amerindians to date are doused with the sentiment of helplessness. They can only rely on themselves for results, within the ambit of their capacity to act and to obtain results, in a society that is becoming less and less just.

Send questions & comments to sundayarrow@gmail.com

Leaders attend the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and of Government of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in Havana, Cuba

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n his address at the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and of Government of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in Havana, Cuba, on Saturday, President David Granger posited that the challenges of sustainable development, climate change and peace in the Caribbean Basin cannot be met without also addressing security challenges within.

“Security is essential to peace. Peace is essential to sustainable development.

Development cannot be sustained in situations of threats to a country’s territory, sovereignty and independence,” the Guyanese Head of State pointed out.

The ACS considers the Caribbean Sea as part of the patrimony of the Region, as such, Granger noted that the resources of the Caribbean Sea, if they are to contribute to the development of the Region, must be preserved and protected against envi-

ronmental damage and must be sustainably developed for the benefit the region.

However, he explained that the Caribbean Sea can only be sustainably developed and protected from contamination if the entire Region is preserved as a ‘zone of peace’.

“Rising sea levels, floods and droughts are associated with climate change. The warming of our oceans increases the intensity and frequency of tropical storms, cyclones and hurricanes. The destruction, devastation, loss of lives and livelihoods resulting from natural disasters can create security crises,” the President stated.

According to the Guyanese Head of State, such environmental hazards can lead to the desertification of wetlands, destruction of valuable eco-systems and depletion of natural assets. He added too that these disasters can also result in food shortages and trigger conflict and mass mi-

gration, thus occasioning unmanageable security crises.

On this note, Granger outlined that security cannot be dispensed with ease or be ignored. He underscored that it is essential to any strategy to promote sustainable development and to arrest the adverse effects of climate change.

“Sustainable development through the prudent management of resources, the promotion of conservation, and the preservation of the Region’s rich biodiversity contribute to the fight against climate change,” he stated.

The President further remarked that with Guyana having set aside 371,000 hectares of pristine rainforests to the Commonwealth to promote the sustainable management of its forests, the country has become part of the “lungs of the earth”. He stressed too that Guyana provides ecological services to all humanity, while noting that every country in the region

must contribute to sustainable development and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Guyana’s contributions, however, cannot be divorced from action to address the security concerns that threaten sustainable development and those that result from climate change,” he said. The President went on to outline that security remains a primary consideration in the pursuit of sustainable development and in the fight against climate change.

Against this backdrop, he reiterates Guyana’s desire “to ensure, that in addressing the challenges that confront our region, the important security concerns, so essential to most issues, will not be ignored or bypassed.”

Moreover, Granger pointed to the fact that the summit is being held in Havana, the capital of a country which has been undaunted in defending the rights of all countries to pursue their own course of development, free from threats and intimidation.

On a lighter note, he congratulated St Lucian diplomat Dr June Soomer on her election as the incoming Secretary General. He extended wishes for her success while pledging Guyana’s support during her tenure.

City Hall mulls forensic audit

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hough senior officials at City Hall are considering a decision to have a forensic audit conducted at the entity, a decision is yet to be taken by the Council to confirm the proposal, as well as to settle on a commencement date.

This comes days after Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green declared that City Hall is broke. Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan said that he was updated that the audit will only commence after the Council takes the decision to have this done. Asked whether he was aware of a confirmation for the proposal, Duncan informed that there is “no definite time span” that the Council is working around.

However, the proposal of having the audit continues to be high on the agenda of City Hall as it had been when the new Council was sworn in

late March.

Prior to taking office, Duncan, during the Local Government Elections (LGE) debate, had underlined the importance of launching an audit into City Hall while linking it to the general development of the entity.

Subsequent to taking position in office, Duncan had declared that City Hall is in dire need of a forensic audit in light that a new Council had taken up office and an assessment of the previous Administration’s work was necessary.

As the new Councillors were taking up their respective positions in the various constituencies and would be strategising on how they can improve the living conditions for its residents, Duncan had affirmed that these persons were entitled to knowledge of the financial status of the entity.

This, he stated, would be effective for development as

Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan

a more comprehensive breakdown can be given of the finances invested into City Hall.

He linked this to projects that the Councillors might be contemplating which would perceptibly require finances.

This would not only be applied to the financial sector but every aspect of transactions in City Hall, Duncan had clarified.

Meanwhile, Mayor Chase Green after taking up her position had additionally given her consent for the audit to be conducted, noting that in 2011 and 2012 during her service as part of the Council, she had called on the Auditor General to have this launched.

This was however not given priority; hence City Hall had been without an audit and had been deemed corrupt.

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SunDAY, june 5, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Operation Dragnet extended indefinitely

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peration dragnet has been extended indefinitely as it has yielded significant success since it was initiated six months ago. This is according to Guyana Police Force Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum.

In an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Blanhum said Operation Dragnet netted in excess of 480 persons since it was started in December 2015.

Persons were arrested and prosecuted for serious offences ranging from murder, robbery and arms, break and enter and

larceny, and rape.

The operation is a Joint Services initiative comprising ranks of the Police, the Guyana Defence Force, Prison and Fire Services. The Joint Services have been working across the country in “intelligence led operations”.

“We know that if we work collectively we will be able to achieve more and we have been growing in confidence and we know for certain that the Joint Service collaboration has been yielding a lot of results,” Blanhum explained.

Operation Dragnet has also

led to the seizure of 51 firearms, five stolen vehicles along with a number of illegal items, the Crime Chief added. These matters are currently being prosecuted along with several cases for trafficking and possession of cocaine and cannabis.

Meanwhile, the Crime Chief notes that the intensified operation during the height of the Golden Jubilee of Independence celebrations was also a success, despite the robbery of a UK visitor.

“We haven’t had any reports particularly in relation to tourists coming to Guyana

and en-route to their destination and they were robbed,” Blanhum revealed.

He said much planning and preparation went into securing the many events that were hosted in honour of the Jubilee Independence celebrations.

Blanhum said the robbery of the British was “unfortunate” but the police were prompt in apprehending and laying charges against the culprit. Meanwhile, Operation Dragnet has been extended for an indefinite period as Guyana prepares to host the Caricom Conference of Heads of Governments and State in July. But to ensure continued success of Operation Dragnet and other initiatives like it, the police must control the traditional spike in crime that occurs during the July-August period.

According to Blanhum, statistical analysis has revealed that criminal activity usually spikes during this period.

However, he assured that measures will be put in place to ensure a further reduction in the crime rate.

“A lot of efforts will be placed on our prevention posture and for those crimes which we won’t be able to prevent at least we will try our utmost to ensure that we detect those crimes and prosecute those who are involved,” the Crime Chief said.

However, Blanhum noted that robbery is on the increase: “That is robbery without a gun, no weapon was used,” Blanhum explained The Guyana Police Force has recorded a 17 per cent reduction in serious crimes for the year thus far. This includes a reduction in murder, break and enter and larceny, gun robberies, among others.

Better must come

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t is the strangest sight to watch a newly elected government do its damnedest to make sure it will not get re-elected. In the political world, it must be a novel phenomenon but with the Granger Government working assiduously to fail, this is exactly what Guyana is witnessing.

How else to explain the haplessness, ineptitude and bungling, and the absolute deafness to all public criticism?

The supersized Cabinet with salaries to match, and Ryhaan Shah the gaggle of advisors and consultants should have been a clue that the intent was to grab as much as they can since they know their time in office is limited.

In that sense, they are rather enjoying themselves. It must be freeing to not worry about sticking to democratic conventions, to not care about fulfilling campaign promises, and to spend with abandon on “sport” and non-priority items.

President David Granger continues with his unilateral decision-making on renaming and refashioning spaces like D’urban Park, and has now set about to remake Carifesta Avenue with a median and rebranding it as the “Avenue of the Caribbean”.

This is next on the Granger road show – literally this time – which is to be readied for commissioning on Caricom Day. What will the President settle his eyes on refashioning next?

Perhaps, we should hold our collective breath and hope that his authoritarian manner is satisfied with rebranding buildings and airports and restyling parks and roadways and will not ever extend to passing down edicts that will truly turn the society and economy on its head and create even more disasters than have already been done with rice and sugar.

Government’s ineptitude at the recent Jubilee celebrations after the year-long hype and hoopla is unforgivable. The bungling of the seating arrangements for the Opposition for the grand flag-raising was further iterated by Junior Minister Nicolette Henry’s inability to issue an apology; a “but” in an apology amounts to a justification for the very reason the apology was intended.

In a letter to the press Ms, Marilyn Trotz roasted the Government for a “cultural extravaganza” which “failed to recognise that Guyana is a multi-ethnic society.” It was, she wrote, “for the most part Afrocentric”. I quote Ms Trotz because coming from me, the observation would be condemned as racist: I did write to the press two weeks ago to question why only ACDA was featured in a state-funded advertisement for UNESCO’s celebration of World Cultural Diversity. Since no apology is forthcoming from the Social Cohesion Department, it has to be concluded that the exclusion of every other ethnic group in Guyana was fully intended by the Government.

It is obvious that African Guyanese are in favour once again as they had been under the PNC dictatorship. Then, the discrimination was viewed and is still remembered as institutionalised racism.

There are four more years until the next general elections and since Government has lost the 11% Indian vote that gave it its slim victory, the “ethnic arithmetic” will not favour a PNC victory; and given the Coalition Government’s record thus far the electorate will hardly support a cosmetic third party again.

This makes the Granger Government’s self-destructive actions very puzzling unless they are viewed in the context that their haplessness and ineptitude arise, perhaps, from a childlike cluelessness about managing a government. Simply put, they cannot do better because they do not know how.

Perhaps, this is why Granger busies himself with so much refashioning: it makes him appear busy; it distracts; and it shows him as a decision-maker even if the decisions are not the policy ones that are so desperately needed to get a stagnant economy moving.

Still, many are hoping that Government will remain in this holding pattern which will prevent them from doing too much irreversible damage to the society and economy until the next general elections when they can be voted out.

Many more are worried, however, that the ABC meddling which propped up the destructive PNC dictatorship will prevail once again for the sake of US interests in controlling our offshore oil find.

Even more are worried that the PPP has learned nothing from its electoral loss and, with no reforms in sight, will proceed with the same arrogance and highhandedness as before if returned to office.

While we look on with both dismay and amusement at the bumbling tragic-comedy that is the Granger Administration, the future is none too clear.

For 50 years there has been no administration that has delivered clean, honest government so all we have is a hope and a prayer that better must come.

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

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

58 cases disposed of during April Assizes in Demerara – 116 to be heard in June session

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uring the 2016 April Criminal Assizes in Demerara, a total of 58 cases were disposed of over the two month period before the session came to an end on Friday when the goal delivery was done by Justice Navindra Singh.

The April session began with Justice Singh, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and Justice Jo-Ann Barlow presiding during the two months at the High Court in Demerara.

A total 163 cases were listed to be heard, of which 58 matters were disposed of.

However, only 31 of these cases received attention in Court while the remaining 27 matters were nolle prosequi by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers.

The April Assizes resulted in nine guilty pleas, three guilty verdicts by jury, eight not guilty verdicts by jury, eight formal verdicts of not guilty, two hung jury and one case was withdrawn by the trial judge.

Justice Singh completed a total of sixteen matters.

In one case for the offence of manslaughter, the accused pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years imprisonment. Another matter for the offence of Sexual Activity with A child Family Member saw the accused being found guilty by the jury and sentenced to

12 years imprisonment.

In one of the two cases for the offence of attempt to commit murder, the virtual complainant (VC) went into the witness box and testified that he no longer wanted to proceed with the matter and caused the trial judge to direct the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. The other case resulted in the accused pleading guilty to the alternative count of Causing Grievous Bodily Harm and was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

Additionally, in one of the six murder cases, the trial judge up held a no case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. In the other five Murder trials, all the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and were sentenced respectively to eight years imprisonment, nine years imprisonment, fourteen years imprisonment and fifteen years imprisonment. In two of these five matters the accused were each sentenced to eight years.

Justin Singh also heard three matters for the offence of carnal knowledge of girl under 1-5 years, in which the VCs went into the witness box and testified that they did not wish to proceed with the evidence, as such he direct the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty.

While in a rape case, the trial judge upheld a no case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. Two other separate cases for the offence of Rape of A child under 16 Years, saw both accused being acquitted after the jury returned not guilty verdicts.

Meanwhile, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry completed seven matters. A carnal knowledge of girl between 15 and 16 years case resulted in the accused was acquitted after the jury returned a majority verdict of 10 to two not guilty. In another case with the similar offence, the VC testified that she did not wish to proceed with the evidence and caused the trial judge to direct the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

There were two murder cases heard by the trial judge and in the first one, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty for the accused while the second ended in a hung judge after the panel failed to reach a verdict. The accused was remanded back to prison to await a new trial.

The accused in the trial for the offence of rape of a child under 16 years was acquitted after the jury returned a not guilty verdict. In addition, two accused in the two separate matters for the offence of manslaughter were also acquitted by the jury.

“More taxes equal less protection” – minibus operators ... call for greater security presence on minibus parks

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One of the bus parks in the Stabroek Market area

inibus operators on Saturday complained that the lack of security at the various minibus parks has resulted in utter confusion and delinquent behaviour of commuters.

According to one route 48 (Stabroek-Sophia) minibus driver, though there have been daily payments of $200 made to the Mayor and City Council by minibus operators, with an expectation of enhanced facilities and protection, nothing to this effect has occurred.

“We does pay we tax every day. $200 them want.

We paying it because we want protection and proper conditions on the parks. We aint getting nothing like da.

Wat we paying for? Cause this is nah no proper parking area either.”

Many other drivers

voiced that as a result of lack of security personnel at these areas, robberies occur more frequently, adding that “hot plate” drivers would give way to disorganisation since they refuse to join the systematised lines.

Mohamed Singh, another route 48 driver, noted that the need for proper protection at city minibus parks is mounting as robberies in these areas are high.

“We don’t have much officers pon this park and because of that, we getting nuff people teefing and so a lot.

Them other wayward drivers would come and drive up, they don’t want join the line you know, they gon just drive up and start cuss up and teef you passengers and so. It is one set of chaos pon this park.”

These troubled vehicle operators voiced that if

there is more Police presence at these bus parks then there will be less room for disorderly conduct of other drivers and also bring about a sense of protection to persons who have a constant fear of being assaulted and robbed, especially at night.

“I believe if it got more Police, them people won’t be so free to do what they want.

We paying we money for betterment. We need more officers out here man. People fear for their lives with the amount of thieves that roaming around. If there was more officers out here then that white man woulda never get rob,” said a visibly distressed driver.

Minibus drivers are calling on the relevant authorities to deliver on their promises to better the environment and enhance protection of citizens in the city.

On the other hand, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow completed eight matters and in one of the five Murder cases, the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty. This prisoner would be eligible for parole after serving 25 years in jail.

In two other murder trials, both accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of Manslaughter and were respectively sentenced to 13 years imprisonment and 14 years 9 months imprisonment. Another murder trial ended with a hung during as such a retrial was ordered.

The remaining Murder trial in which two accused were indicted, saw the number one accused being found not guilty, while the number two accused was unanimous-

ly found guilty and sentenced at the Court's pleasure. Trial Judge Jo-Ann Barlow ordered that he undergoes counselling and to participate in academic classes in prison. This prisoner will be evaluated in April 2018.

A case of wounding with intent was withdrawn from the jury by Justice Barlow after the caution statement (CS) which was admitted into evidence revealed the accused acted in self-defence. The jury was then directed by the trial judge to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

In a rape of a child under 16 years matter, the victim informed the Court that she did not wish to proceed with the matter as such the jury was directed to return a formal verdict of not guilty. The accused in a Rape matter was

also acquitted after he was found not guilty.

Moreover, of 27 matters nolle prosequi by the DPP, the main witnesses could not be located in 18 of the cases.

These were all old cases which were committed more than ten years ago. In the remaining nine cases, the VC's indicated in writing that they did not wish to proceed with the matters.

The June 2016 Criminal Session in Demerara will commence on Tuesday with 116 cases listed to be heard.

Justice Singh, Justice Barlow and Justice SewnarineBeharry will preside over the first month of this session, following which Justice James Bovell-Drakes will join the judge’s panel from July to September. He will be replacing Justice Barlow.

SunDAY, JUNE 5, 2016

Perry runs 10.40 at National Seniors Championships

BY RENE STOBY

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he Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) National Seniors Championships got under way yesterday at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, with some scintillating performances.

In the marquee race of the day, Rupert Perry came from behind to tip training partner Akeem Stewarte (10.46) to the line to be declared the fastest man in Guyana when he won the Men’s 100m in a personal best (PB) time of 10.40 using the Fully Automatic Time (FAT) system. After the race the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) athlete said “I was very confident, my main threat was my teammate Akeem Stewart and he was really explosive in the start of the race.” Kevin Abbensetts was third in 10.63.

Winston Missinger also continued his dominance in running by winning the men’s 1500 meters in a very fast time of 4 minutes and 1 second; he was closely followed by the young Anfernee Headecker in an impressive time of 4:02.10. Cleveland Thomas (4:06.40) rounded off the top three to make it a

Chantoba Bright

clean sweep for the Running Brave Athletic Club.

The most impressive performance of the day would however come from 16 year old Lindener, Chantoba Bright. The Mackenzie High School student broke the 6 meters barrier with a remarkable leap of 6.09 meters to capture the Women’s Long Jump. When quizzed about her PB the Victory Valley resident told Guyana Times Sport, “I’m proud of myself but there is still room for improvement and I’m going to train harder and go the extra distance to get the distance I want (6.50 meters and beyond)”. The successful Carifta Games athlete credits her performances to her mom, her

coach and God for giving her health and strength. Natricia Hooper (5.58m) made the second longest jump followed by Cindy Fraser (5.37m).

Andrea Foster was another athlete to maintain her dominance in middle distance running. Fresh from successes at the Hampton Games in Trinidad the GDF athlete comfortably won the women’s 1500m in 4:57. 16 year old Claudrice McKoy was second in 5:00.80 followed by Ashanti Scott (5:24.01).

GDF athlete Aniquah Powley held off teammate Natrena Hooper (12.07) to win the women’s 100m dash in a very quick time of 11.99.

Toyan Raymod came in third in 12.52.

Guyana Police Force (GPF) runner Winston Dummette (48.02) held off teammates Arenze Chance (48.24) and Kareem Punch (49.47) to win the Men’s 400m.

Lindener, Emmanuel Archibald (7.53m) leapt farthest to claim the Men’s long jump ahead of Doman Williams (6.89m) and Lloyd McCurdy (6.58m) while Leslain Baird (57.12m) won the Men’s Javelin Throw followed by Clarence Greene (53.14m) and Tramaine

Winston Missinger

Beckles (52.24m).

Running Brave’s Avon Samuels was in great form when she strategically won the women’s 400m in a time of 58.54. Alissa Grant crossed the line second in 1:00.42 followed by Assata Eastman (1:02.09).

The Championships will continue today from 09:00 Hrs, with two sessions. The morning session will feature the triple jumps, the women’s high jump, men’s shot put, the discus events, 200m heats, and the 800m finals.

The event concludes in the afternoon with the 200m finals, 3000m for women, 5000m for men, men’s high jump and 4x400m relays.

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Colombia beat US in Copa America opener

Colombia's players celebrating after scoring their winning second goal

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ANTA CLARA, Calif. – Cristian Zapata scored his first international goal, James Rodriguez added a 42nd-minute penalty kick and Colombia beat the United States 2-0 Friday night.

“It’s obviously disappointing and frustrating because I think they were there for the taking,” defender Geoff Cameron said. “You want to get into the tournament with some momentum. ... We have two more opportunities to win out. You can’t dwell on it.”

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann spoke about the importance of a strong showing in this special edition 100th anniversary Copa to create buzz for a potential

2026 World Cup bid. Instead, the 31st-ranked Americans began the biggest tournament at home since the 1994 World Cup with a dud as new FIFA President Gianni Infantino watched among the announced sellout crowd of 67,439.

“We always were maybe a step or two too late,” midfielder Jermaine Jones said.

Cameron lost his mark on the first goal, and following a turnover by U.S. captain Michael Bradley, DeAndre Yedlin left a raised arm that led to a hand ball call and Rodriguez’s penalty kick.

Colombia attacked at every chance, with Carlos Bacca putting a shot of the crossbar in the 77th minute.

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Garbine Muguruza lifts the French Open Crown after beating world number one Serena Williams in straight sets at Roland Garros

health

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SERVICES

Garbine Muguruza upsets Serena Williams to win title

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Priced six million dollars. For more information, kindly call 623-0156 or 6953150 (serious inquires only)

property for sale House Lot, Diamond New Scheme between 2nd & 3rd Avenue. Contact: 638-1529 Eccles: $27M Neg. Enterprise Sec C: $20M Neg. MonRepos: $30M Neg. South Ruimveldt Park:$20M Neg. Broad Street: $80M Neg. Charlotte Street between Camp and Alexander: $55M Neg. Providence(land): $6.5M Neg. Parfaite Harmony(land): $4.5M Neg. Contact: 691-1521 Transported property in Regent Street between Wellington & Camp Streets.

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21

French Open 2016

KEY CUTTing

dentistry

IMMIGRATION

SPORTs

S

pain’s Garbine Muguruza beat world number one Serena Williams in straight sets to win her first Grand Slam title at the French Open.

Fourth seed Muguruza won 7-5 6-4 to make amends for losing last year’s Wimbledon final against Williams. The 22-year-old is Spain’s first female champion at Roland Garros since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1998.

Williams, 34, had hoped to win a 22nd Grand Slam singles title and tie Steffi Graf’s Open-era record. “I’m so, so excited - to play in a Grand Slam against one of the best players, it’s the perfect final,” Muguruza said.

“I’m so happy. I had to be very ready and concentrated on all the points and just to fight as much as I can. “All the matches I’ve played against her helped me. It’s our favourite tournament in Spain and I want to thank all my Spanish supporters.”

Williams had reached the final despite reportedly struggling with a thigh problem, but the defending champion began in terrific form, moving freely as she made the early running.

It was all Muguruza could do to hang on, a forehand and an ace seeing off early break points, and it was Williams who faltered first by dropping serve with a double fault at 2-2.

With both players hitting huge groundstrokes and vying for control of the rallies, Williams looked to have gained the upper hand with three games in a row taking her 5-4 in front.

However, Muguruza played a nerveless service game to stay in the set and then clinched it with some wonderful hitting down both tram lines.

The second set began with three breaks of serve but it was still Muguruza who was dictating, another stunning forehand into the corner moving her into a 3-1 lead.

Muguruza was prepared to concede double-faults - her tally ending up at nine - to keep Williams at bay on her second serve and it proved a successful tactic.

Williams could not fashion a break point in the latter stages of the second set and did well to fend off four match points on her own serve in game nine.

Muguruza remained rock solid, however, finally converting on her own serve with a lob that caught both players by surprise, before the Spaniard fell to the clay in celebration.

Williams suffered only her sixth defeat in 27 Grand Slam finals stretching back to 1999, but did not blame her injury issues.

Serena Williams missed her 22nd Grand Slam but did not put blame on her injury issues

“It was OK,” she said. “I’m not one to ever make excuses and say, like, ‘Oh, my adductor was hurting,’ or whatever.

“At the end of the day I didn’t play the game I needed to play to win and she did.

Adductor or not, she played to win.

“She won the first set by one point. I mean, that just goes to show you that you really have to play the big points well, and she played the big points really well.’’

The American has now missed out in three consecutive Grand Slams, and will head to Wimbledon later this month looking to defend her title and finally land a 22nd major.

Novak Djojovic, the world’s number one ranked player will meet Britain’s Andy Murray who is ranked number two in the world in the men’s final at Roland Garros on today. (BBC Sport)

AB De Villiers will boost CPL – Mc Cullum

T

rinbago Knight Riders` (TKR) star batsman Brendon McCullum on Thursday said he believes the likes of AB De Villiers playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will help boost the tournament.

In a phenomenal international career spanning 14 years across three formats, McCullum played 101 Tests (scoring 6,453 runs, including a highest score of 302), 260 One-Dayers (6,083 runs) and 71 T20 internationals (2,140 runs with a strike rate of 136.21).

“The introduction of some of the biggest stars, like AB de Villiers, is phenomenal and a huge boost to have those guys partaking in the tournament. A pat on the back to CPL that they can attract some of the biggest names in international cricket to their tournament,” McCullum said in a CPL release.

“It`s been running for a couple of years now and it`s

AB De Villiers

a real coup to see these big names are attracted to the tournament because of the appeal that it`s had and the success it has generated already.”

The West Indies all rounder Dwayne Bravo too will be turning up for TKR. Speaking about him, the former New Zealand skipper said, “It`s going to be pretty cool to play on the same team as Dwayne. He`s the King of Trinidad by all accounts, so I`m looking forward to playing with him there and experiencing different cultures.

Hopefully we can continue on the winning way that was experienced last year.”

McCullum also is relishing the prospect of playing alongside his countrymen Anton Devcich and Colin Munro.

“I think one of the strengths of the New Zealander is that they find a way to get every ounce of talent out of themselves. To have two other Kiwis is going to be good fun? Hopefully with three Kiwis in our (TKR) squad this year we can give it a good shake,” he said.

22

guyana-times.com

sundAY, june 5 , 2016

How Carl Crowe helped Sunil Clash of the Champions Narine bounce back to the top Ballr Tri-Nation Series

W

orld T20 champions, West Indies fresh off their victory over South Africa, come up against the ODI champions, Australia in what is expected to be a fiery day/night encounter today at Providence.

The hosts, already stunning the Proteas, will set their sights on the star-studded Aussies, who have a lot of players returning from injury.

West Indian batting will have to deal with steamy, Mitchel Starc after recently recovering from an ankle injury barring him from playing with Indian Premier league finalists, the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Australian captain is also fresh off a wrist injury while all-rounders Glen Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh are ready following a side strain.

Smith in a press conference on Saturday, highlighted the importance of a balanced side, of which his team has and the preparations heading into game day.

“Warner, Finch, Khawaja, Smith, Maxwell, Marsh, Wade, Starc, Zampa, Hazelwood, Boland, Lyon, depending on the conditions and when we have another look in the morning we will see the final 11” the captain noted. “We think this is the best 12 for this particular game against this particular opposition… we got a good mix of guys who can penetrate the wicket quite hard and hit good areas, obviously a couple of spinners as well and guys who can bowl cutters and things like that which will work well on that wicket so I think we got the balance right for this first game.”

The Australian top batsman pointed out “Narine is a quality bowler but it’s about our batsman having a plan against him and I think guys have seen him quite a bit and knows what he brings to the

B

Australian Captain Steve Smith

table” He isn’t expecting the game to be a high scoring encounter but about being smart and put away the bad balls and rotating the strike to take control of the game.

Starc on his first tour after half a year, indicated that this series can be one where guys can cement their place in the team and preform against a quality side.

The match is historic one as well for Australia as it is the side’s first match at Providence having played previously at Bourda in the country’s capital. Additionally, there will be renewed rivalry within the contest between the rivalry between West Indies’ top scorer against South Africa, Kieron Pollard and Australian left arm speedster Mitchell Starc.

In addition to Smith’s prediction, West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons will be looking to Sunil Narine to continue his good run, having snared career best figures of 6-27 in his encounter with the Proteas. Narine will be supported by Sulleman Benn on a slow turner which makes batsmen work hard for their runs. The forecast remains the same with some showers expected in the morning with better conditions in the afternoon. However, there will still be lots of humidity with low

wind speeds.

The Caribbean side is not expected to change their team from the opening match against South Africa as their batmen will be looking to get good starts especially the openers, Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher while stroke makers Darren Bravo, Dinesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels can steer the middle for an explosive finish by power hitters, Pollard, Holder and Braithwaite.

West Indies squad reads: Jason Holder (captain), Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Carlos Brathwaite, Sunil Narine, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Ashley Nurse, Shannon Gabriel and Jonathan Carter Australia squad reads: Steven Smith (captain), David Warner, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner, Scott Boland, George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Travis Head and John Hastings.

It was reported that tickets for this encounter are sold out. The action begins at 13:00 Hrs.

CFU Scotiabank Men’s Caribbean Cup

Golden Jags Scold USVI 7-0

Trayon Bobb

T

he Guyana Golden Jaguars bounced back to winning ways hammering the US Virgin Island 7-0 on Saturday in their own backyard at the Adelita Cancryn Playing Field, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands (USVI) yesterday.

Trayon Bobb, Ricky Shakes and Anthony Abrams all scored twice with Devon Millington scoring once in USVI’s trouncing. It was the Golden Jaguars second game in the second round and they

made it count after losing to Curacao 5-2 in the first game of the round.

Within minutes of the first half, Trayon Bobb and Ricky Shakes scored within three minutes apart (23rd and 25th minute) while Davon Millington also made light work of the USVI defence to hammer in a third for Guyana in the 30th minute.

Ricky shakes came back in the 40th minute to add another goal to the Golden Jaguars score sheet heading to the interval.

With a 4-0 advantage at the half-time the Guyanese continued their great offence when Abrams netted the first of his two goals in the 68th minute of play. Bobb would then inked his name on the score sheet once again when he found the back of the net the 75th minute with Abrams putting the final nail in the coffin with a late goal in the 88th minute of the game.

The Jaguars will now have to depend on the Curacao versus USVI match to know their

owling coach Carl Crowe is confident Sunil Narine’s remodeled action will stand up to scrutiny ahead of the spinner’s return to international cricket in the Tri-Nations oneday series which bowled off in Guyana on Friday (June 3).

Since the International Cricket Council started their crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions in 2014, Narine has had a tough time having being suspended three times after being first called during the now disbanded Champions League T20 in September 2014.

His successful return to competitive cricket in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) had a large part to do with the assistance of Crowe.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Crowe elaborated how he first met Narine and the steps he took to get the once number one ranked T20 and one-day international bowler back to his current level.

“After Sunil was reported last year, I got a call from his agent Eddie Tolchard from Insignia Sports about working with him,” Crowe said. “I must say one of the things that impressed me about Eddie compared to other agents, was that there was a genuine interest to find the best expertise in dealing with this issue for Sunil, in order to get his action back to a consistent level.

“So in early January, I flew to Trinidad and Tobago for two weeks to work with him and this contact was maintained all the way to India, where I was by his side two days before his testing in Chennai.”

Kolkata Knight Riders eventually contracted Crowe to spend time with Narine and then stay throughout the IPL to continue working with him and Narine’s agent noted how invaluable this was.

“You can’t just pass a test and be left alone” said Tolchard. “Carl’s mental and technical support was exceptional. It’s the little things

people don’t notice but Carl does, and that makes all the difference.”

Crowe played for Leicester from 1995-2002, as an offspinner. Post playing, he has worked as an assistant coach for the England women’s cricket team and various age groups as a bowling coach, with notable emphasis on spin bowling. He noted the biggest aim for himself and Narine was not just to get his action sorted, but to prove to the world that bowlers who were called can come back strong.

“One of the key things we worked on was him using his entire body to maximize his action. But we didn’t just want to make him legal, but had a bigger aim of proving to the world, that bowlers that get called can come back strong,” stated Crowe.

“The IPL was key benchmark. The feedback we got from Kolkotta Knight Riders (KKR), their bowling coach Wasim Akram, match referees, opposition players and commentators was very good.

Given the short space of time to do this remodeling & testing, to go back into the high pressure situation which IPL is and perform somewhere close to his best was excellent.

“Overall, I’m confident and I know he is as well with the work he has done with his action. He really wants to play for the West Indies and do well in Test cricket. He knows there is always room for improvement given the new dispensation ICC has given to umpires to call bowlers and I’m confident he will continue to maintain those standards going forward in international cricket,” he added.

Narine’s agent praised Crowe for his work and highlighted his skills in world cricket as unique - due the lack of similar coaches with such expertise to help bowlers who get called with for suspect actions.

“Being recommended Carl

by Peter Such was a bit of a godsend really. We needed to

Sunil Narine has captured career best figures 9.5-027-6 in his first international match after remodelling his bowling action

do things differently this year and ensure this is the last time Sunil has to go through such exhaustive measures to come back,” explained Tolchard.

“So, I needed to find someone best qualified who could assess where things were at and guide Sunil, mentally as well as physically. Yes the ICC and cricket in general has clamped down on bowlers with suspect actions, but what I have found over the past two years is that not only is there a dearth of expertise in identifying the root cause of the problems bowlers face and assistance to remedy them successfully, but also a massive lack of education and support to coaches who are being expected to work with players.

“Carl fills both those roles.

From a technical perspective, you are going to be hard pressed to find anyone better qualified than Carl to assist guys like Sunil,” he concluded. Narine, returned to international cricket with a bang bagging career best figures of 6 for 27 from 9.5 overs which is the best One Day International figures by a West Indian spinner and fourth best West Indian figures overall. His performance helped the West Indies to bowl out South Africa for 188 in 46.5 overs then led by a run a ball 67 by another player making an international comeback, Kieron Pollard the West Indies got home by four wickets with 11 balls to spare.

(Cricbuzz)

Everest U-13 cricketers set for international experience

F

Ricky Shakes

faith. Once Curacao beat USVI the Guyanese will advance to round three which takes place in October. However, if USVI can turn the tables on Curacao and by a wide margin the Jaguars can find themselves out of contention.

At a glance one will safely say that Curacao will knock USVI out of the tournament which will mean that Guyana and Curacao will march on in the tournament the Guyanese will still have to keep their fingers crossed.

ifteen talented under thirteen cricketers from the Everest Cricket Club will be get the experience of a lifetime compliments of the club’s executive.

The U-13 cricketers won the Georgetown Cricket Association’s Malta Supreme competition and the club rewarded them by providing the entire squad with tickets to watch the West Indies versus Australia clash in the second match of the Ballr Cup TriNation Series at Providence.

This will be the first experience for majority of the players and it will be more memorable since it will be a day/night fixture.

West Indies won the opening match with a four wicket victory over South Africa and will now face a much bigger challenge against World Champions Australia. Both teams are star studded and the

Club Secretary of Everest Cricket Club Carmachand Rambarran handing over the tickets to the Under-13 captain Matthew Mohamed

future stars of Everest Cricket Club will be licking their lips to witness such a contest.

At the simple presentation ceremony in the compound of Everest CC, club secretary Carmachand Rambarran handed over the tickets and told the youngsters to “enjoy the entire day and cherish the memories that will sure to last a lifetime.”

Winning coach, Shaheed Mohamed also urged his team

to soak up the atmosphere and work hard so that one day they will make it to the big stage as well.

West Indies take on Australia at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence from 13:00 Hrs in the 50 overs per side contest. The Guyana leg of the series wraps up on Tuesday when powerhouses South Africa and Australia clash in another day/night classic.

guyana-times.com

sundAY, june 5 , 2016

23

Muhammad Ali: ‘Greatest’ boxer, showman, ambassador M

ore than 60 years ago, a bicycle thief in Louisville, Kentucky, unknowingly set in motion one of the most amazing sports careers in history.

An angry 12-year-old Cassius Clay went to a policeman on that day in 1954, vowing he would find the thief who took his bike and have his revenge. The policeman’s advice was to learn to box first so Clay, who would later change his name to Muhammad Ali, went to a gym, where he learned quite well.

He would go on to be a record-setting heavyweight champion and also much more. Ali was handsome, bold and outspoken and became a symbol for black liberation as he stood up to the U.S. government by refusing to go into the Army for religious reasons.

One of the best-known figures of the 20th century, Ali did not believe in modesty and proclaimed himself not only “the greatest” but “the double greatest.”

He died on Friday at the age of 74 after suffering for more than three decades with Parkinson’s syndrome, which stole his physical grace and killed his loquaciousness.

Americans had never seen an athlete - or perhaps any public figure - like Ali. He was heavyweight champ a record three times between 1964 and 1978, taking part in some of the sport’s most epic bouts. He was cocky and rebellious and psyched himself up by taunting opponents and reciting original poems that predicted the round in which he would knock them out in. The audacity caused many to despise Ali but endeared him to millions.

“He talked, he was handsome, he did wonderful things,” said George Foreman, a prominent Ali rival. “If you were 16 years

off-the-cuff statement.

He never went to jail while his case was on appeal and in 1971 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the conviction. Still, Ali’s career had been at a standstill for almost 3-1/2 years because boxing officials would not give him licenses to fight.

‘Float like a butterfly’

Muhammad Ali was reportedly a big fan of West Indies cricket and was in their dressing room at Lord’s in June 1966

old and wanted to copy somebody, it had to be Ali.” Ali’s emergence coincided with the American civil rights movement and his persona offered young blacks something they did not get from Martin Luther King and other leaders of the era.

“I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize,” Ali said. “But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.”

Ali also had his share of fights outside the ring against public opinion when he became a Muslim in 1964, against the U.S. government when he refused to be inducted into the Army during the Vietnam War and finally against Parkinson’s.

The one-time Christian Baptist became the most famous convert to Islam in

American history when he announced he had joined the Black Muslim movement under the guidance of Malcolm X shortly after he first became champion.

He eventually rejected his “white” name and became Muhammad Ali but split from Malcolm X during a power struggle within the movement.

The U.S. Army twice rejected Ali for service after measuring his IQ at 78 but eventually declared him fit for service. When he was drafted on April 28, 1967, he refused induction and the next day was stripped of his title by the World Boxing Association. In June of that year he was found guilty of draft evasion and sentenced to five years in jail.

“Man, I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong. No Vietnamese ever called me a nigger,” Ali said in a famous

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on Jan. 17, 1942, as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., a name shared with a 19th century slavery abolitionist. His early boxing lessons led to several Golden Gloves titles in his youth and his career took off when he won a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

His first professional fight was a six-round decision victory on Oct. 29, 1960, against Tunney Hunsaker, whose day job was police chief in Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Despite an undefeated record, Ali was a decisive underdog 3- 1/2 years later in Miami when he faced Sonny Liston, the glowering ex-convict who was then the heavyweight champion.

Ali’s credo in the ring was “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” and his dazzling hand and foot speed confounded Liston, as it would many bigger, more powerful opponents to come. Ali became world champion when Liston did not answer the bell for the seventh round.

The Ali-Frazier battles

Joe Frazier became the heavyweight champion while Ali was dormant appealing against his draft conviction and, after Ali’s 1970 return to the ring, the two took part in three classic fights.

The first, billed as the “Fight of the Century” in New York in 1971, was a tremendous battle that showed Ali still possessed his skills.

Frazier dropped him with a

left hook in the last round and, even though Ali rose quickly, Frazier won the fight on a decision. It was Ali’s first defeat after 31 victories.

Frazier lost the title to Foreman in January 1973 but the second Ali-Frazier bout still drew enormous attention in 1974 with a 32-year-old Ali winning a unanimous decision.

Then came the “Rumble in the Jungle” match against Foreman for the heavyweight crown in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. Ali had a surprise ploy - a passive “rope-a-dope” strategy in which he laid back against the ropes, essentially hiding behind his arms and inviting the larger, stronger Foreman to hit him until he was too tired to hit anymore.

It paid off in the eighth round, when Ali knocked out the weary Foreman with a left-right combination.

It was one of the brightest moments of Ali’s career, confirming him as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Ali defended his title three times in 1975 before meeting Frazier once more in October in the “Thrilla in Manila.” The bout was fought in brutal heat and Ali won when Frazier’s trainer would not allow him to go out for the final round.

On Feb. 15, 1978, a careless, lethargic Ali lost his title to little-known Leon Spinks in a 15-round decision. Seven months later, he reclaimed the title with a 15-round decision over Spinks. The victory, when Ali was four months shy of 37, came 14 years after he had won his first championship.

However, Ali, whose entourage helped him to spend several fortunes, needed money and refused to leave the sport even when it was apparent that age had sapped his talents.

He retired about a year after beating Spinks but

came back in 1980 to fight former sparring mate Larry Holmes, losing a lopsided bout that was stopped after 10 rounds.

A year later, he ignored pleas to retire and lost to journeyman Trevor Berbick in the Bahamas. Then he retired for good with a record of 56 wins, including 37 knockouts, and five losses.

After the ring

Ali did not have to be in a boxing ring to command the world stage. In 1990, a few months after Iraq invaded Kuwait, Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein held dozens of foreigners hostages in hopes of averting an invasion of his country. Ali flew to Baghdad, met Saddam and left with 14 American hostages.

A nation that once questioned his patriotism cheered loudly in 1996 when he made a surprise appearance at the Atlanta Games, stilling the Parkinson’s tremors in his hands enough to light the Olympic flame.

He also took part in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012, looking frail in a wheelchair.

In November 2002 he went to Afghanistan on a goodwill visit after being appointed a U.N. “messenger of peace.”

Ali was married four times, most recently to the former Lonnie Williams, who knew him when she was a child in Louisville. He had nine children, including daughter Laila, who became a boxer.

The diagnosis of Parkinson’s syndrome, which has been linked to head trauma, came about three years after Ali retired from boxing in 1981.

He helped establish the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at a hospital in Phoenix.

Ali’s funeral will take place in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, said his family. (Reuters)

GFF/ NAMICLO Thunderbolt Flour Power Under-17....

Tournament kicks-off today in Berbice with triple header – “it’s about trying to get football moving from the bottom up” – Sukhai

T

he wait is over, as the highly anticipated Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 Football League will kick-off today from 12:00 hrs at the Esplanade Ground, New Amsterdam Berbice.

The day’s proceedings will see three matches being played and the ceremonial march past of all teams.

The first match of the day will put Corriverton Links against Mahaicony Thunder Hawks which is followed by the march past at 13:30 hrs.

The football action will resume at 14:00 hrs where Paradise Invaders come up against Canefield Diamond Strikers which should set the tone for the feature clash between Monedderlust and New Amsterdam United

from 16:00 hrs.

Managing Director of the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) Roopnarine Sukhai posits that the rationale behind the sponsoring the tournament is essentially “about trying to get football moving from the bottom up.”

Sukhai is of the view that this National tournament allows the company to have a greater scope to market its various brands and at the same time allowing the catalyst of Guyana’s future footballers to develop.

The Milling Company is no stranger to investing into sports, especially that of football since they would have partnered with Fruta Conquerors for the “NAMICLO One Love Classic” but felt that tournament was limited to the

Georgetown populace.

Finance Controller of the company Fitzroy McLeod explained that “for the game to develop, it has to be played throughout the year and the youngster didn’t have anything to keep them involved in the sport, so we bought into the tournament so it will be on a year basis and the GFF has focus a on a National programme”.

The tournament will conclude in June 2017 with an expected break in November –December 2016 and will be played in the nine football associations affiliated with the GFF. These associations are: Bartica Football Association (BFA), Berbice Football Association (BFA), East Demerara Football Association (EDFA), East Bank Football Association (EBFA), Essequibo Coast/

Pomeroon Football Association, Georgetown Football Association (GFA), Repununi Football Association (RFA), Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) and the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA).

The competing clubs of the EBFA are Herstelling Raiders, Soesdyke Falcons, Grove Hi Tech, Agricola Red Triangle, Kuru Kururu Warriors, Yarrowkabra Jaguars, Friendship All Stars, Mocha Champs, Diamond United and Craig.

While for the BFA are Canefield Diamond Strikers, Mahaicony Thunder Hawks, Corriverton Links, Monedderlust, Cougars, New Amsterdam United, East Bank, Paradise Invaders, Hopetown United Rangers and Rosignol

Roopnarine Sukhai

United; the other associations are expected to name their teams in the coming days.

NAMILCO has for 47 years been Guyana’s main provider of wholesome and nutritious wheat-

en flour products (including Thunderbolt and Maid Marian flour) and a line of healthy and convenient value added products including Pholourie and Roti Mixes, Wheat up, Whole wheat and Harvest High Fibre flour.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016

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

guyana-times.com

Muhammad Ballr Tri-Nation Series Ali: ‘Greatest’ boxer, showman, ambassador Page 22

Clash of the Champions West Indies Kieron Pollard (left) and Australian Mitchell Starc are set to renew their rivalry today at Providence

Perry runs 10.40 at National Seniors Championships Page 20

Page 23

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