Guyanatime 22 april 2018

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PPP wants probe into lands given to PNC, party loyalists guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3541

Sunday, April 22, 2018

See story on page 3

…files complaint with SARA

Domestic violence remains widespread in Guyana – US report

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$120 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: Staged robbery

Mastermind jailed for 2 years P16 Rose Hall Town Clerk appointment

Legal action looms as LGC directs Council to rescind P15 appointment

Page 3

Pressure on SOCU, FIU P13

Govt desperate for convictions $414M contract awarded for sea sluice at D’Edward P14

Consultation starts for P17 REDD+ GRM mechanism

Private criminal charges P9

Minister of State Joseph Harmon chats with exhibitors about their products at the Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition (RACE) fair hosted at the Leonora Track and Field Centre, West Coast Demerara on Saturday (Dexter Ceres photo) See story on page 12

US sanctions

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Oldendorff Carriers to withdraw services in June

Pensioner dies in Sophia accident ... as 32 road deaths recorded for 1st quarter

Page 10

Govt ready to defend its Ministers

…as AG cites possibility of DPP trashing charges

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SUnDAY, april 22, 2018 guyanatimesGY.com

Domestic violence remains widespread in Guyana – US report …law enforcement needs to be better equipped – security advisor ...social reform needed as preventative measure

By Jarryl Bryan

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omestic violence-related killings are being perpetrated

locally with seeming impunity, and United Kingdombased Senior Security Advisor to President Granger, Lieutenant

Colonel (retd) Russel Combe, recognising the severity of the issue and the need to take action, told this publication in an inter-

view that the scourge must be dealt with in a twopronged way; one: build Police capacity to investigate and take necessary action; and two: institute social reform.

“Domestic violence, I realise, is an issue. It’s a scourge in every society, but it’s making sure the Police are equipped with the tools to do their jobs in terms of being able to investigate, detect, and solve any such crimes (that really matter),” Combe declared.

While domestic violence comes under security reform, Combe noted, preventative measures must be incorporated under social reform, because preventing domestic violence in the first place is the ideal situation.

“Ideally, of course, we would like such crimes not to take place, but that’s another sort of area, social re-

form as opposed to security reform. But I would say the Police have identified that they do need better facilities at Police stations to be able to take statements and do the first responders’ aspect of investigating such complaints.

“They are making an effort, and a number of Police stations have already been rehabilitated to provide such facilities, particularly under the IDB-funded Citizen Security Strengthening Programme,” he explained.

US report In the United States’ State Department’s recently released 2017 Country Report on Guyana, there is recognition that while the law criminalises domestic

violence and spousal rape, such abuses remain widespread, and successful prosecution is limited.

“The law criminalises rape of men or women, including spousal rape and domestic violence. The law provides stringent penalties for rape, with life imprisonment as the maximum penalty. Successful prosecution of cases of rape and domestic violence was infrequent,” the report detailed.

“Domestic violence and violence against women, including spousal abuse, was widespread. The law prohibits domestic violence and allows victims to seek prompt protection, occupation, or tenancy orders from a magistrate. Penalties for violation of protection orders include fines of up to $10,000 and 12 months’ imprisonment.”

The report cites allegations of Police accepting bribes from perpetrators, and notes cases of magistrates applying inadequate sentences after conviction.

In Guyana itself, the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services (PSCSS) had found, during a 2017 visit to Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), that there are shortfalls in how equipped authorities are to deal with domestic violence cases.

The committee was informed that ranks are not specifically trained to deal with domestic violence.

However, officers are exposed to such cases during their initial training.

Security Advisor Russel Combe

In its recommendations, the committee had said, “There should be continuous training for officers in areas of suicide (prevention), domestic violence, and road safety. Police officers should coordinate with the religious community to have a representative on the list of Cop and Faith.”

T h e scourge L a s t Thursday, 23-year-old Deomattie “ K a l v i n a ” Persaud, a mother of two, was stabbed to death by her reputed husband, 43-year-old fisherman/farmer Bishwanie Maraj, who committed suicide after the incident by ingesting a poisonous substance.

On April 17, Cleveland Williams reportedly stabbed his child’s mother, Lashawna Boyce, twice in her back. The incident allegedly occurred when the 46-year-old Williams confronted the woman while she was walking along D’Urban Street.

Armed with a knife, he began pushing Boyce about her body, and a scuffle ensued between the two. He allegedly wounded Boyce and left her in a nearby drain as he made good his escape.

Public-spirited persons rushed Boyce to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where she was admitted a patient. Williams was subsequently remanded to prison.

Prior to the above incident, Guyana Defence Force Captain Orwain Sandy was remanded for shooting dead his lover, Reona Payne, on March 31, 2018 at Alexander Village, Georgetown.

Reports are that Sandy and Payne were in a motorcar proceeding along First Street, Alexander Village when an argument ensued after he reportedly accused her of being unfaithful. He reportedly stopped the car, and as the woman exited, shot her several times with his service revolver.

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

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The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, April 22 – 08:45h-10:15h and Monday, April 23 – 10:05h-11:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers can be expected throughout the day and into the evening. Temperatures will range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 09:14h and 22:09 reaching maximum heights of 2.37 metres and 2.21 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 02:44h and 15:29h reaching minimum heights of 0.97 metre and 0.85 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, April 21, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS 04

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15 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 07 13 19 24

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LUCKY 3 3 2 1

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Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

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Evening Draw

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PPP wants probe into lands given to PNC, party loyalists …files complaint with SARA

Sunday, April 22 – 09:30h-11:00h and Monday, April 23 – 10:30h-12:00h.

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

he Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has moved to formally file complaints with the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) for investigations to be launched into, among other issues, cases of land handouts to the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and key stalwarts in the Party.

This move comes on the heels of SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas, telling reporters on Friday that the Agency only investigates matters reported or referred to it by other criminal agencies or Government departments, while noting that civilians too can make reports of stolen State resources.

As such, the Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira in a letter addressed to Professor Thomas on Saturday, made complaints on three matters, which she said falls squarely in his remit.

The letter, which was also released to the media, detailed firstly the acquisition of a house and land in Bel Air Gardens, by the former Finance Minister of the PNC Government and now Second Vice President and Foreign Affairs Minister of the APNU/AFC coalition, Carl Greenidge. According to the Opposition Chief Whip, the property, which was then State owned, was acquired below market value at the time and with no recourse to any procurement process.

Teixeira also asked for a probe into the Burnham family’s request for land, five acres of which was issued by the PPP/C Government at no cost to former Vice President and First Lady Viola Burnham and widow of President Forbes Burnham in D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown.

Finally, the Opposition Chief Whip calls for SARA to look into the acquisition of a huge tract of land to the PNC for their party headquarters, Congress Place, in Sophia, at no cost. She pointed out that sections of the land have been sold over the years at market value

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

and for profit, with the most recent sale taking place after the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

“All of these cases are easily investigated as all the records are publicly available. And remember, the SARA Act provided for retroactivity, probably one of the first statutes that did so,” Teixeira said the in the letter.

She further went on to also formally lay her complaints on another series of cases regarding corruption, abuse in public office and violation of the Constitution, Procurement Act, and financial laws that were mentioned in a previous correspondence to the SARA Director, calling on him to also investigate them.

According to the Opposition Chief Whip, the most egregious of those cases relate to the sale of the country’s national patrimony in oil and natural gas well below what is observed internationally and “relatively favourable to investors by international standards,” as stated in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report prepared for Guyanese officials.

She also named the US$18 million signing bonus collected since 2016 and secretly stashed in a secret bank account at Central Bank instead of the Consolidated Fund as is constitutionally required.

During a “walk against corruption” held by SARA on Friday as part of its “Corruption is Everybody’s

Business” campaign, Transparency International Guyana Inc (TIGI) – the body of international transparency watchdog Transparency International – also called for the agency to look into the oil bonus.

Representatives from TIGI carried placards that read “SARA should recover signing bonus for Parliament – TIGI.” Meanwhile, the other cases include: the purchase of $620 million in drugs and pharmaceutical supplies in 2017, without going through the procurement process and paying over 100 per cent more than the market value; the renting of a house in Sussex Street as a drugs bond for $14 million per month, the contract of which a special Cabinet review team had found was flawed but nothing has been done to review it, while over $300 million in rent has been paid thus far; and the expending of over $2 billion in taxpayers’ dollars for the construction of the D’Urban Park facilities for which no form of public procurement was undertaken and no credible records of the project has been produced to the Office of the Auditor General to date.

“Follow the trail Dr Thomas, you will find the answers and the accounts of those who benefited,” Teixeira told the SARA Director.

Moreover, the Opposition Chief Whip went on to question Professor Thomas about the complainant of allegations that $28-35 billion

SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas

was lost each year in procurement fraud and another $306-313 billion per year being lost due to corruption under successive PPP/C Administrations.

“Strange to say, these are the same figures you used prior to the 2015 elections. Are you, sir, the complainant? And where is your evidence? If you declared such losses were real and then used your position in the SARU/SARA without evidence and mere mathematical speculation, then this is a case of reckless irresponsibility of enormous proportions,” Teixeira posited.

She further noted that such disinformation fed to the Guyanese electorate for several years leading up to the 2015 elections as well as friendly Governments and international organisations has been clearly exposed as a “concerted political campaign to get the PPP/C out of office”.

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018

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

Editorial

The Clash of Civilisations?

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quarter of a century ago, Harvard’s Samuel Huntington unfurled his “Clash of Civilisations” thesis which seemingly became the working model for western, especially US, foreign policy strategists. In the wake of the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 and the end of the Cold War, the timing was maybe more than just fortuitous. After all he was also part of the US think tank that had conjured up the “modernisation” thesis after WWII that became the western blueprint to win the hearts and minds of the Third World in the Cold War that had just been declared.

It would seem that Huntington has proven to be a prophet. As the book’s blurb explained, Huntington predicts not only how clashes between civilisations are the greatest threat to world peace but also how an international order based on civilisations is the best safeguard against war. More specifically, as ideological distinctions among nations during the Cold War have been replaced by cultural differences, world politics has been reconfigured. Across the globe, new conflicts – and new cooperation – have replaced the old order of the Cold War era.

It might very well be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Huntington postulated “how the population explosion in Muslim countries and the economic rise of East Asia are changing global politics. These developments challenge Western dominance, promote opposition to supposedly “universal” Western ideals, and intensify inter-civilisation conflict over such issues as nuclear proliferation, immigration, human rights, and democracy. The Muslim population surge has led to many small wars throughout Eurasia, and the rise of China could lead to a global war of civilizations.

Huntington offers a strategy for the West to preserve its unique culture and emphasises the need for people everywhere to learn to coexist in a complex, multipolar, multi-civilisational world.” It is argued by Huntington that the Western movement for Universalism will only lead to confrontation with non-western cultures. Western Universalism is advocacy of western values including democracy, freedom of speech, and human rights in an attempt to universalise them throughout the world.

One reason that this promulgation of “universalistic” values may be destabilising is that while some who preach such “universalism” may be benign, others may not be of like mind. The latter movements, such as the “religious freedom” disguise propagation of fundamental Christianity through proselytising people of other religions and cultures can alienate them from their native cultures. They can also teach them to berate their native cultures although many may not have even comprehended the new values. There is resistance in the world against alienating people from their native cultures and weakening integrity of the races.

The main issue with Huntington’s thesis, however, is his conflating of Christianity with modernity. It goes against the history of church and development of modernism in Europe. Modern advances in sciences and scientific and even industrial development as well as every modern intellectual thought came by resisting the influence of Christianity. Science and Church stand opposite to one another in modernisation. It must be accepted that almost every culture/religion can modernise without having to westernise. It is from this perspective, for instance, we must view the changes that are sweeping the Islamic world. The resurgence of the Islamicists as not definitionally “nonmodern”.

Finally, there can be universalism not of the kind advocated by the fanatics. The West pushed its form of universalism as the basis of human rights protection through non-State organisations. It is possible to conceive of Universalism based on Scientific Humanism and accepting the best of all cultures on a rational basis. This is what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he called himself a Hindu, a Muslim and also a Christian, not that there is such a cult that integrates a composite of all three. What made man “Human” are the innate instincts of kindness, tolerance, mutual love and sense of fairness inherent in all human beings, prior to the birth of all of “religions”.

It is unfortunate that the Trump presidency is pandering even more single-mindedly to Huntington’s thesis.

A model created by the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) which was displayed at the Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition at the Leonora Track and Field Centre on Saturday. It is aimed at educating the public on the accurate methods associated with cattle rearing so as to obtain favourable results in production

LGC has a tall order and must get pro-active Dear Editor, It is most duplicitous and bemusing that we are seeing calls from among the strongest of political agents of the Government, for the appointed Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the Local Government Commission (LGC) to be impartial and non-partisan.

Hypocritically, the noises now come from the same people who were the strongest advocates of impartiality.

Persons known for their roles as the main proponents of the unconstitutional People’s National Congress (PNC) Sophia Declaration, and the following rigged referendum to declare party-paramountcy over law in our dear Guyana.

From the outset, it is widely known that the construct of these commissions from which members are drawn, is based on political party’s representation of constituencies which must support their development ideals in fairness and within the rule of law. It follows that legitimate expectations of objectivity, fairness and transparency would be

derived from the placement of representatives. Importantly, the balance ought to be established through knowledgeable and equal representation together with an impartial Chairman.

Vincent Alexander’s recent article ‘Constitutional commissions are independent and apolitical’, shamelessly flies in the face of objectivity. After years as a GECOM Commissioner, he suddenly seems to be awakening from his slumbers and is calling for the proper functioning of GECOM and the LGC. As one of the most known political activists who were the one-time leader of the youth arm of the famous PNC; the Young Socialist Movement and a former Executive Member of the PNC, he now wishes for Commissioners to be neutral in their role.

Notably, this same PNC member and party representative at GECOM was there when all the millions of dollars’ fraud took place at the GECOM Secretariat. Further, Alexander was serving as a Commissioner and did not call for neutrality regarding the seriously biased and compro-

mised GECOM staffing which have a 90 per cent one ethnic group is employed. Vincent Alexander must come out publicly and let this nation know if he is impartial at GECOM. Further, the very fact that Charles Corbin, the brother of the former YSM leader and leader of the PNC is also the PNC representative on the Guyana Elections Commission, must speak volumes of the PNC’s vested interest in GECOM. The very fact that Alexander had nothing to say regarding the unilateral and breach of all norms in the appointment of GECOM’s Chairman, speaks to the double-dealing nature of the man.

It is therefore more than justifiable that the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, must continue to lead the struggle and demand that GECOM put itself in order.

As for the Local Government Commission, it is time that the members assert themselves in executing their constitutional functions.

Alexander and the like cannot play deaf to broadbased public demands towards the implementation of the de-

liberately delayed LGC by the Government. It cannot be denied that these were met with stifled response and suppression of delivery of the tools necessary for the Commissioners to work effectively.

The sudden shout out therefore, is only designed to camouflage many of the blatantly unacceptable Government indecencies.

There is a strong need for review and strategic capacity building in the Local Government Area councils.

Many of the Overseers have no training and cannot string two sentences together. One only has to look at the minutes of the meetings and letters that they are writing to observe the massive deficiencies.

The LGC has a tall order and must therefore get pro-active, look at the serious staffing issues and work out mechanisms to improve and monitor the general regulation of the persons involved in administration of Local Authority Areas.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Municipal administrators destroying their legacy

Dear Editor, Something has to be considerably wrong at the Georgetown City Council, and it needs to be fixed urgently. Just about two years ago, the Town Clerk and a team descended upon and demolished a premise owned by an elderly gentleman known as ‘Rasta Man’. The premise was popularly known as the “Dread Shop”, situated at ‘A’ Water Street, Russell Square, Stabroek Market.

This act of destroying the structure was brutally done, even though the property was the subject of a matter engaging the attention of the court; and consequently, this action was considered by many legal luminaries to be unlawful and

a show of complete disrespect and disregard for the Court of Appeal of Guyana.

What was most egregious was the fact that the Council had granted permission and leased the said property to ‘Rasta Man’ for more than three decades, and had continuously levied rates and taxes and charged cleansing fees for the occupation of this location, even though the Ministry of Public Infrastructure had claimed jurisdiction over the area upon which the Dread Shop sat. Yet still, without warning, they demolished the property.

Having committed this act of unnecessary savagery, one expected that the area would have been kept clear and clean,

or the Dread Shop’s replacement would have been some aesthetically pleasing edifice.

But alas! No such thing.

Instead, what we have now in its place is an ugly, unhealthy, unsafe, unkempt tent city. Sprung up there over the last two years has been a squalid, shanty facility that is teeming with illegal activities and is a complete eyesore to foreign and local visitors to the downtown area. As the boys would say, it is just ‘stink and dutty’.

When will the Georgetown Municipality understand what it takes to develop the tourism industry in Guyana? Is this how they are preparing for Guyana’s Carnival? Is this what they mean by serving the

city and advancing the nation?

The downtown area of Georgetown, particularly at night, must be one of the grimiest, unsafest, disordered and lawless places in the Caribbean.

Why doesn’t this present group of councillors, who will be demitting office in another few months, not understand that all good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine? Are they going to allow a few venal municipal administrators to destroy their legacy?

Sincerely, Laquisha Kaftans

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018

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

Hopeless state of administration Delaying 2020 General Elections of Georgetown municipality Dear Editor, It just takes a casual glance at Georgetown’s iconic landmark; the Stabroek Market in its current sorry state, to realise that it mirrors completely the hopeless state of the administration of the Georgetown municipality.

At the highest point of this historic structure is a weather vane, wind vane, or weathercock – which ever you want to call it – and which was put there to show citizens the direction and speed of the wind.

This does not work.

Looking up at the legendary clock so strategically placed in our nation’s capital, and built somewhere between 1880 and 1881, one can see each dial telling a different time, which of course is because the clock is defective and has been so for decades, due to the Council failing to maintain it. More egregious is that more than two years ago, the Council begged a foreign mission and obtained full funding to have the clocks rehabilitated and returned to working order.

Regrettably, having received this money, they have failed to fix the clock giving the flimsy excuse that the tower housing the clock needs to be repaired first before the clock could be rehabilitated.

Did they not know this before obtaining funds to repair the clock?

And why with the passage of more than two years, this modest tow-

er but historical masterpiece could not be repaired? To add insult to injury, they have haphazardly hung a string of lights to further deface the structure and highlight at night, the fact that the clocks are not working. The City Council should be ashamed of itself.

Going around to the back of Stabroek Market, one is confronted with the broken-down wharf that collapsed several years ago, and for which the Council has failed to even attempt repairs. Instead they have had a grand plan drawn up for a fancy edifice to be put up, using the Central Government’s sources of funding which really means the VAT and other taxes you and I have to pay to the State.

Could the Council say what it is doing with all of the stall rents, vendors’ fees and other municipal taxes that they collect that should be used to maintain municipal markets? I hope it is not wasted on foreign trips.

Then there is the act of cultural barbarism, impropriety and venality where the Council’s administration has allowed a vendor to build a two-storied structure that adjoins the North-eastern side of the Stabroek Market structure. This ugly projection which incidentally does not have the approval of the Council, nor the National Trust, blemishes significantly this heritage structure and severely ham-

pers the natural airflow of the market. Why does the Communities Ministry, the Council, the National Trust of Guyana or the Guyana Historical and Research Society not awaken from their slumber, and correct this savagery?

Venturing inside this dark, dank, rat infested municipal market more often than not, one is either molested by some urchins who will attempt to sell you stolen items, or alternately try to choke and rob you right under the noses of some unconcerned City Constables.

But that aside, one is confronted with a most cluttered, untidy and chaotic market that now houses more than a thousand business persons. Long ago stalls were arranged in neat rows with wide passages that allowed the fire tender to drive all the way from the front to the back of the market in the event of a conflagration. Today not even the fire hose could be stretched from the front to the back of the market.

How could we the citizens expect our City Council to manage our capital city when they cannot even manage a simple municipal market.

How could we expect Georgetown to advance with such corrupt, incompetent and desperate persons at the helm?

Sincerely, Jermain Johnson

Dear Editor, I am really concerned by this call from the General Secretary of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Amna Ally, on the need for new houseto-house voter registration. Many see this call as a ploy by President Granger to delay the general elections. Fact – any such process will cost over G$1.5 billion and will be prolonged. The outcome – a delayed 2020 elections by as much as two to three years.

This call for new house-to-house elections is the bird call to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman to switch on his “follow the leader” hat and commence “project buy time” for the PNC. So, I reject this call from Amna Ally since the GECOM list even with its challenges is credible irrespective of what the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and PNC say. The credibility of elections is characterised by the transparency in the process, the accountability

by GECOM to the population, and inclusivity of the population in the process? I do not see any of this under threat right now even with a PNC biased GECOM Chairman.

No one will doubt that GECOM had many challenges between the 1992 and 2015 elections but even the worst of those elections passed the credibility test. Show me a country that has a 100 per cent perfect election – there is none. So why is the PPP demanding perfection?

Every election has anomalies and if it is less than two per cent of the voting roll, then it falls outside of the normal

distribution of the process and can be deemed as credible. In all of our elections, including the one where David Granger won by 4000 votes, the PPP could not have overturned that score even if all the votes were recounted. Actually, I think if the votes were recounted, Granger might have gotten more votes and the PNC one more in 2015 because he was more popular than Donald Ramotar by a mile. But those days are gone forever and Bharrat Jagdeo is at his peak of popularity today.

What the PPP should be really focusing on is the process from now until 2020. Are fair-minded Guyanese being hired into GECOM or PNC political hacks? Is GECOM getting the resources it needs to conduct the elections efficiently? Is the database well protected and what can be done to beef up the security of the database? How is GECOM coming along with its preparation for the December 2018 Local Government Elections which will be a dry run for the 2020 elections? These are the issues, not the quality of the list.

The PPP has to stop this obsession with the purity of the list and focus on the operations in GECOM because the PNC will milk their insecurities to fulfil their Congress Place agenda of delaying the elections.

It is the duty of the PPP to take this fight to the PNC and stop all this nonsense of issue infantile statements and take some people on the street on the more important issues, like the sugar workers severance pay.

Sincerely, Jai (Harry) Lall

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018

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Ashley Anthony

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he observation of Earth Day this April 22nd marks 48 years since the day’s genesis. Earth Day owes its origin to Senator Gaylord Nelson, who sought to make the business of the environmental health of the earth a political one. At the time, it was still legal for factories to pollute the air and water, and there was no environmental protection agency. Through the actions of some twenty million Americans on April 22nd 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency was born the following December; and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were subsequently passed.

Last year, when I wrote of Earth Day, I wrote of it in the context of the law and the political turbulence in the United States. Following the election of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly denied climate change and had proposed cutting funds for major environmental agencies, environmental activism has been at a peak on Earth Day. And whilst I still believe that “the function of science is to improve humanity, but if it is not enabled to do so through law and policy, then it cannot”, Earth Day provides us with much more than just a reason to examine environmental law and policy.

It serves as a form of comparative benchmark. How

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation were things different a year ago?

What had changed positively? And what has changed negatively? It serves as a means of tracking our progress, and it triggers reflection on, and reassessment of, our actions.

One of the things that I want to focus on is our impact on species. In 2017, the last male northern white rhino, Sudan, passed away from age-related illnesses. The species teeters on the brink of extinction, with the lone two northern white rhinos being direct descendants of Sudan. His death came as a serious blow to conservation efforts, and it was an all-toopainful reminder of the extinction of the West African rhinoceros in 2011. Whilst there are many other subspecies of rhinos in existence, the fact that the one is extinct and another stares extinction in the face is a serious reminder of the dangers of human action on the environment.

Following his death, one National Geographic writer said, “Today we are witnessing the extinction of species that survived for millions of years, but could not survive mankind.”

The remaining rhino subspecies remain endangered largely due to poaching.

In December of 2017, the US Fish and Wildlife Service declared the beaverpond marstonia, a tiny freshwater snail found in Georgia, to be extinct. The snail is supposed to have gone extinct due to exploitation of water resources through both overuse for agriculture and through pollution.

Joining this depressing list are the Christmas Island pinstrelle, a bat off of the coast of Australia, and three reptiles (the chained gecko, the blue-tailed skink, and the whiptail skink) also from Australia.

However, on the brighter side, some species have rebounded.

For example, the Black-eyed leaf frog, whose population grew from critically endangered to of least concern, was dubbed by Jennifer

Luedtke, an amphibian specialist at Global Wildlife Conservation, as: “hope in a small, green and black package.”

In addition to rebounding species, there was also a wealth of discovery of new species.

According to Michelle Star of Science Alert, if you are familiar with natural science, new species are found relatively frequently. But on November 23, 2017, she wrote that there had been a ‘rarity’; over thirty newly discovered species in one area: the Kaieteur National Park and Potaro River. A press release by the Global Wildlife Conservation revealed that among these newly discovered species, there were six species of fish, three plants, fifteen aquatic beetles,

and five odonates (carnivorous insects like dragonflies). The press release also gave Guyana the shining title of “one of the world’s most important countries for biodiversity conservation”.

It explained that, “Guyana has the second highest percentage (of) forest cover on Earth, high levels of biological diversity, and species that are found n o w h e re else.”

Guyana even made several news outlets for the stunning discovery of a cobalt blue tarantula.

The colour blue is of particular interest to scientists, as it does not occur very frequently in nature, and often times when it does, instead of it being caused by an actual blue pigment, it is caused by the microscopic arrangement of cells and the way

those cells scatter and reflect light.

While all of this is impressive, I personally do not feel as though the discovery of new species makes much impact, if we do not care for them appropriately.

According to the Global Wildlife Conservation, (about Guyana), “Over the past decade, WWF Guianas has been working with stakeholders at all levels to address the growing pressures on the environment.”

I can only hope that these pressures do not win and ultimately harm our incredibly diverse environment. For a few days, Guyana had the world in awe with one spider. Imagine how much else is left undiscovered, and what we risk destroying in the name of development.

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

US sanctions

Oldendorff Carriers to withdraw services in June D ays after reports surfaced that German comtransshipment pany Oldendroff Carriers is scaling back on its local operations, the company’s officials told Government that if the United States imposed sanctions are not withdrawn or modified by June 5, 2018, they would be legally obliged to terminate their services, putting over 200 workers on the breadline. This was revealed at a meeting with stakeholders in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) with Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Junior Minister Simona Broomes. Trotman has already met with Region 10 Members of Parliament Ashwin Rutherford and Jermain Figueira, along with Rusal and Oldendroff to assess firsthand the impact that the US Government sanctions on Rusal’s Guyana operations in the upper Berbice River, and in the main, on the hundreds of workers employed by the two companies.

At the meeting, it was disclosed that senior officials in Europe were engaged in daily talks to mitigate the impacts and information being communicated as soon as it is known.

Both companies pledged to continue to engage the workers and to respect the labour laws of Guyana in the han-

dling of their arising issues.

Additionally, the companies indicated their willingness to receive Government’s support in whatever way possible.

The Ministers and Members of Parliament grilled the officials about their sharing of information with employees and stressed the high value that Government placed on keeping the workers employed to avoid the social impact to the people of Region 10.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Ministers indicated that in addition to holding meetings with Union representatives, they would also urgently visit employees at the various sites in the Berbice River in the coming week.

Trotman, along with other senior Government officials, are expected to meet with local Rusal officials and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU) to determine the way forward to cushion the effects of the United States sanctions against Rusal’s co-owner Oleg Deripaska.

Despite assurances by Finance Minister Winston Jordan that Government was guaranteed that German transshipment company Oldendroff Carriers would not be affected by the sanctions, on Thursday reports surfaced that the company has begun scaling back its operations ul-

Oldendorff operations at the mouth of the Berbice River (Oldendorff image)

timately putting over 200 jobs in jeopardy.

However, Trotman has since stated that the decision was expected and that measures are being put in place to cushion the effect.

On Saturday, via a telephone interview, GBGWU’s President Lincoln Lewis confirmed the meeting, adding that the Union is still awaiting official word from the company. He said they are still monitoring the situation and interacting with the workers who are constantly on the edge.

He is hopeful that the meeting will provide some sense of direction as to what Government’s position is, as well as Rusal’s and its associates. On Friday, it was reported that Russian companies, including Rusal, have asked for 100 billion rubles (US$1.6 billion) in liquidity support from the Government, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

The

US Treasury Department in a statement on Friday announced the sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, 12 companies they either owned or controlled and 17 senior Government officials, who Washington said were profiting from the Russian Government’s engagement in

“a range of malign activities” around the world.

The Treasury Department warned that US entities would be “generally prohibited” from dealings with the persons and firms on the sanctions list, while added that companies outside the United States could face sanctions for “knowingly facilitating significant transactions for or on behalf of” the sanctioned entities.

The US Government’s decision to include Deripaska on its sanctions blacklist will reverberate around the world because his business empire has a global footprint and counts major multinationals as partners. Deripaska, estimated

by Forbes magazine to have

a net worth of US$6.7 billion, is the main owner of the conglomerate EN+, which in turn is the co-owner of some of the world’s biggest metals producers, Rusal and Nornickel.

Rusal had said it regretted its inclusion on the US sanctions list, adding that its advisors were studying the situation. Hong Kong-listed Rusal is one of the world’s biggest aluminium producers. It says exports to the United States account for over 10 percent of its output. Rusal owns assets in Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Nigeria, Guyana, and Guinea.

It owns a stake in Australian QAL, the world’s top alumina refinery.

8 news

SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Murder accused charged for wounding inmate

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emanded murder accused Samuel Gouveia was on Friday further remanded to prison by Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly after being arraigned in her court on an additional

charge of wounding a prison inmate with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

The 25-year-old Gouveia denied that, on March 16, 2018, he inflicted wounds on his cellmate, Cleveland

Simon.

The matter has been adjourned to April 23.

Gouveia, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, has been accused of fatally stabbing Santee Solomon at Puruni Landing, near the Cuyuni River in Region Seven, on November 23, 2015. In that case, the prosecution is contending that Solomon, 35, of Line Path, Skeldon, Corriverton, East Berbice, was working in the interior with Bacchus International Gold Mines when he was killed.

Learning from…

Samuel Gouveia

Lodge resident remanded for ganja trafficking

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olin Wallis of Lot 34 D’Urban Street, Lodge was remanded to prison by Magistrate Leron Daly after he allegedly was found with one kilogram, 734 grams of cannabis.

Police Prosecutor Richard Harris is contending that Police ranks, acting on information culled from an intelligence operation, swooped down on Wallis’s Lodge residence on April 18 and carried out a search on the property. They allegedly found four clear plastic bags with the cannabis inside.

Under caution, Wallis allegedly told the ranks, “I just keeping this weed for a man in Linden Town Week”.

Colin Wallace

The prosecutor objected to bail by citing the seriousness of the offence, and Wallis was remanded to prison until May 18.

T

…the corrupt Brits

he British High Commissioner was right up front with Clive Thomas in one of the silliest stunts in decades by a governmental entity: its corruption walk. After Thomas revealed his agency’s mandate is to go after State assets both locally and abroad, but he’d decided to start with the overseas cases, it made the march even sillier. Which foreign jurisdiction will even notice?

But the British have been up front not only on the march but also on the investigative end – albeit for SOCU, having lent them the Irish ex-Cop Sittlington.

So, are we to assume they’ve sewn up the loose ends with the foreign banks where pilfered loot from Guyana has been supposedly secreted? This we’d like to see…cause they’ve certainly haven’t done squat about tightening up those banks with their own funds.

Take HSBC…the biggest bank in Britain. Back in 2012, it was fined a record US$1.9 billion for processing cash for Mexican drug lords and terrorists. Now if the FINE is US$1.9 billion, but can you imagine how much was processed?? No you can’t!! That’ll be hundreds of billions…and we just can’t get our Lilliputian minds around such sums.

(Maybe this was why Trotman only asked for US$15 million??!) And imagine at the time HSBC was run by a former Minister of the British Government – and a minister of the Anglican Church to boot!!

Now don’t think the HSBC incident is an isolated one. The banks and commercial houses of the City of London launder fully 24 per cent of all the offshore havens across the world!! And it’s no wonder HSBC didn’t even blink after their US$1.9 billion fine….they’ve just been fingered in the money trail of the Gupta’s corrupt practices in South Africa that brought down Zuma.

Dear reader…by now you’re probably scratching your head and asking how come Britain isn’t higher up on that list from TI about being the most corruption jurisdiction on the planet. The simple answer is its countries like Britain that make the rules about what practices are corrupt and what is not. And who should be prosecuted for corruption and who should not. Did you think anyone from HSBC went to jail?? Think again.

And think of the folks at the big British banks that rigged the globally-used LIBOR interest rates and cost the system some US$88 billion. Nobody was even charged!! The point of it all is that jurisdictions like us are made the SCAPEGOATS for carrying away the sins of the big financial sinners like Britain. And that’s why the British HC is so visible. His country is doing soooo much to stop corruption! Here!!

Our misdemeanour-like violations go on TI’s roster but their felonious ones don’t even get mentioned!!

…the man

Clive Thomas is a strange man. Here’s a fella who had so pontificated 50 years ago – when he was in the ivory tower of academia – about sugar that he named his black power group “Ratoon”. And yet he closed down the sugar industry in three years. Even the sugar cane gets at least five ratoons!! But then old people say “moutar different from guitar!!”

He also played a lot of “moutar” about how banks of the capitalist North had us in a “dependency” headlock that was literally strangling away our lifeblood. And the only answer for our survival was to cut all links to the North and create new ones among us starving guts in the “South”. And here he is being advised by “the man” on how to work with those same northern banks to stop local nickel-anddime corruption while they still get away with the rape of the third world!!

For what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?

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

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Private criminal charges

Govt ready to defend Ministers …as AG cites possibility of DPP trash charges

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hile it is hoping to avoid the court steps altogether, the Government stands ready to defend two sitting Government Ministers, who had private criminal charges filed against them just days ago. This was the position taken by Attorney General Basil Williams during a Saturday morning press conference. While he expressed confidence in the innocence of the two Ministers, Williams was nevertheless hopeful that the charges die a legal death at the hands of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“Fortunately, our Constitution established the independent office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, imbuing her with total power over all prosecutions whether undertaken by her or by some other authority,” Williams said.

“If charges are initiated by others, the DPP can discontinue them or take them over to continue them. In other words, of the office of the DPP has a proactive duty to patrol the corridors of justice.”

According to Williams, current and former Public Health Ministers Volda Lawrence and Dr George Norton were not accused by any agency of a criminal offence. As such, he expressed confidence in their survival. “I have confidence in my Ministers. No established investigatory or prosecutorial agency said anything about them. The former Minister was charged after extensive investigation and advice from the Police legal advisor,

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

Justice Claudette Singh. That was after much deliberation.”

But Williams also threatened that Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo can also face private criminal charges. This is even though Jagdeo, a former President, is covered by immunity from prosecution.

Article 182 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana states: “Subject to the provisions of Article 180, the holder of the Office of President shall not be personally answerable to any court for the performance of the functions of his office or for any act done in the performance of those functions and no proceedings, whether criminal or civil, shall be instituted against him in his personal capacity in respect thereof either during his term of office or thereafter.” However, Williams on Saturday said the DPP has been asked by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) member of Parliament Anil Nandlall to reconsider her charges against former Finance Minister, Dr

Ashni Singh and former head of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington. In this light, he said the Government would expect no lesser treatment for the “charges she did not institute lest the floodgates open to create a festival of private criminal charges even against the Leader of the Opposition.”

The Special Organised Crime Unit had recently instituted charges against former Finance Minister, Dr Singh for misconduct in public office.

In addition, former CEO of NICIL, Winston Brassington was also charged.

The PPP had followed suit with charges against Norton and Lawrence. The court heard that Minister Volda Lawrence, while being and performing the duties of Public Health Minister of the Government of Guyana, between January 16, 2017, and February 16, 2017, wilfully misconducted herself in a way which amounted to an abuse of public trust without reasonable excuse or justification.

Moreover, Minister Lawrence was accused of authorising the unapproved single sourcing and purchase of drugs and medical supplies for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation from ANSA McAL Trading Limited, for the excessive sum of $605,962,200.

Norton, on the other hand, was also accused of wilfully misconducting himself in a way which amounted to an abuse of public trust without reasonable excuse or justifi-

Former Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

cation, when he authorised or caused the rental, of the property known as and situated at 29 Sussex Street Albouystown, in the city of Georgetown from Linden Holdings Incorporated, a Limited Liability Company, for the sum of $12,500,000, exclusive of Value Added Tax, per month, by way of a written Agreement of Tenancy at an excessive rate of rental.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan had granted two summonses for the respective Ministers, ordering them to appear before the court on April 24.

10 news

SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Pensioner dies in Sophia accident

... as 32 road deaths recorded for 1st quarter

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edal cyclist Mohan Ramkellawan of South Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara died on Friday at about 19:30h in an accident involving a motorcar on Dennis Street, Sophia, Georgetown.

The 72-year-old Ramkellawan and the driver of motorcar HC 7724 were reportedly both proceeding west along Denis Street, Sophia when the accident occurred. The driver, a 52-year-old resident of Sophia, reportedly told investigators that the cyclist swerved into his path and he was not able to apply his brakes in time.

Rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, Ramkellawan was pronounced dead on arriv-

The pensioner’s body covered on the roadway

al, while the driver was taken into custody.

Ramkellawan’s body is at the GPHC mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force has reported that there have been 32 deaths on the country’s roadways so far for 2018.

On Friday, Commissioner of Police (ag.) David Ramnarine along with Assistant Commissioners’ N.Hoppie, and M. Graham DSM, Senior Superintendent E. Watts and Traffic Chief R. Ashram met at Police Divisional Traffic Heads to discuss the traffic situation in the counrty.

Among the issues discussed was a review the current traffic situation, particularly regarding road traffic fatalities and contributing factors.

“This is as a result of the current unacceptable situation where from 1st January to 15th April, 2018, compared with the same period in 2017, indicates pellucidly that the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department must immediately enhance the education of road users and enforcement of the Traffic Laws,” a release from the force stated.

A total of 259 accidents were recorded for this year.

Mad dogs and Englishmen

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s he read the papers while swinging gently in his hammock, Satiricus wondered why the Doubting Thomish would go marching in the midday sun. But when he saw the British High Commish in the front, he realised what was going on. He fell asleep humming the Noel Coward tune, “Mad dogs and Englishmen”, which explained it all: In tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire To take their clothes off and perspire It’s one of those rules the greatest fools obey Because the sun is far too sultry and one must avoid its ultry-violet ray The natives grieve when the white men leave their huts Because they’re obviously, definitely nuts!

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun The Japanese don’t care to The Chinese wouldn’t dare to Hindus and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve ‘til one But Englishmen detest a siesta In the Philippines They have lovely screens To protect you from the glare In the Malay States There are hats like plates Which the Britishers won’t wear At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun It’s such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see That though the English are effete They’re quite impervious to heat When the White Man rides every native hides in glee Because the simple creatures hope he Will impale his sola topee on a tree It seems such a shame When the English claim the Earth That they give rise to such hilarity and mirth Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun The toughest Burmese bandit Can never understand it In Rangoon the heat of noon Is just what the natives shun They put their Scotch or rye down And lie down But in Georgetown Where the sun beats down To the rage of man and beast The English Commish And his faithful Thomish Merely gets a bit more creased In Stabroek At twelve o’clock They foam at the mouth and run But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

The Gandhian creed

By Ryhaan Shah

A

letter written by Mahatma Gandhi in reply to one sent

by American religious elder Milton Franz in 1926 refers to Jesus as “one of the great teachers of mankind”.

Gandhi’s brief letter goes on to say to Franz who was apparently hoping to convince Gandhi of the “truth” of Christianity that religious unity cannot be had by “a mechanical subscription to a common creed but by all respecting the creed of each”.

The letter is part of the Raab Collection, a US historical document dealership, and it is up for sale. A statement issued by the dealer describes Gandhi’s letter as espousing the universality of all religions and the acceptance of differences in faiths.

Gandhi’s letter has lessons for us in Guyana as we work towards finding a harmonious commonality that acknowledges and respects every race, ethnicity, religion, and culture within the whole of our Guyanese citizenship and identity.

To only acknowledge diversity would be as troubling as only supporting oneness and there is both sense and sensitivity in Gandhi’s stated belief that lasting unity derives not from everyone being forced to subscribe to one creed or value but by everyone respecting each other’s beliefs and traditions as valuable.

This takes on even more importance in post-colonial societies emerging from the oppression that sought to refashion the subjects to a common identity which was but the reflected image of the master.

While author Wilson Harris is often quoted for speaking of the limitations that race or cultural identity places on the human being and experience, his additional comment is just as often ignored: “I am not suggesting that racial admixture is a solution to the world’s grave problems. I am suggesting, however, that a freedom of diverse parts in nature to blend into variant universals should be open in fiction and art.”

However, much writers and artists embrace that freedom in experimental works, it should be noted that the phenomenal success of the movie “Black Panther” has given rise to much pride in African communities in Africa and the African Diaspora for celebrating the particularities that define African culture. It is the uniqueness that being African brings to commonly held human values that gives the movie its powerful message and its own defined space within the whole of what is largely a white Hollywood film industry.

Though mythical, it tells a uniquely African story through strong performances by African actors and it is a proud moment that a few of the cast members originated from Guyana and the Caribbean. The movie’s success will hopefully create a shift in Hollywood culture and should secure the future of film-making that places Africans at the very heart of their own story-telling.

The confidence and assuredness of the movie’s characters translate into confident and assured communities who value the specifics that make them unique – dress, customs, beliefs, etc – and confident people are more likely to accept the respective ethnic and cultural aspects that make other groups as unique within the universality of our shared humanity.

Here in Guyana no one would ever consider, for instance, begrudging the First Nation communities the support that each group needs to ensure the survival of their respective language and customs.

For Indians here, the retention of so many cultural values and rituals after nearly two centuries away from India is in itself remarkable. But we have also allowed space for new normal – dress and language, for instance – that make us citizens of Guyana and the West.

Nothing is static. We are all always evolving to fit new circumstances, but that newness should still find grounding in our respective roots if we are all to continue as a secure and self-assured nation of peoples.

The idea of unity as oneness is seductive as an easy solution for a country such as ours which continues to be wracked by racial and cultural tensions. The glib rhetoric of “all awe is one family” continues to underline even official statements on race relations. But when calypso becomes cultural policy it detracts from meaningful work to ease tensions, erase suspicions and build a truly cohesive community of peoples based on everyone respecting the culture of each, that Gandhian creed.

It is not unity as oneness so much as the unison of various communities of people working together as one for our mutual good that will assure a bright future for our country. In our quest for an all-encompassing identity we stand in danger of losing the unique aspects of humanity present in each of us.

A country that uses the Mahatma’s wisdom as a guide can hardly go wrong.

12 news

SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Region 3 businesses highlighted at agriculture fair …similar expo hosted in Region 2

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he Leonora Track and Field Centre was set abuzz on Saturday as patrons from near and far came out to support the Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition

(RACE) fair, an initiative that was organised by the Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) administration in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Exhibition featured approximately 60 booths showcasing a wide variety of both public and Private Sector entities from the region, which showcased their products and services. This ranged from lo-

cally manufactured Guyanese foodstuff, handcrafted items and agricultural and commercial equipment.

However, great emphasis was also placed on the local food enterprises which featured new businesses such as the famous ‘doubles’ stand, bottled coconut water, herb sauces, plantain chips and decorative takes on cakes for all occasions; and the craft sector that shone with creative outputs of copper jewellery, floral arrangements, hand-painted fabrications and woodworking.

Various sectors attached to the Agriculture Ministry also established their respective booths which comprised mainly of plants and animals that were the central attraction for children of all ages. Persons were also briefed on the work done in animal rearing.

Many of these small-scale manufacturers related that this is a great way of promoting their business so as to expand their distribution scope while competing with the more prominent businesses that Guyanese are more au fait with.

One such business is Delight Treats, an innovative catering service which specialises in customised party treats such as cupcakes, cakes and cookies.

Owner of the trade,

Customised cookies and other delights by Delight Treats at the Region Three fair

Otimaly Black, highlighted that this initiative will benefit her in a tremendous way since new customers are established.

“One of the problems that I’ve had is that a lot of people over here (Region Three) don’t know that I do cookies so when I heard about it, I just jumped in right away so that I can get more exposure.

People can also be able to see the things that I do,” Black explained.

Jets, a popular enterprise which specialises in juices, honey and concentrates, related that their sales will also be boosted since many patrons of the fair were interested in the products that they feature.

“We have a lot of products, a popular one being the

mauby concentrate but we’ve moved towards honey and fruit juices which have become popular,” the exhibitor stated.

One of the organisers who shared his remarks noted that despite the heavy downpours throughout the day, persons came out in their large numbers to partake in the events and gained an opportunity to increase their knowledge on the products which their region produces.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for quite some time now and the response has been great, not only from the exhibitors but from the public.

Hopefully, this will not be the last and there will be more to come where people can get to showcase their products,” he turn to page 17 stated.

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Pressure on SOCU, FIU

Govt desperate for convictions

…conviction’s drought can cause slide in AML/CFT standings review – AG

Dodging the I race question I n his column “Cheddi Jagan on the WI Federation: CLR James on Cheddi Jagan” (SN4-25-18), former long-term PPP executive Ralph Ramkarran wrote: “Divided societies like Guyana suffer from a phenomenon whereby historic events which, when they occurred, gave rise to allegations of ethnic bias, never seem to go away. The West Indies Federation, which lasted from 1958 to 1962, is one such. It is an historic event which is hardly relevant to contemporary Guyana today. Yet the debate on Jagan’a attitude to the Federation rages, as if the event occurred yesterday, and not more than 50 years ago.”

Mr Ramkarran should harken to Faulkner’s aphorism: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” And, in fact, Ramkarran answered his own implicit question as Ravi Dev the continuing salience of Jagan’s Federation stance: “It is contextualized to the current ethnic controversies, one of which is to seek to continually paint Jagan as a racist, or at least to allege that he was motivated by ethnic considerations.”

The point is about why Jagan insisted his rationale for rejecting Federation had no “ethnic considerations”.

Ramkarran quoted Jagan from 1986, wherein he regurgitated the answer he gave in the fifties and in his book “The West on Trial” (1966): that Guyana would join the WI Federation only if it was first approved by a referendum.

But Jagan misses the point made by CLR James in the same 1958 speech from which Ramkarran lifted James’s praise of Cheddi: “Dr Jagan is no petty racialist, not at all…[I]n regard to his aims for British Guiana, and for the West Indies as a whole, they are those of an enlightened, modern person.”

But Jagan himself explained in 1986 why the “Referendum before Federation” stance was taken: “The PPP went into the 1953 general elections…in favour of a West Indies Federation, with the proviso that a referendum would be taken before entry. This formula was adopted to take the controversial issue of Federation out of the elections because the PPP leadership was being attacked by racialists from two sides: the East Indian Association stating that I was selling out to the African L. F. S. Burnham and the Indians would be swamped in a predominantly African Federation: the League of Coloured People stating that Burnham was selling out to ‘coolie’ Cheddi Jagan…”

But by 1958, Burnham had embraced his African support base, Carter of the LCP and the Federation, yet Jagan refused to state clearly why he still demanded a referendum, when he wasn’t “selling out” to Burnham any longer. James pointed out: “The question of the plebiscite or the question of Federation is not an abstract question or a political question which can be left hanging in the air too long. Racial rivalry is involved…In the last analysis, the people have to decide everything in a democracy. But no one ever holds an election in which everybody walks around and tells the people, “Well, choose some people.” They offer the people definite choices.”

James had clearly laid out the ethnic concerns of both African and Indian Guyanese: “We heard that the East Indians in British Guiana were opposed to Federation and these were the reasons given. They had a numerical majority over the other races, they hoped to establish an Indian domination of the colony; Federation would bring thousands of Africans (or people of African descent) from the smaller islands to British Guiana.... They would place the Indians in British Guiana in an inferior position...

We heard also that the African population of British Guiana was now eager for Federation, particularly for the reason that it would bring this reinforcement from the smaller islands, once more establish African numerical superiority, and so check the East Indians.”

Jagan’s equivocation about stating clearly his position visà-vis the concerns of his Indian supporters -- because it had an “ethnic” rather than a “class” nexus on the issue of the Federation -- is a trope for his stance on other issues. This was unlike the case with the PNC and their African supporters’ concerns. Jagan ignored CLR James’s classic formulation on the politics of race and class: “The race question is subsidiary to the class question in politics, and to think of imperialism in terms of race is disastrous. But to neglect the racial factor as merely incidental is an error only less grave than to make it fundamental.”

n the wake of urgings from Attorney General Basil Williams that law enforcement agencies secure money laundering convictions; it appears that Guyana is desperate for convictions as the country’s standings as an Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) compliant country depends on this.

At a press conference on Saturday, Williams revealed that Guyana will not exit the fourth round of evaluations by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) unless convictions can be secured.

FATF/CFATF conducts peer reviews of member countries to assess levels of implementation of their AML/CFT recommendations. These mutual evaluations provide in-depth data and analysis of each country’s system for preventing criminal abuse of the financial system.

“The fourth round of mutual evaluations requires us

to comply with the 40 recommendations and 11 outcomes of the FATF, in terms of technical compliance and effectiveness,” Williams explained. “We will not exit the fourth round if we fail to show the systems are working.”

“So, as in other countries that have undergone (evaluations), failure to have a conviction, prosecution, investigations into money laundering results in them swimming and or drowning in the pool that is in the fourth round.”

The Attorney General noted that should this happen to Guyana, correspondent banking relations will be jeopardised due to the banks propensity to pull out based on the financial and regulatory climate.

SOCU remit

SOCU was established in 2014 on the recommendation of the CFATF and was intended to be a Police unit operating under the authority of the Police Commissioner

Questions have arisen over SOCU’s remit, as it is better known for pursuing members of the previous Administration than money launderers

but with a close relationship to the FIU. When Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had introduced an amendment to the Guyana Police Force’s Standing Order No 62, it had outlined that SOCU’s responsibilities to investigate outside of terrorism and money laundering were: participation in an organised criminal group and racketeering; trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling; sexual exploitation, including the sexual exploitation of children.

It also has to investigate illicit trafficking in narcot-

ic drugs and psychotropic substances; illicit arms and ammunition trafficking; corruption and bribery; fraud; counterfeiting and piracy of products; environmental crimes; murder; grievous bodily harm; kidnapping, illegal restraint and hostage taking; robbery or theft; smuggling; extortion; forgery; piracy; insider trading and market manipulation; tax evasion and gold smuggling.

While SOCU had arrested and questioned several members of the previous Administration, its exploits against money launderers are not as well known.

14 news

sunDAY, april 22, 2018| guyanatimesgy.com

$414M contract awarded for sea sluice at D’ Edward

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ourtney Benn Contracting Services Limited (CBCSL) has been awarded a contract to construct a four-door sluice for the Mahaica-Mahaicony Abary Agriculture

Development Authority (MMA/ADA) in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).

The sluice is to be built at a cost of $414.6 million, and is to be constructed at D’ Edward Village, West Coast

Berbice, E&A Consultants Incorporated has been awarded a $16 million contract to supervise the works.

Courtney Benn of CBCSL and Ansha Ally of E&A Consultants Incorporated signed their respective contracts in the boardroom of the MMA/ADA at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice on Friday. Benn has committed to completing the project within eighteen months, and has pledged to utilise as much labour from the West Berbice area as possible.

The Department of Public Information(DPI) has quoted General Manager of the MMA/ADA, Aubrey Charles, as saying the new sluice will enhance drainage of all residential areas and agricultural lands along the West Berbice coast between the Abary and Berbice Rivers, which is the Abary/Berbice Sub-Region of Region Five.

Charles disclosed that the new sluice would be constructed adjacent to the old three-door sluice currently at D’Edward, which has lost its efficiency after decades of service. The contract for the design of the sluice was awarded by the MMA/ADA to SRKN Engineering in May 2017.

Earth Day, Everyday Together we can #EndPlasticPollution

Happy

O

ur vision is that, decades from now, those beautiful words penned by Valerie Rodway could be sung with sincere meaning, and would be a true reflection of our native land. This vision, however, is under threat from plastic pollution.

The global movement to ‘End Plastic Pollution,’ which has been launched this Earth Day by the Earth Day network, is very timely. Like many other developing countries, Guyana is challenged to successfully manage plastic waste, which is being produced at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, we are also the recipients of trans-boundary waste on our shores.

O BEAUTIFUL GUYANA Valerie Rodway

O beautiful Guyana O my lovely native land More dear to me than all the world Thy sea-washed, sun-kissed strand Or down upon the borders Looking out upon the deep The great Atlantic Blown into a fury, or asleep.

At morn, at noon - or better In the crimson sunset’s glow I love thee, Oh I love thee.

You have been seeing and hearing about the drastic impacts of plastic pollution on the environment, organisms, and human health. This Earth Day, it is important to acknowledge that we all have contributed to this problem, whether knowingly or unknowingly. The time is now for us to stop and evaluate our day-to-day decisions, so that we can transform into action our desire to make lasting changes in our behaviour.

Plastic Pollution in Guyana It is sometimes easier to think of problems affecting larger countries around the world because of messages being blasted in the media.

We must, however, turn our attention to issues at home, and get involved in the solutions. The State of the Environment Report 2016 highlights what is happening with regards to solid waste in Guyana. Did you know that an average of 166,000 tons of municipal solid waste is generated every year in Guyana? It is also estimated that plastic waste, like plastic bags, bottles, diapers and other plastics, contribute to 18% of municipal solid waste (MSW).

Even more startling is that, according to the National Solid Waste Management Strategy, total waste is expected to increase to over 200,000 tons annually, based on a predicted 18 % increase of MSW per capita.

Where do they go?

In our beautiful capital city of Georgetown, plastics make up most of our solid waste, besides mixed waste. While the Haags Bosch Landfill receives much of the waste from Georgetown and the East Bank area, other major ways of garbage disposal include open burning and open dumping. Therefore, a lot of our waste ends up where it shouldn’t. Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) has conveyed that plastic bags entering the sewerage system in the absence of screening processes, in some cases, causes motor failure and blockage of the sewerage pumps, and thus the backing up of raw sewage in populated areas. We can also see the evidence almost anywhere.

Compared to global standards, our waste management system is far from ideal. What is the problem with single-use plastics? Where are they coming from? Who is using them? What needs to change? With advances in knowledge for green technology, many international companies have explored the options for producing more eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. There are many options for reusable shopping bags, like linen and canvas. The lesser-desired biodegradable plastic bags have been on the market for several years. The much easier and faster option is, of course, to simply refuse single-use plastics. Every straw, plastic bag, take-out food container, coffee cup that we refuse will start to make the difference that is needed.

“Ending Plastic Pollution is a group effort. It will happen only if we all know that we are working together to come up with every solution we can. We will reduce our consumption much more if we know that we are part of a community that is striving together to change our habits and behaviours. You will be joining a global movement of billions of people all doing the same thing.

This will make a difference!!” – Earth Day Network Come on board this Earth Day and always!!!

Local Upcoming Events • • •

Earth Day Opening Ceremony & Exhibition – April 23, 2018, Baridi Benab, State House Single-use Plastic Free Day – April 22, 2018 Trash to Fashion Show & Exhibition – April 27, 2018, Main Street, between Middle & Quamina streets.

See our Facebook page for more details.

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

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Rose Hall Town Clerk appointment

What will be the cost of an oil spill to Guyana? (Part 2)

L

ast week, this column introduced the topic of what an oil spill may cost Guyana in an attempt to ascertain what, should such an event occur, might be the true cost. Of course, in order to do so, a number of reasonable assumptions would have to be developed in order to work around this to find a plausible, quantifiable answer.

The previous article began by firstly examining one of the most recent oil spills that occurred in 2010 – that is, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. To this end, BP was sentenced to pay US$4 billion in fines and penalties. This sum is greater than the size of Guyana’s economy measured in terms of GDP (Guyana’s GDP as at the end of 2016 was just about US$3.4 billion). It is noteworthy to mention that the daily oil production had dropped to 57,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from more than some 90,000 before the spill (Real – Time News from AL.com). Here in Guyana, daily production is projected to kick off at 100,000 barrels per day, and to eventually be scaled up to 220,000 and 500,000 barrels per day, according to releases in this regard by the oil exploration companies – ExxonMobil and its local subsidiaries.

Excerpts of the economic damages caused by the BP oil spill: * Apart from those costs highlighted in last week’s article, BP has paid US$713 million for lost tax revenues in advance to the Louisiana, Florida, and Texas state governments. * The fishing industry had suffered greatly from the oil spill. It cost fishermen over US$172 million in commercial fish landings in 2010. * The public views Gulf seafood as potentially contaminated by oil; demand and prices had dropped accordingly. In a study commissioned by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion Board, 70% of consumers polled expressed some level of concern about safety following the Gulf oil spill, and 23% had reduced their consumption of Gulf seafood. At the time, it was unclear if, and when, customers would perceive Gulf seafood as safe enough to buy in former quantities. * A respected consulting firm, Oxford Economics, put damage to tourism in the Gulf at between US$7 billion and US$23 billion for a three-year period following the oil spill.

By and large, it is a difficult task to assess the true cost of any oil spill, and especially potential oil spills. But with past oil spills in other parts of the world, these serve as a framework for assessing the nature of damages as well as providing information on the potential magnitude of costs. The costs of an oil spill consist of two components: private costs to the oil rig operators, and external costs to the Government, victims and natural resources (Cohen, 2010). In this framework, private costs constitute the following: * Damage to the oil rig and related equipment * Containment costs to stop or reduce further oil spillage (e.g. efforts to cap wells, booms, dispersants, controlled burning) * Cleanup costs incurred by responsible parties * Lost oil * Cost of litigation (including punitive damages or other penalties not directly related to the above) External costs: * Loss of life and injury to workers * Containment costs to stop or reduce further oil spillage (e.g. booms, dispersants, controlled burning) * Cleanup costs incurred by government agencies * Cost of repair to public infrastructure * Loss of income by affected businesses (e.g. fisheries, tourism businesses) * Lost consumer value from shifting purchases and/or behaviour * Natural resource damages * Cost of litigation (both to Government and to victims) Irrespective of these costs that oil spills can impose, some spills will have no costs in one or more categories – and the magnitude of costs that do occur can vary widely. There are a number of factors that can affect the ultimate cost of an oil spill, including the type of oil; weather patterns at the time of the spill; and the proximity to industry, tourism, recreation, and environmentally sensitive areas.

Very small spills are likely to have negligible costs, because oil tends to disperse in water. Most small spills can be contained easily, or will disperse on their own and cause little harm. Many large spills also have relatively little or no impact when they do not reach sensitive shores.

According to Cohen (2010) the average oil spill in the United States costs approximately US$16 per gallon in clean up and damages, excluding litigation costs. The variation in this estimate is, however, enormous. For example, the Exxon Valdez spill of approximately 10.8 million gallons in Alaska in 1989 cost over US$630 per gallon.

Next week the author shall bring this topic to a close by presenting some precautionary measures that have developed as a result of previous oil spills among other critical elements within the context of Guyana. *The Author is the holder of a MSc. Degree in Business Management, with concentration in Global Finance, Financial Markets, Institutions & Banking from a UK university of international standing.

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

Legal action looms as LGC directs Council to rescind appointment

R

ose Hall Mayor, Vijay Kumar Ramoo, said he is prepared to take the Local Government Commission (LGC) to the courts over its directive to have the appointment of an acting Town Clerk rescinded, noting that the Commission failed to execute their mandate and the Council acted in accordance with their needs.

At its March 21, 2018, Statutory Meeting, the Rose Hall Town Council took the decision to hire a temporary Town Clerk to fill the vacancy that existed since October 2017 but the Local Government Commission has since written to the Mayor two times directing that the appointment be rescinded since they acted outside of their mandate.

The LGC, in a statement said it was approached by the Council seeking permission to hire a Town Clerk and in keeping with Section 19 of the Local Government Commission Act agreed to delegate the authority to recruit to the Council.

However, the Commission requires that all Local Government Organs write informing the Commission of such vacancies before engaging in the recruitment procedure (advertising shortlisting and interviewing) and consequent recommendation for appointment by the LGC. The Rose Hall Council was also informed in a letter dated March 21 that the Local Government Organs shall ensure that an officer of the LGC is present during the shortlisting and interviewing process. The officer would be an observer of the procedure and would not offer any advice or suggestion unless so directed by the Local Government Commission.

“The Rose Hall Town Council has clearly acted outside of its remit, and has been instructed by letter from the Commission to rescind the hiring of any person so appointed to fill the vacant position of Town Clerk of that

Electrical wire thief remanded

Eon Paul

E

on Paul was on Friday slapped with a simple larceny charge, which was read to him by Magistrate Leron Daly when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that on April 15, 2018 while in the vicinity if Robb Street, Lacytown, he stole three rolls of electrical wire valued $75,000 property of the Guyana Post Office.

Paul denied the charge and in his defense told the court that he did not steal the wire but had in fact asked for it. He was remanded until May 18.

Rose Hall Mayor, Vijay Kumar Ramoo

municipality, and this vacancy will only be filled upon the consideration and written approval of the Commissioners of the Local Government Commission of Guyana as provided for by law,” the statement concluded.

However, Mayor Ramoo is not conceding, noting that the Counicl acted out of necessity and he is ready to defend the Council’s decision in the court.

“I intend to go to the court and ask if my action was deemed lawful or not in the absence of the Commission and I intend to appeal the decision of the Commission as well… I am advised legally that I did the right thing acting in conformity with the law. I am prepared to go legally and challenge them,” the Mayor said.

Detailing the circumstances that led to the hiring of an acting Town Clerk, the Mayor explained that the position became vacant when Natasha Munroe resigned at the end of October 2017 and the Treasurer was acting but refused that responsibility after a while. He further related that they then advertised the position and received three candidates who were interviewed, and Edward Troy was the most suitable and they then forwarded the recommendation to the LGC on February 12.

One month elapsed, the Council received no correspondence from the LGC, and Ramoo would have contacted

the Commission’s Chairman, Mortimer Mingo a number of times to remind him of the absence of a Town Clerk. The Mayor said on March 21, 2018, prior to the appointment of the Acting Town Clerk, he contacted the LGC once more where he was told that they would have to wait for at least another month for the Secretariat to be set up and for the Commissioners to meet and decide a way forward.

“On the 21st March we appointed the Town Clerk on the necessity of the town business to go on and we acted within our right to do so. We cannot allow the town to run without an administrator and we informed him (Mingo),” Ramoo said.

He noted at this time he is in no position to rescind the appointment since the decision was taken by full Council and would have to be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote.

He said he finds the move, by the LGC, suspicious since it is their fault the town was without a Town Clerk.

16 news

SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt selects consultancy company for India-funded hospitals upgrade

T

he Government has already selected a consultancy company to oversee the multimillion-dollar upgrade of three primary healthcare facilities here, which is being funded by the Indian Government.

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence told Guyana Times that having identified a consultancy firm from a shortlisted pool that was sent, they are now awaiting to hear from the Indian Government.

“We have already done all of that, the shortlisting, and sent it… So presently we are at the stage where we are awaiting the Indian Government’s response in terms of the consultant.

It is in the domain of the High Commissioner now,” Minister Lawrence posited.

Last month, Indian High Commissioner Venkatachalam Mahalingam told reporters the compa-

ny selected by the Guyana Government will undertake the Detail Project Report (DPR) as well as the Project Management Consultancy (PMC).

Back in July last year, Finance Minister Winston Jordan signed the US$17.5 million line of credit (LOC) with the Export/Import (EXIM) Bank of India to refurbish existing facilities and construct new buildings at the Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), the West Demerara Regional Hospital in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and the Bartica District Hospital in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni). The LOC will also be used to procure medical equipment to furnish the new and renovated facilities.

Since the Indian Government is funding the project, it is required that the contracts be awarded to

Health Minister Volda Lawrence

companies from that country.

At the signing, Minister Lawrence had indicated that primary healthcare is the most important level of healthcare. Therefore, she added, it is incumbent on the Ministry to ensure that services including prevention, promotion, rehabilitation

and palliative care are delivered.

The Government wanted to use funds set aside for the controversial Specialty Hospital project for the modernisation of the three primary healthcare institutions.

However, the Indian Government had committed to provide a separate loan to make-over the three hospitals in exchange for the Specialty Hospital project to continue.

But the Specialty Hospital project was never pursued by the Government.

With an US$18 million LOC from the Indian Exim bank, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration was

hoping to create a thriving health tourism industry locally with the construction of a Specialty Hospital.

However, the project quickly found itself in a series of controversy causing the then Government to end a contract with the Indiabased contractor Surendra Engineering in 2014, citing instances of alleged fraud and delays. The Donald Ramotarled regime subsequently filed a lawsuit against the firm for failing to honour its obligations. Guyana is yet to recover close to $1 billion from that company.

While in Opposition, both the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For

Change had strongly opposed the Specialty Hospital project and upon its assumption to office in 2015, the coalition had decided to scrap the project, which had already expended some US$4.2 million on certain preliminary works.

However, after some convincing by the Indian Government, the coalition Administration hesitantly proceeded with the project, handing it over to another India-based contractor Fedders Lloyd to complete using the remaining US$13.8 million. But a few months later, that company was blacklisted by the World Bank until 2020, forcing the project to a standstill once again.

Staged robbery

Mastermind jailed for 2 years

A

keem Goodluck, the accused mastermind behind a staged robbery, has been sentenced to two years in prison by Magistrate Annette Singh.

Goodluck is accused of setting up the staged robbery with Parbattie Batteram, who had been entrusted by her employer, Fazil Amid, with $200,000 to be placed in a bank account.

The Prosecution’s contention is that Goodluck was contacted by Batteram via cellular phone to plan and execute the robbery.

According to the facts presented on April 18, the money was handed over to Batteram, and as Goodluck was about to carry out the robbery, he was apprehended by public spirited-persons and handed over to ranks of

the City Constabulary.

Lance Corporal James Goodman told the court that on the day in question, Batteram was about to enter a minibus on Regent Street, Georgetown when Goodluck snatched her handbag containing the money.

However, charges were not pressed against Batteram.

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SunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Consultation starts for REDD+ GRM mechanism

C

ommunity consultations have begun in Guyana, so as to develop a Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM), which is expected to boost the implementation of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).

The discussions, which were held at Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice); Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini); and Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) will be moved to Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); and Annai and Anna Regina, in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) in the coming months.

At these engagements, the REDD+ stakeholders – which are made up of Indigenous people and residents of forest dependent communities – are assisting with recommendations for a

A discussion involving stakeholders was held in Bartica

REDD+ GRM. This is done by highlighting the existing mechanisms and identifying gaps in these measures, while suggesting ways in which they can be addressed so as to better the functions of the systems. The stakeholders are also being updated on the historical analysis of REDD+ related grievances and existing GRMs. In December 2017, the activities were contracted to a local firm, The

Consultancy Group (TCG), by the Natural Resources Ministry under the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Project (FCPF).

Upon conclusion of the consultancy, the company is expected to develop a national coordinating structure and procedures to receive, process and investigate complaints from affected communities under the REDD+ implementation in Guyana.

The new mechanism will

be based on dialogue and engagement with the people and must be transparent and impartial.

Over the last five years, indication has been shown that the grievances surrounding REDD+ and natural resources management in Guyana are classified into two categories – institution-related grievances and land-related.

Institutional grievances refer to stakeholder concerns about the functioning of specific Government agencies, management and the overall management of natural resources in Guyana.

Land-related grievances involve miners, foresters, farmers and moreover, the

Indigenous communities.

The FCPF Project is ensuring that a GRM is avail-

able from the earliest stages of REDD+ Readiness in Guyana.

Region 3 businesses... from page 12

The event concluded in the evening with a cultural programme, which was attended by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally, as well as the exhibitors and spectators.

Meanwhile, a similar fair was hosted in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) over the weekend.

The two-day expo is being hosted by the Essequibo

Chamber of Commerce (ECC) under the theme “Essequibo means business” and saw over 80 booths also occupied by predominantly local businesses, exhibiting products and services.

This is the region’s way of promoting what it have to offer in the agricultural and commercial sectors, while providing a stage for producers to exhibit their unique creations and skills.

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sunDAY, april 22, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

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guyanatimesGY.com

sunDAY, april 22, 2018

GFF Elite League III…

GDF squeeze past Ann’s Grove O

nly two days of competition remain before the curtains come down on round one of the Guyana Football Federation’s Elite League III, and action is programmed for Wednesday, May 2, at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground. This past Friday, defending champions Guyana Defence Force (GDF) contested the last of the league games for round one against Ann’s Grove, in the feature of a double-header that had the East Bank U-15 GFFScotiabank Academy Training Centre team humble a Lady Jags select side.

Next Saturday, April 28, the National U-17s will battle the Under-20s, while

a President’s XI will take on the Elite League All Stars.

GDF were able to secure a 2-1 come-from-behind win against the league bottom runners, as Maxton Adams drew first blood on the brink of half time.

However, Abunicki Benjamin made his presence felt in the second half with a 56th minute goal to draw scores level.

In the 75th minute, Benjamin was able to put GDF ahead, and keep them in contention to attempt the retention of their title.

Earlier in the night, EDFA U-15 dismantled the Lady Jags 7- 0. The national side was able to keep the improving youngsters at bay for more than

50 percent of the first half, but once Ishmael Palsuram broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute, it was a completely different ball game.

Shoran James scored in the 41st minute to put the U-15s ahead by two-possessions ahead of the second 45 minutes.

Fitness seemed to be the key, as a wilting female side conceded four more goals before the regulation time whistle sounded.

Nikosey Gordon fashioned a second half hattrick to add to the opposition’s misery. He scored in the 73rd, 78th and 81st minutes, while his teammates Devon Padmore (56th) and Kevon Scott (90th) accounted for the other two goals.

sports

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NKBallers trounced their opponents 6 – 1 with a Guinness Goal (two goals) each coming from Kenard Simon and Keon Sears in the 18th and 30th minutes.

The match saw Team 25 snatch the lead as early as the third minute, when Teon Stewart scored; but a ninth minute goal from Donovan Francis and a 12th minute strike from the boot of Jermin Grandison levelled the match, then gave the eventual victors the lead.

Simon’s and Sears’ goals were all the help NK Ballers needed to draw the victory within their grasp.

Assassa Ballers defeated Young Kings 2-1, with Colric Beckles leading the way with a double. He scored in the 5th and 14th minutes to overshadow Shaquille Fraser’s 7th minute goal for Young Kings.

Silver Bullets also defeated High Rollers 2-1.

Omar Williams’s 19th minute Guinness Goal put his side ahead after they led by one when Jonah Simon scored for the opposition in the fourth minute of play.

Goals from Jesse Waldeon (4th) and Ray Richards (15th) took Cherokee Park to a 2-1 win over Big Guns, whose lone goal was scored by Carlos Blackman.

In other two games, Wisroc and Swag Entertainment needled Next Level and Quiet Storm to claim their victories.

Six more matches are scheduled for tonight, April 22, at the Mackenzie Bus Park Tarmac. The fixtures read as follows: Team 25 vs Assassa Ballers at 19:30hrs; Silver Bullets vs Next Level at 20:00hrs; Dave and Celina’s vs Amazings at 20:30hrs.

Cherokee Park vs Quiet

Storm at 21:00hrs High Rollers vs Wisroc at

21:30hrs Amelia’s Ward Russians

vs Hard Knocks at 22:00hrs

22

guyanatimesgy.com

sunDAY, april 22, 2018

GCB/Hand-in-Hand U-19 inter-county…

“Road to Mecca V”…

Essequibo hoping to keep Finalists to be decided tonight stranglehold on Demerara T …as 50-over battles ensue today D

emerara will hope to put aside their massive misfortunes in the three-day encounter and rebound powerfully when the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Hand-in-Hand Insurance Under-19 inter-county 50over competition commences today at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground and the Tuschen ground.

At GCC, the home side will be without marque batsman Bhaskar Yadram, due to what is understood to be his troubling ankle injury. They will still have the likes of Joshua Persaud, Nkosie Beaton, Adrian Hinds and Sagar Hathiramani, who will have to conquer the scare of being bundled out for a paltry 40 by Essequibo a day after being ousted by Berbice for a meagre 50.

Head coach Rohan Sarjoo, in a brief comment on Saturday, expressed optimism. “I think they will pull themselves up and bat better,” he declared.

Impressive Qumar Torrington is back in the squad, and will be the man required to produce some early inroads.

The shorter format suits Essequibo better, as all-rounder Joshua Jones promises to be a threat with his big-hitting ability and menacing medi-

Sachin Singh

um-pace, while Kurt Lovell and Kevin Christian are prepared to use all their wiles to keep the bragging rights over Demerara.

Over at Tuschen, EBE, the Berbice boys, crowned three-day champions on Friday, would want to make a clean sweep of the titles, and starting with a convincing show over the National Select Under-17 Team would be crucial.

Kevlon Anderson, coming off a sublime 120, will again be a key figure in the middle-order, along with Captain Kevin Sinclair. Opening duo of the hard-hitting Alex Algoo and Junior

Sinclair should start the early fireworks, while the bulk of the bowling with come from menacing spinner Kevin Omrao.

As for the U-17s, if Captain Sachin Singh gets going, he can easily decimate the Berbicians with his authoritative stroke-play, while opening partner Mavendra Dindyal looks a class act in the middle.

Yeudistir Persaud and Seon Glasgow are some other names who will be required to step up to the plate; while, with the ball, Sheldon Charles, Nigel Deodat and Sylvian Williams have to strike early.

he Cliff Anderson Sports Hall will tonight come alive with the semifinal playoffs of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation’s (GABF’s) “Road to Mecca V” National Club Championships.

On Friday evening, the same venue bore witness to Ravens, Victory Valley Royals and Kobras securing wins to take them into the semis and join defending champions Bounty Colts.

Half Mile Bulls defeated Canje Knights 54- 49, but it was not enough to get them a place in the playoffs, while Royals steamrolled their way to the next round with a massive 100-59 thrashing of Eagles.

This meant that Colts topped Group One with an unbeaten record thus far, while Ravens came in second, and Kobras finished atop Group Two with Royals as the runner- up.

In the opening game

tonight, Ravens take on Kobras from 19:00 hrs, then Colts will battle Royals in the feature to see who moves onto the finals, set for April 28.

This tournament will see the Champion and second place finisher cart off $600,000 and $400,000 respectively, while the victor of the third place showdown will receive $200,000.

Individual prizes totalling $200,000 will be shared among the MVP; the player scoring the most points, and the player with the most rebounds.

guyanatimesgy.com

sunDAY, april 22, 2018

GMR&SC “King of the Strip” 2

Blazing action expected today at South Dakota

Apart from the cars, motorbike action should bring some thrills

“We are going to remain on top!” – Team Mohamed’s

S

peedsters from Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname have thrown down the gauntlet on Guyana’s premier drag racing group, Team Mohamed’s Enterprise, ahead of Sunday’s “King of the Strip” 2 drag racing meet organised by the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC).

Four cars and two bikes from the twin-island republic will be in contention for top honours, while eight cars from Suriname are intent on making their presence unforgettable.

One of the cars from Trinidad is a rail car owned and piloted by Andy Bissessar, and this purpose-built drag car has the ability to achieve sub 10-second times quite easily. In December 2016, at the Wallerfield Raceway in Trinidad and Tobago, Bissessar rocketed his way to a new track record of 7.29s at 180.57mph!

Team Mohamed’s, known more for action than

talk, told this publication on Saturday through their Principal, Azurddin: “We have two of the best and fastest machines, and we intend on remaining unbeaten at South Dakota. And, most importantly, we intend to give our fans something to remember! Let’s hope the weather stays perfect”.

His confidence stems from Team Mohamed’s owning the unlimited category (7-seconds) as one of their two Nissan GT-Rs has a record time of 7.569s, while their Nismo has a time of 8.906s.

These vehicles have been frequenting the track over the past couple of days, and the mechanical team has been ensuring they are fully prepared for the stern test that awaits.

GMR&SC President Ramez Mohamed has meanwhile explained that all systems are in order, and the track will be ready for increased activity. He also explained that the Trinidadians would have

Pratab muscles his way to powerlifting supremacy A s the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) prepares to head to Mexico in July, top power lifters on Saturday went head to head in an exhibition of muscle and strength.

The three attempt competition featured 16 of Guyana’s most promising power lifters including Colin ‘Mr. Clean’ Chesney and John ‘Big John’ Edwards.

The competition saw participants lifting in excess of 400 pounds in their fight for supremacy.

The scarcely populated female category saw Natoya Robinson and Jackey Toney fighting for the top spot.

In the end, it was Natoya who reigned supreme by recording 75kg wilks. Toney copped second place with 60kg wilks.

In the male category the third and fourth places were taken by Wazim Mohamed and Colin ‘Mr. Clean’

Chesney with wilks of 175kg and 185kg’s respectively.

However, a tie breaker was required to crown the champion of the Saturday’s activities. The tie breaker saw John ‘Big John’ Edwards and Martin Pratab competing in a rep off for the top spot.

It was Pratab who powered his way to victory with a convincing ten 315kg reps whilst Edwards struggled to complete the tenth rep and placed second with nine 315kg reps.

The event came as a fundraiser to accumulate funds and prepare powerlifters for the upcoming North American Power lifting Championship in Mexico from July 31 to August 4.

National Power lifter Orin Alleyne urged patrons to look out for a string of fundraisers as the Federation seeks to send a fifteen member team to the championships.

brought some materials to further bolster the track’s preparation.

The event is sponsored by Tropical Shipping, JAPARTS, Mohamed’s Enterprise and ANSA McAL, BM Soat, TransPacific Motor Sales and Spares, Prem’s Electrical, E-Networks and DEL Ice Co and Crystal Ice House.

Tickets are being sold at $1000 for adults and $500 for children. Action time is 09:00h.

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

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

GMR&SC “King of the Strip” 2

Blazing action expected today at South Dakota

Pg 23

“We are going to remain on top!” – Team Mohamed’s Team Mohamed’s two monstrous GT-Rs will be on the track and rearing to retain their title as the fastest cars in Guyana (Akeem Greene photo)

Pg 21

Pratab muscles his way to powerlifting supremacy

Martin Pratab as he completes his ten 315kg reps

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Feature

I

n Guyana, when the common person hears the term autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) then they are almost immediately puzzled as to what the disease really is or whom it affects. This is so because, as a Guyanese society, we are hesitant to broach the conversation on a commonly misdiagnosed or undiagnosed disorder that affects so many people around us.

The fact remains that the Public Health Ministry, and by extension Government, is doing a poor job at educating the populace about ASD and the only time the conversation begins about the disorder is in April for World Autism Month and it dies on April 30.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are intricate neurological disorders often categorized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours and general communication abilities.

However, persons suffering from ASD are more than likely to be on the higher academic scales but suffer tremendously as it relates to their social skills and those on the opposite end of the ac-

However, using the WHO figure of 1:160 and comparing it to the approximate 773,000 residents in Guyana it would equate to approximately 4,800 persons suffering from ASD. Due to the lack of skilled doctors/pediatricians in Guyana, ASD in quite often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

The WHO says individuals with ASD often pres-

pursued.

Once identified, then it is advised that families seek the relevant information and have services offered to help them address the individual needs of their child. But in Guyana accessing services primarily for ASD victims is one that is not readily available since government institutions offer very limited services and the NGOs are

vider. There are a range or care options and skills training programmes for parents and other caregivers. The most effective is Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), which teaches young people, with autism, the life skills they need and how to tap into their true potential.

Additionally, depending on their needs children who have autism receive a range

ent other co-occurring conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The level of intellectual functioning in individuals with ASDs is extremely variable, extending from profound impairment to superior levels.

Nevertheless, there are some telltale signs that can lead to early detection of ASD in children since they start appearing as early as six months old.

Advocates urge parents to observe their child’s behavioral patterns and looks for signs such as lack of eye contact, social isolation, delayed language development, struggles identifying social cues, constant repetition of same words or phrases, unusual reactions to taste, sound or smells and gets intensely upset by minor changes to their routine or surroundings. Experts have related that the aforementioned signs should be taken seriously and immediate intervention should be

limited in what they can do since most of them depend on funding from donors and in most cases those funding and grants are often minimal.

of therapies which included behavior therapy, speechlanguage therapy, occupational therapy, social skills training and sometimes feeding therapy. However, the training and therapy is not limited to the children rather it incorporates the parents or caregivers since they are the ones who have to understand the person with ASD. In the Guyana context, more needs to be done to raise awareness on something that is so common but yet least understood.

Remember that autist people can do anything a “normal” person could and in most cases, they can do it better. Take an example from singer Susan Boyle; Naturalist, Geologist, Biologist, Charles Darwin; Mathematician and Scientist, Albert Einstein; Mathematician, Astronomer, Physicist Sir Isaac Newton and Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri among a whole host of others. (Lakhram Bhagirat)

Step by Step tutors working with children with ASD

ademic field cannot access education since they cannot speak or even concentrate.

While the causes of the disease have not been isolated, it is widely believed that it stems from a series of genetic and environmental influences. Contrary to the popular myth, there are conclusive data that proves ASD is not remotely related to measles, mumps and rubella vaccines during the early childhood rather the data went as far to deter-

mine that vaccinations, as a whole, does not increase the risk of ASD. Autism, according to the World Health Organization, affects 1 in every 160 children worldwide but sadly for Guyana there are no comparative statistics since autism is only highlighted during the month of April or whenever a Non-Governmental Organization hosts a programme that seeks to bring about awareness.

Statistics

Care

Nevertheless, to access information and services to care for an autistic person one can visit the Step By Step Foundation, the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre or the Sorsha Williams Foundation since those entities are equipped to offer advice and specialized care.

Additionally, one thing the organizations promote is acceptance of autistic persons since there is the stigma attached to persons who not considered “normal” in the traditional sense. More than necessary, persons with ASD often have to endure the abuse at home from siblings who are tired of them getting all the attention and that is coupled with the deprivation of health, education and social opportunities.

Persons suffering from ASD are heavily dependent on their primary care pro-

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Feature

P

rior to September 2011 there were literally no facilities to provide information or management for person dia g n o s e d with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); it was on that note that the Step by Step Foundation was birthed.

Former British High Commissioner to Guyana, Simon Bond and his wife Kay has a son who is autistic and when he was posted here, they were looking for a facility to enroll their son to receive care; however, they could find none. The Diplomat took the decision to convert their garage into a homeschool with three tutors specially trained by US Autism Expert Dr. Jim Ellis. They had three children in their care.

However, Simon’s tour of duty was ending in August of 2011 and wanting to make an impact and raise awareness, Mrs. Simon began to think of ways to tackle autism. This is where the Step

by Step Foundation current Chairman Dr. Suraiya Ismail comes into the picture.

Dr. Ismail, a Public Health Nutritionist by training, was running a Consultancy Firm at the time when one of her staff members sought her assistance after her son was diagnosed with autism. But, despite searching they could not access any organisation that offered care and management for children with autism.

Dr. Ismail says she did some additional digging and came into contact with Mrs. Simon and within hours she was given the responsibility to begin setting up the Foundation. The Step by Step Foundation was regis-

tered under the Friendlies Society Act in 2011 and in September the Step by Step School opened its doors with 5 students and three tutors.

“Over time we have grown but at the time we started we just had these three tutors and five children and we just had enough funding from Digicel

to get us through the first term. It was an act of faith and we didn’t know if we would have been able to carry on after the first term so we started fund raising,” Dr. Ismail reminisced.

During the first term, the Foundation established an Executive Committee and took in an additional three tutors paid for by the Education Ministry.

Now the School, located at Lot 41 Hadfield Street, Georgetown, has 18 students, with 7 tutors with support staff and over 40 children on the school’s waiting list. The Foundation runs the school from fundraising activities and donations from Private Sector organisations.

All of the children, who attend the School, have severe social and communication difficulties and moderate to severe learning difficulties. Many have other associated difficulties, such

as sensory processing issues, challenging behaviour and food intolerances. However, in order for a child to gain entry into the Step by Step Autism School they must be diagnosed with the disorder and be within the age range of 3 – 12.

Additionally, the children must be on the School’s waiting list prior to be admitted. According to Dr. Ismail, once the parents make contact with the School then the Senior Tutor, Anjalena, would make a small video, which would be sent to Consultant Dr. Ellis who analyzes the child’s behaviour and decides whether they could be possible candidates for the school. The child is formally diagnosed when Dr. Ellis visits Guyana, which he does at least four times per year.

One should bear in mind that it may take years before a child is admitted. The other factors also include the space available, since the autism is a spectrum disorder there are children that are lower on the spectrum while others are higher up.

All services offered are free with parents opting to donate cash or time bearing in mind it takes approximately USD$5,000.

The Step by Step School was given a plot of land situation in the Cyril Potter College of Education by the Education Ministry and intends to construct a school to the tune of $97.4 million and is currently raising funds to initiate construction. Once completed, the school will include room for 50 children and 16 staff with additional space for classrooms, workshops, outdoor recreation and vocational area. It is envisioned that the current plan will allow the school to help more children, clear their current waiting list, and serve as a model program for the entire Caribbean region.

Dr. Ellis trains the tutors at the School continuously and have weekly skype engagements to check on the progress of both the tutors and children. Additionally, the Schools two senior tutors are in training to holistically diagnose children suffering from ASDs. The Step by Step School uses the internationally recognized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which targets improved communication, social and behavioral skills

in children diagnosed with ASDs. “Our teaching method requires small groups that are similar in levels of autism because it is a spectrum and you have very mild and very severe so it is not ideal to have a mild case with severe because it would not achieve the desired outcome,” Dr. Ismail said.

Currently, the school has two children who are above the maximum age requirement and is now considering their future. There is no known cause and cure for autism and this serves as a problem with some parents because they expect dramatic improvements when their child gets into the School when there are no such things as dramatic improvements. It takes a lot of time to achieve simple steps for a child and it requires commitment.

In this regard, the school works closely with parents to ensure they understand what is needed for them to properly care for their child.

The Step by Step Foundation relies heavily on sponsorship and fundraising activities to keep their programs and school going.

If you would like to donate to the foundation, their information is as follows:

Swiftcode for those residing abroad – RBGLGYGG Acct# 651 5761 Cheques payable to The Step by Step Foundation can be delivered to 4 Public Road Ogle, East Coast Demerara

Name of Organization – The Step by Step Foundation Bank – Republic Bank Guyana, 38-40 Water Street, Georgetown, Guyana.

US Donors can make donations to ‘Step by Step Foundation’ – 6 Archdale Road, Roslindale, MA 02131

4

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

S

hoaib Khan is nine years old. He is tall and likes to smile a lot but most of all he loves his gadgets. He is a whiz when it comes to memorising passwords, patterns and lock codes, but, Shoaib likes to be alone. He is a special kind; he does not conform to societal norms, not because he does not want to, but because he just cannot. You see the upbeat Shoaib has been diagnosed with moderate to severe autism for the past six years.

Shoaib’s father, Shameer Khan, says his son was born normal but remained that way until he was approaching his third birthday. He began displaying signs con-

Shoaib during a recent visit to the Zoo

sistent

“It takes patience,” says Shoaib’s father with an autistic child but his parents had never heard of Autism Spectrum Disorders

(ASDs) nor was any doctor within the public healthcare system able to properly diagnose him.

As time progressed, Shoaib stopped speaking to his parents and even ceased looking at them when they spoke to him.

Eventually, the situation deteriorated to the extent where Shoaib started to vigorously bite himself whenever he got angry posing as a danger to himself. Concerned for her son’s safety, his other , Faith Khan, took Shoaib to a private hospital where he was formally diagnosed with autism and referred to the Step by Step Foundation.

For the past six years,

Shoaib has been a student at the Step by Step School and according to his father, he has seen tremendous improvements in his son’s condition.

“When he first come here to the school he wasn’t using the toilet and so. He never used to watch you when he talk and he does cry and bite heself up but now he does control heself and I am glad this school is helping he,” Shameer said.

At the Step by Step School Shoaib is being taught basic life skills like how to tie his shoe, eat by himself and dress properly. He would not have acquired these skills had he been undiagnosed or hidden away by his parents in fears of being stigmatised.

Nevertheless, his parents embraced his uniqueness and enrolled him into the Step by Step School, despite the common gossip from members of society.

The Khans have four other children apart from Shoaib and according to them, he has been the centre of their universe, as their youngest child. They praised their other children for being strong enough to support their brother and caring for him even when they were not around.

Presently, Faith resides in the United States with Shoaib’s other siblings and has been actively pushing for him to join her and his other siblings. Faith says it is hard for her to be away from her baby when he needs her, but she remains confident in his father’s abilities to care for him while preparations are in the pipeline to have the two of them move to the US. It is quite rare for a father, especially of a child with high dependency as Shoaib, step up to the plate

Shameer and Shoaib

and take the responsibility to care for that child.

To fully understand the life altering implications of the diagnosis, the Times Sunday Magazine sat down with Shameer.

The first thing Shameer stressed was that it takes patience, and lots of it too, to

Shoaib during a reading lesson at the Step by Step School

live with and care for an autistic child . He however noted that as a parent, he simply could not abandon his responsibility to care for his son. During the initial stages of his diagnosis, Shoaib would throw tantrums and simple changes would upset him to the extent where he would bite himself until it bleeds.

Shameer further added that this behavioral pattern has improved tremendously to the point where Shoaib would accept changes in small doses. He said Shoaib is fun and now learning social skills.

“Before he never used to play with the other children them and so and even until now he don’t go outside off he own and play but if me or somebody else take he outside he will play. Somebody always have to be around he or he would get scared,” Shameer says.

He added that his son would not sleep without him being present and they would spend more of their free time with his tablet exploring the world of the internet or attempting to read a book.

A lot of time is invested into molding him to be somewhat independent and that investment is paying off. Shameer urges parents to be aware and observe their children so that they can catch the signs of autism at an early stage and seek intervention. He also advised that they should be tolerant despite what society thinks because the only thing an autistic child need is unconditional love from the people who are supposed to love them.

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

blue and pledge their support for awareness during April.

In addition to wearing blue, as a sign of solidarity persons would light up their homes, businesses, schools landmarks, social media accounts as well as websites.

On April 2 every year, one

So based on all of those reactions, critics of the Light It Up Blue campaign stresses the need for inclusion and acceptance of autistic persons into the realm of everyday society. They contend that even the autistic adults are discriminated against when it comes

University of Guyana

By Lakhram Bhagirat

N

ot many persons, especially in the Guyanese context, are aware of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) since the education campaign in relation to this disease has been and still is, to some extent, poorly executed. However, with growing advancement into the digital era,

tries are lit blue, marking the start of World Autism Month as well as the Autism Speaks month long LIUBC. There are no particular significance of the colour blue as it relates to autism but the colour is associated with the Autism Speaks Organization.

According to the United States Centre for Disease Control, 1 in 68 children have can expect famous landmarks such as the Niagara Falls in Canada, Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil, the United States White House, the Empire State Building and the Burj Khalifa to be illuminated in blue.

Empire state - New York's most iconic landmark, the Empire State Building saluting the Light It Up Blue Campaign

many Guyanese are becoming more aware of the disease that affects many and is quite often misdiagnosed.

Autism Spectrum Disorders refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences.

Research have proven that there is not one autism but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences.

To place the spotlight on autism, the United Nations sanctioned the month of April as World Autism Awareness with April 2 being World Autism Awareness Day and also coincides with the Light It Up Blue Campaign (LIUBC) which was pioneered by Autism Speaks co-founders Bob and Suzanne Wright.

The aim of the LIUBC is to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism and on this day thousands of landmarks, homes and businesses in more than 150 coun-

PetraPetra, the archaeological site in Jordan’s southwestern desert and one of the 7 Wonders of the World

some form of ASD and living with the disease can be very challenging for families as well as for the victim since they have a tough time adjusting to socially acceptable norms. It is believed that the LIUBC came

LIUBC Controversy However, while many may support the LIUBC there are many parents and family members of persons living with ASD who are totally against the campaign and everything that Autism Speaks is about when it comes to raising awareness.

According to critics placing emphasis on lighting up a site blue or wearing clothing of that nature is not going to bring them any comfort rather they are for “Autism

Niagara falls – Niagara Falls transformed

about as an expression of support to the families caring for autistic children or adults.

Autism Speaks is one of the largest advocacy organizations in the world that focuses on bringing awareness and researching the cause and treatment for ASD and for LIUP they often ask persons to wear

The United States White House illuminated in blue

Acceptance” since generally society does not accept persons suffering from ASD. It is widely reported that person with ASD are more than likely to suffer abuse in the home as well as bullying from the public since they are quite often referred to as “weird” since they are less likely to make eye contact when interacting and more than likely to miss social cues. They are more prone to erratic outbursts irrespective of their location and quite often those outbursts include loud screaming, banging of heads or fists on walls or any surface and in some cases getting physical. It is understood that symptoms of autism are unique to the persons suffering from it, as some are more academically inclined while others may be artsy.

for them to get jobs and access other services.

Blogging her experience as an “autistic, homeschooling, work at home mama”, Kaylene urged readers on her blog-Autistic Mama, not to light it up blue for her son since there are many other ways to help autistic people. She said as an autistic person and mother of an autistic child she finds the

Christ the redeemercolossal statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil paying homage to the Light It Up Blue Campaign

LIUBC frustrating since it is based on harmful stereotypes.

“Did you ever wonder why blue is the color of choice for the autism awareness day?”

“You may have heard that autism is much more likely in boys than girls. This is actually a widely debated statistic that’s come about because the diagnostic criteria used to diagnose autism is written towards boys typical behavior.

Autistic girls often go without diagnosis and when they are diagnosed people tend to ignore their differences and needs. I learned that I’m autistic as an adult, and only because we got the diagnosis for

my son who has more “classic” autism signs. The fact is that girls can be autistic; it isn’t just a “boys disorder”. It isn’t something to be cloaked in blue and stereotyped,” Kaylene wrote as one of her reasons to not support the campaign. While the intention of the LIUBC may have been a good one, it is one that calls into question what has been the impact of the campaign. While, it is acknowledged that it has increased awareness of ASD the question of how it is impacted or changed the lives of persons living with ASD and their families, still remain.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Feature

are flexible for both verbal and non-verbal students.

Upon entering the institution, students are given an evaluation in order to assess their knowledge and pace of learning. At that point, the teachers can then place them in the appropriate grouping or class.

Unlike the school system, where students are placed in a beginning grade and then promoted in accordance with their age; this institution groups students according to their level of

F

ters from the word flower and I put it in front of them and say spell the word flower and they can look at the letters I have and insert it correctly. That’s how we know a child can read,” Teacher Mandy explained.

“Even though they are all autistic they are all different,” one teacher noted.

Hence, they are most time in the habit of creating specialized programs or way of teaching for individual students.

Curriculum

to the Colgrain pool where students are allow to express themselves. Titling the exercise ‘Free expression’, Teacher Candace explained that the water is a great calmer for students, it allows the teachers to see their abilities and talents that they might have.

Patience

One fact that each teacher agreed upon was the need for patience when teaching or caring for Autistic children.

The educators high-

‘Teachers Mandy, Candace and Vanessa pose for a photo with Sorsha Williams’

or the past ten years the Sorsha Williams Foundation has been making great strides towards structuring a more comfortable life for Autistic children in Guyana.

Initially named the Greenheart Autistic School, the institution was founded

by Karen Williams and her husband in order to provide a suitable learning environment for their daughter Sorsha. After moving loca-

tions, the decision was taken some three years ago to rename the private institution after its inspiration Sorsha.

Being the first institution of its kind in Guyana, the Sorsha Williams Foundation caters the specific needs of autistic children; not only teaching them mainstream ‘school work’ but also focusing on manners and general behavior. To gain entry into the school, students would need a referral letter form a

relevant Doctor or Physician stating that they are showing signs of or have Autism.

Teaching methods

It is no secret that autistic children would need a little more care than others, as such, the Foundation aims at making their teaching methods as relatable as possible for their students. All while ensuring that they are taught the same content as others. The foundation also ensures that their methods

‘A series of teaching aids on the walls of the institution’

learning, the groups are totally oblivious to the age of the students. As such, each student is given enough time to learn all that they can before they are promoted to another class.

The school utilises two basic teaching methods; PECS and TEACCH. The Picture Exchange Communication system (PECS), allows for students to learn visually.

This system is used mainly for Autistic students who are not verbal.

“For those who can’t talk, we tell them point to butterfly, you have to call the animal or color or whatever it is and they will identify it once they know it,” Teacher Candy explained. She noted that this method has been extremely effective with the students at the school.

The TEACCH method is also aimed at visual learning and often involves the use of a television, computer or tablet. These devices are used because they also assist in capturing the attention of the students.

Although it may seem like teaching non-verbal students to read would be a challenge, teachers at the school have a special method of identifying whether or not their students can read.

“For example I can put the word flower and I draw a picture of that flower. I then take away some of the let-

Despite having the need to teach in a special way, The Sorsha Williams Foundation seeks to redesign the National school Curriculum to suit their students and teaching methods. General subjects such as Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science are taught to the students.

More specifically, the teachers explained that it is important for their students to be taught areas such as colours of the flag, the President’s, Prime Minister’s, Minister of Education’s name, and community workers.

“Presently I’m working on new idea I got where I’m doing combination Maths, I’m doing multiplication with addition or multiplication with subtraction,” Teacher Mandy stated. This new aspect of their teaching will bring the students so much closer to their counterparts in the National school system.

Teachers disclosed that formulating a curriculum is very tedious as it would need to be captivating in order to suit the short attention span of their students.

Believe it or not, Swimming is a part of the school’s curriculum. Many Autistic students often have sensory issues; the solution for this being water. The school takes a weekly trip

lighted that it is usual for Autistic students to ‘throw tantrums’, most of which you cannot see coming your way. “As a teacher we have to go beyond most educators and we need to be patient” they stated.

Another aspect of their job that all three teachers agreed upon, was the sense of accomplishment that they experience when their students learn something new.

“Just one thing, it could be a word or a color, when they grasp something new it makes you feel very rewarded,” Teacher Vanessa shared.

Importance of having a School

The Guyana Times Sunday Magazine also took the opportunity to speak with Sorsha Williams’ father who had a little to share on the importance of having a school.

“The school structures them,” he stated “It’s important for us to know the behavior from the school and then we can apply the relevant techniques at home.”

Mr. Williams explained that most importantly whenever the children behave out of the norm at home or whenever they throw a tantrum, suggestions that the received from the school would help in how parents go about dealing with a problem.(Jemima Holmes)

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

A

mericans Bob and Suzanne Wright founded Autism Speaks in February 2005 after one of their grandchildren was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disease (ASD), since then the Organization has gone on to raise global awareness and placed the spotlight on an often misdiagnosed illness.

The mission of Autism Speaks is to promote solutions, across the spectrum

cessfully increase global awareness of autism while providing a better understanding of the extensiveness of ASD while advocating for increased research and access to care and support.

Through direct funding and collaboration, Autism Speaks is dedicated to advancing research to find the causes and develop better treatments for ASD and its related conditions. In order to accomplish that goal, the Organization has sent a 10-

Autism Speaks Co-Founders- Autism Speaks CoFounders Bob and Suzanne Wright

and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support. They are also dedicated to increasing the understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions.

The organization was initially started with a US$25 million donation from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus which saw the Autism Coalition for Research and Education (ACRE), the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) and Cure Autism Now (CAN) merging to advance the work of Autism Speaks. Since its establishment, the organization has been able to suc-

year goal plan where they intend to develop a better understanding of the causes and typology of ASD; put systems in place to ensure that children with ASD are diagnosed before they are 2 years old; make access to services and resources readily available after diagnosis; work with families to develop transitional plans for children with ASD so that they can become independent adults; and making sure they have access to lifetime services and interventions.

According to the Organization, they can only achieve those goals through work in the communities and by partnerships with other organizations and governments. They are also cognizant of the fact that in order for them to realize their goals they will have

to grow and build capacity while investing in people, infrastructure and the process to make them the best non-profit organization.

More than 75 percent of every dollar Autism Speaks spends funds programs and services in science, family services, advocacy, and increasing understanding and acceptance. The majority of this funding goes toward science, followed by family services, awareness and advocacy efforts.

Because of the importance of its work Autism Speaks have spearheaded World Autism Day celebrated on April 2, which was sanctioned by the United Nations and is observed globally. Additionally, in 2008 the Wrights found themselves among Time Magazine 100 “Heroes and Pioneers” for their commitment to ASD advocacy.

Initially, the body had been advocating for a cure for ASD but years of scientific research indicates that there is no single cure since autism is a spectrum disorder with many subtypes that affect people very different ways.

Autism Speaks says it is important to understand that every case of ASD is unique and many victims have extraordinary abilities particularly in academics, music and visual skills.

Children with autism tend to wander a lot hence putting them at high risk for injuries and other issues but to address this Autism Speaks have been able to develop special toolkits that provide information for people across the entire autism spectrum and their families throughout each stage of life. Additionally, they have an Autism Response Team available real time support to families and connect them with local resources centres.

Autism Speaks supports everyone affected by autism and recognizes the diverse viewpoints within the community.

“By fostering acceptance and understanding of autism, our goal is for all people on spectrum, no matter how they self-identify, to be appreciated for who they are and for the contributions they can make to society.

That said, many aspects of autism can be significantly debilitating, and that is why efforts to improve and deliver scientific breakthroughs are so important, with the goal of enabling those on the autism spectrum to be the

best they can be – with autism.”

Not only do they talk the talk but they also walk the walk by hiring and having volunteers who have been diagnosed with ASD. Presently two people with ASD serve on the organization’s national Board of Directors while a number of others are employed at various tiers within the body. The persons with ASD are instrumental to the work of the organization since they are at the forefront of raising global understanding and acceptance of people suffering from the disease.

Initially, many

have claimed that vaccinations are inextricably linked to the cause of ASD and for

years, the debate has gone on and is still going on. But, according to Autism Speaks each family’s autism diagnosis is unique and would sometimes correspond with the timing of the child’s vaccination. However, over two decades of extensive research to explicitly determine whether there is a link between childhood vaccinations and autism have proven that there are no links.

Additionally, Autism Speaks said they are opposed to aversion therapy and do not support or endorse organizations that engage in its use as a form of treatment for autism.

8 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Travel and Tourism

Leguan is home to the tallest statue of the Hindu god, Hanuman, in the country.

Journey to "Land of the Iguanas" A picturesque view from the island (Leguan Blog photo)

L

eguan Island is one of the over 300 islands found in the mighty Essequibo River. With 18 square miles in size and a population of approximately 3000 residents, it is but one of the few found in the river's delta, just as it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

First occupied predominantly by the Dutch before Britain took over, the Island’s population currently stands at a proportion of 80% East Indians and 15% of African descent; the remainder is mixed. Just about 30 years ago however, the island had a population of over 8000 with 36 villages but due to continuous migration, some of the villages were abandoned and only about 27 remain to date.

History has it that when the Dutch first settled there, they say such a large amount of iguanas that they decided to name the island Leguan which literally translates to "Land of the Iguanas." Some things don't change, nor has the abundance of iguanas on the island; for they can still be found sometimes on the roads, some as long as 5 feet.

The main economic activity on this peaceful island is agriculture, which first started with the Dutch who used the lands to cultivate cotton. When the cotton industry failed, attention was turned to sugar and when that was phased out, rice cultivation became dominant. Even so, to this day, rice remains the main crop, among others. Residents who do not engage in rice cultivation also take part in cattle-rearing, livestock and cash crops cultivation, as well as the hunting of iguanas which are in abundance on the island, to sustain their livelihoods.

Sure enough there are Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools but if residents want to continue at a tertiary level, they are forced to leave and some choose to stay on the mainland even after.

Leguan is one of the very unique places in Guyana when it comes to security. Thefts and robberies are practically non-existent on the island and many residents sleep with the doors of their homes open. At about 05:00 hrs, residents on the island are in their farms, working until 09:00 hrs before returning home for a rest. At 15:00 hrs they return to the field and work until 18:00hrs. During the downtime, farmers usually meet to socialise under a big tree or in a nearby bar.

While most of the historical buildings on the island have been consumed by the elements, the St. Peter’s Anglican Church still stands but is in need of urgent repairs. Along the beaches and foreshore of the islands, Dutch bottles, seals, coins and other artifacts can be found. Leguan has a police station, a cottage hospital, nursery, primary and secondary schools, a Magistrates court, a guesthouse, a plantain chip factory, rice mills and religious places of worship. It also houses the tallest statue of the Hindu god, Hanuman, in the country.

Quite recently, the delegates of the 2018 Miss Earth Pageant ventured to the fascinating island as part of an Eco Tour. (Guyana Premier )

A view of the stelling where the ferries and speed boats dock

St. Peters Anglican Church

Inside St. Peters Church

The stretch of Beach in Leguan The Leguan stelling

Delegates on Leguan

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APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

9

10 Sunday Times Magazine

APRIL 22, 2018

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APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 11

12 Sunday Times Magazine

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APRIL 22, 2018

Puzzles

ACROSS 1 Waterfall

6 Roman sculpture 10 Wan

15 Biathlon weapon

20 Film director Mervyn - 21 Kind of swing 22 Jostle

23 McEnroe's ex

24 Fire of the mind

25 Psychic -- Cayce 26 Tendon

27 Part of TGIF

28 Lapel adornment

30 They keep nails neat (2 wds.)

32 Gave the slip

33 Robin snacks

35 "Fatha" Hines

36 Russian emperor

39 -- Moines 40 Pigpen

41 Dinner check

42 Sundance Kid's girl

46 Antenna type

47 Joined together

48 Surfing mecca

51 Uses an auger

53 Good disguise 54 Knickknacks

56 Determine, as a ref

57 Byron contemporary 59 Call

61 Magazine stand

62 Golden Fleece thief

63 Eyebrow shapes 64 Unfair 65 Souvenir 67 Empathize

68 URL suffix

69 Geishas' apparel

72 Check-cashing needs 73 Diplomacy

76 Raised a brood

80 Contemptible fellow

81 Quartet minus one

82 "Diamond Lil"

83 Warrior Princess

85 Startled cries

86 Gumshoe, often

88 Sage, in India

92 Opposite of "post-"

93 Ballad writer

94 Major leaguer

95 Sharp turns 96 Playhouse 99 Fuzzier

102 Fit to -- - 103 Knocks for a loop

104 Fixed a squeak

108 Bottomless depth 109 Toboggans

110 Kind of castle 111 Hire

112 Mal de - 113 Caper

115 Arctic floater

116 Balloon filler

117 Boot liner

118 Make a furrow

120 Suffix for "forfeit"

121 "Harper Valley --"

123 Overly glib

124 Passe hair style

125 Comet -- -Bopp 127 Glimmer

129 Least ruddy

131 Spice buy (2 wds.)

135 Changing state

140 Rock tumbler stone

141 Oven gloves

142 More sensible

143 Concrete reinforcer

144 More boorish

145 Jet set

146 -- nous 147 Bellyache

148 Winemaker's need 149 Hinder

150 Poor grades 151 Theme

DOWN

1 Marble block

2 Flying prefix

3 Pakistan language 4 Vandal

5 Alpine region

6 Whodunit musts

7 Strongly advised

8 Disfigure 9 Hurled 10 Maintain

11 1920s dance 12 Whets 13 Constantly

14 Winter fest (2 wds.)

15 Turbine part

16 Take a sniff

17 Have qualms

18 Terra firma

19 Yellowstone sight

21 Awaited action

29 Painter's models

31 Blue ox of legend

34 The Buckeyes' sch.

36 Diving position

37 Feng - 38 Dated hairdo 41 Moppets

43 Low cards

44 Fork feature 45 Mellowed

47 Roused up

48 Give the bum's rush 49 Distant

50 Fox's prey

51 Provides capital

52 Flowery shrub

55 Belief systems

56 Release price

57 -- Abdul-Jabbar

58 Piccadilly statue 60 Beldams

62 Obi-Wan, for one

64 Old-fashioned hat

66 Funhouse feature

67 Small flies

69 Autumn mo.

70 Happy hour site

71 Spud st.

74 Mental pictures 75 Disburse

77

78

79

81

84

87

89

90

91

93

97

98

99

100

101

Unduly Lamb's parent Summer hrs.

Avila saint Important decades PC "brains" Like Montezuma Made tracks Perfume base Prudish person Like some juries Billions of years Shoe part Explorer -- Tasman Pita treat

102 What never to tell (2 wds.)

103 Compass pt.

105 Reindeer herder

106 Mild rejoinder

107 Art style

109 Flowed along

111 Restaurant patron

114 -- and void

115 Moo companion

116 In large supply

119 Yolks' companions

121 Nebraska river 122 Edgier

123 Covers the walls

124 Makes a sound

126 Warn

127 Catch on (2 wds.)

128 Asked for milk

129 Tomato product

130 Snorkel, to Beetle 131 Deviate

132 Feverish chill

133 Goose egg

134 Ill temper

136 Tarzan's transport

137 Sacred bird of the Nile

138 Wine valley 139 Dingy See Solution on Pg 13

Word Search

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- SQUABBLING (SQUABBLING: SKWOB-ling: Noisily quarreling, usually over a trivial matter.)

Average mark 33 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 52 or more words in SQUABBLING? sail sang sign signal sing slab slag slain slang

sling slub slubbing slug sluing slung snag snail snub

snug squab squib subbing suing sung quag quail quasi

ulna using abusing align bail baling bang basil basin

basing bias blab blain bling bluing bulb bung busing

lain lasing ling lung nail gain glib

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

Autism Behavior Brain Brother Connection Diagnosis Eye Contact Feelings Genes

Immune Impact Infants Intervention Language Layer Neuron Noise Overreact

Parent Playground Pregnancy Rocking Sibling Signal Social Spectrum Symptom

Tissue Treatment Traid Vaccine Volume Warning

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

Facebook to follow strict new European privacy law -- everywhere T

he company says it will extend new privacy protections to all users, even those who live outside the EU. Facebook will comply with a tough European data privacy regulation that will kick in next month, the company says, but it will also continue to serve up targeted ads based on user data.

The social network will first roll out changes within Europe and will later extend the same protections to all users worldwide, the company said late Tuesday in a blog post.

Facebook's latest move to tighten privacy follows a month of revelations about the company's activities in recent years that enabled the misuse of personal user data by third parties, including the now-infamous Cambridge Analytica in the 2016 US presidential election. In recent weeks, Facebook updated its data policy, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg issued an apology and testified to Congress about what he acknowl-

edged were the company's failures.

Even without this major scandal, Facebook would have been

obligated to make changes in European Union countries under the upcoming law. Known as the General Data Protection

Regulation (GDPR), the EU law is creating one of the biggest upheavals in online privacy in the still-short history of the internet.

GDPR comes into force on May 25 and will compel companies operating online in Europe to overhaul the way they treat people's personal data.

Companies that don't comply face huge fines.

"As soon as GDPR was finalized, we realized it was an opportunity to invest even more heavily in privacy," Facebook said in its blog post. "We've also sought input from people outside Facebook with different perspectives on privacy, including people who use our services, regulators and government officials, privacy experts, and designers."

Regulators, other internet companies and the wider tech industry have been closely watching Facebook to see how the tech giant, which has long used personal data to target ads at users, will interpret the law.

Starting this week, Facebook

users in Europe will start to see a pop-up asking them to make choices about their privacy and how the platform handles their data. Later, the same options will show up for Facebook users globally. All users will also be asked to agree to Facebook's updated terms of service and data policy.

Included in the choices will be the option to enable facial recognition, a feature that wasn't previously available to Facebook users in the EU and Canada.

Facebook is also building in special protections for teenagers, such as limiting the personal information that advertisers can use to target them and getting rid of the default option for new posts to be set to public. In some countries, parental permission is required under GDPR to allow children to access certain features, which will mean some teenagers may see a restricted version of Facebook until their parents say otherwise. Later this year, the company will introduce a global online resource center specifically for teens with answers to common privacy questions. (CNET)

Microsoft brings its antivirus protection to Google’s Chrome browser M

icrosoft is set to release its Windows Defender antivirus scanner for Google Chrome. The software giant has released a Chrome extension that

Crossword Solution

includes a list of malicious URLs that will be blocked in Chrome. The extension is designed to stop malware being loaded onto PCs from malicious sites, and to prevent phishing emails from being successful.

Google already provides its own protections against malicious links within Chrome, so Microsoft’s addition does seem superfluous.

Microsoft does claim that its Windows Defender protection against phishing is 99 percent efficient, compared to 87 percent and 70 percent for Firefox. So, if you’re particularly concerned about malicious links then this extension will provide an extra safeguard. (The Verge)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

APRIL 22, 2018

Bollywood/Hollywood

Meghan Markle's Wedding on Suits: Read about her TV nuptials and exit I t's finally happening, the most anticipated wedding of 2018 is here. Well, one of the most anticipated weddings of 2018 involving Meghan Markle is here. In the promo below, get a first look at her Suits wedding, the nuptials that begin Markle's swan song on the USA Network legal drama.

"I've wanted to marry you from the second I met you," Mike (Patrick J. Adams) says in the trailer for the Suits season seven two-part finale. "You are the husband I've always wanted," Rachel (Markle) says.

The Suits season finale starts on Wednesday, April 25 at 9 p.m. on USA with "Tiny Violin." The official description: "Harvey and Louis are blindsided by an attack against Specter Litt. Meanwhile, Mike can't turn his back on the clinic when a class action suit overwhelms Nathan and Oliver."

Then in "Good-Bye," "It's all hands on deck as Louis, Donna, and Alex defend the firm, while Harvey aids Jessica on a case. Mike and Rachel juggle their commitments to the firm, the clinic, and each other."

Adams and Markle are both leaving the show after season seven wraps. Markle's other anticipated wedding, the one to Prince Harry, happens on Saturday, May 19.

"From all of us at USA Network and Universal Cable Productions, we want to send

A our most heartfelt congratulations to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on their engagement. Meghan has been a member of our family for seven years and it has been a joy to work with her. We want to thank her for her undeniable passion and dedication to Suits, and we wish her the very best," USA Network and Universal Cable Productions said in a statement. (Glamour)

new trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the sequel to the worldwide blockbuster, Jurassic World, was released online on Wednesday, and unlike the first trailer, which highlighted the epic scale of the movie, this one shines a spotlight on some of the more intimate moments.

The smaller moments happen between characters - for example, there are several back-and-forths between Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard’s characters - but

there are also several teases of the film’s horror elements.

Directed by JA Bayona, who has previously directed the Spanish horror film, The Orphanage and the disaster movie, The Impossible, Fallen Kingdom seems like a hybrid between the two.

This new trailer offers glimpses at a couple of lowkey horror scenes - one inside a truck with a sedated dinosaur, and another in which a belligerent dinosaur attacks a sleeping child.

We already saw the ‘end’

of the park in the previous trailer, which told us that a volcanic eruption had claimed the lives of much of its reptilian inhabitants, but this one takes us beyond that.

After attempting to save a few species of dinosaurs, Owen Grady realises that he has been duped by a corporate villain, played by Rafe Spall. Once again, genetics and genetic engineering is involved, which prompts Jeff Goldblum’s Dr Ian Malcolm to make a long-awaited return to the franchise to offer words of warning. Goldblum played prominent roles in the first two Jurassic Park movies, directed by Steven Spielberg.

Jurassic World 3 will welcome original director Colin Trevorrow back into the fold he co-wrote the script for this one. Also starring BD Wong, Justice Smith and James Cromwell, Fallen Kingdom is scheduled for a June 22 release. (Hindustan Times)

Most talked about biopics you just cannot miss

T

hough the Amrita Pritam biopic has been delayed for the longest of time but if things fall into place and the rumours turn out to be true,

Will Alia Bhatt and Abhishek Bachchan star in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Amrita Pritam biopic?

we may get to watch the never seen before pairing of the ‘Highway’ girl Alia Bhatt and ‘Guru’ Abhishek Bachchan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next based on the life of poet Sahir Ludhianvi and his companion Amrita Pritam. According to reports, Bhansali has already confirmed Junior Bachchan and finds Alia the best suited for the role of the leading lady. He is reportedly of the opinion that the actress is the most appropriate choice to play Amrita Pritam as she exudes poise and confidence of a certain kind. Meanwhile, Alia is looking forward to the release of her film ‘Raazi’ whereas Abhishek has just wrapped up the shooting of ‘Manmarziyaan’.

Anil Kapoor and son Harshvardhan Kapoor will soon be collaborating on the big screen for the Abhinav Bindra biopic. While Harshvardhan will play the ace Indian shooter in the film, Anil will be seen playing his on-screen father.

Harshvardhan has been putting a lot of efforts for the biopic. He has been training hard to get in proper shape and now reports suggest that he will be prepping jointly with his dad for the same.

A source to a daily confirmed that Harsh and Anil will leave for Chandigarh (Bindra’s hometown) after the release of Harshvardhan's next film 'Bhavesh Joshi'. The source further added that the Kapoors have freed their calendar from July to October to do an extensive research for the biopic. The father and the son duo will also meet Bindra and his family to understand their nuances and will try to incorporate that in their performances. The biopic is set to hit the screens next year.

Anupam Kher on Thursday took to Twitter and shared a few stills from his upcoming film, 'The Accidental Prime Minister', based on the book by Sanjaya Baru of the same name. The film, which features Kher in the lead role, traces the making and unmaking of the former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh.

The actor's tweet read, "Happy to share my first look of #DrManmohanSingh, India’s Former Prime Minister from the movie #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister directed

by #VijayRatnakarGutte & produced by #BohraBrothers. Creative producer is @ mehtahansal. Film is based on #SanjayBaru’s book with the same title. " Ever since the first poster of the movie released a few months ago, the striking resemblance between the veteran actor and the former PM has become a talking point and these new stills just prove them right. Directed by debutant Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, along with Hansal Mehta as the creative producer, the film also features Akshaye Khanna in a pivotal role.

Ankita Lokhande is all set to make her Bollywood debut with the Kangana Ranaut starrer 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi'. She is essaying the role of Jhalkari Bai who was a close guard to Rani Laxmibai. Recently, at an event, she apparently revealed the release date of historical drama.

After biopic on cricketers MS Dhoni and Mohammad Azharuddin, Bollywood is all geared up for Kapil Dev’s life story in Kabir Khan’s ‘’83’ starring Ranveer Singh. Meanwhile, there is one more whose life story would make for a great biopic and he is none other than Virat Kohli. When asked about it at a recent event, Virat reportedly said that he doesn’t think there would be a biopic made on him. He just thinks it would be just a real account of what his life has been like.

Speaking about his choice of actors to play the role, he added that although there are many talented actors out there, he reportedly feels that his biopic is not on the cards now and that new talented actors will come along and that he might fit the role perfectly. But that is still very far away.

Shah Rukh Khan is currently busy with Aanand L Rai's 'Zero'. According to a report, the actor has allegedly given his nod for Rakesh Sharma's biopic 'Salute'. After few meetings with the makers, SRK has given his dates for the film, which will reportedly go on floors in September. Shah Rukh will reportedly be filming from September to November and take a break for the promotions of 'Zero' in December. He will resume the shoot in January 2019. (TOI)

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APRIL 22, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

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APRIL 22, 2018

Fun Times

Archie

Don't jump to conclusions or act out of desperation.

(March 21- Emotions will fester, causing April 19) a run-in that can damage your relationship with someone special. Say less and do more.

ARIES

Put a little elbow grease TAURUS into fixing up your place and (April 20- preparing for activities you May 20) want to host. A family gathering will bring greater insight into how loved ones are doing.

Emotions will turn out to

GEMINI be costly if you act impatient(MAY 28- ly when it comes to legal or fiJune 20) nancial matters. Don't make

decisions about your health, wealth or legal matters without doing the proper research.

Attend a cultural event or visit a destination that offers (June 21- something unique. Love and July 22) romance are on the rise and will improve your life. Enjoy connecting with an old friend or crush.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Sit tight, regardless of what others do. The changes going on around you aren't likely to end up as well as someone suggests. Don't get involved in a risky venture.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Don't follow the crowd or jump into a joint venture that someone hypes. A temperate approach to whatever you pursue will save you from loss and disappointment.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Communicate with someone you know you can count on for support. Discussing your ideas and plans will help you iron out any problem areas before you begin.

Don't get involved in someSCORPIO thing without knowing the (Oct. 24risks. Use your intelligence to Nov. 22)

Peanuts

outsmart anyone trying to separate you from your cash. Trust in yourself.

You'll have better control SAGITTARIUS of your emotions and finances (Nov. 23if you are straightforward and Dec. 21) make your position clear. Be willing to meet halfway to cut your losses.

Calvin and Hobbes

If you share your feelings CAPRICORN with someone special, you'll be (Dec. 22- able to settle any differences Jan. 19) you face. Plan to do something that will bring you closer and encourage romance.

Don't let the choices of AQUARIUS others tempt you. Avoid peo(Jan. 20- ple who are indulgent or Feb. 19) tend to be poor influences.

Make a point to take better care of your health.

PISCES Emotional ups and downs (Feb. 20- are best put to rest quickly.

Mar. 20) You should be concentrating on children, older relatives or a loved one. Plan something special that you can do together.