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Guyanese sugar workers brace for tough times ISSUE NO. 345

WEEK ENDING may 14, 2017

See stories on pages 8,11 & 16

…as Coalition Govt marks two years in office

Guyana, U.S. sign MOU to support youth empowerment

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Turkeyen, Tain talks reinforce need for training in emerging oil, gas sector

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Oil and Gas Attorney, Kiran Mattai

Guyana’s Finance Minister Winston Jordan and United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Mission Director for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Christopher Cushing after the signing of the MOU that formalised their mutual commitment to support the empowerment of Guyanese youth under USAID’s new Youth Empowerment Services (YES) program.

Trump’s border wall funding law could create problems for Guyana, wider Caribbean …if successfully passed

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Trump’s border wall funding law could create problems for Guyana, wider Caribbean …if successfully passed

BY SAMUEL SUKHNANDAN

G

uyanese dependent on foreign financial support have reasons to fear that the United States (US) congress may make an amendment to the US Electronic Fund Transfer Act to impose a fee for remittance transfers to certain foreign countries, South of the US, including Guyana.

The bill, which is titled Border Wall Funding Act of 2017 (HR 1813), has already been introduced in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Mike Rogers, of Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District.

In introducing the Bill on March 30, 2017, Rogers claimed that remittances are normally used by illegal immigrants to move money from the US to their home countries.

In order to put a restriction on this, Rogers said the Bill will seek to allow for a two per cent fee charged on individuals sending money to recipients in 42 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In providing his interpretation of the issue, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey told Guyana Times International during an interview, that if successful, the Bill will cause severe problems not only in Guyana, but the wider Caribbean and Latin American region.

“In the case of Guyana, we can lose somewhere between G$25-40 million and that’s a lot of money for a small country for ours,” Dr Jeffrey stated, explaining that regardless of the circumstances, people will find other means by which to send finances to their home country.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey

The former Minister pointed out; however, that there are mechanisms in which the matter could be discussed with the US before any such laws are passed.

Dr Jeffrey made reference to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Trade and Investment Agreement with the US, explaining that through that agreement, the Caribbean has been recognised as small and vulnerable economies, and the need for the Region to be given special treatment is reinforced.

He suggested that

Caricom member states, including Guyana, use that mechanism to address the issue before it comes into effect. But if that doesn’t bear fruit, Dr Jeffrey said Guyana also has the advantage of joining the wider region to advance its interest and ensure that its concerns are heard.

“I have had a look at the statements made by Caricom, but they are all generalised statements where it says, it will have a Region-wide stance on the issue,” he added.

While recognising that this Bill has the potential to cause Guyana to lose investment, Dr Jeffrey told this newspaper it is a “complicated matter” which should be looked at and addressed collectively.

While Government has not made any statements on the issue nor provided an analysis of the possible impact it might have

on the country’s economy, Dr Jeffrey is urging the Government to work to ensure that they do. He thinks also that Guyana should press for activation of the Caricom council and work within it.

Different perspective This publication also spoke with a Guyana-born financial analyst who had a different opinion on the issue. Sasenarine Singh claimed that the tax will ensure that millennial who are now having better jobs than their parents, will divert their money away from the remittance trade into “actual bricks and mortar investments in the Guyanese Diaspora.”

According to Singh, the proposed tax will make the decision easier for those in the Diaspora who do not want to work in the black market, to not send money to Guyana.

“The United States

where the biggest Guyanese Diaspora communities reside, is still recovering from the economic slump, although 2017 will be a good year for the US economy. So the Guyanese community who has delayed investments in the new cars and new houses are making that investment in larger numbers in 2017, leaving less for the relatives in their motherland,” he added.

Besides these issues, hundreds of Guyanese still depend on remittances for their upkeep.

Remittances contributed to 11.2 per cent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product in 2016, a decline from 14 per cent in 2015. This was a result mainly because net current transfers decreased by 23.1 per cent or US$95 million over 2016 reflected a drastic reduction of workers remittance from continued on page 5

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EDITORIAL

The French Government T

he French presidential elections last week grabbed world attention primarily because it was seen as a sign of how extensive the move towards “populism” – read “right wing” sentiment –was in Europe, after the Brexit vote in Britain and the election of Donald Trump in the US. Now that Emmanuel Macron’s one-year-old En Marche!

Party has defeated Marine Le Pen of the National Front (FN), the analysts will be generally consumed by the implications for EU unity and the terms of Britain’s exit as well as the facticity of Le Pen securing one-third of the French electorate’s support. The issues of immigration and European “identity” will not go away.

But for Guyanese, there is another element in the French elections that should be of interest – the structure of their government. Launched in 1958 by their towering – literally and figuratively – – President Charles de Gaulle, it has been defined as a “semi-presidential” system, in which there is a President in addition to a Prime Minister and a Cabinet, but with the former elected separately. This is a classification under which our system of governance also falls, but with some noteworthy differences.

Our system is rather unique, but is most like the “PresidentParliamentary” system where the President appoints the Prime Minister and the Cabinet and the latter two can be removed at will by the former. Our President secures his post when his party obtains a majority or plurality – at the polls. France, on the other hand, has the “Premier-Presidential system” in which the Prime Minister and Cabinet are exclusively accountable to Parliament.

The President, who is elected in a separate election as in the one just won by Macron, chooses the Prime Minister and Cabinet, but only the Parliament may remove them from office with a vote of no confidence. The President does not have the right to dismiss the Prime Minister or the Cabinet.

In the Premier-Presidential system, which is in place in several other countries, such as Sri Lanka and Finland, when the President and his Prime Minister and Cabinet are from the same party, the system in effect works very similar to the President-Parliamentary system like ours. The President allocates as much power as he feels comfortable with to the Prime Minister.

However, if the President’s party does not have a majority in Parliament and the Prime Minister is from another party – as occurred in France in the 1980s, a system of “cohabitation” falls into place. The President is now possessed of specific defined state powers and the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament, is in charge of the other functions of Government. During “cohabitation” in France, by convention, the President is in charge of foreign affairs and defence policy. In Finland, their Constitution explicitly allocates Foreign Policy to their President.

For many analysts, when the Cummingsburg Accord was negotiated between the AFC and APNU before the elections, it was assumed that the AFC-origin Prime Minister by being allowed to “chair” Cabinet and be responsible for domestic affairs would in effect function as in the French Premier-Presidential system.

The subsequent “explanation” by President David Granger that this agreement could not be implemented, because there was “no constitutional stipulation” flies in the face of the French experience, that works very well by convention. In Guyana, before the 1992 elections, Dr Cheddi Jagan had suggested that the French semi-presidential model might be suitable for Guyana with its divided polity and the need for a sharing of powers between the major parties.

In the coming months, elections for representatives to the French Parliament will be contested by all parties including the Socialists and the Republicans, which were the major parties before Macron launched his En Marche!! It is very likely that the Prime Minister might come from one of those parties and the “balance of powers” under the “cohabitation” doctrine will be tested. Guyana should follow closely.

A group performing a dance item as part of Social Cohesion Day Observances hosted on Thursday by the Ministry of Social Cohesion. The event was held at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown under the theme ‘Beauty in Diversity, Celebrating Guyana’. Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton presented the Strategic Plan to Prime Minister & First Vice President; Moses Nagamootoo.

NCDs: A major threat to national development

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ccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), of all the major health threats that have emerged over the years, “none has challenged the very foundations of public health so profoundly as the rise of chronic NonCommunicable Diseases”. Caused by poor lifestyle choices, such as tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, NCDs have resulted in large numbers of young people dying. A significant number have also fallen ill and, therefore, cannot contribute to their families or the development of their communities in any way.

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, once linked only to affluent societies, have affected, and continue to affect, every country in the world – with the poor suffering the most owing to the lack of proper medical care and access to drugs, etc.

At the turn of the century, chronic NCDs were not widely recognised as a barrier to development and were not included in the Millennium Development Goals. In terms of gaining attention and financial support, these diseases were overshadowed by the devastating epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and the large number of maternal and childhood deaths.

As stated by the WHO, much of its work in the earliest years of the decade involved collecting the data and making the arguments that would elevate NCDs on the global health and development agendas. On their part, countries – especially those with emerging economies – used the WHO STEPwise approach to gather standardised data on the true burden of these diseases. Those efforts culminated in 2011 when the United Nations General Assembly held a high-level meeting on NCDs and adopted a far-reaching Political Declaration. The Political Declaration acknowledged that the threat of NCDs constitutes one of the major challenges for development in the 21st Century, undermining social and economic progress throughout the world.

In 2013, the World Health Assembly adopt-

ed a comprehensive global monitoring framework for NCDs, with nine voluntary targets and 25 indicators. The Health Assembly also approved the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2013– 2020, which provided a roadmap and menu of options for taking coordinated and coherent action to attain the targets.

In Guyana, NCDs are taking a huge chunk of the budgetary allocation to the Public Health Ministry. According to official figures, currently, about 70 per cent of the Ministry’s budget is being spent on tackling NCDs. From all indications, the Chronic Disease Unit (CDU), which has been established to tackle NCDs, has been doing a commendable job so far; but, certainly, there is need for efforts to be stepped up in certain areas. For example, there can never be enough education and public affairs programmes geared at reminding persons of the need to make positive lifestyle choices such as eating healthy, exercising daily, avoiding abuse of alcohol, and staying away from tobacco use. There is still a great deal of ignorance in the public about NCDs and how persons can avoid being affected; hence, messages should be carefully designed to address same using the relevant channels.

Additionally, we have always stressed the need for more collaborative efforts among all stakeholders, including support from Private sector bodies, to tackle NCDs, since all of them are affected as a result of loss of labour force, etc. It could be recalled that the Public Health Ministry, late last year, had met with members of the Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness, and a Memorandum of Understanding was developed. The idea behind the initiative was to get the Private Sector more involved in the efforts, especially as they relate to funding critical programmes aimed at tackling NCDs. It was hoped that such funding will cover support groups, training, screening, and purchasing of gym materials to allow for more physical activities in workplaces, etc. The entities had also agreed to enforce no-smoking policies in their work environment. This was a good start and should be replicated among other agencies covering a range of areas aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles in every community.

Discussions surrounding NCDs should constantly be kept on the national development agenda where serious efforts are made at all levels to reduce the large numbers of persons suffering or facing death. We cannot afford to treat chronic NCDs lightly.

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Cutlass-wielding bandit caught after robbing neighbour

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olice in Berbice were able to catch a known criminal who led them into a swamp after he went into his neighbour’s house and robbed her of cash and jewellery using a cutlass.

The incident took place about 08:00h on Monday at Lot 126 Lord Street, Fort Ordinance, Canje, Berbice.

According to Lalita Kellawan, 55, she was in the kitchen of her home when her neighbour came through the door brandishing a cutlass.

She said the man grabbed her and choked her.

At the time, her 90-year-old mother was in a wheelchair outside the house.

“Me see this person – me neighbour, me know he does thief, but ah never thought he would ah do something so close. He just walk in with a cutlass and he vice me with the same hand with the cutlass.”

He threw the woman onto a bed while still holding her throat and demanded cash and other valuables. She was then taken to the upper flat where she

Lalita Kellawan

handed him a quantity of foreign currency, including US$90 and $4000 in local currency, along with a cellular phone.

Kellawan related that the jewellery was worth G$190,000 and the cellular phone, G$7000.

Police later arrested Clifton Ramsarran, known as “Witch”, who was recently released from prison for larceny.

According to reports, the man was in the vicinity of the Berbice Bridge when a patrol approached. He then exited the car in which he was travelling and headed into the bushes. He was soon after apprehended.

The stolen items were recovered.

He is expected to be charged shortly.

Trump’s Border... abroad into Guyana.

Guyana is just a drop in the global remittance trade which in 2016 was pegged at US$441,000 million; Guyana received in 2016 only US$320 mil-

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lion of that amount.

The largest destination for remittances from the US is Mexico, which Pew Research estimates was equal to US$24 billion in 2015.

Guyana, U.S. sign MOU to support youth empowerment G uyanese youth who are at risk of involvement in crime and violence will receive greater support and more opportunities for alternative pathways thanks to a recent recommitment made by the Governments of Guyana and the United States.

C h r i s t o p h e r Cushing, the Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Mission Director for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, and Winston Jordan, Guyana’s Minister of Finance, on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that formalised their mutual commitment to support the empowerment of Guyanese youth under USAID’s new Youth Empowerment Services (YES) program. The MOU will govern the implementation of the US$64 million fouryear initiative.

According to a US Embassy statement

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

released earlier today, as part of the U.S. Government’s larger goal of supporting a safer and more prosperous Caribbean Community, the YES program focuses on reducing youth involvement in crime and violence in targeted communities in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, with a

particular focus on Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia.

In collaboration with regional bodies, national governments, and community stakeholders, the USAID program will strengthen protective factors that build youth resilience, while reducing those that influ-

ence youth in becoming perpetrators of crime and violence or presents risks to them being victims. It will also foster broader community engagement and positive youth development, and will increase services to respond to a variety of social development needs.

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5 ‘Advisors’ for Guyana’s Wismar Massacre to be Attorney General may commemorated in NYC be a world record

Dear Editor, Every person who has ever served in the office of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs must have felt a profound sense of flattery when they learnt that the current holder of the office was gifted three (3) retired Judges — one from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), one from the Court of Appeal of Guyana, and one from the High Court of Guyana — along with two (2) law professors, each possessing a doctorate in law, to assist him in the discharge of the functions of that office.

I doubt that I can be contradicted in my assertion that this is a world record.

I was particularly touched because I held this office in my thirties, serving a minority Government which presented me with new, unique and unprecedented legal challenges. Conscious of the risk of being accused of blowing my own trumpet, from all objective indicators, I acquitted myself well, if not with distinction. I did it “my way” and without a constellation of highly decorated help, but only with the hard working staff at the Chambers. The only extra authorized cost incurred by the State at my behest was a few thousand Guyana dollars per month as subscriptions fees for professional law reports.

For that I was criminally charged!

It is common knowledge that, under our constitutional structure, ministers hold office at the pleasure and confidence of the President. In my view, the appointment of these highly decorated personnel by the President to assist the Attorney General in the discharge of his official duties is a most diplomatic expression of no confidence in this minister as there can ever be. It is obvious

that the President feels constrained to act in any other manner in relation to the Chairman of his political party.

Notwithstanding, any self-respecting professional placed in such precarious conundrum as this minister should do nothing less than tender his resignation in dignity.

I was accused of all manner of things by all manner of people, especially on social media, for requesting the State to continue to pay my subscriptions for the now infamous law reports. The sum of money which the State is alleged to have contributed to those subscriptions is just over two million Guyana dollars, in three years. Let us now examine the cost that this Attorney General would impose monthly on the backs of taxpayers for the services of these five advisors, retained obviously because of manifest incompetence.

Having regard to the calibre of the persons retained, I surmise that their remuneration package will include a salary of no less than G$750,000 (net) per month, light, telephone, internet and a driver (at a minimum) to be paid for, and salary for at least two support staff each.

I now wait to hear from all those who spoke on my issue as protectors of taxpayers’ money. I expect them, in their condemnation, to ask of President Granger this fundamental question: “Would it not be in the best interest of the nation, and save taxpayers millions, to appoint a competent person to serve in the position of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs instead?”

Sincerely, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP

Hamilton Green and his pension Dear Editor, Reading the recent article in the newspapers about ‘Hamilton Green on his pension’, I first discounted it as the utterances of a mentally confused octogenarian. But then when I read the feature ‘History will not be kind to Hamilton Green’, I felt the need to add my ‘two bits’.

Mr Green speaks glibly about a period of drought for himself and his family of almost 25 years, referring to the period from 1992 when he was ousted from the position of Prime Minister due to his party’s loss at the elections.

What drought is he talking about? He seems to think that people are unaware of the facts.

Since becoming Mayor in 1994, Mr Green has lived a Cadillac lifestyle, one which no other mayor in the world gets, but one that is more akin to the standard of serving heads of state and government, even though the Council always claimed to be cash-strapped.

Does Mr Green consider as austere all the bodyguards and security at his residence? His gardeners, cooks, chauffeurs, handymen and large administrative staff? Does he consider jetting first class to the farthest corners of the world frequently for 21 years as drought? Does he consider being provided with all-expenses-paid vehicles just being buoyant? Surely, he could not be serious. And all of this munificence was not provided by his wife, children, and many kind friends, as he is seeking to imply; but by the poor ratepayers of Georgetown.

And then he comes to the point of persons being crudely removed from office. But we need not go far back; let us

look at his recent sojourn at the Central Housing & Planning Authority, which resulted in the departure of the CEO and so many other officials from that entity.

And let us look at his days at the Council, where he got rid of two female Town Clerks, an Engineer, and so many others.

Will the President, due to his wisdom and sense of justice, give them and their spouses the ‘fair deal’ that he has given to Green and his family? If indeed his wife was made to suffer because of politics, then she should be given some recompense; but so, too, should those who suffered under Green’s hand.

Mr Green talks about his finally being given a liveable pension, but what about the thousands of other pensioners? Don’t they deserve a liveable pension also, or do they need to be loyal party hacks to even get a fraction of the nearly 2 million a month that he is getting? Will they ever get a pension at 7/8 of the current salaries of their successors in whichever position they held?

And then he goes on to sing his favourite tune — and that is to blame the PPP for all of his misfortunes. Should he not blame his party instead, for removing him from parliament in 1992 and thus disqualifying him from a parliamentary pension?

All in all, now that Mr Green is in the departure lounge, I hope he donates most of his super pension to charity, and to the families that he wronged or destroyed as a sort of reimbursement for his misdeeds.

Sincerely, Jason Howard

Dear Editor The 100th A n n i v e r s a r y Foundation, NY, a NGO, has issued a release saying it will commemorate the 1964 Wismar Massacre at a special Remembrance ceremony in Richmond Hill on Friday evening, May 26.

The NGO said that May 26th should not be a day for only celebrations. It noted that during May 1964, some 3000 Indo Guyanese were victims of a massacre in Wismar. It is known as the WISMAR MASSACRE OF INDIANS. This year marks the 53rd anniversary of that PNC preplanned annihilation of Indians.

The independent media described the 1964 Wismar Massacre as “an orchestrated orgy of violence against peaceful Indians”. It was known by police as the Terrorist Group's X13 Plan.

The 26th May attack at Wismar left an indelible scar on Guyanese who witnessed or experienced it; it remains a trauma to those who are still alive. It affected all Guyanese. Thus, it cannot be a day for celebration by anyone, and even much less so

by Guyanese in the diaspora.

Guyanese must embrace history and be willing to learn from its varied lessons. The 100th Anniversary

Foundation, NY, notes that “we fully understand that we cannot separate ourselves from our history no more than can we separate ourselves from our shadow”. And as such, it is commemorating the sacrifices and contributions that those victims have made towards Guyanese society.

A Remembrance ceremony is planned for this May 26 from 7 to 10 PM at 110-17 101 Ave to pay tribute to the victims of the Wismar Massacre and to hear from some of the victims who are still alive.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

A wonderful opportunity to be magnanimous has slipped by Dear Editor, In my role as an ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’, I am involved in issues that trouble the “least among us”. I work with ex-offenders, recovering addicts, and the street people; and if there is one thing I find severely lacking in Guyana, it is the availability of mentors.

If our chronic and precipitous brain drain has done anything, it has robbed Guyana of a pool of role models and mentors, increasingly among men and boys. Therefore, whenever an occasion arises, and purely by evolutionary default, those in need of guidance look to their leaders. They look to pastors, priests, imams, doctors, lawyers and, yes, politicians.

Every year (in Guyana alone), some 400,000 citizens show up at the polls to vote for the same politicians. And whenever those politicians show up at schools, churches, and other private and public places, it is observed that they receive the finest and most cordial of treatment. So, in the recesses of the minds of those seeking for role models, there must be some exemplary qualities resident in the political fraternity.

I respected Mr Burnham. I liked to listen to him speak. I admired how he behaved as if the wealth of Guyana belonged to Guyanese. But I never liked him. I lived on Laing Avenue, and I could remember as a little boy how on Sundays he would ride his big white horse as his helpers handed out cassava sticks, pigeon peas seeds, cutlasses, forks and the like. Those used to be grand occasions for us little ghetto children.

However, one of the reasons I never liked him was because of how I saw him treat women. He was loose in his interactions with them. In my little mind, he behaved disrespectfully.

And after all these years, I am unable to shake that negative image of him. Of course there are other things that I encountered with him that have also helped to shape a less than favourable image of him in my mind.

I loved President Desmond Hoyte.

I was fortunate to work a brief stint for him during the 1997 campaign. I was stationed at the Congress Place at Sophia, and worked in the public relations department. Mr Hoyte conducted himself professionally at all times.

And after all these years, I am unable to shake that positive image of him.

And that brings me back to the fray of the saga between Justice Franklin Holder and Attorney General Basil Williams. Many children at the primary and high school levels are listening and looking at how this story has descended into a blame game between two grown public figures. Parents and teachers are talking about it and taking sides. Relatives and friends are defining the battle lines, and the children are watching and listening.

Mr Williams continues to say that he did nothing wrong nor unusual in that courtroom. The Judge is maintaining that he (the Judge) was disrespected. However, the Judge did not do what most Judges do when they feel disrespected in their courtrooms. He refused, and still continues to refuse, to hold the AG in contempt of court.

Therefore, the least the goodly Attorney General could have done, as an overture, was to apologise. Such an apology would have been used by teachers and parents, family and friends to show that civility exists, even at the highest levels of our judicial and governmental systems.

The AG would have moved up a notch in the estimation of some of his detractors. The Judge would have accepted the apology, and might have even had occasion to favour him.

Now the moment has been lost.

The AG has stonewalled and refused to apologise. The Judge has recused himself. A wonderful opportunity to be magnanimous has slipped by. A ‘teaching moment’ on public display has been lost; and a rare opportunity to be some young child’s role model has been squandered.

Maybe some public figures do not understand the weight of their office; not only professionally but socially. So let’s hope that the new Judge does not come to this case haunted by the memories of some void of a role model. Let’s also hope that the new judge is not perturbed by the realities of this case. For if either of those possibilities informs the emotions of the new Justice, the AG might well find that he would have lost corn and husk.

Sincerely, Pastor W P Jeffrey Practical Christianity Ministries

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WEEK ENDING MAY 14, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

CCJ orders Guyana to refund Turkeyen, Tain talks reinforce need for training $$$ in Environmental tax

in emerging oil, gas sector

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he Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that Guyana refund Trinidad-based beverage company, SM Jaleel (SMJ) and its subsidiary in Guyana, Environmental Tax imposed between 2011 and 2015 which can amount to millions of dollars.

CCJ President, Sir Dennis Byron on Tuesday ruled that the taxes levied during this period are in violation of the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) Single Market and Economy rules.

In handing down the ruling, Sir Dennis Byron stated that Guyana has been clearly unjustly “enriched” at the expense of SMJ and GBI (Guyana Beverages Inc), having collected an unlawful tax directly from them in clear breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Additionally, Guyana will also have to pay an aggregate sum paid by the company to the Government in

Environmental Tax from March 7, 2011 to August 7, 2015 together with interest at four per cent per annum from the date of judgement.

According to Sir Byron, the Environmental Tax did not promote cross-border trade but tended to frustrate free movement of goods, distorted competition and discriminated against the companies which should have been protected as belonging to the Community.

Additionally, Guyana will have to pay 70 per cent of the cost of the court proceedings.

The company had sought to have a refund calculated from January

1, 2006 but a five-year limitation period for settlement of cases was pointed out in the ruling.

“The court holds that a five-year limitation period is appropriate and will protect States from stale claims in respect of which there would be inherent difficulties in trying to produce documentary or oral evidence.

It will, above all, encourage claimants to file suit in a timely fashion,” Sir Byron said in handing down the ruling.

Guyana’s legal team was headed by Attorney General Basil Williams, while SM Jaleel was represented by Attorney Hans Lim-A-Po of Suriname.

Sovereignty belongs to the people, not State – NTC Vice Chair

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top official of the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC) has sought to correct recent assertions by African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) Executive Eric Phillips that sovereignty belonged to the State and not to individual groups.

NTC Vice Chairman Lennox Shuman expressed his disagreement with that statement, during an interview with this publication on Tuesday. He noted that Guyanese, as the electorate, held sovereignty in their hands.

“As it relates to sovereignty, sovereignty belongs in all the people of Guyana. But while we must understand that while we say one people, one nation, one destiny, yes, we are one people as in a holistic one country.”

In expounding on land titling, he noted that the fact remained that Guyana still was composed of six races. And within one race, the Indigenous people, there are nine divisions of people or groups.

So, he urged that these considerations be taken into context.

“And when we look at the land issue and the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry as we have seen, the CoI was actually one of the outputs of the Guyana-Norway agreements. And it doesn’t say the Administration that is current or past; it says the Government of

Chairman of the National Toshaos' Council Joel Fredericks and Vice Chair Lennox Shuman on their way to Parliament on Monday

Guyana.”

“Now what they want to do is use that commission to address something that is different or outside the mandate or intent of that commission. And what they are trying to do is lump it right in with (something else). And it is those two fundamental things that need to be separated in this whole issue.”

In a missive to the media, Phillips noted that fears of Amerindians losing their land was also a false claim, as the Amerindian Act of 2006 provides Amerindians with 13.8 per cent of land in Guyana.

Phillips said there were many more important reasons why the Land CoI was very critical to all Guyanese. He explained that sovereignty belonged to the State, and not to individual groups.

“Sovereignty belongs to the State and not to individual groups. If there was an invasion onto or into Wai Wai lands, it is the Government of Guyana that would have

to defend Guyana’s sovereignty,” Phillips had said.

Since the announcement of the CoI, the Opposition has thrown its support behind the NTC, which remains opposed to Government establishing the inquiry into matters related to land, including titling.

The NTC had called for the establishment of two separate entities to deal with the two different issues as it voiced its refusal to cooperate with the current lands CoI. It also complained of a “severe” lack of consultations on the matter – an assertion which President David Granger has denied.

Other organisations, including the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples, The Amerindian Action Movement, South Central Peoples Development Association, and the National Amerindian Development Foundation, have all protested the merging of the two issues under one blanket CoI.

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he University of Guyana’s Turkeyen and Tain Talks held its seventh meeting in New Amsterdam, Berbice on Wednesday, on Guyana’s emerging oil and gas economy.

Present at the talks were Director of the University of Guyana, Berbice Campus and Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman among others.

According to GINA, Minister Trotman told the students and other persons gathered for the Turkeyen and Tain talks that the potential they have heard that Guyana has is real. The Minister noted that the oil which was discovered in 2015 is estimated to have a minimum of 800 million barrels and a maximum of 1.4 billion barrels of oil.

Minister Trotman also made those gathered aware that in addition to the first discovery of oil, there have been two more which may not be as large as the first, but are considered to have a

significant amount of oil. Production of the oil is expected to begin in 2020

by ExxonMobil, Hess Corporation and Nexen companies.

Strengthening legal framework

Minister Trotman noted that with the discovery of such a large quantity of oil and gas, the government thought it necessary to strengthen its legal framework. The Minister pointed out that unless there are systems in place, Guyana would not be in a position to handle production and benefits of oil production. Hence, Minister Trotman noted that the government has begun the process of reviewing Guyana’s Petroleum Act of 1986 which he said is quite dated.

Minister Trotman also pointed out that in addition to reviewing the Petroleum Act; the government is creating new laws. Two new laws have already been created, he said. This includes the Sovereign Wealth Fund which is with the Minister of Finance, and the Petroleum Commission Bill continued on page 10

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Union calls for parliamentary debate on sugar industry’s ‘White Paper’

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erming the Government’s decision to close more sugar estates as “ill-considered and a major blunder,” the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Tuesday called for the ‘White Paper’ on the sugar industry to be urgently debated in the National Assembly.

GAWU said in a statement that the new policy, if implemented, could harm hundreds of workers and their families, arguing that consultations with those directly involved with the industry was not done in good faith and none of the recommendations were taken on board.

“Our Union calls on the Administration and the sugar company (GuySuCo) to undo all steps taken or halt those that are about to be taken in implementing the direction for the industry as outlined in the ‘state paper,’ the statement said.

GAWU also took umbrage with Government for not taking on board any of its recommendations that were presented in a 12-page paper, which was shared with them in February this year. The Union claims the suggestions offered the industry a good possibility to overcome its challenges and remain sustainable.

“The paper does very little to quell our strong and significant concerns about the plans for sugar which we have registered with the Government and have shared publicly as well,” referring to the ‘White Paper’ that was laid in the National Assembly on Monday.

The Union also condemned the Government’s proposal to close the Enmore and Rose Hall estates, and replace their operations with non-sugar ventures.

“As Wales’ experience has shown us nothing is being done in this direction but hundreds are left high and dry without a clue of what their tomorrow will bring. We ask again how any Government can bring itself to condemn thousands of its people to such misery and hardship?”

However, while the Government has revealed plans to retain as many workers as possible following the clo-

T&T murder victim was a Hindu priest and millionaire businessman …who loved designer clothes and gold

GAWU President Komal Chand

sure of these estates, and the sellout of Skeldon Factory, the Union said Government must remain cognisant of the fact that GuySuCo is the country’s single largest employer.

“This is a fact that should not be lost in the debates and discussions that will ensue. We wonder given an environment of reducing job opportunities and increasing unemployment how ‘prudent’ are the thoughts contained in the paper presented,” the statement added.

Holding Government to its word to demonstrate prudent management of public resources, GAWU said this recent policy decision taken in the sugar industry reflects an “imprudent decision.”

“We see the plans for sugar exacerbating the already trying social situation in our country. The problems that will be spawned from the ideas contained in the sugar paper will require large sums from the Treasury to address and remedy and seems to be most imprudent,” the Union said on Tuesday.

While admitting that there was a 14 per cent decline in land productivity and a 10 per cent decline in factory productivity, GAWU said it is “disheartening” that Government cannot come to grips with the challenges in the industry, claiming that the Administration lacks the will to make practical changes.

M

urder victim Darren Dinanath was a Hindu pundit and millionaire businessman who had a penchant for designer clothing and jewellery.

His body was discovered on Monday night, with his throat slit, in one of his homes at Clifford Street, Curepe.

Killed: Darren Dinanath.

Source: Facebook

Police said the body was found in a ransacked bedroom.

Robbery is the suspected motive.

Dinanath’s black BMW, parked on the street outside the apartment, was untouched.

He was the owner of a building in Curepe which housed Asylum club and D Place Restaurant and

Bar on Southern Main Road.

Police said that Dinanth also owned a home in Chaguanas, and was originally from Dam Road, Point Fortin.

The Express was told that Dinanath was married and a father of two.

A relative said that Dinanath spent Sunday with his family in Point Fortin and had cooked a meal for them.

He attended a baby shower in Arima later that night, the Express was told by a friend who wished to remain anonymous.

The source also said that Dinanath recently underwent surgery and was just getting back on his feet.

An autopsy was expected to be performed on his body at the Forensic Sciences Centre, St James, on Tuesday.

(Trinidad Express)

Two jointly charged with murder of Covent Garden teen

T

Dead: Brian Yearwood

Shannon Cox

wo prime suspects in the fatal stabbing of Covent Garden teen Brian Charles Yearwood were on Monday morning hauled before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a joint charge of murder.

The charge stated that Shannon Cox, 20, and Andy Damel Peters, 17, unlawfully murdered the 16-year -old on April 29, 2017 at Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

It was previously reported that Yearwood was fatally stabbed in the chest, in the compound of the Covent Garden Nursery School, during a concert hosted by the school.

His grieving mother related that at the time of the incident, her son was sitting on a bench

with a few others when a group of older boys started to tease them.

She said the boys with whom Brian was sitting subsequently got up and moved away, but he remained.

The perpetrators, upon seeing him alone, approached him and began mocking him and allegedly attacking him with bottles, after which the teen ran seeking protection in the direction of some teachers.

Yearwood was followed and stabbed in the presence of the teachers. One of the suspects reportedly plunged into his chest and then pulled it out.

The injured boy began to run, and collapsed a short distance away.

Initial Police reports had disclosed that a policeman in the area immediately responded to

Andy Damel Peters

the incident, and with the assistance of other persons, rushed Yearwood to the Diamond hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Investigators later arrested the two suspects, and the murder weapon was reportedly recovered at the home of one of the individuals. Yearwood was a former Central High School student, who was only transferred to the Covent Garden Secondary September last.

The unrepresented pair were not required to plead to the indictable charge and were ordered to undergo counselling by a Probation Officer.

They are expected to make their next court appearance on May 22, 2017 and will remain incarcerated until then.

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Opposition MP asks for ‘full NEW GPC sets the record disclosure’ on blacklisted persons straight on pharma supply ised crimes under the Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act but many are of the view that the entity is now tasked with conducting political witch-hunting exercises.

The most recent is its investigation and subsequent charges against Nandlall just days after the substantive Attorney General, Basil Williams

SOCU Headquarters

O

pposition Member of Parliament (MP), Bishop Juan Edghill wants full disclosure on the persons who have been blacklisted from leaving the country by the controversial Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

With much concern, Edghill wrote the Chief Immigration Officer on May 9, 2017, acting under the provisions of the Access to Information Act of 2011, for details on the identity of the individuals who were reported as being blacklisted from departing the jurisdiction.

According to reports, SOCU has blacklisted over 200 individuals from leaving the country in light of its investigations stemming from some 19 forensic audit reports submitted by Government.

Reports in another section of the media indicate a “Government source” disclosed that restrictions on travel were instituted to ensure persons who are fingered in acts of wrongdoings remain in the country to answer to the allegations.

Some of the high profile persons under the entity’s radar are former President Bharrat Jagdeo; former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall; former Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon; among a slew of other former Government officials.

Time and again, the parliamentary Opposition has raised concerns about the operations of SOCU – particularly its deviation from its mandate and its perceived political motives.

SOCU was established to probe organ-

threatened to have him arrested.

The question of SOCU’s new role came under scrutiny following the death of three persons, including two civilians and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank, after the Army officer was involved in highspeed chase against the family members of former MP, Charles Ramon Jr.

…after alleged confession

T

had harmed herself.

As such, they rushed her to the Skeldon Hospital where she was treated and subsequently discharged. The wound was approximately one inch in depth.

On Sunday, Charlie went back to the hospital and indicated to doctors that she was not feeling well and they reportedly checked her wound, provided her with medication and sent her home.

However, on Monday night, relatives found the woman dead in her home. They had alleged that the woman died from internal bleeding and blamed the medical officials at the hospital for not treating the woman’s condition appropriately.

Police had taken the woman’s husband into custody to verify whether it was indeed a suicide attempt that led to Charlie’s death. After being interrogated by officers the man reportedly

said it was prepared to furnish copies of delivery notes and invoices to Parliament, which show the batch number and expiry date for each and every line item supplied.

“It should be noted that recording expiry dates and batch numbers on delivery documentation is standard practice for traceability of the products,” NEW GPC stated.

The company further explained that under the current delivery system, the NEW GPC was required to furnish a delivery notification showing

to “under-deliver G$381 million”.

The company expanded that from the G$146,046,657 in contracts, G$140,055,325 was delivered.

“The Hospital refused to take the outstanding balance of G$5,991,332 initially because of claimed “stocktaking”.

They subsequently alleged that the time for delivery had elapsed when it was clearly not NEW GPC’s fault,” the company said.

The manufacturing firm said the Georgetown Hospital later accept-

Opposition MP, Bishop Juan Edghill

Corentyne man to be charged for wife’s murder

he husband of the Corentyne woman, who had claimed she stabbed herself last Saturday and subsequently died on Monday, is expected to be charged for her murder soon, according to police sources.

Based on reports reaching this publication, the man confessed to murdering his wife on Wednesday while in the presence of police investigators.

It was previously reported that 55-yearold Chanmoney Charlie called “Pilo” had told her relatives and doctors at the Skeldon Hospital that she inflicted a stab wound to herself following an argument with her husband on Saturday night, regarding her drinking habits.

Charlie is said to be an alcoholic.

It was reported that after being stabbed, the woman ran over to her relatives’ home and informed them that she

T

he NEW GPC has refuted the new flurry of lies generated by Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence regarding the supply of drugs to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

In reference to a Stabroek News article published on May 9 captioned “G$1.3B spent on drugs for GPHC in first two months of 2017”, NEW GPC said the statements attributed to Lawrence during her presentation in the National Assembly on May 8 were erroneous

confessed to stabbing his wife.

NEW GPC INC’s Lot A1 Farm, East Bank Demerara head office

and false.

In fact, the NEW GPC is calling on the authorities to engage in more principled ways to defend the record of the health sector rather than seeking to tarnish the reputation of the most advanced pharmaceutical company in Guyana and the Caribbean.

According to a statement from the manufacturing firm, it has never, under any circumstances, delivered expired or “nearly expired” goods to the Georgetown Hospital or the Public Health Ministry.

With regard to the Georgetown Hospital contracts, the company

all pending deliveries, including expiry dates and batch numbers, several days prior to actual delivery.

“This is to enable the Hospital staff to scrutinise same and plan for space to accommodate delivered items, etc,” the firm explained.

Regarding the alleged “non-delivery” of G$381 million in products, the NEW GPC said such an allegation was “outrageous”.

It explained that it received only G$146,046,657 ($146 million) in contracts from the Hospital in 2016, so it was not mathematically possible for it

ed delivery on one of the same items it had earlier refused on a purchase order.

It further noted that all contracts for earlier years have been fulfilled 100 per cent.

Moreover, the company also highlighted that it has not received any business from its bids despite participating in several public tenders.

“The last public tender/bid was submitted on February 14, 2017 and nearly three months later it is still being “evaluated” by the Tender Board while the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation has continued on page 10

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Family of 4-year-old accident victim hoping to meet with Opposition Leader

T

he grandmother of four-year-old Ramkarran Mohan who was almost two months ago killed by an errant driver has announced that she, along with his parents and other family members, will be seeking an audience with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

According to the woman, Bibi Nazoom Khan, in an effort to get justice for Mohan, the family will appeal to the Opposition Leader to look into the issue as “it has been too long now”.

“No one contacted us for months now; we are not hearing anything and I need someone to look into this matter. I don’t care how far I have to go to get justice,” Khan related.

Currently, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered a further inquest into the matter to determine whether the female driver should be held liable.

However, Khan said that this was frustrating her family members, especially the parents of Mohan, since they were told by their lawyer that nothing could be done until the DPP made a decision.

Four-year-old Ramkarran Mohan

The grandmother also revealed that information reaching her family indicated that the aunt of the driver who struck the lad was allegedly a Magistrate.

As such, she stated: “These people have position, so we have to look for other alternatives to get justice for our baby.”

It was also disclosed to this publication that presently, the husband of the female driver has allegedly been sending threats to the family.

They also claimed that the driver was back on the road, adding that she now drove a new tinted vehicle.

Khan disclosed that they would be launching protest actions based on the response they received from the Commander, to seek an audience with the

Opposition Leader.

Mohan, called “Ram”, of Lot 1088 Tuschen New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), died at the West Demerara Regional Hospital after he was struck and dragged under a moving car, a short distance from his house.

On the day of the accident, the child was walking with his uncle and brother after purchasing a ball when he was struck.

Reports are that the driver continued driving after hitting the child, and it was only after the teenaged uncle of the boy ran in front of her vehicle did she stop.

The child was picked up and rushed to the Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem examination conducted on his body revealed that his death was as a result of a fractured skull and brain damage. Following his demise, the female driver, whose father is reportedly a presidential guard, was released on self-bail, and she has since been seen in the area.

The family had launched a protest calling for justice to be served for Mohan, but is still awaiting such.

Turkeyen, Tain talks reinforce...

from page 7

which was recently read for the first time in the National Assembly.

Kiran Mattai, Oil and Gas Attorney stressed the importance of having the necessary laws in place that relate to the oil and gas sector. According to Mattai, with Guyana being an emerging economy and oil and gas economy, it needs to be able to appreciate the ownership of its resources while encouraging international relationships.

Legal training she said “must account for the host country discovering the oil and the company exploring for oil.”

She highlighted, “For legal training, the lesson in preparing for oil and gas is recognising that oil and gas is only a piece of the puzzle; there must be complementary interdependence to achieve sustainability.”

Training

According to GINA, Professor and Director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology, Suresh Narine stressed the importance of training. He noted that while training may take five to seven years, with Guyana expecting

to receive oil by 2020, it is something that must be pursued.

According to Professor Narine, nothing is wrong in accepting that Guyana has poorly trained business people, engineers and scientists. In order to fully benefit from the wealth expected to come, Guyanese have to divorce themselves from thinking that all roads to success are paved with intentions on oil and gas.

“We have to ourselves, begin to train our students, advice our children, create our businesses in ways that look at those other sectors of the economy,” Narine explained.

However, Dr. Narine pointed out that there is (the) need for effective policies that will give the necessary guidance. He stated that, “without policy that allows the oil revenue to be channelled in an equitable, thoughtful fashion, the capital to ensure that those sectors of our economy which are more sustainable than oil is created, is not going to be wisely spent.”

Privy Council clears way for citizens to challenge actions of T&T President, Parliament (Trinidad Express)

F

ormer Head of the Public Service, Reginald Dumas, said yesterday he was pleased “for the citizens of the country” that the Privy Council has handed down a ruling which clears the way for any citizen who is “serious about things” to challenge the actions of the President and the Parliament if they believed those actions to be unconstitutional.

The Judicial Committee of the

Privy Council yesterday upheld Dumas’s right as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, “concerned with good governance”, to seek an interpretation of the Constitution from the High Court in the public interest on whether the President erred in the nomination and the Parliament in the confirmation of the nomination of former members of the Police Service Commission of Roamar Achat-Saney and Dr James Armstrong.

Opposition to Govt: Come clean on drug purchases

T

he Opposition P e o p l e ’ s Progressive Party (PPP) has expressed disappointment over Monday’s sitting and the fact that after bringing questions to the House on drug procurement, they are still left with more questions than answers.

During a press conference, Opposition Member of Parliament, Juan Edghill decried the answers given by the subject Ministers to the PPP’s questions.

According to Edghill, the answers skirted some of the specifics he had sought.

“I had placed four questions to the House, particularly to deal with drugs and medical supplies. Three of those questions went to the Minister of Public Health (Volda Lawrence) and one went to the Minister of Communities (Ronald Bulkan).”

“The answers provided by both Ministers sought to obfuscate and hide information. Lots of the questions were not answered and even when answers were provided, the state of affairs as it relates to drugs and medical supplies were not clarified.”

Reports from the IFMAS, he said provides no information as it relates to the answers sought. “Because an IFMAS report will simply tell you on the free balance system of the Ministry of Finance (what) money was budgeted, spent and (how) much remains unallocated.”

According to Edghill, the party had asked questions like the name of each supplier, the date of the awards were given and for what amount.

He said that these questions were not satisfac-

Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan

torily answered.

“We want to know if it’s January 13, February 22, April 9, which contractor and how much money was the award,” the former Junior Finance Minister stressed.

Some of the questions posed to Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, included what the amount expended for drugs and medical supplies for her Ministry and specifically the Georgetown Public Hospital, between January 1, 2016 and February 28, 2017.

In addition, she had been asked what percentage of the 2016 budgetary allocations for drugs and medical supplies was expended by December 31, 2016.

Edghill had also said that the Party wanted to know if any monies were unspent and returned to the Consolidated Fund and how much was returned.

The questions also sought to uncover the reasons for the underperformance in the procurement of drugs and medical supplies for the public health system.

But in its responses, the Government had admitted to not publicly tendering for close to two billion dollars in medical supplies over the past year.

“But having had all

Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence

the running around and fancy explanations, it is clear that the Ministry of Public Health, the Georgetown Public Hospital and the Ministry of Communities have expended, collectively, more than G$4 billion of which no proper procurement process was used.”

He noted that in the answers given, the Ministry acknowledged not tendering for drugs since July 2016. Within that time, Edghill said, some G$2.7 billion has been expended on drugs and medical supplies.

The questions had been tabled by Edghill and PPP Chief Whip Gail Teixeira. According to Teixeira, at a press conference back in March, she had stated that the Opposition was not satisfied with the answers given by the Public Health Minister on the recent emergency procurement for the GPHC. This is a reference to the attempt to award a G$605 million drug procurement contract to Trinidad Company ANSA McCAL. There has been widespread condemnation for the move, which has resulted in unprecedented scrutiny for the Public Health Ministry and drug procurement in general.

NEW GPC sets the record...

from page 9

now revealed they have already spent G$1.3 billion in procuring medical supplies,” it stated.

According to the company, “it is now obvious that the tender process is just a smokescreen and the Hospital has already frittered away its budget by secretly gifting G$1.3 billion in business to their preferred supplier, all neatly solesourced and contrary to the public tender procedures.” In relation to the Georgetown Hospital being out of insulin, the NEW GPC said it had the product in stock and had

notified the Hospital, but yet it has not requested a quotation.

“Insulin is used by diabetic patients and it is such a critical cold chain item that it really should never be out of stock…

This goes to show that the Hospital management is willing to risk the health and lives of patients just to justify its sole sourcing from a specific company,” the NEW GPC pointed out.

Furthermore, the company reiterated that it had supplied Soda Lime to another (private) hospital, which had no

issues with the product, as was claimed by the Georgetown Hospital.

The NEW GPC said it has also tested the paracetamol tablets and found no issues as was reported by the Hospital directly to the certain media houses with a known bias against the company.

“NEW GPC is now clearly being targeted,” the company expressed.

Meanwhile, it also noted that it was still owed in excess of millions for various goods and services supplied to the Government.

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Guyanese sugar workers brace for tough times …as Coalition Govt marks two years in office

By Shemuel Fanfair

E

ven as the APNU/ AFC Coalition Government is marking two years since gaining political office, Guyanese sugar workers are bracing themselves for tough times as the Administration has announced plans to close more estates, leaving hundreds of workers and their families on the breadline.

Sugar workers attached to the Enmore Estate have registered their distress for the financial challenges that they stand to face in the coming months.

On Tuesday, Guyana Times International met with a group of community members at a small market at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (ECD), who highlighted their worry over the entity’s closure.

In fact, a few sellers in the area noted that community members have already begun to reduce their spending, which is having early far-reaching effects to them. This scenario mirrors that of Wales, West Bank Demerara last year when residents there had also reduced their purchasing of goods upon the announcement that the Wales Sugar Estate would shut down.

Speaking with this publication, Rampersaud

“Tolly” has four children attending school

Prashad, the Estate’s Field Secretary, noted that he built his home from his earnings as a cane cutter.

He has worked with the Estate for 33 years.

“Everybody was sad, hearing about closure; everybody depend on sugar, from Ogle to Cane Grove.

We have 2300 persons working at East Demerara Estate (Enmore). When the Estate closes, where [can] people get jobs – families are going to break up; market people will not get sales; a lot of people at the Estate owe mortgage,” highlighted the Estate’s Field Secretary.

“This announcement which Agriculture Minister Noel Holder made is not a wise decision. I think he should pack up and go, and the President needs to intervene in this matter,” Prashad further stressed.

Fellow worker and fa-

ther of two, Mayaram Sundar also noted the hardships his family would face. The harvester, who has been employed for 19 years, told this newspaper that without a job, his son’s education may be held up if he could not find the means to support him. He also suggested that severance pay was a temporary benefit.

“If you say you will pay severance, how long will the severance last?”

Sundar stressed.

“Tolly”, a greens and provisions vendor and mother of six, stressed that she was already facing challenges. She stated that four of her children were in school, with a daughter writing her CXC exam and a son writing his in 2018, months after the Estate will close.

“I have six children to maintain and [buying and selling greens] is the only thing I does do here. I got children going to school; books very expensive and passage for them to go to school, so I would like if the Estate could not close down,” she appealed.

“I got bills to pay and the things not selling, because the Estate closing…people stop buying, since Saturday the stand is there…if the estate close, the [workers] can’t buy, so we [wouldn’t] have

Romel Putulall

no income to come from here… [Minister Holder] shouldn’t close down the Estate ‘cause it’s a lot of workers who’re supporting we out here,” “Tolly” posited.”

Nandanie Deosurran, another vendor, called on the President to look into her plight, saying that the Estate should not be closed.

Speaking on behalf of young people in the community, a self-identified youth leader in Enterprise and a union secretary, Romel Putulall, also noted the hardships which would befall wide cross-sections of residents in various communities in the Estate’s environs.

“We got workers from Victoria, Bachelor’s Adventure; Golden Grove workers; Plaisance workers will be affected, BV workers and other AfroGuyanese communities

where workers are from, so if the Government and other people feel it’s victimising Indian people, it’s not that,” Putulall claimed.

“We need to oppose the closure of Enmore Estate; sugar has a future…I think President Granger, who some say is a good man…should look back at his Ministers and think about removing them, because they are the ones who will make him fall and right now in terms of sugar, Minister [Noel] Holder [should be removed],” expressed Putulall.

He also noted that many young persons who were not fortunate to garner an education were able to gain employment from the Estate.

“If you close the Estate, where would you put these young people who have no education and no other sort of job training,” he said.

He further highlighted that the majority of workers at the Estate were above the age of 45 and suggested that they would find great difficulty in altering the course of their employment.

“What would happen to the minibus men, the school sellers, DVD and greens sellers…every single thing will be affected in our community?” he questioned.

Much akin to the

Rampersaud Prashad

events leading up to the end of sugar operations at Wales last year, a number of activities have been planned to voice opposition against Enmore’s closure.

These include vigils, afternoon marches, and public meetings.

Closure

The announcement of closure was made by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder on Monday when he presented the white paper on the future of the industry to Parliament. Holder told the National Assembly by the end of 2017, the Corporation will have three estates: Blairmont on the West Bank Berbice, Albion-Rose Hall in East Berbice and the UitvlugtWales estate in West Demerara. “…the Enmore Factory will be closed at the end of 2017 when all cane would be harvested.

The East Coast Estates would be earmarked for diversification,” the Minister had stated.

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Citizens demand right to peaceful protest

Protestors representing three separate causes on Monday took to the streets to protest: the state of sugar in Guyana, the imposition of VAT on education and the ban on used tyres as parliamentarians met in the National Assembly

P

rotestors representing three separate causes are now questioning the true meaning of democracy – as are some Parliamentarians – after the Police imposed restrictions on their picketing exercise on Monday.

Stakeholders against the closure of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) estates, those against the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) on private education, and those against the ban on used tyres, turned up to stage

a peaceful picketing exercise directly outside of Parliament Building – in clear view of the sitting Members of Parliament – but were prohibited from so doing.

Instead, they were made to remain behind the barricades erected at

the eastern and western ends of the Parliament Square, even though they were not noisy.

Consequently, in their bid to get the attention of Government ministers

to their concerns, they had to resort to waving the placards they were carrying.

Dr Frank Anthony, a Member of Parliament (MP) for over ten years, said he had never previously witnessed a situation in which disgruntled taxpayers were banned from protesting outside of Parliament Building.

“It is the first time that I am seeing that people are not allowed to come out and do a peaceful picketing… These people are here to get the Government’s attention, and they are being prevented from doing peaceful protests to bring this to the Government’s attention. I think something is really wrong with our democracy,” he declared.

Positing that the people have a right to have their voices heard, Dr Anthony has sympathised with the people for the way they have been treated.

He was one of a number of Opposition MPs who came out from Parliament Buildings to join the protestors.

Motivated, some bold protestors forced their way through the barricades and joined their representatives, to walk in circles outside of Parliament. And in an attempt to control the situation, police succeeded in pushing only three protestors back behind the barricades.

Jonathan Yearwood – a student protesting the education tax – could not believe his eyes, as he also questioned whether or not he was living in a democratic nation.

“We, the people who would like to protest things happening in our country, have not been allowed to come directly in front of Parliament.

We’ve been banished to the western end of Parliament, where we can’t see any of the Parliamentarians driving in. They are ‘winded’ up in their tinted glass vehicles; they pretend

not to see you, you can’t get close to them. Is this the kind of democracy we asked for? We should be able to be in touch with our Parliamentarians whenever there is Parliament,” he vented.

Yearwood said the protesters received a phone call from the police on Monday, notifying that the planned protest had not been given police permission.

“Since when do we need Police permission to protest in front of Parliament on the day the Parliament is taking place? They said we are free to protest any other day, but not on the day Parliament is taking place. How stupid is that?”

“Why would we come and protest an empty building, when nobody is inside there?

We need to protest when the Parliament is going on, when the Parliamentarians are here, so they could come and see what we are protesting about. This is absolutely ridiculous from our Government, who is saying that they are going to be free and fair and that everybody is supposed to have a good life. Well, this is certainly not it,” the protestor said.

Protests

Persons have vented their frustrations at decisions made by this Government seemingly without any consultations with the industry players. As was ventilated previously, stakeholders in the used tyre industry want Government to reverse its decision to ban the used product.

Sugar workers and other concerned stakeholders have also protested Government’s decisions regarding this industry, particularly its decision to close the various estates. And although represented by a few persons, stakeholders have again called for the removal of VAT on private education.

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Ramkarran says trade Canada cautions citizens unionism needs to modernise about travel to Guyana

…along with the changing dynamics in Guyana

Incumbent GPSU President, Patrick Yarde

I

n wake of a very contentious elections campaign for the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) presidency, the obvious lack of youth and modernity reflected by the leadership was on full display. The elderly incumbent president has, after all, been in that seat for 30 years.

Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, has noted in his most recent column that the GPSU needs to modernise along with the changing dynamics in Guyana.

According to Ramkarran, it is not just the GPSU which could do with a revamp, but trade unionism in its entirety in Guyana.

“Trade unionism in Guyana needs a dose of modernisation and a reorientation of both its goals and methods.

Without a growing economy, workers’ rights and benefits cannot expand and be defended. Only new and modern leadership can raise the game of the trade union movement,” he explained.

He noted that the three large unions: the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), and the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), all have leaders who have been entrenched in office for thirty years or more.

The Trades Union Congress, he noted, also has Lincoln Lewis as its longstanding General Secretary.

Acknowledging that these leaders cannot be faulted for their commitment to trade unionism, workers’ rights, and members’ wel-

fare, Ramkarran noted that except for GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine, there were few persons of a younger generation in leadership positions in these unions.

Yarde has been at the helm of the GPSU for a staggering 30 years, having weathered many attempts to unseat him from the presidential incumbency; but in the run-up to this year’s elections, members took a more determined stand against Yarde, with one area of contention being the accounts of the union.

GPSU members have, this year, protested against Yarde continuing to be president of the union, and have even moved to the High Court in this regard.

An interim injunction granted them by Justice Nareshwar Harnanan sought to restrain the respondents or their servants or agents “from holding or attempting to hold an election for office bearers for the Executive Council of the Guyana Public Service Union until the 3rd day of May, 2017 or sooner.”

This injunction had also stipulated that its respondents would not have been able to hold elections for office bearers unless there was “production by the respondents of the Auditor General’s report to the applicant (for the injunction) and members of the Guyana Public Service Union, and the audited treasurer’s report for the Guyana Public Service Union for the past 12 years to date.”

This injunction was applied for by Attorneyat-Law Nigel Hughes on behalf of Gregory Gaspar, who is the Chairman of the GPSU Branch 72. It was dismissed on April 25, clearing the way for elections to be held for office bearers of the GPSU. Gaspar participated in those elections.

The entire elections affair was steeped in drama, and at one point Police had to be called in at the GPSU

Former Speaker of the House, Ralph Ramkarran

Headquarters because of the standoff resulting from the refusal of election officials to provide the voters list to supporters of Gaspar and other members.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to Elections Officer Herman De Souza, Gaspar also complained that he had requested the list of eligible voters on April 23, 26, 27, 28 and 29, but was never provided with same. He also complained about ballot boxes being delivered without elections officers or their assistants being present to receive them.

The letter also raised the issue of the absence of statements of poll for outlying regions such as Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) being made available to members.

Gaspar had also expressed concern about the condition in which some of the boxes arrived, and contended that a Region Three ballot box had been tampered with. He said also that allegations that votes from non-eligible voters were placed in the box should be reviewed before finalising the elections.

Contending that, in one case, four ballot boxes from Linden, Region 10, had arrived with three seals broken, Gaspar related that he had approached the elections officer earlier, but was told that they were given three seals for each box.

One of the protests against Patrick Yarde

Canada has issued a warning to its Citizens about travel to eight Caribbean nations

C

anadians are being cautioned against travelling to several Caribbean nations, including Guyana over the high instances of crime.

The Canadian Government updated its travel warnings on May 2 and warned nationals to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to eight Caribbean countries.

Visitors were told to beware of assaults, pickpocketing, purse snatching, break-ins, armed robberies, car theft and carjackings as they are common occurrences in Georgetown, Guyana.

The travel warning said the seawall – East of the Pegasus Hotel extending to Sheriff Street and adjacent areas – has been the site of several crimes and should be avoided after dark.

“Other dangerous areas include the East Coast Demerara region, the East Bank Demerara region and the New Amsterdam area,” the advisory added.

Violent attacks have also occurred on the road to and from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport

and on the Linden Highway, especially at night, the warning said.

It also noted that foreigners and returning Guyanese citizens are favourite targets for criminals.

“Canadians have been injured while being robbed at gunpoint, and some have reported being attacked after withdrawing money at financial institutions.

Avoid carrying large amounts of cash,” the notice alerted.

Canadians were also warned to pay attention to their surroundings, especially when entering or leaving vehicles, residences and public places.

“Ensure that your personal belongings, passports and other travel documents are secure at all times. Do not show signs of affluence. When approached by a Police Officer, always ask to see identification,” the travel warning outlined.

Driving

Canadians were also warned about poor road conditions, inadequate lighting, roaming animals and poor driving habits are constant hazards in Guyana.

“Be extremely cautious when driving,

keep windows closed and doors locked at all times, and avoid being on the road unnecessarily after dark,” the warning said.

They were particularly advised to exercise caution along the road from the Cheddi Jagan Airport to Georgetown and on the Timehri/ Linden Highway.

They were also warned to avoid public minibuses, as they tend to be “overloaded, poorly maintained and badly driven.”

“Taxis are the safest means of transportation. Do not hail taxis from the roadside.

Only use taxis that are connected to major hotels or are painted yellow. All yellow taxies are registered with the Government of Guyana’s licencing office. Exercise constant vigilance and make note of the vehicle’s licence plate before entering, in order to track down the driver in the event of overcharging or lost luggage,” the advisory stated.

Meanwhile, other flagged Caribbean nations are The Bahamas, Belize, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname.

Labourer among several suicide cases recorded in Essequibo …over the past 2 weeks

P

olice investigations are currently ongoing following the recent discovery of a 63-year-old labourer hanging from the ceiling of a dwelling house at La Belle Alliance on the Essequibo Coast.

Based on reports reaching this publication, the incident occurred on May 1, 2017 at about 19:00 hours, and the dead man has been identified as Govin Narine.

Narine’s neighbour, Geeta Ramesh, related that she used to cook for the deceased, and she

had not been aware that he was battling problems of any kind.

The woman said she called for the deceased when heading home at about 19:00 hrs. She went to the backyard after she did not receive a response, and then she saw the ghastly sight of Narine hanging from the roof of the shed. Shaken, she then raised an alarm and alerted the police.

The body is presently at the Suddie Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem.

This episode follows two other incidents of

suicide occurring within a short span of two weeks. Chovindra Lall of Pomona Housing Scheme succumbed reportedly from injecting poison to his hands, while Shalini Danpat ingested a carbon tablet. Both victims were 22 years old.

A security guard attached to the Caricom Rice Mill shot herself to the throat only a few days ago. The body of Special Constable #15117 Shendal George of Lima, Essequibo was discovered on May 4 in the washroom of the business entity.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 14, 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

remanded over multiple charges WBD mother 5– gang nabbed with unlicensed gun, wig, crowbar of 3 commits suicide nated from the two-storey family home when relatives discovered the woman’s lifeless body. When this publication visited the home on Wednesday, Neshaw’s husband was comforting a toddler, beDead: Amanda Neshaw lieved to be the youngest West Bank of the woman’s three chilDemerara (WBD) mother of three has dren. He declined to disended her life by consum- close details of the suicide, ing an unknown poisonous and the woman’s mothsubstance on Tuesday. The er informed this newspadead woman was identi- per that her only daughter fied as 34-year-old Amanda was a good person who nevNeshaw of Lot 125 Bella er wanted her story publicised.

Dam, Pouderoyen, WBD. Neighbours described Based on informaNeshaw as quiet and helption received, the woman ful.

She leaves to mourn had been suffering from an ailment for some three her husband, three chilmonths and hence, opted to dren, parents, sibling and other relatives. end her life.

Guyana is listed by the Guyana Times World Health Organisation International was told that sometime in the after- as one of the countries with noon hours, screams ema- the highest suicide rate.

A

A

Michael Embrac

Sean Browne

group of five alleged bandits, one of whom is an ex-police officer, were on Monday remanded to prison when they appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court to each answer to three separate charges.

Trevon McKenzie, a 29-yearold ex-Police Officer of Glasgow Housing Scheme; Michael Embrac, 33, of Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme, Canje; Mickey Henry, 27, of Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam; Jomo Archer, 26, of Pilot Street, New Amsterdam; and Sean Browne, 22, of Dazzle Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara were jointly charged and were not allowed to plead to the three indictable charges when they were read to them.

The court heard that the men were charged with the possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of live ammunition and having in their possession a crowbar, screw driver and wig without a valid reason.

On May 8, 2017, around 01:30h, while patrolling an area along the East Bank of Berbice

Sean Browne

Trevon McKenzie

Public Road, Police noticed a white motor car being driven slowly on the Glasgow Public Road. Acting on instinct, the ranks stopped and searched the vehicle, which led to the discovery of a firearm, crowbar, screw driver, wig, and ammunition.

Attorney-at-Law Charandas Persaud, representing the five accused, in a petition for bail, argued that the car was a rental car and the gun might have been in the car before the accused collected it. He said the owner should have been charged.

The Attorney noted that the Police were alleging that the five men were carrying one gun and the Police had failed to establish who was in possession of the gun.

Magistrate Alex Moore responded that the car might have been the container in which the gun was.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Leon Robertson asked the court not to grant the accused bail owing to the nature and gravity of the offence and the fact all five were known to the Police for being involved in criminal activity.

Michael Embrac

McKenzie, he told the court, is a former police officer who was indicted, along with others, for accepting a G$6 million bribe.

Embrac is currently on bail for robbery under arms charges.

Henry is also on bail for a similar charge, while Archer is currently before the courts on a break and enter and larceny matter along with a robbery under arms charge. Browne is also before the courts on a break and enter and larceny charge.

However, Charandas noted that they have all been attending court. He argued that there has been no ballistic test to prove that the instrument found was indeed a firearm.

The lawyer added that the Police also had no evidence that the men were sizing up a house or had stopped in front of a house when they were apprehended.

The Magistrate remanded the five and ordered that they return to court on June 2, by which time the Police should have received results from the ballistics analysis. An order was made for the Police to scrutinise the car and release it to the owner.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 14, 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Drug addict hacked to death Father of 4 dies in Mazaruni …was wanted by Police for series of petty crimes

R

esidents of Uitvlugt Access Road, West Coast Demerara, were shocked when they woke up on Sunday morning to find the lifeless body of 36-year-old Clinton Walks, called “Bongo”, lying in a pool of his own blood with several gashes about the body.

According to a Police report, the body of Walks, of Lot 3 Bus Shed Street, Uitvlugt, was discovered around 07:00h on Sunday with chop wounds to his back, left ear and abdomen. The report added that the now deceased, after he was found guilty of break and enter and larceny, was given 18 months in jail in 2015, and was wanted in relation to similar crimes being committed in the village.

The dead man’s sister, Junella Hall, told this publication that when she received the news of her brother’s death, she immediately rushed to the scene to identify him.

“I get a call this morning and they say that them find Clinton in the back street and he get chop up. When I went, I see he lying down at the side of the road with he guts out,” Hall related.

She added that the Police were summoned, and they conducted their investigation and informed her that should there be any developments, she would be contacted.

Hall told this newspaper that she last saw

The house in which the now deceased man lived

her brother alive on Saturday night cooking at his home. “We does live in the same yard and I see he in his house cooking last night and when I went to bed, he was still home in his house,” she added.

The woman said her brother once worked as a cane harvester at the Uitvlugt Estate, but then he discovered drugs and quickly became an addict; that was when his life fell apart. She said she tried to talk to him several times to change his ways, but he would never listen.

“He does live alone and when he smoke up, he was a different person; he used to cuss up and get on (bad) and we does talk to him and try to get he to change, but he doesn’t listen to anybody. The drugs get he so bad that he left his work at the estate and start doing all kinds of work for people in the village,” she said.

Hall related that her brother was in constant trouble with the law, since he would sometimes steal to feed his addiction. However, she believes he may have been murdered, because he witnessed a crime

and gave evidence to the Police.

“There was a breakin by a house in the other street, and he see and he tell the Police what he see, so they call he in court as an eyewitness and the matter is still in court, that is the only reason I think somebody might want to kill he,” she opined.

When this publication visited the scene, residents around the area expressed their shock and noted that this was the first time someone was discovered murdered in the area. They said Walks was known to the community and there were mixed reactions to the type of person he was. However, he was described as a pleasant person when he was sober and someone not to be messed with when he was either intoxicated or high from drugs.

The residents said he would be in the area doing odd jobs such as clearing the drains, cutting trees, fetching sand and sometimes masonry work and, as such, they were shocked when they woke up and saw him murdered.

The Police investigation is ongoing.

Cops swoop down on popular night spots in Georgetown

…trafficking victims, gun, ammo unearthed

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anks of the Major Crimes and Trafficking in Persons Units of the Guyana Police Force swooped down on two popular business establishments in Werk-enRust, Georgetown, and conducted a raid.

Guyana Times International understands that at approximately 02:00h last Friday, the ranks went to the businesses, located obliquely opposite each other at George and Princess Streets, Werken-Rust, and conducted a search, during which several persons were arrested.

Among those detained were four adult female foreign nationals said to be employees, along with the two male proprietors, one of whom

Police raided two popular night spots

was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm with 15 live rounds.

The females are suspected to be victims of human trafficking, and have since been placed into the care of the Social Protection Ministry pending completion of the investigation.

This newspaper was told that at least two busloads of police officers pulled up in front of the establishments and barged inside, shutting down the party.

The ranks then began searching the premises of the club before stripping and searching the party-goers, who mostly were males.

During the hour-long raid, the officers also searched several vehicles parked around the area, including hire cars and privately registered vehicles. This publication was told that a few of the party-goers were found with small quantities of narcotics and were taken into custody.

River after boat capsizes

T

he swollen body of 36-year-old Orson Gishard of Wismar, Linden, Region 10 was dragged out of the Mazaruni River in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) on Sunday morning. He died following a boat mishap on the river on Saturday.

Based on information this newspaper received, three other persons were travelling in the boat at the time of the incident. It was windy, and the waters were rougher than usual, thus the boat, carrying the four individuals to another location, capsized.

Police are working on the theory that, in falling into the water, Gishard may have hit his head, lost consciousness and consequently drowned.

The other persons in the boat were reportedly able to make it to shore safely.

Police Commander Ravindranauth Budhram has said the 36-year-old Gishard was among four passengers in the boat when it capsized while crossing the Kaburi Creek in the Mazaruni River, but the incident is being investigated by the Police in ‘F’

Dead: Orson Gishard

Division.

Gishard’s death comes one day after another boat capsized in the Upper Cuyuni River on Friday last. Fortunately, there were no casualties in that mishap, since all the passengers were able to make it back into the boat safely.

Gishard’s sister, Mellisa (only name given), said the father of four had been working with Brian & Ingrid Fung Mining and Trucking Service as a serviceman for only two months, and was making his way into the Issano mining district for work when tragedy struck.

“We were told that he was making his way up to the Issano area when

the boat capsized; and they weren’t finding a couple of them, but then, around 06:30 hrs, they call us and said that they found his body and the others was safe,” she related.

She described her brother as a good swimmer and said she is unaware of all the circumstances involved in his demise, but it is reported that Gishard may have hit his head when the vessel capsized and may have lost consciousness and drowned.

Mellisa told this publication that not a lot of information has been afforded the family, and everything is being channelled through her brother’s employers. Efforts made by this publication to elicit a comment from the management of Brian & Ingrid Fung Mining and Trucking Service have been unsuccessful.

Gishard has been described as a jovial person with a kind heart. He had once been a member of the GDF Air Corps, and leaves to mourn his four children along with his parents and siblings.

The investigations into his death are ongoing.

La Grange man gets 65 years for 2011 murder of brother-in-law

L

akeraj Fredericks, of La Grange, West Bank Demerara, who was found guilty of murdering his brother-in-law, Clifton Bonus, in June 2011, will spend the next 65 years behind bars. Bonus’s body was found buried in a twoand-a-half foot shallow grave at Old England Backdam, Linden with two gunshot wounds to the head.

Moments before Fredericks was sentenced on Monday, he begged the court for mercy, but State Prosecutor Siand Dhurjon asked that the full extent of the law be imposed, with the aim of sending a strong message that persons could not get away with murdering people, especially over marijuana seeds.

High Court Judge, Justice Navindra Singh said the convict showed no remorse, adding that he continued to deny the accusations despite overwhelming evidence showing guilt. As such, the Judge started the sentence at 60 years and added five years for the use of a firearm. The Prison Service was ordered to deduct the years Fredericks spent awaiting trial.

The 12-member jury made their unanimous decision after two hours of deliberations at the Demerara High Court last week. More than 12 witnesses had testified during the trial.

Fredericks, who strongly denied committing the crime, said Police forced him to sign a confession statement that he could not read. The prosecution, however, contended that the defendant had called his mother just two days after carrying out the crime

Jailed: Lakeraj Fredericks

and confessed that Bonus was shot before hanging up the phone.

He was jointly charged with a then 16-year-old accomplice, who allegedly helped him to bury the body, but the teenager was released after a nocase submission was upheld in the Magistrate’s Court. It was the said teen, Harley Tyson, who had led Police through the forest to find the murdered man.

Later in June 2011 that Fredericks confessed to Police investigators that he was involved, but claimed that he only shot the deceased once and another accomplice finished the job after the gun was passed to him. This version of events, however, proved “untrue”.

Bonus, who was 21 at the time of his demise, was about to become a father.

The accused was represented by defence counsel Madan Kissoon.

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PPP ups pressure on Govt to come clean on costs for ‘economic mission’ trips

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representative of the Government was quoted in sections of the media as saying a private plane was chartered for President David Granger to fly to The Bahamas in March, on the grounds that it was the most “feasible option.”

But details about what was spent in total for the Trans Guyana Beechcraft airplane and also what benefits Guyana secured from the trip are yet to be shared.

According to Opposition parliamentarian and former Junior Finance Minister, Juan Edghill, a President’s trip overseas on behalf of the State is certainly not a private matter.

As such, details should be made available to taxpayers.

The Government, he

noted, in the interest of transparency and accountability to the people of Guyana, should release all the details.

According to Edghill, “when the President travels, (it) is not a private matter. He is representing the state of Guyana.” “He is being funded by the State and the citizens of the State must at all times be fully aware of what it is costing the State for the President to represent the State,” Edghill said in a recent interview.

The President arrived in The Bahamas on March 2, as part of a three-day State visit which has been dubbed an ‘economic mission’.

According to a report in a Bahamian newspaper, the President was expected to pay a courtesy call on the Governor

President David Granger upon arriving in the Bahamas

General and then meet

with

the

Guyanese

Diaspora.

But reports are the chartered plane and the trip all together cost Guyanese taxpayers some G$18 million, as the President was accompanied by an entourage; which included Ministers and other personnel for whom accommodation was provided.

There has been no word on whether any bi-lateral trade agreements, prospective or otherwise, were secured in Guyana’s interest.

Edghill was thus adamant that the State should officially make known what tangible benefits Guyana gained.

“The President must be able to show the country what benefits would have accrued to Guyana in the short-medium term as a result of this expenditure and spending,” Edghill said.

In a Government news report, it was related that the President visited and toured several industrial sites in Freeport, Bahamas, including the Grand Bahama Shipyard, where he said the visit to that country has been a learning lesson for Guyana for its future growth and development.

“So this is an important lesson for us in Guyana and for the other states in the Caribbean Community… So I’m very happy to be here.

It’s a learning lesson for us. It’s a learning mission for us … (we’re) looking, listening and I think we have a lot of good lessons to take back to Guyana and to the rest of the Caribbean,” Granger was quoted saying.

Economic hardships

The millions of dollars reportedly spent on this trip come against the backdrop of an eco-

nomic slowdown gripping the country. It is a slowdown even Finance Minister Winston Jordan has acknowledged.

Businesses have for some time been complaining of this economic slowdown, one which has forced some to lay off staff. In addition, there have been mass protests on an almost weekly basis against Government actions and policies deemed by many to be oppressive.

While these protests have been held by differing groups, they have all been linked to economic hardships these stakeholders are facing.

Some of the most vociferous protests have been against Value Added Tax (VAT), 14 per cent of which has been imposed on private education fees.

While parents and teachers have taken to the streets on a number of occasions to voice their displeasure with the additional burden and petitions have been signed, Government has already indicated that the measure will not be reviewed until 2018.

This does not include the protests which greeted the decision to impose the 14 per cent VAT on water and electricity bills above a certain threshold; a first in recent history.

Stakeholders have called on the Government to remove tax on such essential services.

Then there is the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), which has for some time been calling, in vain, for a meeting with the President to discuss the problems afflicting the mining industry.

In a recent statement, it again expressed frustration about the tax regulations and the effect it is having on smalland medium-scale miners. The Association spoke of the fact that while they are publicly recognised for their economical contributions, the ‘bread and butter’ issues affecting them are ignored. Among these are the unavailability of concessions on fuel and other materials.

Other aggrieved groups include sugar workers, who have for months been protesting against the social effects caused by the Government downsizing the industry by closing estates. The moves have put many out of work, as alternate options offered to them were not feasible.

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Guyana/Venezuela border dispute: Govt gives assurances to prospective UK investors

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wave of excitement has been started in the oil and gas industry following significant discoveries made in Guyana by US-based oil giant ExxonMobil in 2015.

However, some foreign investors are being deterred

by Guyana’s ongoing border dispute with neighbouring Venezuela.

During a recent meeting with potential investors in the United Kingdom (UK), the Government of Guyana gave its assurance that the border issue would not impact the sector, and that issues currently facing the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would not spill over the Guyanese border.

Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, who along with President David Granger visited the UK and held several meetings with investors recently, said businesses sought information regarding the general framework and outlook for security in Guyana.

“We of course gave them the assurance, as we did with the other companies, that they can rest assured as far as (is) reasonable, (that) what is being experienced on the Guyana side of the border as regards the cross-border security, is stable. In other words, there is no reason to expect (that life) on the Guyana side of the border would be threatened in any way,” Greenidge told a recent media conference.

Venezuela has repeatedly claimed part of Guyana’s territory, in violation of internationally accepted treaties and international law. Their claims have always been rejected

by Guyana, which holds that issues concerning its border with Venezuela have been settled by the arbitral award of 1899.

Vice-President Greenidge has reminded that the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Venezuela, Britain and Guyana has also provided for various mechanisms to resolve the controversy; one of which — the United Nations Secretary General’s Good Officer Process — has not yielded any progress for the past 25 years.

Guyana is now seeking relief through one of the options in Article 33 of the United Nations Charter.

Those options include arbitration and juridical settlement of the issue.

Minister Greenidge has assured that Guyana will, under no circumstances, accept a simple bilateral agreement with Venezuela, which has broken the treaty that involved the United

Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge

Kingdom and the United States.

Venezuela, with almost 40 times the population of Guyana and a territory that is several times bigger, claimed, in 1968, the entire territorial sea of Guyana by means of the Leoni Decree, which has never been withdrawn. For decades now, Venezuela has occupied the Guyana side of Ankoko Island, objected to the development of hydro power stations in Essequibo, and has been staunchly opposed to Guyana exploring for oil offshore and onshore its Essequibo territory.

The Venezuelan Navy had, in 2013, intercepted and detained a Malaysian seismic vessel that had been conducting surveys in an offshore concession granted by Guyana to the United States-based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, causing that company to leave and never return.

There have also been incidents inland Guyana, with Venezuelan aircraft attacking vessels operating on the portion of the Cuyuní River that the arbitration court has awarded Guyana.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has recently appointed a new envoy to resolve the border controversy between Venezuela and Guyana.

He has said he is ready to turn to the International Court of Justice to settle the issue if there is not substantial movement in that direction by end 2017.

Dag Halvor Nylander of Norway has been appointed to help broker a settlement until the end of 2017, with a strengthened mandate of mediation.

The dispute began heating up again in 2015 after a significant oil find was announced in an offshore concession granted

by Guyana that Venezuela claims is in disputed waters.

If no progress is made toward a settlement by the end of 2017, Guterres will choose the International Court of Justice as the next means of settlement, unless the governments of Guyana and Venezuela jointly request that he refrain from doing so.

(Samuel Sukhnandan)

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Swarsawattie Dance Troupe performing at the Diwali Nagar in Essequibo

By Indrawattie Natram

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hrough “folk dance”, the D h a r m i c Swarswatti Dance Academy, located on the Essequibo Coast, has been preserving their Indian heritage.

Founder of the dance group, Sursattie Singh, said that traditional folk dance is a feature of her Indian ancestry.

It is a dance genre she has been teaching and practising to keep her “Indian culture alive”.

Singh, a classical dancer for over 20 years, explained that she has been using folk dance to help build her students’ confidence and to encourage them to learn more about their Indian heritage.

art, because the bodily movements - such as hand gestures, facial expressions and postures – have different meanings. She also stated that emotions expressed in classical dance are known as rasas, which literally means “juice, essence or taste”. Rasa connotes an ancient concept in Indian arts about the aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work, that evokes an emotion or feeling in the reader or audience, but that cannot be described.

Singh recalled her journey as a dancer, which began years ago at the Reliance Mandir.

She remembered being inspired by notable Guyanese dancer, Premie Naipaul, to pur-

Sursattie (in blue) teaching a classical dance class

“The opportunity to express oneself and keep the culture through the medium of dance holds the benefit of keeping the culture alive. It’s a true blessing to be able to preserve and promote the culture we inherited from our ancestors,” Singh mentioned.

The professional dancer pointed out that dancing not only encourages the preservation of culture, but aids in being physically fit.

“Dancing makes you feel alive, like you’re young again. I don’t know anything else that can have that effect on you,” Singh declared.

Singh noted that classical dance is an

sue dance. Initially, Singh’s parents were not too keen on her pursuing dance as a career, but seeing their daughter’s passion for the art form encouraged their support.

“My journey in dancing began at age ten.

Little did I know that one day dance would become my life and the springboard for my other interests. My journey thus far has been both rewarding and humbling,” Singh expressed.Singh recollected “freezing up” during her first performance on stage. But instead of allowing that moment of stage fright to deter her, Singh used it as a propeller to always be

better in every performance. Today, that determination she passes on to her students. She even gave up a lucrative job to dedicate more time teaching dance for free.

Singh currently teaches over 30 youths, including children.

In 2003, Singh started Annie Dance

Troupe, which was later renamed Dharmic Swarswattie Dance Academy.

Her classes are taught at the Anna Regina Kendra. Notably, Singh designs all her dancers’ costumes for stage shows.

The dance group also represents the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha at various cultural shows in Region Two. “Dancing can be challenging, but also rewarding. It requires commitment and hard work. However, seeing how dance helps youths to be fit and disciplined has encouraged me to keep teaching. My advice

to those pursuing dance is to stay

f o cus and keep doing what you love,” Singh encouraged.

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A typical setting during the religious aspect of a Hindu wedding

any of the traditions we uphold today were passed down from our ancestors. One such tradition is the Hindu wed-

ding.

The religious aspects of the wedding are intriguing, and originated from those who came as indentured servants

from India. Although the Hindu wedding ceremony became elaborated as time went by, the basic structure has remained the same.

It was the parents of the parties concerned who first decided that their children should be married to each other.

A pandit(or priest) was then consulted as to an auspicious day for the celebration of the nuptials. A few days before the wedding, the bride and groom each organize a haldi ceremony (sometimes called pithi ceremony) at their respected homes where the lagan (date) is fixed.

On the day of the wedding, the bridegroom was taken in procession to the bride’s parents’ house and conducted to a tent specially erected for the wedding. In due time, the bride, “being shrouded in thick folds of muslin or variegated hues and patterns”, joined the groom and the ceremony commenced in the presence of the bride’s relatives, invited guests and

Ceremonial offerings by the bride and groom

the bridegroom’s baraat (a bridegroom's wedding procession made up of relatives and friends).

The ceremony sometimes lasts for hours.

During this time, the bride and groom sit in a square marked out in the centre of the tent in front of the ceremonial fire. In front of them, sits the officiating pandit.

The pandit reads passages from the saved books, and offers a prayer that the deotas (deities) will witness the union and bless it with happiness and make it fruitful. The father of the bride gives her to the bridegroom with appropriate words, and the garments of the couple are knotted together; they then make a circuit of the bamboo a stated number of times, and returning in their seats, the bridegroom touches the head of the bride with sindoor (a vermillion powder).

The application of

the sindoor to the parting of the bride’s hair is the climax of the ceremony; it was also the first time, perhaps, that the bridegroom glimpsed his future wife’s face as he raised the purdah (veil) covering her face, to apply the sindoor.

The ceremony outlined resembles the shaadi ceremony of a northern India caste of those times.

Another caste marriage ceremony was the dola. In the dola, the marriage ceremony took place at the bridegroom’s residence, to which the bride came on the day before the ceremony.

Her coming was marked by an attitude of humility befitting a party importuning marriage on behalf of a poor girl.

In British Guiana, because of the scarcity of suitable girls for marriage, there was little need for a father to importune on behalf of

their daughters; consequently, the dola was hardly practised.

But practices associated with the dola survived.

These included the ceremony of matikore or “dig dutty”, the ceremony of thappa lagana, in which the drum is featured, and the worship of Sharti Mata (Mother Earth.)

In all of these ceremonies, women are featured prominently. The dola further lent its name to the bride and groom who were called dolahin and dolaha respectively.

In the ceremony that evolved on the plantation, the dola rites were regarded as preparatory to the marriage ceremony itself. What seemed to have happened on the estate was that the dola and the shaadi were fused in the development of a ceremony that became widely used. By the 1890s, this fusion had already taken place.

(From the text by the late Dale Bisnauth)

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Nrityageet

By Ashraf Dabie

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he cultural heritage of those who came as indentured labourers is still evident in present Guyanese society. As a matter of fact, some of those traditions brought to these shores by our Indian ancestors have laid the foundation upon which our society operates.

However, though several aspects of the tangible and nontangible inheritance from our Indian forefathers have managed to weather the years, some elements have either been completely erased or fused with other ethnicities to create a unique creole culture. Nonetheless, masses of traditional Indian societies and cultural activists have successfully established various avenues to preserve and celebrate the contributions of their predecessors. One such example is the annual classical dance production, Nrityageet.

Nrityageet features a fusion of traditional Indian dances, including Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, as well as the more modern Caribbean evolutions such as Chutney and Soca.

After being staged for over 30 years, the production has been established as a highly anticipated cultural spectacle, while honouring the founding fathers of Indo-Guyanese society and educating those in attendance of their historical arrival and presence. Nrityageet was birthed 38

years ago, when the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance Troupe first launched their annual celebration of the arrival of the first batch of East Indians to the then British Guiana. The Shah family, being direct descendants of Indian indentured labourers, remained dedicated to honouring their roots though music, drama, poetry and, later, dance.

The idea came to life following a conference at the University of West Indies, as the administration celebrated the arrival of East Indians to Trinidad. It was at this event that Nadira Shah was invited to perform, and her stellar presentation of the classical Kathak dance inspired the concept that such national productions can be done in Guyana. As such, the Shah family went on to stage the first ever Nrityageet in the year 1979 at Queen’s College, after which it was moved to the National Cultural Centre, where it remains to date.

Seeta Shah Roath, one of the Shah’s sisters and organisers of the annual cultural event, as well as director of the troupe, vividly recollected when the inaugural Nrityageet was held.

“The idea was to remember our ancestors by highlighting the cultural traditions that have been passed down,” Shah explained.

She pointed out that initially the focus was on classical Indian music and dance, but over

the years the production has evolved to include poetry and dramatic presentations, as well as folk dances inspired by the “plantation society” and modern presentations. Shah added what started out as a tribute to Indian culture has eventually diversified to include influences and fusions of other ethnicities within the multicultural society of Guyana.

“New dancers are joining all the time, learning and exploring the world of dance, learning from the greatest while adding their flair for the modern and different. Nadira Shah Berry, Suzanne Shah Nilsson, and Rewattie Datt DaCosta are also currently training new dancers in traditional and modern dance, as they explore new trends and create new experiences. We are exploring futuristic dance theatre with ballet and modern dancers blended with influences of traditional styles with the best dancers in Guyana, exploring new frontiers in the art form,” Shah expressed.The troupe has performed for national and international programmes such as the Inter-Guiana Cultural Festival, CARIFESTA, World Expo and many other programmes in India, Europe, UK, U.S.A., the Caribbean, Latin America and around the world.

With Nrityageet being in existence for 38 years, the presentations have been recognised internationally for its high standards

Nrityageet dancers Sony Sikandar, Rewattie Datt, Indira Itwaru, Koreena Itwaru, Keon Heywood, Mikel Andrews

in dance theatre in Europe and the United States, earning them the prestigious Madame Iffel Award of Barbados for the “Best Traditional Dance”.

The Guyana Theatre Arts Awards also recognised this troupe for its “Exceptional Diligence in the Pursuit of Excellence,” for “Best Dance Production” in 2004, 2003, 2000, 1998, and 1999; “Best Costumes” in 2003, 2002, 2000, and 1997; “Best Sets” in 2003, 2004.

Most significantly, the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance Troupe received the Medal of Service (a National Award) for “Sustained and Outstanding Contribution to the Cultural Mosaic of Guyana”, and the New York Folk Festival Award for “Long and Sustained Dance

Productions of Excellence”.

The celebration of the history and contributions of our Indian ancestors to the evolution of the diversified Guyanese society continues this year as the 38th production of Nrityageet is being held on May 6 and 7, 2017 at the National Cultural Centre.

The diverse dance theatre experience, which echoes the traditional values of IndoGuyanese culture through the performing arts, is this year being staged under the theme, “Our Heritage, Our Treasures - Celebrating the Arrival of All Peoples”. The event promises a colourful recollection of history while at the same time showcasing the diversity, creativity and accomplishments of modern Guyanese society.

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n 1902, Mahesh Ahir sailed on the Arno ship from India to British Guiana to work on the sugar plantation as an indentured labourer. Mahesh, who was 27 years old when he arrived in British Guiana, adapted to the local culture and learned the new language in that foreign land. Sadly, he never got the chance to return to his homeland. Knowing this, his descendants were prompted to trace their ancestral roots.

Rosie Rohini Prem, a Canadian born to Guyanese parents, was moved to search for her ancestors after her ‘aji’ Baichnee (grandmother) told her stories of her ancestors from India. She was told that her great grandfather, Mahesh, and great grandmother, Rampatia, were on board the Arno together. They fell in love and got married on arrival to British Guiana. They had three sons together.

In 2011, Rosie managed to get copies of immigration passes of her ancestors from the National Archives in Guyana. The immigration passes gave the name of her great grandfather, his caste, his fa-

ther's name (Bhikhari) and his home address in the village of Bibipur, Thana Karimuddinpur, District Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Rosie then made three trips to India to find her relatives and ancestral village, but failed to do so. It was only after she sought the help of Faiyaz Shafique Ansari, a total stranger who eventually became her “good friend”, and a resident of Darjeeling in India, that she was able to find the village and was reunited with her long lost kin - Prabhunath Yadav, Laxminia and Maturni, including cousins.

When Rosie initially visited Bibipur, she said she faced numerous challenges. The people there were not so welcoming. Despite these challenges, Rosie was determined in her search.

She recollected offering them “pocket money for sweets” and they eventually divulged information about Bhikari (Mahesh’s father). The people told her that Bhikari’s name is chanted in the Hindu ritual of Pind Daan. She also learned that “one young man in his thirties from

their family had left with the British and never returned again to his home”. Hearing this, Rosie felt reassured and “gained strength” that she was on the right path.

When Rosie and her husband finally arrived at Babatpur airport in India, they received a warm welcome by both her “near and far relatives”. She then travelled to Bibipur, where she met Prabhunath Yadav, his wife Laxminia and a “senior lady” named Maturni. They offered Rosie a place to stay in Bibipur and a portion of their land so that she can build a home in the village. Tears flowed down Rosie’s cheeks when she finally got to meet her relatives in Bibipur. It was, after all, the fulfilment of her long cherished dream - something she had been chasing after for a very long time.

Rosie mentioned that Bibipur is a very small, remote village that is populated mostly by the people of the Ahir caste.

(The Ahirs, or Aheers, are said to have ruled over different parts of India and Nepal.)

Upon her arrival in the village, a ‘havan’ rit-

ual was performed in the home of Mahesh. Rosie then placed a memorial plaque in memory of her great grandfather in the presence of her fourth generation relatives.

After much celebration in Bibipur and touring scenic sites, Rosie travelled to Kolkata to visit the port where Mahesh had embarked from in 1902.

Rosie mentioned that “the descendants of the girmitiya (indentured) workers are aware of the hardships of their ancestors as well as their roots”. She added that her “forefathers had taken Uttar Pradesh and India in their hearts after they were lured away to British Guiana in the

Rosie Rohini Prem (right) and relatives at the Babatpur airport in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

name of a better life”.

According to her, the process of trying to find an ancestral village is not a simple search.

However, with “determination and God’s favour”, her prayers were answered.

“I was so overwhelmed when I con-

nected with my Indian roots for the first time.

This prompted me to return to the village in December 2013, this time with my sister. My journey has shown me that with determination and faith are integral in being successful,” Rosie expressed.

GDF Officer on first ever Atlantic voyage with Argentine counterparts

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s part of military cooperation between the Governments of Guyana and Argentina in the framework of bilateral relations between the two countries, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Midshipman Worren Mars is currently participating in a training programme on the Argentine Naval vessel, the “FRAGATA A.R.A. LIBERTAD”. This is the first time that a GDF officer is crossing the Atlantic Ocean with Argentinian counterparts.

According to the Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ship left Argentina in March on its forty-sixth voyage with a crew of over 300 men and women. It is expected to sail through the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean visiting the ports of Fortaleza, Brazil; Veracruz, Mexico; Charleston, United States; Miami, United States; and Den Helder, Netherlands.

It will disembark at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on June 29.

Participating officers

will have the opportunity to share experiences with Argentine counterparts from the Military Naval Academy, along with military personnel from other countries, through academic activities, conferences, exhibitions on ports to visit, and protocol and cultural events. They will also be trained in navigation in international waters, as well as through channels, coves, gulfs and other waters with a narrow passage, and in access to ports.

In 2014 and 2016, GDF Midshipman Elveart Michael Andrews and Sub-Lieutenant Carlos Moore were part of in the forty-fourth and forty-fifth annual Voyage of the “Libertad” in South America. The “Fragata Libertad” made its first journey to Guyana on July 16, 2011, and subsequently on July 6, 2012.

Bilateral relations between Argentina and Guyana were established on October 6, 1972.

Meeting her ancestral relatives in the village of Bibipur

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By Ashraf Dabie

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hile history books tell the tales of the arrival and presence of Indian indentureds to British Guiana (BG), the great majority of Indo-Guyanese are still unaware of their direct links to the motherland.

However, there are some families who are fortunate to have in possession immigration documents of their ancestors, which have helped them to trace their roots to ancestral villages and connect with relatives in India.

Then there are some who cherish stories of their ancestors passed down from generation to generation.

One such family is the Rambhrose family.

Arriving on the last ship, the SS Ganges, in 1917 to British Guiana was Rambhrose Gopi, who was only three years old at the time of his arrival here. Rambhrose journeyed to the New World with his mother, leaving behind a father who refused to board the ship.

Upon arrival, Rambhrose’s mother was deployed to the plantation in Albion, Corentyne, Berbice, where she worked as a midwife.

Rambhrose Gopi

Rambhrose worked on the plantation all his life. He got married to the daughter, named Sukhia, of another Indian immigrant. Rambhrose Gopi died in 1996.

Rambhrose in earlier years

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Mahadeo Rambhrose, the youngest son of Rambhrose’s six children who is currently attached to the Guyana Post Office, said he has a faint recollection of his father and grandparents. However, the 50-yearold said he is proud of the fact that he is a direct descendant of Indian indentured labourers, who contributed to the building of our nation.

Mahadeo mentioned that he and his siblings (four sisters and one brother) grew up on the plantation, which was later called an estate, where his father worked as a labourer. Notably, his father continued to work on the estate, not as a labourer, but as a “watchman”.

“I am grateful to have inherited the stories, traditions and beliefs of my ancestors from India. I feel a direct connection to the historical artefacts and stories from the time of indentureship, given that it chronicles the experiences of my family,” expressed Mahadeo.

The Last Ship The SS Ganges was the last ship to bring Indian indentured labourers to British Guiana. It arrived in

Georgetown on April 18, 1917 with 437 men, women and children destined for various plantations.

The ship had left India just four days before the Abolition Act was signed in the Indian Parliament on March 12, 1917.

After sailing from Calcutta with 124 persons, or just over a third of the labour contingent, it then docked in Madras to pick up the rest of the indentured workers before setting sail for the Caribbean.

Among the last arrivals there were 39 children, 22 of whom were boys; and of the adults, there were 268 men

and 130 women.

The largest contingent of 218 (including their children) was contracted to 11 Demerara plantations stretching from Cane Grove to De Kinderen. The largest batch – 28 persons — went to work at Non Pareil; and just two persons, most likely a married couple, were contracted to Diamond Estate.

Nine Berbice plantations received 150 of the last arrivals, with the majority — a group of 26 — being contracted to the Port Mourant Estate; and 69 of the labourers were assigned to four estates in Essequibo.

The SS Ganges sailed on to Portof-Spain, Trinidad, where 389 adults and 32 children disembarked. With this final stop, the transportation of Indian indentured labourers to the British colonies ceased.

Interestingly, this last group of labourers served a shortened period of indentureship. An Act in the British Parliament brought the scheme to an official end, and all indenture contracts were cancelled on January 1, 1920. (Text on ‘the last ship’ by Ryhaan Shah)

SS Ganges

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Guyana hoping to produce onions, potatoes on large scale

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f all goes as planned, onions and potatoes will be produced on a large scale in Guyana, according to Deputy Project Director of World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Caribbean, Munesh Persaud.

“Tasting is believing…,” were the words of Persaud as he declared that the result of the trial project in Guyana hints to a promising future for the large-scale production of onion and potatoes on local soil.

Persaud was speaking at a Taste Testing Event hosted by WUSC and Government of Canada Funded PROPEL (Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages) project in collaboration with the Guyana Marketing Corporation, on

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Canadian High Commissioner Pierre Giroux speaking to the audience on Wednesday

Wednesday afternoon at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Canadian High Commissioner, Pierre Giroux, is optimistic that the economy of Guyana can be diversified while ensuring food security, as he commended the success of the local onion and potato cultivation in a keynote address at the ‘taste testing’ event where dishes were prepared with local produc-

tion (of onions and potatoes) and attended by representatives of the Agriculture and Finance Ministries, members of the Private Sector and staff of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) among other patrons.

Country Coordinator of PROPEL, Marissa Lowden, in her opening remarks highlighted the success of the implemen-

tation as she welcomed the gathering to savour the “taste of success”.

Persaud said the aim of the event was to seek the feedback of the “real Guyanese” given the vitality of the response of the market. Persaud emphasised that Jamaica’s large-scale cultivation plays an important role in mobilising capital (in the agricultural sector) as they produce 80 per cent of potatoes con-

sumed by the populace.

The High Commissioner of Canada made reference to Guyana’s ridiculously high 2015 onion import bill, saying that the implementation of such a project substitutes the utilisation of these monies for other purposes.

He pointed out that that project serves to diversify the economy and alter the monoculture history of agriculture.

Giroux concluded that the next stage, now that the cultivation of these crops has become a reality, is to increase the scale of production and market as he encouraged partnerships between Government and the Private Sector.

Areas chosen for cultivation include Ibini in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper

Essequibo) spanning several villages from Annai in the North to Aishalton in Deep South Rupununi and Kato in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni).

Targeting implementation in five Caribbean countries – Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, and St Lucia – PROPEL works with Private Sector buyers, producers and Governments to support small- to mediumscale producers in the Caribbean.

The organisation seeks to work with processors and related businesses to increase the supply of agricultural products – particularly fresh produce – to high value markets (supermarkets, hotels and traders) including exporters and importers, in and around the Caribbean.

s we today go about our daily chores and routines, so too did the people who came before us in an era vastly different in many ways to our times. Past newspapers and gazettes are some of the earliest records of history that today are all that is left to offer us a glimpse of early Guyana.

This week, Sunday Times Magazine provides a look at a few advertisements and notices from the “Stark's Guide-book and History of British Guiana” by James Rodway and James H. Stark (1848-1926).

These ads and notices highlight how far we have come over the centuries and proffer tantalising clues and questions about lifetimes ago.

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This week's Crossword

This week's Puzzle

see solution on page 47

A brave new world…

…in France? lot of folks on the liberal left are breathing a sigh of relief after the votes in France came in with Macron defeating Le Pen by such a huge margin: 66% to her 34%. But your Eyewitness isn’t so sure they have much to celebrate.

Forget all the headlines claiming that Le Pen’s “populist” wings were clipped. First of all, the people she and her father represent are nothing more than racists and fascists in the classic European mould. And what Marine Le Pen’s done is practically double the votes her father received back in 2002 – when everyone thought French liberal values were crumbling! Her garnering more than one-third of the votes in the country that brought us “Liberty!

Equality! and Fraternity!!” is a direct repudiation of those values when we consider the French presidential elections.

Here, all the parties – including the two “traditional” Liberal and Socialist ones – field candidates, and in the end it came down to Emmanuel Macron being the one to take on Le Pen. It means that Macron’s going to be President with the very soft support that only came together under his 1-year-old tent in a bid to stop Le Pen. The latter therefore remains the most coherent and united force in France today, and Macron was smart enough to acknowledge that after the elections.

The real test will come in the years ahead. For many analysts, the situation in France is eerily reminiscent of Hitler’s rise to the top in Germany after 1932, when Hindenburg was elected President after the second runoff and Hitler was defeated; but not for long. In successive Federal elections, the Nazis picked up votes and Hitler had to be made Chancellor a year later.

The manoeuvrings of Britain to cut ties with the EU in their Brexit gambit will provide Le Pen with a lot of ammunition in the next two years.

In the meantime, while the French haven’t made an issue of their new President, Macron having a wife who was his high school music teacher will certainly loom its head higher in those two years.

The British tabloids are certainly agog!! The point they make is that, if a male teacher – say, the one in the US who ran away with a 15-year-old girl – is dubbed a “paedophile”, what’s so different about the 40-year-old married teacher Brigette having a relationship with the then 15-year-old Macron??

Was it a case of “grooming”?? Even in the “sexually free” French society, Le Pen will make hay of this gift.

During a campaign debate, she pointedly told Macron not to lecture her like a pupil!! …on taxation??

Bisram’s a fella who obviously likes to get under the Government’s skin. The ethnic question is his forte to reveal discrimination and such like against Indians. Now he’s decided to broaden his scope, and suggested in a missive that Government should cut spending rather than increasing taxes on the longsuffering Guyanese people!!

Cut taxation?? Damned heresy!! Bisram obviously hasn’t the slightest clue of how PNC economics operates!! In their “Iron Law of Taxation”, enunciated by then Finance Minister Carl Greenidge back in the eighties – when Jordan was a lowly clerk in Finance – it was clearly stated: “Spending shall be automatically increased on Jobs for the Boys to match ever-increasing taxes”.

Jordan just boasted of the G$5 billion extra TAXES extracted over last year; and of course he has ensured the second part of the equation is balanced – Jobs for the Boys!

Did you notice the 5 high-paid legal geezers hired to help the hapless AG?? On top of all the hundreds of military advisers to the Government?? …in drug shortages The Chairman of the Board of GHPC just came up with a new excuse for the drug shortages: folks are going around to the various health centres, collecting drugs and HOARDING THEM!!

Why?? Why ask?? Just blame the people!!

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Set up…

…in Parliament t was going to be like that shootout scene in the old Clint Eastwood spaghetti western between “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” There, it was three gunslingers vying for a gold cache, but here in Guyana, it was going to be the AFC (the Ugly) teaming up with the PPP (the Good) versus the PNC/APNU (the Bad) to capture the government in 2020.

All three of them were going to shoot their wad in Parliament last Thursday on the hot topic of VAT on private education. Like in the movie, the Ugly, AFC, was acting purely out of self-interest. Ever since they sold out their constituency back in 2015, they’d gradually been exposed as the doormats they’d always been for the PNC/APNU. As “dead meat”, they were beginning to smell.

Their supporters out in the boons had long gone back home to the PPP. They didn’t need the latter to “open their eyes” to anything. The Government’s ham-handedness took care of that: closing sugar estates right, left and centre; and promising and never delivering rice markets to Mexico didn’t exactly endear the 11% to the AFC’s leadership. But the middle-class ones in “town” were champing at the bit, and these were the ones who’ve contributed both money and manpower.

They had to do something – and quickly. The latter group were getting their knickers all into knots over the Government’s imposition of VAT on private school education, and had a brainwave. It wasn’t just the money, the townies said. The fact that most of them were fat cats coming out was just a coincidence!! It was the PRINCIPLE!! Education would set us free, and how dare it be taxed?? It was so “Developed World-ish”!!! From the looks of it, the brainwave probably came from Khemraj Ramjattan, who’d also come up with a 2am curfew to solve crime in Guyana!!

Anyhow, the AFC announced they were now against VAT on education – which the PPP had declared from the beginning, and in fact had introduced a motion in the National Assembly to abolish same. The AFC were signalling to their “town constituency” that they were going to follow Spike Lee’s advice and “do the right thing”. So here it was that the entire country waited with bated breath: would the AFC vote with the PPP and defeat the big, bad PNC/APNU??

Alas!! A funny thing happened on the way to the debate on VAT on private education: it never happened!! The Speaker disallowed the PPP motion, and the AFC dodged the VAT bullet. They didn’t have to put their votes where their mouths were, and risk their doormats’ status!!

What?? OF COURSE it was a set-up!! …the monkey on the official’s back There’s the old expression to “have a monkey on one’s back”, which means “to have an addiction”.

Presumably, it brought home the burdens of being addicted – especially to drugs. We also have the expression “feeding the monkey” coming from the same situation. In Guyana – while there have been several nationwide programmes warning Guyanese of the dangers of drug addiction – somehow, recent events suggest that those efforts might’ve just rolled off officialdom’s backs.

What brings on this thought is the sad, sad story of that PNC Councillor being addicted to Pethidine. But even more alarming than a public official engaging in ridiculous behaviour that’s now explainable is the official complicity to have the lady feed her habit rather than getting her help. And help is there. By sheer coincidence, the Chronic’s article by the GPHC’s resident psychologist was about dealing with drug addiction.

Like Noel Blackman in the US, the doctor who’s been prescribing the drug for the Councillor should be charged, convicted and jailed. …on Indian Monument Why’s it so difficult for the Ministry of Education to explain what went DOWN on the Indian Monument being installed at Palmyra?

But hold it – they’re backed up! They’re still working to explain the G$350M collected for Jubilee Park in 2015!

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Indian Arrival and Religious Pluralism II

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By Ravi Dev

ndian Guyanese commemorated “Indian Arrival Day” on May 5th and we continue with our comment from last week on the disputation between Dr Henry Jeffrey’s call for “a radical religious inclusiveness” versus Swami Aksharananda’s call for “a radical separation between church and state”. My point of entry was Dr Jeffrey’s citation of the political philosopher John Rawls’ proposals to address the challenges of how to organise a stable state under conditions of modernity: characterised by groups hewing to “conflicting comprehensive doctrines”.

What we know in Guyana to be “plural societies”.

The question addressed by Rawls should interest us in Guyana, divided also so many fault lines. He asked: “[H]ow is it possible for there to exist over time a just and stable society of free and equal citizens who remain profoundly divided by reasonable religious, philosophical, and moral doctrines?”

Rawls is suggesting if we don’t have an answer, we might as well “pack up shop”. Some have actually reached this conclusion.

Rawls answers are very nuanced and attention must be given to the specific meaning he gives to the words he carefully chooses in his proposals. For instance, his use of the word “justice” is deontological and privileges the rights of individuals over the “good” as opposed to consequentialism.

Obviously, this will have consequences in concrete application of his principles, or even in thought experiments.

The citation from Rawls Dr Jeffrey offered, concerned how necessary public discussion may be conducted in plural societies.

“Reasonable comprehensive doctrines, religious or non-religious, may be introduced in public discussion at any time…provided that in due course proper political reasons…and not reasons given solely by comprehensive doctrines – are presented that are sufficient to support whatever the comprehensive doctrines are said to support.”

The word “reasonable,”

to Rawls has the specific meaning of being willing to respect the equal dignity of all citizens. What this means is only those aspects of an individual “comprehensive doctrine” that are not “reasonable” should be offered in public discussion with individuals holding to other comprehensive doctrines if the latter’s dignity is not respected. These can form an “overlapping consensus” on political issues.

In the event that precipitated the Guyanese colloquy, the Christian pastor with a particular (religious) comprehensive doctrine was not even speaking in a “public space” but a space reserved for the education of all citizens, with the constitution of Guyana forbidding persons be “required to receive religious instruction” there. While the Pastor would have argued – as Dr Jeffrey did – that the instruction might have been for the “good” of the children, the Guyana Constitution follows Rawls and privileges the rights of non-Christian children over the “good”, as expounded by the pastor.

The assertion: “Hinduism is clearly a false religion… clearly a satanic religion, very wicked” isn’t exactly respecting the right to dignity of the Hindu children in the audience.

What Rawls said was the state – in schools and elsewhere – is only entitled to educate people in the values of citizenship – in our case, what, some years ago – following Rawls – I called the values of “Guyaneseness”.

In the quote cited, “proper political reasons” as used by Rawls is not what Dr Jeffrey says he “takes this to mean whether or not we take a religious or non-religious position, it must be backed up by proper logical and/ or empirical reasoning.”

Firstly, Rawls says reasons have to concern the “political”: they must discuss the legitimacy of what Rawls calls “the basic structure of a society” – the fundamental political, social and economic institutions – that facilitate social cooperation. Rawls says this willingness to only offer “political reasons” flows from a ‘duty of civility’, which is the foundation of a wellordered society.

It was for this reason Rawls had to jettison by 1993, even the comprehensive liberalism of “Justice as Fairness” (1971) which was tied to

Kant’s values of autonomy and self-realisation as the ideals of human perfection. But Rawls insisted that the political principles that guaranteed liberty and fairness to all, should be acceptable to persons of all backgrounds and religions – once there is mutual respect.

However, he warned: “That there are doctrines that reject one or more democratic freedoms is itself a permanent fact of life, or seems so. This gives us the practical task of containing them— like war and disease—so that they do not overturn political justice.”

41

42 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry unable to account for millions in State assets – PS

T

he Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry is unable to properly account for all of its assets and resources distributed across the regions, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, as a result of lapses in the procurement, fiscal management and accountability laws and obligatory regulations – a situation that has reached alarming proportions.

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alfred King made the startling disclosure when he was joined by Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sidney Allicock and Minster within the Ministry, Valerie GariddoLowe for the opening of a two-day meeting of the Ministry’s Community Development Officers (CDO).

He told the CDOs gathered at Moray House, they

also contribute to the mismanagement in the system. Pointing out the situation recently unearthed at the Ministry, through its various mechanism and outlying offices and unit, the Permanent Secretary said it has been failing to accurately account for resources that have been distributed.

According to King, recent queries were undertaken by the Ministry that focuses on compliance with the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act and Guyana Procurement Laws among other standards.

In making the disclosure, King said it was “only two days I was spending over three and half hours trying to not ramble but go through thoroughly, what is the assessment of the Ministry’s performance by the FMA standard, by the Stores Regulation standard, by the Procurement Act standards and what we found is quite alarming in some cases.”

According to the recently appointed Permanent Secretary, “there are queries as it relates to the Ministry not being able to account accurately and efficiently for the distribution of its assets and resources to support the community’s

Permanent Secretary Alfred King

work.”

He lamented this to be a most distressing, since on further investigations it was discovered that there are several gaps existing in the system, in addition to other breakdowns in the governance mechanisms.

“What we found was that there were gaps as it relates to people who should be involved and persons who should be taking action to correct those deficiencies.”

King said the Ministry has since taken cognisance of the existing gaps in the Indigenous Affairs Ministry’s operations. He highlighted too, “lots of parallel operations… things are happening and people are operating in silos when in fact we should be operating at one Ministry.”

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary used the occasion of the twoday meet to challenge the CDOs in the formulation of strategies on the way forward and to bring to fore and address the sore issues plaguing the Ministry.

Woman held for undeclared US$44,000 at airport released on bail

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he 36-year-old South Ruimveldt, Georgetown woman who was taken into the custody of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for failing to declare more than US$44,000 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) has been placed on self-bail.

According to Police Public Relations Officer Jairam Ramlakhan, the woman was released on her own recognizance and will have to return to the SOCU office sometime this week.

Based on reports received, the woman arrived on a St Lucian flight at Guyana’s main port of entry with some US$44,688 in her possession. It is not clear how the woman passed security checkpoints in St Lucia with that amount of money.

This newspaper understands that upon arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, she was asked if she had anything to declare and she responded in the negative.

However, customs officials discovered the foreign currency stashed in two parcels in her hand luggage during a routine check on her luggage.

She was immediately pulled aside and questioned, and SOCU was

quickly involved. The law stipulates that once any passenger is carrying in excess of US$10,000, the money must be declared to the relevant authorities for clearance.

In January 2016, jewellery belonging to a Better Hope, East Coast Demerara gold smith and valued at more than G$10 million was confiscated by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

The man, Richard Ramjit, was accused by security officers of smuggling gold, but he had denied the allegation. At the time, he was then told that the jewellery was seized because it was valued at approximately G$4 million, which is in excess of US$10,000 – the threshold at which seizures can be made under amended anti-money laundering laws if there is no declaration to customs.

The CANU ranks worked in accordance with the mandate of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) which was set up to detect crimes related to money laundering and terrorism. Ramjit has since sued the state for G$10 million on the contention that his fundamental rights and freedoms were breached.

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

43

44 feature

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rtist Darshani Kistama is “honoured” to be among veteran Guyanese artists exhibiting their artwork at Castellani House. This is Darshani’s inaugural

exhibition at the art gallery.

Darshani has on display artistic paintings, drawings, saris and beautifully hand-painted bottles.

The on-going exhi-

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

bition, themed “Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey”, is being held to commemorate the centenary of the abolition of the Indian indentureship.

Speaking to Sunday

am influenced and inspired by the magnificence and splendour of the natural environment. However, due to my commitment to my religion, I am often driven to produce works that are closely related to my culture, that is Hinduism,” the artist expressed.

Darshani is a graduate of E.R.Burrowes School of Art. Her minor at the institution was art and major was in textile designs.

She recollected that since childhood she “always loved looking at the different forms of Hand-painted candle holders artwork and the various techniques used in Times Magazine, Darshani said she is in- creating those masterspired by nature and her pieces”.

“For as long as I can “commitment” to her religion, which is a central remember, I have altheme in most of her art. ways loved to draw and “Nature is my num- paint. I cannot remember one inspiration. I ber a time when I did not have a pencil or pen in my hand. I guess my love and appreciation for art also stems from my late grandfather who has always been a big fan of paintings,” Darshani recalled.

For the artist, music always sets a mood in helping her be creative.

Whether it is soft slow songs or fast rhythmic tunes, Darshani gets inspired.

According to Darshani, art challenges her to better herself. For her, it is not just about paint and canvas, but a connection to her feelings and dreams. She would ask herself, “How do I bring those things to life on a canvas?”, and then challenge herself to be better every time she picks up a brush/pallet knife.

She also pointed out that she enjoys painting still life objects.

Otherwise, she would often find herself painting landscapes or art inspired by her religion.

“I want to raise awareness that life is a beautiful, colourful dance of revealing and concealing what we think, feel, say and do in any given moment.

While some artists prefer displaying works that are intellectual and mysterious, you would find that only a few in an audience would actually understand what they are looking at.

“What I try to do is to not only help my audience understand what they ‘see’, but to effectively communicate a story to them that would touch them in one way or the other. I believe painting becomes just another way of telling a story or expressing your

feelings, there is no need to read a book or caption, just walk into a gallery and phase through different feelings, different moods and different stories. The beauty of painting is that it is immediate to an audience,” the artist explained.

Darshani displayed her works at Umana Yana in 2016 as a graduate of Burrowes; at Night Cap in September 2016, when it launched its first art exhibition; at the inaugural Guyana Coconut Festival, where she placed in the top ten for a painting she displayed at the event; and at the National Library, where the “Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey” exhibition was being housed from March 28 to April 1, 2017.

Currently, Darshani is working on making her small business, Touch of Art, successful.

She also intends to further her studies by pursuing a degree in art at a foreign university.

“I think art should be encouraged in more primary and secondary schools, as well as setting up more art exhibitions and workshops to expose children to the different types of art there is. I think it is a good way for kids to show their true potential and a way for them to learn to be creative in their own way, as well as to look at something with a different perspective,” she declared.

Darshani encourages young and aspiring artists to “paint what you feel; everyone may have their own different techniques and skills, which makes them unique at what they do, but stay true to yours; donot give in to discouragement and always try to excel yourself in whatever form of art you wish to pursue”.

In addition to painting, the artist enjoys recycling wine and liquor bottles by hand-painting beautiful designs on them, transforming them into functional, artistic pieces for homes.

She also does henna designs for weddings and other occasions.

“Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey” at Castellani House, Vlissengen Road, was opened on April 11 and will continue until May 9, 2017. Admission is free.

For more information on the artist, visit Touch of Art on Facebook or her website at darshanikistama.tk.

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

45

46 feature

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tate House, once known as Government House, has been the official residence of several colonial governors and Guyanese presidents over the years.

It is said to have had its origins in the 1820s, when the building was originally owned by William Percy Austin, the first Anglican Bishop of Guyana.

Ordinances were passed in 1852 and 1863 allowing the purchase of the property to establish an official residence for the governor of what was then British Guiana.

After independence, the country’s first president, Arthur Chung chose State House as his official residence in the 1970s.

It would be decades later, in the 1990s, that the building was again used by a sitting president when

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

the fourth president, Cheddi Jagan, chose the building for his official residence.

It remains the official presidential residence today.

With a lush, green landscape and tree-lined driveway, State House is located from Main Street at the front to Carmichael Street along New Market Street. It has over the years undergone several additions and changes.

The original building faced Carmichael Street but by 1894, its main entrance was on Main Street.

The building is often described as the house with its 100 windows, and is said to have once been called “The Grande Dame of Main Street” for its graceful interior and exterior wooden architectural elements and design, some of which are credited to Caesar

State House. (Photo courtesy National Trust of Guyana)

Castellani, an architect known for de-

signing several buildings in Guyana.

Detail showing grand columns in State House. (Photo courtesy National Trust of Guyana) State House dining room where meetings are sometimes conducted

Detail of decorative ceiling in the State House dining room. (Photo courtesy National Trust of Guyana)

British investors signal interest in Guyana’s oil, gas sectors East Indian Market, Plantation Farm, East Bank Demerara n.d

Typical range (logie) housing indentured immigrants

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ritish investors, during a recent state visit by Guyanese officials to the United Kingdom signalled their intention to invest in Guyana’s oil and gas sector. Late April, First Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge accompanied President David Granger, on a five-day state visit.

Minister Greenidge, at a recent press conference, noted that British and Irish company Tullow Oil has shared when they expect to commence exploration. Tullow Oil has interests in the newly defined Kanuku and Orinduik Blocks offshore Guyana.

Minister Greenidge noted that at the meeting with investors Tullow, “Spoke to its involvement in Guyana, where it started and when they expect to commence exploration having completed their exploratory work on the shelf.”

Minister Greenidge noted that investors also shared their “expressions” of the experiences and challenges they faced in investing in Guyana. The Minister explained that the meetings were not technical, that is, no monetary pledges were made by the investors, rather it was more of an information sourcing meeting.

“We explained things, we tried to clarify issues that were raised. The discussion was fairly exhaustive,” Minister Greenidge said.

Investors also signalled their interests in investing in other sectors like mining.

The President had addressed investors and others at the Caribbean Council’s Annual Reception at the House of Lords with a view towards supporting the region’s economic development.

47

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Appreciating mothers

Arrival of identity

Dear Diary, Ah me, Nagga Man, again. Me feel real good, an’ me na even tek wan drink yet; me guh wait till ten a’clack today.

And na beca’se a wan laang weekend me feel good; ah beca’se me come home, Dear Diary. Yes, me come home!!

Eva since Rum Jhaat aks me fuh jine up wid Pee-an’-See, me bin t’ink me gat fuh play like me na Indian. But yuh know me a wan real Indian, right, Dear Diary?

Ev’ry day me use fuh drink wan half battle Bush Rum, but now me stap; me a drink wan battle whiskey now!! An’ na beca’se me gat nuff money – dem a pay me fuh drink!! Dem call am “enta-tainment”!! But me ah only enta-tain meself!!

Yes, me come home. An’ yuh know who mek me come home, Dear Diary?

Me leadah, Grain Ja!! ‘E tell me nothin’ wrang if me seh me a wan Indian!! Yes, me can admit me a wan Indian!! Yestaday abee bin a Berbice an’ Grain Ja call de Haliday “Indian Arrival Day”!!

Da man pawah-ful!! ‘E mo pawahful dan da chap fram de Bible – Moses.

Moses bin pa’t de Red Sea suh ‘e people could crass ova to de odda side; but yuh know wha’ Pressie do?? ‘E mek wan call to de Berbice Bridge people and dem had to keep the Bridge open fuh all abee fram town fuh crass ova!!

De only problem, Dear Diary, Rum Jhaat prappa vex wid me. ‘E na even tek wan drink wid me. Now yuh know da serious, right? An’ yuh know wha mek?

Just beca’se Pressie na tell ‘e fuh guh wid abee to Berbice!! …But HOL’ IT, DEAR DIARY. AH 10 A’CLAK NOW. ME GAT FUH TEK ME DRINK. ME AH WAN INDIAN!!

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

“A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them” – Victor Hugo

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Anu Dev

unday, the second Sunday of May, has been set aside as Mother’s Day. Kids all over the world will try to do whatever they can to make their mothers feel special.

Some will give their mother flowers or cards. Some might even prepare a home-cooked meal, or take their moms out for dinner.

When Mother’s Day became a recognized holiday in the US in 1914, it quickly spread to the rest of the world. And just as quickly, by the 1920s, it had become as commercialized as any

other holiday. Say “Hip! Hip! Hooray for commodification of even being thankful for mother’s love!! The world soon plunged into the Great Depression, and mothers really had to become mothers!

But why should you only honour your mother on the second Sunday of May? It’s just a date chosen arbitrarily.

It could’ve been any other date; or, better yet, it doesn’t just have to be one date.

Why can’t people show their love for their mothers every day? Or rather, why don’t they? Your mother should be important enough to you that you would have no problem with showing her that you love her every day; whether you want to show your love by just saying ‘I love you’ or by showering her with

gifts, it’s your prerogative. Be spontaneous — show your love every day in all of the little ways that count much, much more.

Let’s hear it for those wonderful women who had to put up with our wailing in the middle of the night as babies, our whining about going to school, our teenage angst, and everything else.

The women who, all too often, are our shoulders to cry on, the persons we share our hopes and fears with, the persons who worry about us more than we ever worry about ourselves.

And when we become mothers, we often pattern our behaviours after our own mothers. And my mom has certainly set the bar pretty high: ten years from now, I’ll have some big shoes to fill.

But the good thing is that your mom would be there to help you get through your own journey through motherhood. She’ll teach you how to hold your newborn child, and of course she’ll spoil your kids rotten, so they’re always more excited to see their grandmother than you.

And this Mother’s Day isn’t just limited to celebrating your biological mother. It’s a time to honour all of those great women who were mothers to you, who at some point treated you like you were their own child.

And even though you should be showing your love every day, it IS a nice gesture to go that extra mile on Mother’s Day. Happy (early) Mothers’ Day!

48 Bollywood

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

IPL 2017: Juhi Chawla, Preity Zinta turn commentators, root for KKR and Kings XI Punjab T

hey were both the favourite bubbly actors of Bollywood and Preity Zinta and Juhi Chawla have lost none of their effervescence. On Tuesday, the two came together to give live commentary of IPL 2017 match and more than the cricket stadium, it was the commentary box which was packed with fun and excitement as the two Bollywood beauties were heard battling it out and rooting for their respective teams.

Preity Zinta co-owns the IPL team, Kings XI Punjab, and Juhi Chawla is the co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders along with Shah Rukh Khan.

In yesterday’s match between KKR and Kings XI Punjab in Mohali, Preity and Juhi turned commentators for UC news. Apart from celebrating every time the ball hit the boundary and fall of wickets, both Juhi and Preity played their own indoor match. While Preity aced the shots just like her team, it was fun watching Juhi imitating

S the mannerisms of cricketers.

As Kings XI Punjab registered a win on their home ground, Preity did a happy jog to celebrate it and Juhi sat disappointed with her team’s performance. In the pictures, that have been shared by UC News on social media, the priceless expressions of both the actors were a testimony of their love for the game and their childlike excitement for their team’s win.

While chatting with her fans during the commentary, Juhi revealed that she is working on a Kannada children film

and favourite character is Kiran from her film Darr. Preity’s better half Gene Goodenough also landed in Mohali for the match and Preity happily told Juhi that she has changed his interest from basketball to cricket. Also, she had happy news for all the Bollywood buffs who have been missing her on the silver screen.

Preity will be next seen in Bhaiya Ji Superhit which will hit the theaters soon.

This was Juhi’s first attempt as a commentator but Preity has already entertained the cricket as well as

Bollywood lovers when she gave commentary with her Salaam Namaste co-actor Saif Ali Khan.

Earlier cricket joined hands with Bollywood when Sunny Leone challenged cricketer Virendra Sehwag’s commentary skills and invited him to share the commentary box with her during a match between Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Also, Sunny added a pinch of fun and masala to an earlier match between KKR and Kings XI Punjab with actorcomedian Sunil Grover.

(Indian Express)

Shabana Azmi remembers ‘Abba’ Kaifi Azmi on his 15th death anniversary

V

eteran actress Shabana Azmi remembered her father Kaifi Azmi as “a rare poet” on his 15th death anniversary.

The 66-year-old actress took to Twitter where she praised her father as the epitome of a human being, who made a difference in the world both with his words and deeds. “You left us on this day 15 years ago Abba. But you live on as a shining example of how

Shahid Kapoor completes 14 years in film industry, but says he still feels like a student

one person can change destinies of thousands @AzmiKaifi (sic),” wrote Shabana.

Kaifi was a member

of Progressive Writers’ Movement of India and is credited for bringing Urdu literature to Indian cinema. His greatest

feat as a writer in cinema was 1970’s Heer Raanjha, where the entire dialogue of the film was penned in verse.

Kaifi’s other film credits include writing dialogues for M S Sathyu’s Garam Hawa (1973), Manthan (1976) and songs for Guru Dutt’s Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) among others. He died on May 10, 2002 at the age of 83. (Indian Express)

hahid Kapoor is someone who makes women go weak in their knees just at the sheer mention of his name. He has been contributing to the Indian cinema from the past 14 years. His films like Udta Punjab, Haider, Vivah and Kaminey have been applauded not only by the movie buffs but even critics. But even after being at the peak of his career and having completed 14 years in the industry, Shahid still feels like a student and thinks he needs to learn a lot.

On the occasion of his 14th work anniversary, Sasha (as his fans lovingly call him) thanked his followers on social media for believing in him.

Replying to the several wishes that found their way on his Twitter handle, the Padmavati actor wrote, “Thanks peeps for the many wishes. 14 years of doing what I love. The beauty of cinema, you always feel like a student. Too much to learn.”

Shahid took his first step in Bollywood with 2003 film Ishq Vishq, costarring Amrita Rao. In the initial years of his career, Shahid was perceived as a chocolate boy, but later, with films like Kaminey, Udta Punjab, Haider, and Rangoon he successfully shed the boy next door image and essayed roles with many shades on-screen.

Even after 14 years of hard work, Shahid feels there is too much left for him to achieve in too little time. “Too much to achieve. Too little time.

Time to put my blinders on and run like there’s no tomorrow. Gratitude and love. For believing in me,” tweeted Shahid.

For now, Shahid is prepping up to play the husband of Queen Padmini and King of Chittor – Raja Rawal Ratan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Padmavati. The film also stars Deepika Padukone in the titular role and Ranveer Singh. (Indian Express)

Kangana Ranaut announces she will only act in films that she’s directing

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fter completing over a decade of her journey in the film industry and giving some impeccable performances on screen, Kangana Ranaut is ready to conquer the world of filmmaking.

have done in the last 11 years has led me to it, it completes me, I am 30 now and I don’t see myself working with another director after this. I will focus on being a filmmaker. I want to move on to the next phase

The actor says that she has acted enough for others and now, she would act only in her own films. In Varanasi, where the actor was present to unveil the grand poster of her film, Kangana said that next year she would start making a comedy film.

“I feel whatever I

which means that I will focus on my career as a filmmaker and if I act I will act in my film,” she asserted in an interview with Mumbai Mirror.

When asked about the kind of film she would want to begin her directorial career with, Kangana said, “Comedy.”

(Indian Express)

Kabir Khan on Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo in ‘Tubelight’: The role was screaming for a superstar

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ilmmaker Kabir Khan managed to pull off a coup of sorts when he had Shah Rukh Khan doing a cameo in Salman Khan’s Tubelight. Come Tubelight this June, and the fans will see the two Khans sharing screen space in a film after 15 years.

Talking about it in an

interview, Kabir said that though he finds the idea of cameos by big stars “gimmicky”, the particular character in Tubelight demanded a superstar.

“It was a role screaming for a superstar cameo otherwise I wouldn’t have. I find it gimmicky.

But when you will watch the film, you will realise the role needed a super-

star. We went to him with the role and he was kind enough to agree. It is a brilliant cameo but I can’t say much about it because it will take away the joy of seeing it.”

This is the first time Kabir collaborated with Shah Rukh on a film.

The duo, however, have known each other personally for a long time now.

He recently began filming a short movie with the star for Dubai Tourism.

When asked about a possibility of a full-fledged collaboration with Shah Rukh, Kabir said, “I would love to work with him. I have known him

since college days in Delhi. We shot for an advertisement recently and we do speak about ideas.

So, if there comes an idea, we both agree upon, I am sure we will collaborate.”

The teaser of Tubelight was released last week and has been received well by the fans and critics. The period drama, set against the backdrop of SinoIndian war in 1962, also stars Sohail Khan and Chinese actor Zhu Zhu, in her Bollywood debut.

Tubelight is based on Little Boy, a 2015 World War II war fantasy-drama film. (Indian Express)

WEEK ENDING MAY 14 , 2017| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Vin Diesel honours Paul Walker while accepting MTV Generation Award

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hile accepting an award at the 2017 MTV Movie and TV Awards, Vin Diesel paid tribute to one of his closest friends and a former co-star, Paul Walker, who died in a fatal car crash in 2013.

It was during the filming of the seventh installment of the Fast and Furious movie series.

The movie had only been half completed and a lot of scenes of the movie had to be edited, and the storyline had to be changed. Paul Walker’s

brothers, Cody and Caleb helped in completing various scenes of the unfinished movie.

“In 2002, I was standing on this stage and MTV had given Paul Walker and I an award for best duo,” recalled Diesel. “And now, 15 years later, I’m with my whole family and you’ve given us the Generation Award.”

Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Michelle Rodriguez accepted the Generation Award at the MTV

Movie & TV Awards on behalf of the entire ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise. The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ star also thanked fans for the honour, saying, “I gotta thank a generation that was willing to accept this multicultural franchise, where it didn’t matter what colour your skin was or what country you were from.”

“I could never stand on the stage and talk about ‘Fast and Furious’ without giving love to my brother, Pablo, our brother Pablo, we hope you are proud, thank you so much,” said the superstar, as reported by E! Online.

‘Furious 7’ was the last film in the franchise to feature Paul Walker, as the 40-year-old tragically died in a car accident before its release.

(Indian Express)

Charlie Hunnam on King Arthur casting: I was surprised

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ctor Charlie Hunnam has said he was surprised and overjoyed when Guy Ritchie finalised him for the titular role in King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword, as the filmmaker was initially not in the mood to cast him.

The 37-year-old actor, who put on 20 pounds and worked hard on his physique for the role, said he did not think if he was even in the middle of Ritchie’s list. “Guy flatout said he didn’t want to

see me. I thought, wait, he’s not even going to give me audition? …We knew a lot of the same people, and before this film even came up, I kept hearing from friends that Guy and I should work together. So I had this construct in my mind that Guy and I were already pals. I wanted him to at least have a cup of tea with me,” Hunnam said in a statement.

The actor said he finally received a call to read for the character

and a week later he was on board for the film.

“Finally, Guy invited me to read for him, and then read again with some other actors. A week later I got the call and Guy said, ‘Alright, you got the role.’ I was both surprised and overjoyed,” Hunnam said.

The actor said the story of King Arthur is about self-belief and the idea of conquering over inner fears interested him the most.”

The thing that really interested me and Guy, and which is inherent in the Arthurian legend, is the idea that the challenges we face are only given weight by our fears,” Hunnam said.

King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword, a Warner Bros film, will hit the theaters on May 12. (Indian Express)

Hollywood 49

MTV Movie and TV Awards 2017: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is Movie of the Year

…Emma Watson wins Best Actor award

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isney’s live-action adaptation Beauty and the Beast was named Movie of the Year at the 2017 MTV Movie and TV Awards.

The Bill Condon-directed movie won the top film honour beating the fellow nominees including Logan, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Get Out and The Edge of Seventeen, reported Ace Showbiz.

“This is so exciting, thank you so much,” Condon said. “Thank you to the audience who embraced this movie so much, but especially thank you to the women because women have proven that they’re a huge and powerful audience, and it’s gonna change the movie business.”

The film’s lead star Emma Watson won the new combined-gender Best Actor Award in a Movie. The 27-yearold British actress defeated the likes of Hailee Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen) and Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) as well as formidable competitors like Hugh Jackman (Logan) and Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures).

Jackman took home the Best Duo award for his role in Logan. The 48-year-old Aussie actor shared the trophy with his young co-star, Dafne Keen.

Meanwhile, Hidden Figures and the The Fate of the Furious took home the Best Fight Against the System trophy and the Generation Award respectively. The eighth “Fast and Furious” movie co-stars Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson

and Jordana Brewster took the stage to accept the award.

Daniel Kaluuya won the Next Generation award for his role in Get Out, defeating other competitors like Chrissy Metz, Issa Rae, Riz Ahmed and Yara Shahidi. “Stranger Things” was the biggest TV winner at the ceremony.

After Millie Bobby Brown delivered her emotional speech when accepting an award for Best Actor in a Show, the Netflix series was hailed as Show of the Year.

Much-loved series This Is Us didn’t go home empty handed, as it took home a Golden Popcorn in Tearjerker category.

The Walking Dead and Black-ish also grabbed one award each, for Best Villain (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Best American Story, respectively.

Trevor Noah (The Daily Show) won Best Host, defeating Ellen DeGeneres, John Oliver, RuPaul and Samantha Bee, while RuPaul’s Drag Race was dubbed as the Best Reality Competition.

FOX’s Grease Live won Best Musical Moment, Channing Tatum and Beyonce Knowles shared a Golden Popcorn for their performance on Lip Sync Battle which competed in the Trending category.

Honouring the best in the big screen and small screen, the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards was hosted by Adam DeVine. (Indian Express)

Priyanka Chopra to appear on Jimmy Kimmel’s show for third time

Shekhar Kapur to direct Bruce Lee biopic, ‘Little Dragon’

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hekhar Kapur is all set to direct a film on the early years in the life of renowned Hong Kong-American martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee. Titled Little Dragon, the film will be produced by Lee’s daughter Shannon with backing from Chinese investors, a leading British website reported.

Shannon, who runs Bruce Lee Entertainment, has co-scripted the project with Kapur and will produce it with Tim Kwok of Convergence Entertainment.

Set in 1950s, Hong Kong, the movie follows a young Bruce Lee as he comes to terms with his family’s disappointment, young love, betrayal and racism in the early years of his international career.

“The film will be a contemporary take on Bruce Lee who, aside from being considered the most gifted and famous martial artist of all time, is now accepted as a major philosopher in his own right,” Kapur was quoted by the

website saying.

A worldwide casting search to find the actor to play the teenaged Bruce Lee was launched last week by US casting director Mary Vernieu.

The US-Hong Kong-China co-production is financed by Dadi Media Group, Beijing Golden World Pictures, Shanghai Longzhilin Cultural Investment Partnership and Kirin Media. Executive producers include Kapur, Yu-San Yu, Allen Tan, Leo Zheng and Jeff Chao.

“I always thought that a film about how my father’s life was shaped in his early years in Hong Kong would be a worthwhile story to share so we could better understand him as a human being and a warrior,” Shannon said.

Kapur, who is among the revered Indian directors internationally, last directed American-Swiss drama film Passage, in 2009. His much talked-about Hindi film, Paani, however, is yet to see the light of the day. (Indian Express)

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riyanka Chopra is on a roll and is surely a bird you just cannot stop from taking high flights. The actor, who is just back to Los Angeles after a trip to South Africa as UNICEF ambassador, has begun promotions of Baywatch and her first stop is Jimmy Kimmel’s show.

The actor confirmed that she is going to shoot

for the episode, and we are totally geared up for the fun ahead. But before making an appearance on the show, Priyanka took time off for her fans and indulged in a short Twitter chat during which she expressed that one thing she would really want to do is travel back in time and meet the legendary Indian actor Meena Kumari. The actor has often spoken

about idolising Meena Kumari and her work.

As far as Jimmy Kimmel’s show is concerned, this is the third time that the actor is making an appearance. Her debut on this television show was when she was promoting her American series, Quantico.

Priyanka was one of the guests on the show after her big win at the People’s Choice Awards this year and now, she will be talking about Baywatch and lots of other things, which are keeping her fans agog.

The 34-year-old actor would be touring around the world to promote Baywatch, which marks her debut in Hollywood film industry. (Indian Express)

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Johnson selected to represent WI pick 16-year-old fast bowler Guyana at CONCACAF TARP for Women’s World Cup

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ladwyn Johnson will participate in the CONCACAF Targeted Advanced Referee Programme (TARP) scheduled for Dallas, Texas from May 11 – 14, 2017.

Johnson, who is a FIFA referee, will be Guyana’s representative and he will be among nine participating referees; four of which will be from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) region including Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Johnson, in an invited comment said: “It’s a blessing for me to be a part of this prestigious course and to be around all the top assessors, instructors and referees in CONCACAF. It’s always a great learning experience towards better thing to come. Upon my return, I will share the information acquired with my fellow referees so that our standard of refereeing i n Guyana would improve.”

The elite referee, who has been a referee for six years and is in his first year as a FIFA referee added that his participation in the TARP is a “great achievement” for him and is thankful to God, CONCACAF, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), his employers at the Guyana Sugar Corporation – GuySuCo (Blairmont Estate), his wife and family for the support provided.

“We have the potential here.

Persons need to commit themselves to the programme, said Stanley Lancaster, Head of GFF’s Refereeing Department. “When given the opportunity, they need to showcase their skills and true potential so that they can be recognized because CONCACAF and FIFA are continuously looking for talent that the Caribbean possesses.

Based on information received, they have seen that potential in Gladwyn, hence the reason for his selection,” Lancaster added.

Asked about the impact Johnson’s participation will have on the national programme, Lancaster said: “This

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FIFA referee Galdwyn Johnson

will definitely be a boost to the local programme as it should serve as encouragement to other national referees. Gladwyn, in his first year as a FIFA referee as of January 2017, has already participated in three appointments and now is in this course – what we term as CONCACAF World Cup – the Gold Cup seminar, followed by the Gold Cup in June. So, it’s a plus for the local officials once they look at it in a positive way to see that this step can be accomplished by anyone.”

It requires commitment, adaptation to the training, reading, interpreting and applying the knowledge and maintaining a high level of fitness,” Lancaster added.

The course will focus on physical fitness testing, practical and technical training and classroom and field sessions, including video tests.

The physical fitness testing is a requirement for FIFA World Cup referee participation.

According to CONCACAF, the TARP will be conducted simultaneously with the CONCACAF 2017 Gold Cup Pre-Tournament Referees Course and though participants will most likely not be match officials of the named tournament, they will participate in the group phase of the tournament and serve as fourth officials and replacement referees as required.

est Indies women's squad for the World Cup, which will be played in England in JuneJuly, features four new faces, including 16-year-old fast bowler Qiana Joseph.

The three other newcomers include 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Reniece Boyce, 23-year-old allrounder Akeira Peters and 25-year-old opening batsman Felicia Walters.

Chairman of the selection panel Courtney Browne said these four players caught the eye at the emerging women's players camp held last year.

"The team is composed of a mixture of youth and experience," Browne said.

"Performances in this year's Women's Regional Super50 Tournament along with the form of incumbent players over the last few international tours were taken into consideration.

"The panel felt all four [new] players bring a specific skill-set to the team. It should also be noted that all four players are products of our last training camp for emerging women's

players held last year. We feel at this time that these players, although not as experienced, have shown improvement and can add value to our squad."

Allrounder Shanel Daley, who last played in November 2014, returned to the squad. Browne said of her selection: "Shanel's ability as a player has never been in question. She however, had some injury issues over the last few years. Those issues are now under control and our medical personnel, as well as Oba Gulston, the physiotherapist for the women's team, will continue to monitor and manage her."

Allrounder Shaquana Quintyne missed out with injury.

The Women's World Cup runs from June 24 to July 23. West Indies play their first match on June 26, against Australia in Taunton. They are one of eight teams in the tournament, alongside Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. (ESPNCricinfo)

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Rugby Americas North (RAN) 15s’….

Cricket crisis and a search for the cause

Not taking Barbados for granted – Gonsalves

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The national ruggers going their through paces at a practice session on Wednesday in the National Park

he National Rugby team, ‘Green Machine’ will battle Barbados on Saturday at the Garrison Savannah in their first match of the 2017 Rugby Americas North (RAN) 15s’ Championship.

In 2016, Guyana dominated the match against the Bajans with the scores ending 48-17 to prolong the misery for the Islanders against Guyana but captain Ryan Gonsalves said they will not be carless and overconfident against their opponents.

“We are not taking Barbados for granted they have not beaten us in years and we are working hard enough to ensure it remains that way”, he stated while to speaking to Guyana Times Sport on Wednesday after a training session in the National Park.

At that session Gonsalves was placing great emphasis on his penalty kicks which he feels is critical in any 15s match.

“The more penalties you can get going to goal and making it would be very crucial; some 15s games we don’t score tries but penalty kicks win games”.

Commenting on the squad composition and synergy among the players considering the amount of playing

time they have gotten, he felt the senior guys will come good and bring the success required.

“We have a few new faces, we were hoping to have few under-19s s but they didn’t make the cut but they are always knocking at the door; We are trying to get the team together and getting back into 15s mode it is not easy because of the physicality but the coaches and senior players know what is need for victory”, he explained.

One of those newcomers is Ahmed Issacs who plays for Lindenwood University in Missouri and the front row is enthusiastic about making a mark with the team.

“I am really enjoying playing with the guys I play at one of the top universities in America and I’m having fun with the guys here and really looking forward to the game against Barbados”.

Isaacs said.

The Green Machine is the current runner up to Mexico in the Regional RAN XV Championships as well as Current RAN VII Caribbean Champions and will be using these games in attempt to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. (Akeem Greene)

Yudesh Bissnauth (Captain of Galaxy)

By Rupe Harricharan

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he New York based Galaxy Cricket Club is undergoing a transformation in management with the formation of a supporting entity, the Legend Social Club. This effort is essentially a partnership between a group of businesspersons and member cricketers and fans.

The main objective is to create quality by contributing to the nurturing of players and to the growth and development of the sport of cricket. Further, cricket can help in the health and fitness of the youths in our community and can serve as social outlet uniting cultures and countries.

Ultimately, the Legend Social Club hopes to help foster needed change in the approach to the administration and promotion of the game in New York.

Observations will proceed match by match as the Club seeks to identify the many challenges and obstacles preventing any meaningful interest and support for the cricket. Our community is faced with dwindling participation in sport. Numerous ideas have been suggested to account for this but I have never bought into any of these. I have come to believe that community effort is massively

lacking. Although cricket is rapidly expanding around the world (it is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer), the wealthiest nation in the world has been left behind.

Little or no attention has been given to addressing the demise of a revered past time.

Last Sunday, May 7,2017, the Legend Social Club attended the cricket match, Galaxy Cricket Club Vs Victory Cricket Club. Below are my thoughts on the fixes needed: 1.

It was too Cold for a cricket match. Not pleasant for the cricketer nor the fans.

2. The ground was not properly maintained for a professional cricket 3. Players were ill prepared and it impeded an enjoyable match.

4. No support system around the teams. They are stretched to exact players. Sometimes no one to score.

5. No fun element for spectators.

6. Substandard officiating.

These points are to shed a light to the prevailing issues. As you may know, the list can go on and on but more importantly a viable set of solutions is needed. We must find meaningful fixes.

The Legend Social Club will identify the aforementioned and other shortcomings and try to develop a structure starting with the Galaxy Cricket Club. I am extending an invitation to the community to join us in our search for solutions; for together we can make a difference.

Please attend the next game of the Galaxy Cricket Club to be held at the Baisley Pond Cage (116-19 Foch Blvd, Queens, NY) on Sunday, May 14, 2017. Come and mingle with the Legend Social Club.

(Rupe Harricharan is the CEO of Legend Cookhouse and a member of the Interim Board of Directors of the Legend Social Club.)

Bay Park cricket field

Members of the Legend Social Club - Rupe (in foreground), JZ (left) and Kap (right)

Galaxy batsmen crossing for two

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