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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 300

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016

Probe launched into unauthorised departure of planes from Guyana airport See story on page 3

CARICOM members urged to ‘stand together’ Page 22

IMMIGRATION Corner:

TIME TO BECOME A U.S. CITIZEN Page 33

One of the new parking meters which the Georgetown City Council is hoping to install in selected areas in the city.

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NEWS 3

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Probe launched into unauthorised departure of planes from Guyana airport M

inister of State, Joseph Harmon on Thursday confirmed that a probe has been launched into the unauthorized departure of two light aircraft from the Eugene F. Correia (Ogle) International Airport in Guyana, last Saturday.

At a post-Cabinet media briefing, Harmon said Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has advised Cabinet that an inquiry has been launched as part of Government’s efforts to ensure there is no repeat of such an incident in future.

“There are very serious matters in relation to security and the fact that the Eugene F. Correia Airport is an international airport, that makes it even more important to ensure that our security procedures are tightened,” he said.

According to Harmon, the probe would seek to determine who was involved and recommend steps to ensure that

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

such an incident does not recur.

On Saturday last, the aircraft, bearing registra-

tion numbers 8R-GTP and 8R-GMP, departed Guyana even though they were not supposed to do so.

Acting Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Chitranie Heeralall had confirmed that the aircraft left Guyana without the necessary authorization.

The aircraft, worth US$110,000 each, are owned

by Oxford Aviation and were subjected to a court injunction by Phoenix Airways. The planes were however, detained in Anguilla after flying through Trinidad airspace and landing in Grenada to refuel.

This newspaper understands that one of the pilots was identified as a Guyanese who owns a flight school and charter service in the United States; and the other is not licensed to fly in Guyana’s airspace.

However, speaking on behalf of the Eugene F Correia International Airport, Kit Nascimento related that all security protocols were followed on the morning when the aircraft departed.

He explained that at approximately 04:00h on Saturday, two staff attached to Oxford Airways presented their air flight passes at the airport security scanner and entered the airport. The men told the security staff at the scanner that they were going to their aircraft to put some stuff on board”, Nascimento explained.

In fact, he noted that the pilots took off without filing a flight plan and without notifying the airport security and immigration.

He stressed that all the airport security staff were on duty and would have allowed the men onto the airstirp because they had air flight passes. The pilots, the official reiterated, did not notify the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The air traffic control tower was only aware of what was happening as the aircraft were taxing down the runway to take off.

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EDITORIAL

Caricom should continue push for regional integration

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uch has already been articulated on Britain’s Exit (Brexit) of the European Union (EU), but the economic reverberations and possible outlining dynamic of such an eye-opening move are still being felt globally and will either reach their lowest point or exacerbate further depending on the outcome of the two years’ negotiations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the EU on the former’s exit. This leaves much room for speculation as to how the economic ramifications will unfold globally, and hence it warrants, at least, a cursory examination.

Already, the pound has plunged against the Asian dollar by over 10 per cent and is faring far worse against the yen. In fact, the value of the pound is currently at US$1.32, the lowest it has been in 30 years. This has left the global market from an investment perspective, highly volatile and uncertain – two conditions that discourage investors from wanting to spend.

Economists have argued, however, that this will not impact the global economy as much as it would Britain. Their contention is premised on the fact that Britain accounts for just 3.9 per cent of the world’s output; it is, therefore, not big enough to make an impacting dent, much like the way America or China can.

Britain, on the other hand, is expected to slow in growth and might possibly face a recession as the country has been benefiting tremendously from the EU, with approximately 48 per cent of all its exports going to Europe, with lower tariffs and advantageous market access.

Clearly, Britain’s decision to exit the EU was not done from a rationally thinking perspective.

Looking at the economic ramifications from the perspective of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), things will get worse before they get better.

According to Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Sir Hilary Beckles “from trade relations to immigration, tourism to financial relations, and cultural engagements to foreign policy, there will be a significant redefinition and reshaping of Caricom-United Kingdom engagements”.

He also said: “It’s a moment for Caricom to come closer together rather than drift apart. The Region should not be seen as mirroring this mentality of cultural and political insularity, but should reaffirm the importance of regionalism within the global context for the future.”

Indeed, this is the direction that Caricom should take. However, with Jamaica already calling for a referendum to determine if they should leave Caricom, things are not looking too progressive on the regionalism front.

There is also the newness factor that has not yet been accounted for. Brexit has set a precedent, in that this phenomenon has never occurred before and consequently, there is no reference point as to how the situation will unfold and the impact that such a move would entail, beyond theoretical speculations. This in itself should be a deterrent or, at the very least, serve as an observational timeframe from which countries can gauge the historical implications.

Aside from that, the Caribbean Community has more pressing concerns to deal with as it pertains to the Brexit. Fundamentally, what is the status of the trade agreements that Caribbean countries have with the EU via Britain?

Once Britain leaves at the end of the scheduled two years of negotiations, these countries will have no trade agreements with the EU or Britain, since, according to political scholars, Britain divested all of its trade “authority” to the EU. The breakup will invariably mean that agreements will have to start anew.

It is, therefore, imperative that Caribbean countries continue to push for regional integration, since we are still yet to define ourselves as global players on the world stage. The only way that this could be achieved is if the concerns of the Caribbean countries are articulated as a single bloc.

Reverting back to “isolated” individual states will diminish the Caribbean’s bargaining prowess, leaving the fragmented economies vulnerable. Imaging having to enter into trade agreements as small states with nothing collective to offer, all in a competitively globalised neo-liberalist construct that favours the larger developed countries.

Countryside wonders: Essequibo Coast, Guyana (Photo by Girendra Persaud)

Ali says Guyana’s economy ‘in deep coma’ A

s public outcry continues as a result of the stagnant state of Guyana’s economy, former Minister and Economist, Irfaan Ali, believes if nothing is done to halt the economic decline, then the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government’s promise of a good life will be as elusive as the promise to ‘feed, clothes and house the nation’.

According to Ali, the latest statistical bulletin published by the Bank of Guyana on the first quarter of 2016 is characterised by “sluggish activities in wholesale and retail trade, financial and insurance and other services industries” and declining performance in sectoral output when compared with the corresponding period last year.

He noted that except for the mining sector – which registered commendable growth in the production of gold, diamond and bauxite – all key production indicators suggest the economy is in a deep coma.

Ali pointed out that the figures from quarterly report confirmed that after one year under the coalition regime, almost every key production indicator is signalling that the economy is on the decline. This, he reasoned, does not reflect a growth forecast for rest of the year.

“Based on the downward trends observed in all the key production indicators, it also means that growth will be based largely on the expanded output of the large scale mines.

While on paper the growth in gold output may appear appealing, the sad reality is that the impact will be less pronounced than when the small and medium-scale miners were responsible for the unprecedented performance of the sector,” he stated.

The former Minister went on to say that unlike the largescale miners, the small and medium-scale miners supported the small shop keepers, lo-

cal operators in the transport sector, and suppliers of mining equipment and invest their earnings in Guyana. These miners also provide employment opportunities to thousands, he added.

Nevertheless, Ali said that during the first quarter of 2016, the production of gold, diamond and bauxite increased by 124.8 per cent, 37.5 per cent and 13.9 per cent respectively. He noted that the increased output reported for the first quarter was due primarily to the output from the Guyana Goldfields and Troy Resources Inc; two large-scale mining companies that were established under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government.

Moreover, he posited that the notable contraction in sand output and stone output was not surprising, and if there were any doubts that the construction sector was slowing, then the marked reduction in these two key inputs is adequate evidence that the sector is slowly grinding to a halt.

Sand output registered for the first quarter of 2016 was not only 68 per cent lower than the corresponding period last year, but the below the levels registered in corresponding periods of any year between 2011 and 2012.

The former Minister outlined that this particular development is of grave concern for the reason, among others, that sustained decline in the construction sector will compound the unemployment problem and misery contractors and suppliers of building materials have been faced with, since the change in Government last year.

Moreover, Ali highlighted that the agriculture sector too reported significant reduction in output for all major commodities during the first four months of the year. He stressed that the output of sugar during this period was 4.7 per cent or 1915 tonnes lower than the

2015 level.

On the other hand, he said that rice production, which increased continuously between the period 2011 and 2015, has declined sharply in the first quarter of 2016 with the output during the first three months being 56,593 tonnes. This was 37.3 per cent or 33,706 tonnes lower than the level recorded for the corresponding period last year.

“There is no need for any academic explanation of the impact of the decline. Rice farmers are losing income and defaulting on their loans,” Ali remarked.

As it relates to poultry, the former Minister noted that there was a 7450 tonnes output recorded, which represents 6.6 per cent or 4450 tonnes lower than the period last year.

He went on to say that the manufacturing sector registered a decline in the production of several commodities, including rum, beer and stout, soft drinks, malta, ice cream, biscuits, flour, tablets, ointment, stock feeds, and paint.

More specifically, the production of rum and soft drinks during the first quarter of 2016 was lower than the output level for the corresponding quarter of any year since 2011. The production of rum and soft drinks during the first quarter of this year was 47.3 per cent and 54.4 per cent lower than the corresponding period last year.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical products, particularly tablets and ointments production for the first two months of 2016 was also below the 2015 level.

Other manufacturing commodities such as the production of flour were lower than the level reported in the first quarter of any year since 2011.

Flour production slipped by 5.9 per cent; while paint production for the first two months also fell behind the level reported during 2015. This reflected the notable decline in construction activities.

NEWS 5

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Friendship man Parking meters controversy: Mexican jailed for causing company surfaces as new contractor death of 12-year-old

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truck driver will spend the next three years in jail after he was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

Clyde Barker was sentenced when he appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The charge stated that the 32-year-old man on April 10, at Friendship, East Bank Demerara, drove motor lorry GJJ 278 in a manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of 12-year-old Ezekiel Murray.

In handing down her ruling, Magistrate McGusty stated that the evidence presented to the court proved that the defendant’s account of what happened on the day in question was false.

She added that taking into consideration the fact that speeding was a major factor contributing to the accident, the injuries sustained by the deceased and the age of the deceased, the defendant was found guilty as charged. In his final words to the court, the defendant asked the court for leniency.

However, the Magistrate said that a life

Clyde Barker was sentenced to spend three years in jail for causing the death of Ezekiel Murray

was lost and handed down the sentence.

On the day in question, at about 18:00h, the victim was walking along Friendship Public Road when the defendant’s truck slammed into him.

According to information received, the lad was in the corner of the road when the driver of the canter took a sharp turn too quickly and hit the child. He was tossed into the air by the force of the impact and landed on the roadway where he reportedly died instantly.

From reports received, Murray might have suffered a broken neck and other injuries. He was picked up and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

ollowing initial reports that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), awarded a contract to National Parking Systems (NPS) Inc, who joined with Smart City Solutions (SCS) Inc to implement the Parking Meters Project, it is now being revealed that a third company is involved.

United States-based Guyanese Kamau Cush, Director of both NPS and SCS, on Wednesday disclosed that the contract was actually signed between the Town Council and Smart City Solutions, and not NPS as previously stated.

He added too that when the joint venture was formed, NPS was absorbed into Smart City Solutions, which he now claims is owned by Mexican Company – Operadora de Estacionamientos Bicentenario, S A de C V. “Smart City Solutions is a subsidiary of Operadora de Estacionamientos Bicentenario, this is the parent company that is headquartered in Mexico City…

NPS is no longer an entity that’s operating this parking system.

The City of Georgetown signed a contract with Smart City Solutions.

NPS is a shareholder in Smart City Solutions; Smart City Solutions is a subsidiary of Operadora de Estacionamientos Bicentenario, which is based

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green inspecting a parking meter in Mexico during a recent visit

in Mexico,” Cush told reporters on Wednesday during a demonstration exercise on a model meter.

He disclosed that the parent company, which is located in the municipality of Juan Cuamatzi, in the State of Tlaxcala, Mexico City, is operating out of Mexico City and currently has operations in Panama, Argentina, Peru, and now in Guyana.

According to the company’s website, it is operating within in “the industry for car parking companies in Mexico City, Federal District”.

This information comes in light of mounting concerns over the authenticity of the two initial companies – NPS and Smart City Solutions.

Since the signing of the contract for the Parking Meters Project, many persons, including Councillors, over the past weeks have raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the deal, which they claim appears to be a shady one, aimed at exploiting the local populace.

Georgetown Mayor

Patricia Chase Green and Town Clerk Royston King have come under fire, mostly from other Councillors, for not wanting to provide copies of the contract to the City Council.

Chase Green explained last week Monday that she is not prepared to release the contract to the public since there have been painful experiences in the past where documents were leaked resulting in the city to lose. In fact, she noted that if Councillors wanted to see the contract they will have to go to the Town Clerk’s Office to simply peruse it.

Nevertheless, Minister of State Joseph Harmon last week Wednesday announced that Cabinet has ordered the Finance Ministry and the Attorney General Chamber’s review the contract between the company and the Georgetown Council.

According to Cush, he is not bothered by this. He explained that the review was ordered to detect any illegality and assured the Guyanese public that nothing of the sort

will be found.

“There is no fleecing going on… We have everything to lose, we will be responsible for all the overhead, for the software, for the hardware, everything. The City of Georgetown and Central Government will have no financial responsibility in the installation or the operation of the project,” he pointed out.

Cush went on to outline that from the parking meters project, some 36 per cent of the revenues earned will be given back to Guyana with the M&CC receiving 20 per cent and the other 16 per cent going to Central Government.

“The city and central government will not be paying anything, they have no investment, no stake in the outcome here other than collecting revenues.

On the issue of rates, when asked about mounting concerns on the proposed $125 for 15 minutes, Cush denied having given such figures saying that it was miscalculated. “$500 per hour was never on the table, it was never on the table… the $500 per hour rate that has been branded around for the past several weeks, is incorrect. It’s a falsehood… (the rates) haven’t been settled as yet,” he declared, while adding that the figures they are looking at are somewhere in the area of approximately $250 per hour.

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In full agreement with UG VC The EU moved too quickly from an economic about not allowing political direction to a political union Dear Editor Nations and political unions can only succeed if the people are on board.

Government is by consent, not by assumption of consent, and not by assumption of superior expertise or knowledge. If the people are ignored, they will pull the plug.

The far right and far left may be loud, but may be ignored. The middle ground conservative, progressive, or whatever, whereon the majority stand, and maintain fairness, may not be ignored. These are the people who get on with it and keep the system working, it takes a lot to alienate them, but when that happens, they will respond. There is no deep wound inflicted, this was a referendum with no pitchforks, pikes, or guillotine involved. People spoke in the only way that they could.

This came as a surprise to those who had determined in their own minds that there was only one way forward, but not to the generality. The

European Union as constituted, and as it now operates, is the problem. The economic crash and the immigration crisis have shown not only that the EU couldn’t cope, but also that it is unclear on the rights of its citizens, and how to protect those rights, and the welfare of its citizens.

It’s dealings with Greece have been appalling. Germany was rebuilt after WW2, why not Greece? Why grind it down and allow it to be overburdened with immigrants? Where is the longterm immigration policy, and controlling of the Mediterranean, that would have saved lives and prioritised refugees?

The economic union was successful, but the European Union has moved too quickly from an economic union to a political union. It can, and should be successful, but it needs to reinvent itself, and its philosophy.

Yours faithfully, R. Dudhnath

Too many vagrants in Georgetown Dear Editor, Georgetown is the capital city of Guyana but it’s in a very bad state because of the amount of vagrants, touts, beggars, thieves, and white collar crooks.

I wish to begin my discourse with the vagrants. The word vagrant can be defined as: “One who has no established residence and wanders idly from place to place without lawful or visible means of support.”

As I walked around the Guyana Post Office Corporation building I counted over 20 vagrants sleeping on cardboard.

They eat, sleep, urinate and defecate there, which makes that place a living hell for shop owners, citizens and those who work at GPOC. But they don’t stop there, they have extended their living quarters down to Fogarty’s building doing their same filthiness but the administrators at City Hall puts a blind eye to all the filthiness from these vagrants.

It makes us look really bad when foreigners visit. We have a large number of new Ministries with competent educated ministers but none seem to see these vagrants, nor a need for a building to house these vagrants.

If it’s the Ministry of Social Protection or the Ministry of Social Cohesion or the Ministry of Human Services they need to build a living quarters for these vagrants to keep the city

clean. They will clean them up, train them and put them in a rehab centre since most of them are young and can work before their lives are destroyed by drugs and alcohol.

City Hall is very busy with getting parking meters to suck every dollar out of citizens of Georgetown; they should now be busy to build a house for these vagrants who beg with children on the pave; so that we can have a good and green clean environment.

We have endless beggars all over Georgetown, most of whom are women with children. These same children from unwanted fathers and poor mothers grow up to be bandits and criminals.

Millions were wasted on the Jubilee celebrations, why not spend Taxpayers money on building homes for the poor and needy and help them and their children, to be a better citizen of this beautiful land of ours?

I hope the Minister of Finance will put housing for vagrants in his next budget. Guyana is a nation dying slowly in poverty and human degradation while our leaders drive Hummers and Cadillacs.

Now I come to the touts who make the busand car-parks a living hell while they rob people from time to time or set thieves to rob people, they need to be picked up by the police and be given jobs to clean the city.

These touts are all

over from the Courts, GRA, Immigration, Banks and other Ministries, they always seem to be connected to a white collar criminal who can get you a document instantly for a nice fat price. So we can see corruption is still the order of the day, you are pushed around daily at offices for a document all because you have to “grease somebody palm”.

Is this the good and green economy we want for Guyana?

Guyana needs a new vision of honest political leadership that will take us into this new contemporary era for us to compete with the world. We must have a vision to eradicate poverty from our society, begging, stealing, corruption and crime.

Crime has plagued this nation for a very long time. What Guyana needs is a better economic policy, through implementing better salaries for our citizens of at least G$140,000 per month for the average government worker. The police, teachers, public servant, and labourers will live in Guyana and not run out for better jobs and living standards. We have to learn to keep our people.

If the politicians can eat turkey and steak then we ought to be able to afford the same. A true leader will put others before himself because of his love and concern for his people.

Yours faithfully, Rev Gideon Cecil

Dear Editor, Recently, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Guyana (UG), Dr Ivelaw Griffith opined that he can leave his job, if he is politically directed.

He further challenged that if he is given the chance to administrate the University of Guyana in his own feasible way without political interference, he will stay; otherwise, he will definitely leave the job.

I want to suspect that the excellent professor was chosen to be the ideal candidate for the Vice Chancellor position because of his People’s National Congress (PNC) ties to corroborate with the Granger administration to promote the APNU/AFC agenda. At the beginning of his tenure, he also noted that research should be done without political interference. From my point of view, I think he is referring to facts and not values. Because any tampering with facts will make a study invalid rather than value free.

He wants to search for what constitutes valid knowledge and how we can obtain it, not to be involved in armchair guessing and to arrive at subjective-distorted and biased information. Data collected is the search for objective valid knowledge and students will come to know things by testing our ideas through flawless research.

Dr Ivelaw Griffith is a kingpin in quantitative and qualitative research and knows research ethics and cannot be easily fooled. This is a quality professor who should be cajoled to stay and give solutions for the improvement of the University of Guyana.

I am positive that the professor has a bagful of strategies to implement for the improvement of University education if given a chance and should be kept at all costs. He threatened that he would leave the job if he had to follow the dictates of the Government or political interference.

His recent opinions were levelled on his belief in cognitive dissonance, because he wants to follow his beliefs and conceptions which are internalised within him, and would not perform his duties beyond

his conscience.

I am sure he has observed the country’s milieu and education system and has found them lacking in many aspects.

We are proud to have you, Professor, to develop our university, good Sir, and being a professor in Political Science in the USA to help our countrymen. We don’t want to lose you. I agree with you not to follow or indulge in the political interference to administrate your education environment because it will damage your beliefs and concepts. You are the expert who was hired to do a job to put the University of Guyana back on its feet. I know you are educated and trust you will do a good job without political interference.

Whatever party gains power in the next election, you will continue to operate as an autonomous body without political interference. From my readings, I have noticed that you are consistent in your beliefs and conceptions which I respect. I also admire that you have come from the US education milieu and you have operated in an education system that is devoid of political interference and would like to have a hands-off approach to your education environment.

You are the only hope where all Guyanese can get a decent education equally and develop the nation.

Remember big brother is watching and the minute you corroborate with political elements, you will come to a downfall.

To be re-employed in the USA, the academic public will read about your performance at UG. If they are going to re-employ you, it is left on your performance. So do a good job and do it right. I respect you with your recent statement to move away from political interference to do your job successfully.

You don’t want to be hurt again by a government who has no caring for their citizens. Your beliefs and conceptions are strongly organised within you and will stay there as long as you are not controlled.

Best regards, Chandadat Deonandan

Guyana could be transformed if oil find is proven to be true Dear Editor, It is reported that ExxonMobil has found large deposits of oil and gas in a recently drilled appraisal well offshore Guyana.

It is reported also, that the company intended to drill another well in upcoming months. The oil giant previously drilled another well last year that they believe could contain at least seven hundred million barrels of oil. Wow! The drill site we learnt is located some 150 miles offshore from Guyana’s east coast.

For over 20 years now, two giant oil drilling companies British Petroleum and Repsol of Spain have been exploring the area without much success.

The Liza 1 well, we understand, holds probably the equivalent of more than seven hundred million barrels of oil.

On speculation, our land of many waters and six people may begin producing crude by the end of the decade, as anticipated by our national Government. The prospect would be worth about forty billion dollars at today’s international crude price.

Guyana gained attention in the world in May 2015 when ExxonMobil announced the discovery of more than 90 metres of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs about 120 miles off its coastline. That

discovery could be significant for our country, which currently doesn’t produce any oil and could use the economic boost. The oil and gas exploration activity by Guyana has been a source of tension with neighbouring Venezuela. The announcement of the discovery set off a round of recriminations between us and Venezuela, our socialist western neighbour which has long made a claim on our Essequibo region.

Venezuela has claimed that the concession is located in disputed waters which they claimed are theirs. It is claimed allegedly that this massive offshore column may hold over ten million barrels or more.

For Guyana, a country of less than a million people, the find changes everything.

Within a decade, Guyana could be completely transformed by the find going from unpaved roads and sporadic power to being a noticeably developed nation.

If this find is true, Guyana is expected to be an economic giant in South America, provided its national administrators act uncorruptedly and they expend the financial rewards on the Guyanese people’s education and social services plus rebuilding and building the necessary national and social infrastructure its citizens deserve, and also stop the outward flow of its citizens from its shores.

Yours faithfully, Rooplall Dudhnath

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WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

BREXIT: Relationship will ‘Unwise move for Gov’t remain strong with Guyana, to cancel oil exportation says top UK diplomat contract’ – Opposition Leader

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s uncertainty spreads across the world and with a number of countries gearing up to receive the repercussions of the BREXIT fallout, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn, is reassuring that nothing will change in Guyana; however, he indicated that avenues may pop up for the local sugar industry.

During an interview with Guyana Times International on Wednesday, the UK Diplomat guaranteed that whatever consequences will follow the relationship between Guyana and Great Britain will remain undefiled.

“Looking to the longer term, I don’t see any change in the UK’s approach to Guyana. I don’t see any less a commitment and I don’t see any less support coming here,” he said.

He explained that the United Kingdom is awaiting a new Prime

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn

Minister to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty since David Cameron has resigned and refused to lead this process.

Until Article 50 is invoked, the process of leaving the EU will not commence.

“The rights and responsibilities and obligations that the UK has as a member of the EU and that the EU has to the UK remain exactly the same. And even when that process is launched,

it is going to take at least probably two years. We are talking about a long and complicated process,” he outlined.

When further prompted, Quinn agreed that BREXIT may open opportunities for stakeholders in the local sugar industry to capitalise on but he cautioned that it is rather difficult to predict how events will unfold during these initial stages.

“I don’t honestly know. I haven’t spoken to Tate and Lyle since the result. I don’t know and I’m not sure that they might know the actual impact of that change so at the moment, I can’t really comment… Tate and Lyle are probably thinking about it but to say what it exactly means, I don’t think anyone has come to a concrete conclusion,” he explained.

UK Tate and Lyle Sugars had complained in the past of the negative impacts of the EU regulations on their operations.

PPP underscores need for widespread consultations on city parking

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n light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Parking Meters Project initiated by City Hall in Georgetown, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is calling for widespread public consultations on how the city addresses its parking woes.

This call was made by General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee at the Party’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday.

Rohee was asked whether the Party would support parking lots in the city as opposed to parking meters, to which he responded saying that no support will be given to any initiative undertaken without public consultation.

“We don’t support any of the two so long as there are no consultations with the people,” he said affirmatively.

The General Secretary noted that the question of resolving the parking situation in the city requires wide consultations with all stakeholders so that whatever decision is taken is done in the interest of the people who will be affected.

“There must be broad and wide consultations with the citizens of Georgetown and the consultations must be public-like town hall meetings.

Then they must publish what came out of the consultations so that others who didn’t go should hear,” he remarked.

Moreover, the PPP General Secretary outlined that another important factor that needs to be taken into consideration is the collection of revenues from either parking meters or parking lots.

“Anything that has to do with the payment of monies… we have know how that is going to be in place also because if a person is going to walk around with a receipt book, we all know what could happen,” he stated.

However, Rohee opted not to pronounce on whether his party will support either initiative, noting that he cannot preempt the outcome of the consultations, which he maintained is crucial.

Only Monday, during an address to Councillors of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), President David Granger suggested that the Council consider introducing parking lots in the city to address the congestion.

The Head of State did not make any mention during his address to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Parking Meters Project. Over the past weeks, City Hall came has come under fire for signing the contract with National Parking Systems/Smart City Solutions Inc. Many persons, including Councillors, have raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the deal, which they claim appears to be a shady one aimed at exploiting the local populace.

In fact, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan had stated that he could not find proper information about the company or any records of it providing parking meter services in any other country.

However, President Granger told the City Councillors on Monday that his Administration will continue to support the Council in their drive to push the urban development agenda, however it will have to be transparent and accountable in its operations.

In light of the parking meter controversy, Cabinet has ordered that the Legal Affairs Ministry and the Attorney General’s Chamber review the contract between City Hall and the Guyanese-owned companies.

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Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

pposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo said that Guyana only has a mere 24 days fuel reserve capacity, pointing that the decision to revoke an oil exportation licence granted to China Zhonghao Inc is not a wise move for the country.

Jagdeo made this comment at a Wednesday afternoon news conference at his Party’s Robb Street, Georgetown headquarters.

According to the Opposition Leader, it is odd the Government would want to deny a company which wants to invest in Guyana’s bulk fuel storage capacity, noting that the State oil company, Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) having a measly 14 days storage capacity, which simply means,

if the country is unable to import fuel for more than three weeks it will be out of supply.

“Some countries try to encourage people to build more storage… we have 24 days of storage capacity. We should encourage people to invest and build more storage capacity. The Chinese can’t fetch away the tanks when they build them there, they can’t fetch them back to China, they are investing in our country,” he argued.

The former President rhetorically questioned why the Government would go after a legitimate company, which was intended to boost Guyana’s low bulk fuel storage capacity.

Duplicitous approach

Jagdeo also lambasted the APNU Administration for what he described as

a duplicitous approach, pointing to a recent statement by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, who said that the Governments of Guyana and Brazil were holding discussions to approach the Chinese Government to fund the Linden to Lethem Highway contraction and other infrastructural projects in Guyana.

“So on one hand there is this big assault on the Chinese companies … and then on the other hand they are looking for money from the Chinese Government to build the road from Brazil to Guyana and the other infrastructure… looking for money from the Chinese Government and on the other hand chasing away all the Chinese investors,” Jagdeo highlighted.

Jagdeo urged the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana to intervene and say clearly to the Guyana Government that the harassment of Chinese investors must cease.

Jagdeo also made it clear that if any company, Chinese or otherwise, break the laws of Guyana in anyway, then they must be sanctioned; however, the Government must not target these companies because of a hidden agenda.

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Gov’t should convene Woman in ‘oral sex for food’ special meeting to examine probe released on bail possible implications T of Brexit – Jagdeo

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ire consequences could be looming ahead for Guyana if it does not take the necessary precautions to secure itself from possible repercussions of the decision taken by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU), one of the largest politico-economic trading unions in the world, which has strong trading and diplomatic ties with the Caribbean.

This was expressed by O p p o s i t i o n Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, during a news conference on Wednesday at the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Headquarters, Freedom House on Robb Street, Georgetown.

Jagdeo believes that Government has taken a laidback approach in this worldwide phenomenon which has already begun to have tremendous political and economic impacts in other countries.

According to Jagdeo, the Cabinet should take immediate steps to have a special meeting on this development, and carefully consider all the angles through which Guyana can be affected by BREXIT and explore avenues to protect against any possible consequences that may follow. “…then inform our public about what to expect and of course, having done that, it would

also inform our economic policy making (body),” he said, positing that he cannot comprehend why this was not yet done.

While it is still too premature to pronounce definitely on the outcomes of BREXIT, Jagdeo speculated that Guyana could lose significant funding from the EU as a result.

“I am sure almost that we are going to lose money from the develop-

He explained that, should this occur, chances of funding to the Caribbean, and by extension Guyana, will be lost.

That aside, Jagdeo said there ought to be no implications on trading agreements.

“The trade, the jury is still out in that regard,” he said.

However, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and British High Commission,

he woman who was recently arrested by law enforcement officials for allegedly exchanging food for sex with two young boys has been granted station bail and is no longer in police custody.

However, investigations into the matter are still on-going, according to Police 'C' Division Commander Marlon Chapman.

One week ago the woman in question, a shopkeeper who resides in Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was detained at the Sparendaam Police Station after allegations surfaced that she had been providing meals to two young boys (age 7 and 9 ) and in return they performed oral sex on her.

The children are reportedly often left in the care of their relatives since their parents are hardly present.

According to neighbours, the relatives would not spend much time around the children and as such the two young boys would venture to the woman’s shop asking her for meals/snacks

when they became hungry.

This publication understands that this was when the woman allegedly told the young children that they would have to perform oral sex on her first before she gave them anything to eat.

It is unclear at this point in time as to how long this may have been occurring. However, some relatives of the two boys had begun to question the children as to why they would visit the woman’s shop so frequently.

This was when they reportedly received the shocking revelation; that they perform oral sex on the shopkeeper and in exchange she would give them meals/snacks.

Officials from the Child Protection Agency were notified of the incident and are said to be working along with the police to ensure that the children are safe and taken care of.

If the shopkeeper is found guilty of the abovementioned crime(s) she can be charged under the Sexual Offences Act. (K. Macklingam)

St. Kitts government denies claim of unauthorised stem cell project

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ing window of the EU,” he forecasted.

Jagdeo explained that the UK used to push for assistance from the EU for the Caribbean, but now with the UK deciding to leave, that support might be reduced.

He contended that the immediate ramifications in the UK are proof enough that conditions and circumstances will change for Guyana.

The Opposition Leader asserted too that the move by the UK to exit from the EU sets the precedence for others to follow, and if this occurs, then the entire EU project would unravel.

Gregory Quinn have both assured that there will not be any immediate consequences to Guyana in light of the BREXIT. They had explained that it will take quite a while before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is invoked, after which negotiations will commence on the process to leave the EU. This process is expected to take up to two years.

Jagdeo acknowledged this factor, but indicated that based on current developments, the Guyana Government should at least take precautions.

inister of State with responsibility for healthcare, Wendy Phipps has denied that a stem cell research project is being undertaken at a hospital in St. Kitts and Nevis and that the country’s chief medical officer (CMO) was forced into retirement last week because he spoke out about it.

“I wish to state categorically that neither the Ministry of Health nor the JNF General Hospital is engaged in any stem cell project,” she said in a statement in which she dispelled the claim of former CMO Dr. Patrick Martin that the stem cell research was being done at the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital without approv-

St. Kitts and Nevis' Minister of State with responsibility for healthcare, Wendy Phipps

al.

Phipps said it was a regenerative medicine project being temporarily housed at JNF. “Government has given approval to a research project involving the use of plasma-based infusion therapies, to a limited number of overseas patients.

The project, as approved, will not extend to any residents of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is a Phase 2-staged Clinical Trial of a research initiative that has already received US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) level one approval,” she explained.

“The private sector partners of the project include the St. Kitts Marriott (Royal Plastics Group); St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation, in an advisory capacity; Canadian businessman, Mr Kevin Klein; and two other investors, including a Brazilian medical group.”

As for Dr. Martin’s allegation that a non-resident medical doctor was performing the alleged stem cell research, despite not having a licence to practice in St. Kitts and Nevis, Phipps said the Brazilian expert who is attached to the project, Dr. Silvia Lagrotta, does not and has never admin-

istered any therapies to any patients in St. Kitts and Nevis.

“Her presence thus far has been strictly limited to observing the process as a representative of the investor group’s Brazilian partner,” the minister said.

“In anticipation that Dr. Lagrotta will be professionally engaged during the life of this project, her medical credentials have been submitted in the normal course for approval to function within the Federation as a medical practitioner consistent with the laws and regulations of the Federation.”

Phipps said it was “extremely unfortunate that Dr. Martin has sought to link his retirement to alleged stem cell research when he knows that there is no stem cell research currently occurring in the Federation.”

She said Dr. Martin was aware of his pending retirement, having received correspondence from the Minister of Health Eugene Hamilton, instructing him to proceed on leave.

The retirement age in the civil service is 55 years, Phipps’ statement pointed out. Dr. Martin turned 58 last month.

(Caribbean360)

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Govt, Opposition nominees for Local Govt Commission could be announced soon

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s the delay in the establishment of the Local Government Commission (LGC) continues, the nominees from both Government and the Opposition are yet to be announced. In an interview with Guyana Times International on Tuesday, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Gail Teixeira stated that the Opposition’s nominees are still being considered.

“We haven’t concluded our names as yet, we are finalising [them],” she noted. The PPP/C Chief Whip expressed that in a “relatively short while” the names will be confirmed and submitted to the Commission.

When asked about the justifications for the delay, the MP reiterated that her Party could not trace the letter which would have informed Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on the submission of PPP/C’s nominees.

“The letter which was said to have been sent, we could not trace it, we had to ask back the Minister for it and we got it last week, so we are working on it,” Teixeira expressed.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan concurred being aware of the Opposition’s complaints that the “original correspondence” had been misplaced and noted that he is still waiting on the Opposition to submit their names for the

PPP Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira

LGC. When asked about the names of Government’s selected nominees for the Commission, the Communities Minister posited that one collective announcement will be made as soon as the Opposition Leader submits his names for the Commission.

Government had promised that the Commission would be functioning from early 2016, but after months of delays and reiterated calls for the body’s establishment, Bulkan stated this month that the LGC will be operationalised by early July.

Among its objectives, the Commission will be tasked with monitoring and assessing the performance of the local government organs, administering disciplinary action, and implementing policies such as tax collection. Minister Bulkan will no longer issue directives on local government matters, such as employment but rather, this will fall under the purview of the Local Government Commission.

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Energy-efficient street lights to save Govt G$2.8M annually of energy other than sources presently in use and to carry out research into all sources of energy (including those sources presently used in Guyana), the

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Officials from the GEA installing the energy efficient streetlights

he Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has estimated that the State will be able to rake in G$2.8 million in savings per year, following the installation of 65 energy efficient streetlights.

The GEA recently replaced 65 High Pressure Sodium Vapor (HPSV) street lamps with 65 energy efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lamps as part of its ongoing energy efficiency programme.

The HPSV lamps were rated at 250 watts each while the new LED lamps are rated at 100 watts each. The switch is expected to lead to significantly lower energy consumption rates. Fifty-eight of the lamps were installed at Timehri, while four and three were installed at the Umana Yana and Camp and Lamaha Streets, respectively.

The Government presently operates about 6000 HPSV street lamps, rated at 250 watt and 5000 lamps within the different municipalities rated at 175 watts, which accrue a yearly operational cost of approximately G$653.7 million per year while consuming 10.4 million kWh of energy.

However, through the use of 100W LED lamps, it is possible to significantly reduce the cost that the

current street lighting systems incur. It is estimated that the 65 LED lamps that were installed will reduce the annual energy consumption by 42,705 kWh, saving G$2,800,166.85 per year. The simple payback period for these lamps is 1.07 years and the lamps have an estimated lifespan of 11 years.

In order to determine which lamp was best suited for use in the pilot project, studies were carried out by GEA’s engineers. The engineers, led

by Energy Engineer Leon DeSouza, were assisted by a team of Engineers from the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s Street Light Division.

“We were able to determine which lamps presented the best wattage and design to meet the necessary requirements,” explained DeSouza.

He continued, “The energy efficient lamps compared were 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 Watt LED lamps and the 80, 100 and 120 Watt induction lamps. It was concluded that the 100 Watt LED lamps could be used for commercial roadways and 40 Watt LED lamps could be used for minor roads.”

In keeping with its mandate to develop and encourage the development and utilisation of sources

GEA will continue to explore, install, and monitor energy efficient streetlight technologies with the aim of gaining knowledge and thereby make recom-

mendations that will guide decisions with regards to street lighting.

The GEA is calling on all municipalities, Neighbourhood

Democratic Councils, and civic groups to take advantage of the benefits of energy efficiency by installing only energy efficient street lights.

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Man who threatened to bomb city bank identified as deportee

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he man who created havoc at a city bank on Tuesday while demanding G$10 million in the name of ISIS, has been identified as Terrance McLean, 34, of Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

This was confirmed by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who also confirmed that the man is a deportee. While he could not ascertain from which country McLean was deported, the Crime Chief related that the man was charged for the possession of a gun and ammunition in March 2007.

He added that the file case was sent to the Police legal advisors, who will make the necessary recommendation on whether or not charges will be laid. From reports gathered, the man is said to be mentally unsound and would normally suffer from several health complications.

It was reported that at about 9:00h on Tuesday, the man went into a city bank on Regent Street, Georgetown and demanded G$10 million while threatening to detonate a bomb he alleged he was carrying in a bag.

Reports are that the man, who appeared to be in his late 30’s, walked into the bank, went to the ATM card centre and demanded the money.

GTI was told that the guards stationed at the bank confronted the man and he shouted, “We will all die if I don’t get the money”.

The Police were called in but before they arrived, the bank’s security managed to intercept the man. A knife was found in the bag he was carrying. He later told Police that he was a member of ISIS and was obligated to make a financial contribution, hence his visit to the bank.

When questioned about the bomb, he alleged he was carrying, McLean admitted that he has never seen a bomb and it was just a prank. He remains in custody, but underwent psychiatric evaluation at Dr Bhiro Harry’s clinic.

Region 5 flooding: Mahaicony areas still under water - residents express frustration

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he economic sustenance of many farmers and residents in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) remains threatened, as communities in the Mahaicony area are still under water.

Guyana Times International was told that initial flooding in the area began in early April. Residents of Mora Point and Gordon’s Table on Tuesday expressed frustration that their cows, chickens and other livestock remain at the mercy of the slowly receding floodwaters, coupled with fields of rice and cash crops which were destroyed.

This publication was told that the most worrying for residents is the fact that there has been an increase in reports of children becoming sick in Mora Point and Gordon’s Table on the Mahaicony River.

According to residents, a number of children are down with influenza.

Also, residents noted that there is an influx of mosquitoes, which has reportedly increased due to the weeks of stagnated water.

Guyana Times International understands that there has been a shortage of medication at the Mora Point Health Centre. According to information received, the Medex who visits the centre regularly would often operate without the requisite medication needed to treat associated ailments.

Speaking with this publication via telephone, a resident explained that this shortage is mostly affecting the children who are ill and seek relief from their symptoms. One resident of Gordon’s Table alleged that there is also a drug shortage at the Mahaicony

Region Five residents blocked the road to protest the flood situation

Hospital, located some miles away.

“We suffering bad,” the resident posited.

Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal said on Monday that flood waters in the area have receded by “a few inches” over the last few days.

A woman from Mora Point expressed annoyance that her community has not been benefiting from flood relief as those from Moraikobai, also on the Mahaicony River. The farmers in Mahaicony are calling for Government’s assistance for seed paddy and fertiliser to help them continue rice cultivation to maintain their livelihood.

The Regional Chairman had earlier noted that many of the affected communities are in need of urgent flood relief.

“Residents across the region in those areas that are affected should

receive some form of relief so that they can get back on their feet,” the Chairman stated on Monday.

Ramphal had also highlighted that flood waters in the villages of Trafalgar, Union and Bush Lot had receded but stressed that communities in the Mahaicony area were inundated. It was only last week that over 200 angry residents blocked the Number 30 Village main access road causing a 45-minute traffic delay.

After this protest action, operatives of both Government and the Opposition have been meeting with residents to address their concerns.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo last Wednesday visited the flood-affected communities and distributed food items and bottled water. Previously, the Civil Defence Commission donated food supplies to residents in Moraikobai.

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Man charged for Rohee slams Govt for frustrating work of NDCs attempting to kill

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PPP/MP Clement Rohee

eneral Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Clement Rohee has lambasted the David Granger led-Administration and it’s Communities Ministry for financially stifling Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) across the country.

At the Party’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday, Rohee accused Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan of withholding his approval for the release of budgeted monies to NDCs controlled by the PPP/C. “The withholding of ministerial approval for budgets submitted by the NDCs is a blatant manifestation of the arrogant and spiteful behaviour of the Minister to punish the people in those NDCs controlled by the PPP/C. The NDCs are being financially stifled

by APNU/AFC [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] coalition Administration,

thus preventing them from executing their functions in the interest of the people, who elected the Council members to administer the affairs of their respected local authority areas,” he remarked.

According to the PPP General Secretary, this new “studied policy” of the Administration has resulted in residents being affected by non-functioning NDCs. He added that cleaning of trenches and canals, works to be done on internal roads, environmental sanitation, maintenance issues and other civil works are badly needed in these communities.

Rohee argued too that these residents would have voted for their elected representatives to improve their environmental and infrastructural surroundings, as promised in the campaign trails leading up to the Local Government Elections, which was held in March.

He pointed out that some three months after those elections, the political rhetoric emanated from the coalition about the importance of democratic governance, seems to have turned out to be meaningless and self-fulfilling prophecies.

“It has now become obvious to all that the GrangerAdministration has now embarked on a studied policy of frustrating the activities of the PPP/C controlled NDCs and the APNU so-called democratic renewal of the lives of the newly elected Councils, have been made a mockery by withholding ministerial approval for spending monies already in possession of the

Police Officer

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Minister Ronald Bulkan

NDCs,” he remarked.

Rohee went on to say that the NDCs will never be able to “work for the good of their communities,” words spouted by the APNU/AFC, which continues to pursue policies to the contrary, effectively blocking the development of these communities.

All the 48 PPP/C-controlled NDCs across the country are yet to receive their budgeted subventions, Rohee said, while warning that with the money being held up, the works to be done are becoming greater and so by the end of it, when the funds are finally release to the NDCs, then it would be inadequate because they allowed the works to mount.

Asked whether NDCs would have to submit audited statements for past years, the General Secretary said he was unaware of such a requirement, noting that there needs to be clear instructions from the subject Minister.

he man who in April 2016 attempted to kill Police Officer Donald McKenzie was on Monday remanded when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on an attempted murder charge.

The accused, Kerry Dick, was not required to plead to the indictable charge when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

It is alleged that on April 25, 2016 at William Street, Kitty, Georgetown, he fired shots at McKenzie, who was off duty at the time,

with intent to cause bodily harm.

Reports are that on the day in question, around 08:30h, McKenzie of Sandy Place, Kitty, was attacked by two men on a motorcycle who fired shots at him, hitting him in his right hand.

The men managed to make good their escape.

According to McKenzie, he was involved in an argument with the defendant and the other man who carried out the act.

They were later arrested and charged. The case will continue on July 18, 2016.

Charity businessman gets 3 years jail for narco trafficking

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hirty-six-year-old Cort Demand, of Charity Village, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), will be spending the next three years behind bars, after he was found guilty of the charge of trafficking in narcotics.

Demand was also fined G$30,000 by Magistrate Sunil Scarce.

The businessman was found with a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis

on June 29, 2015 at his market stall. The leaves, when weighed, amounted to 35 grams.

During his first court appearance on June 30, 2015, he pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was then remanded to prison. A trial was conducted into the matter and on Monday, he was found guilty by Magistrate Scarce.

Demand was represented by Attorney-atLaw Latchmin Dindyal.

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Trotman says Guyana can benefit from increase gold prices on world market

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he increase in gold prices on the international market could help Guyana surpass its targeted production.

The increase follows the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) vote to leave the European Union (EU) last Friday.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman told the Government Information Agency (GINA) in an invited comment that “We’re happy that our (gold) prices have increased.”

However, Trotman added “We’re not happy that our increases come really on the back of a broken system elsewhere.”

Gold is now trading at just over US$1300 per ounce on the international market.

This increase on the international market is likely to help Guyana surpass its targeted production and declaration in gold locally. Guyana’s budgeted target for gold production this year is 550,000 ounces.

“I don’t want to reveal what is our target internally but we’re working on a target that goes past

Minister Raphael Trotman

550,000 ounces. So I would say that we’re doing relatively well in the circumstances,” Trotman noted.

He added that he would like to see production declaration surpass 600,000.

Additionally, Trotman told GINA that as a “citizen of the world,” the situation in Europe

concerns us all.

“Stability is what the world wants so anything that disrupts the national or global order is something that we should all be concerned about,” Trotman said.

“In as much as we’re happy for the increase in gold prices, very happy, we also would like to see stability and normalcy in all parts of the world including Europe,” the Natural Resources Minister added. Over the past year, the price of gold has declined significantly.

In 2015, gold prices steadily tumbled, with a drastic drop.

Experts had predicted that gold prices would have continued to slump, hitting a more than a fiveyear low, with a high possibility that the precious metal could plunge to a detrimental US$1000 per ounce.

Compounding the situation was the fact that, the cost of production, particularly for the small and medium-scale miners of gold and diamond, had remained largely unchanged.

Businessman shot during home invasion A businessman, of Canal Number One Polder, West Bank Demerara, has been admitted to the Woodlands Hospital, after he was shot once to the hand during a scuffle with at least two gunmen who invaded his property in the wee hours of Monday.

Injured is 36-year-old Dhaniram Tirbeni, of Lot 13 Studley Park, Canal Number One Polder.

According to reports, the gunmen entered the premises by breaking a wooden window in the bottom flat of the two-storey wooden and concrete structure.

The men demanded money and other valuables, but Dhaniram reportedly informed them that he used up the money he had at home to replenish his grocery store.

After ransacking the place, the men found an

The injured businessman, Dhaniram Tirbeni

ey… one was not wearing anything to cover his face, but the other covered his face with a piece of cloth,” the traumatised woman related.

The bandits also took the keys to all the vehicles owned by the businessman.

His wife noted that after the bandits found the money and jewellery, they collected two mobile phones, but they want-

The home that was invaded by bandits

undisclosed sum of money but were not satisfied, so they threatened to kill the businessman.

However, he put up a fight and was shot. The men then made good their escape on foot.

Shovonne Dass, the wife of the injured man, during a telephone interview, said that the incident occurred around 1:00h. She explained that prior to the incident, they heard unusual sounds and thought they were coming from the dogs.

She noted that after some time, the sounds faded away, so they retired to bed. They were in one room and their two daughters, ages two and six, were in another room. The couple did not realise that someone was in their room until someone hit her husband on his head with a gun.

“They gun butted my husband and demanded money and jewellery. They ransacked the whole place, all the bedrooms and the shop and they find some mon-

ed more valuables. “One of them put the gun to my husband’s head, but he used his hands to bar and the gun went off… after the bullet went off, the men ran away,” she added.

Dass immediately contacted her brother-inlaw, who in turn called the Police. Her brother-in-law subsequently arrived in a taxi and took the injured man to the hospital. The woman noted that the Police arrived a short while after and launched an investigation.

Police have since recovered the crowbar that was used to break the window.

Dass noted that her children, who witnessed the entire ordeal, were still traumatised. The elder who had exams at school could not concentrate, so she had to leave school, while the younger child had not eaten or drank anything since the attack. The Police are continuing their investigations.

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Thomas (left) receiving his prize for Best Director at the 2015 National Drama Festival in the Secondary School category

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y encouraging creativity and recognising the uniqueness of youths, the Lloyd N De Arts Production shapes lives towards a positive direction.

Lloyd N De Arts Production aims to feature youths with extraordinary talents in the field of performing artsacross the nation; promote cultural cohesion among Guyanese; preserve local cultural folk forms from our ancestors; help youths garner adequate knowledge of existing cultures within the country through theatre; strengthen communication skills and develop conscientious thinking; allow its members to explore and showcase their talents through the performing arts; foster a good relationship with government, focused on the development of youths; showcase youths in the creative arts sector through promotion and the creation of job opportunities; exercise a difference in the planning and managing of events, and collaborate with other organisations, companies and institutions in planning and executing meaningful cultural activities.

Notably, this organisation has helped youths to build their self-esteem, while encouraging them to find their hidden talents, strengths and passions within the various fields of the arts.

Lloyd N De Arts Production believes that aspects of performing arts help youths to understand how to appraise situations, think outside the box and be more confident going into unfamiliar situations.

Students learn to trust their ideas and abilities.

Confidence gained from learning performing arts skills applies to school, career, and life.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, founder and artistic director of the organisation, Lloyd Thomas Jnr., pointed out that “the motivation to start the organisation

originated from the love for youths, and the creative arts sector propelled the means to be an agent of change in their lives”.

“Lloyd N De Arts Production envisions a nation where the positive energies of youths are channelled into the creative arts sector, encouraging them to be less interested in the negatives, through educational workshops and actual exposure to meaningful educational experiences,” Thomas de-

and Drama, Cyril Potter College of Education, the Venezuelan Institute of Cultural Cooperation, and is also a final year Modern Languages student at the University of Guyana, a dancer with the National School of Dance, and first year dance student with the Institute of Creative Arts.

Some of these skills include being effective communicators. The performing arts help students to express a range of emotions and encourage them to understand and deal with similar feelings they may be experiencing.

Aggression and tension are released in a safe, controlled environment – often allowing for a period of reflection afterwards.

Fun is also always encouraged at Lloyd N De Arts Production. The performing arts bring elements of play, humour, and laughter to those taking part; as it improves motivation and reduces stress.

For more information on the organisation, call 651-0699 or visit Lloyd N De Arts Production on Facebook.

Lloyd Thomas Jnr. with the trophies he won for his play, "The Little Garden of Bitter Weeds"

clared.

For 2016, Lloyd N De Arts Production successfully hosted Youths in the Performing Arts (January); the Inaugural Miss Cultured Guyana Pageant (June), in which Thomas is pageant coordinator,and Cultural Extravaganza 2016 (June).

According to Thomas, the “organisation will continue to preserve Guyanese culture through educational activities and the performing arts”.

Lloyd N De Arts Production has received several accolades at the National Drama Festival 2015, including Best Performing Cast 2015; Best Production 2015; Best Use of Lights 2015; and Best Director 2015.

Under the tutelage of Thomas, youths receive skills that equip them to be future leaders.Thomas is a graduate of the National School of Theatre Arts

President reminds City Councillors of duty to ‘serve the people’

By Devina Samaroo

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t a time when tensions are high within the City Council concerning the ongoing parking meter scandal, President David Granger delivered his first address to the Georgetown Council on Monday.

While not attributing his remarks to any particular incident, the Head of State urged the Councillors to have a clearer vision and more profound mission for the development of the municipality, noting that the involvement of all stakeholders was most vital.

He made it clear though that his intention was not to pass any instructions to City Hall on how they should manage their affairs.

President Granger reminded the Councillors that they have a duty to represent and serve the people who elected them into office, noting that if they do not perform satisfactorily, they can easily be voted out at the next Local Government Election, which is slated to be held before December 2018.

“Each one of you represents at least 2800 citizens: you don’t represent yourself, you don’t represent your family, and you don’t represent your political party. You represent 2800 citizens and you have to listen to them; sometimes you are tempted to speak for yourself, but speak to them first and find out what their views are before you attempt to make

Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan

Mayor Patricia Chase Green

public your opinions,” he charged the Councillors.

He continued, “If you don’t perform, you are going to get a bad report and people are not going to put you in office if you abuse and misuse that office.”

The President emphasised that their return to the table was not dependent on their political affiliations but on their personality and performance.

Granger also underscored the importance of proper planning before undertaking any projects.

In this regard, he urged the Council to consider the establishment of a special commission to deal with these matters.

“I ask this Council today to consider – please, note my language, because I don’t want to be misreported, I haven’t come here to give instructions – I am asking the Council to consider the possibility of establishing a national capital planning commission,” he stated.

This commission, he said, could be tasked with reviewing the numerous plans which have been prepared over the years, and to develop structured approaches to urban renewal.

In addition, the President commended the work of the Council, particularly its efforts to prevent massive flooding in the city and for commencing the initiative to beautify the capital.

“The city must regain its image as one of the most picturesque and pleasant places for residents and attractive destination for visitors; it must become a showpiece: a place which features attractions and services allow everyone to experience the good life,” he said.

With this in mind, President Granger pledged greater assistance from Central Government in helping to push the urban development agenda and to further develop the capital city.

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CARICOM members urged to ‘stand together’

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ith the world still reeling after the revolutionary withdrawal of the United Kingdom from one of the largest politico-economic blocs – the European Union, Member States of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) are being urged to stand together.

Caricom Deputy Secretary General, Dr Manorma Soeknandan declared that Caricom should not go through the recent Brexit (British exit) experience, which has left millions of people worldwide facing major economic and political uncertainty.

She was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony of a Regional Technical Meeting on the implementation of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) CSME and Economic Integration Programme.

Dr Soeknandan urged all Caricom members to stand in integration and be committed together, and to struggle and achieve together.

“Caricom has challenges, hurdles…together putting our shoulders under those will only make us stronger…losing one is not the answer,” she said, as she expressed hope that Caricom would never have to deal with what the EU was currently undergoing.

In this regard, the Caricom Deputy Secretary General underscored the importance of regional integration and the need

Caricom Deputy Secretary General, Dr Manorma Soeknandan

for technical meetings to resolve pertinent issues.

Also delivering his remarks at the event was Ambassador Mikael Barfod, the Head of the Delegation of the EU to the Eastern Caribbean Countries (OECS) and Caricom/ CARIFORUM, who noted that the Brexit could have consequences for the Caribbean.

He explained that some Caricom countries may have to enter into renegotiations of trade deals with the UK as a result of Brexit.

Furthermore, the Ambassador stressed that the challenges related to regional integration were well worth taking, even though at times integration had a gloomy reputation.

Already, authoritative voices in Jamaica placed on their national agenda the question of whether their country should fol-

low the example of Britain, the former “Mother Country”, and leave Caricom.

In fact, the former Foreign Affairs Minister in Jamaica, Oswald Harding, is insisting that the Jamaican Government should follow the UK’s example and hold a referendum on whether Jamaica should remain in Caricom.

Several Member States have publicly subscribed to the view that the institution has been incapable of addressing the challenges facing the Caribbean.

With the Caricom Summit to be hosted in Guyana next month, the Guyana Government has not pronounced on whether or not it would consider exiting Caricom.

Locally, discussions have commenced on whether Brexit could open an opportunity for the sugar industry to flourish.

Guyana’s sugar, which had

been shipped to Britain to the Tate & Lyle Sugar (TLS) on the Thames for refining, was incorporated into the EU regime in 1973 and modified accordingly in the following years.

Cane sugar has been treated as a stepchild in the EU which pushes beet sugar and TLS has seen its refineries gradually decrease from six to one. Because beet farming in Britain has never been on a scale, as say France and Germany British farmers never received subsidies on the scale of their European counterparts.

In 2012, TLS launched a “Save our Sugar” campaign and asserted, “If current and proposed EU policies continue to unfairly restrict access to raw sugar, cane refiners will not survive as part of the supply mix in Europe’s sugar sector”.

TLS has been leading the charge for renegotiation of cane sugar trade arrangements before the old arrangement expires in 2017. It can be a potent ally for countries such as Guyana.

In the next two years, according to Article 50 of the EU Charter, Britain and the EU will be negotiating the terms of the former’s exit. The EU’s entire sugar regime, which addresses three main areas: quota management, a reference price and a minimum guaranteed price to growers, and trade measures, will have to be replaced by Britain with a new regime.

Pomeroon teenager charged with raping 10-year-old

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16-year-old chainsaw operator from Siriki Village, Upper Pomeroon River in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) was on Monday released into his parents’ custody, after he appeared in court slapped with a rape charge.

The teen made his appearance before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on February 2, 2016 he had sexual intercourse with a 10-year-old student of Upper Pomeroon River.

Following the alleged rape, a report was made at the Charity Police Station where an investigation was conducted. The file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the charge was recommended.

The teenager is expected to return to court on July 11 and as a condition of his release, he is required to report to the Charity Police Station every Friday.

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President in favour of Guyana depending less on foreign funding for Iwokrama L

ess than a year after Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo declared that Guyana alone cannot sustain the Iwokrama Rainforest Project, President David Granger has affirmed that steps must be taken to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign funding.

Iwokrama’s current financial model includes funding from various sources including revenues from services and investments (from businesses and partners), donor funding and intellectual property and services (including eco-system services) to meet its core costs of an estimated US$1.2 million annually.

Shortly before demitting office, then President Donald Ramotar had stated that the Iwokrama Project was in jeopardy owing to the lack of critical financial support from the international community.

Iwokrama Rainforest is to be used as a research and development centre, as well as a test model of sustainable forestry with international and local community partnerships.

Ramotar had explained however that the success of this noble intention is in deep

President David Granger during his recent visit to Iwokrama

trouble due to lack of critical financial support.

He had said that with very few exceptions, the global community simply has not supported the activities of Iwokrama and consequently, Guyana was faced with an unacceptable situation where its Government is forced to inject monies to allow for continuity.

But President Granger be-

lieves that Guyana should get rid of its addiction to foreign financial support.

“I believe we can rely less on foreign donations and more on our own efforts…Over the last 20 years and the project is 20 years old, we relied too much on foreigners. I am not saying that we shouldn’t seek foreign assistance but overreliance can be addictive,” he stat-

ed.

Nonetheless, he explained that Guyana will still welcome international support but not so much in monetary terms.

For example, foreign students can visit Iwokrama to study the biodiversity in one of the unique ecological zones of the world.

In this way, Iwokrama would be able to generate its

own revenue for financial sustainability.

The President explained that one of the main reasons why Iwokrama’s revenue stream remained stunted was owing to poor infrastructure, which led to the high cost to access the area, ultimately demotivating persons from visiting.

In this regard, he said steps are being made to develop infrastructure to make it more accessible to visit Iwokrama.

Currently, the Fairview airstrip, just minutes from Iwokrama River Lodge, is being transformed with an extended runway and the construction of an aerodrome.

Upon completion, it is expected that visitors can reach Iwokrama in less than an hour when travelling from the Eugene F. Correia Airport in Ogle.

Via the hinterland roads, persons can take up to 16 hours to arrive at Iwokrama.

Iwokrama sees on average 1100-1300 tourists annually; a small number, but one which has grown in comparison to an average of 60 tourists annually up to 1999.

Former T&T PM Patrick Jamaica not preparing to Manning falls ill leave Caricom, says Holness (Trinidad Guardian)

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rinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, has called on the nation to pray for former prime minister Patrick Manning who was hospitalised after falling ill.

He made the call at the official opening yesterday of the Ministry of Education Tower, one of the buildings Manning had envisioned as part of a new city landscape, on lower St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

“I want to recognise former prime minister Patrick Manning who at this moment is not doing as well as he would like to and let us send him our best wishes for having the vision and fortitude.

“I would like you, in your thoughts and prayers, to keep him in mind,” Rowley said.

The tower was opened a decade after the Government campus was constructed under the Patrick Manning-regime.

Approximately 800 employees are expected to move into the building today.

Three years after he suffered a stroke and a subsequent seizure, Manning was warded again at the San Fernando General Hospital on Monday night after falling weak from a low blood count.

He arrived at the Accident and Emergency Department at around 7 pm and was kept overnight in a private room at the new wing of the hospital and was not allowed any visitors except immediate family.

Chief Executive Officer of the South West Regional Health

Authority, Anil Gosine, confirmed that Manning was hospitalised but could offer no details about his condition.

A post on his Facebook page by his wife, former education minister Hazel Manning, stated that he was admitted to hospital for investigation concerning “an aberration in his blood count.”

She also wrote: “He is resting comfortably and is in good spirits. We continue to pray for him.”

The post was shared 86 times and was viewed by 600-plus people who offered prayers to Manning and his family at that time.

Gonsalves in late visit St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves paid a late visit to Manning last evening and reported that he was in “good spirits.”

Speaking to media camped outside the hospital after his visit, Gonsalves, who was on a stopover in T&T, said he felt obligated to visit Manning since he was his brethren and they were “very tight” from way back.

Gonsalves said he and Manning had a long conversation about national and international events including the UK Brexit issue as well as on their respective health issues. He said he found Manning to be in good spirits and they also shared a few laughs, prompting medical staff to wonder what all the laughter was about.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, via a statement yesterday, said the Opposition’s prayers and thoughts were with Manning and his family.

P

rime Minister Andrew Holness yesterday launched his promised Caricom Review Commission and immediately dismissed speculation that Jamaica is preparing to pull out of the regional economic bloc.

Speaking at an official ceremony at Jamaica House attended by a throng of senior State officials, diplomats, representatives of Caricom institutions and the private sector, Holness noted that the Caricom debate was triggered by last week’s historic referendum in the United Kingdom (UK) – known as Brexit – which has resulted in the UK opting to leave the European Union after 43 years.

However, he said there are no plans for a so-called “Jaxit”, a phrase coined by those speculating that Jamaica could be looking to follow in the UK’s footsteps.

“We cannot pre-empt what the commission will say, but it was never the intention to lay any groundwork, or chart any path out of Caricom. This is about strengthening Jamaica’s position within the regional integration process, which is absolutely important to Jamaica’s economic growth and development over the next 50 years,” he stated.

The prime minister argued that Caricom has

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (left) in discussion with chairman of the Caricom Review Commission, former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, at the launch of the commission at Jamaica House yesterday.

(Photo: Karl McLarty/ Jamaica Observer)

had its successes in the areas of education, health, governance practices, the sharing of costs for regional negotiations, and regional security co-operation, but matters of trade – which have often been the source of contention between Jamaica and some of its Caricom partners – are still wanting.

“One of the lessons that we have learnt from the recent referendum in the United Kingdom is that governments must pay keen attention to what their citizens are saying… there is clearly in Jamaica, a perception of Caricom, and the solution which I believe works for us is to investigate that, to create the forum in which those views can be given voice (and) the issues articulated, but that there are persons who can give context, direction,

interpretation, lead opinion, analyse and chart a course forward. That’s the approach that I intend to take – get the expert opinions to interface, interact, exchange the views with the Jamaican people as to where it is we want to go,” he said.

Holness also defended his selection of former Prime Minister Bruce Golding to head the commission, saying that he was “an excellent choice”.

He declined to name the other members of the commission, noting that two are left to be appointed, but assured that the selections had been “carefully” made and wide ranging to include representatives of the private sector, academia, business, Government and Opposition, and trade unions. (Jamaica Observer)

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Guyana to partner with UNFAO to implement 27 children sustainable land development project benefit from Baby Heart’s fifth T mission in Guyana

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he International Children’s Heart Foundation, also known as the Baby Heart Foundation has completed 13 Surgeries and 14 Interventional procedures during its fifth mission in Guyana.

Twenty- three (23) Baby Heart team members worked along with local medical staff at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to perform these cardiac related procedures on children between the ages of three months old and 20 years old.

This brings the total number of persons who have undergone successful cardiac related procedures performed by the Baby Heart Team to seventy (70).

Over the course of the Foundation’s five missions in Guyana, there has been one fatality which occurred on Saturday, June 25, 2016.

The Baby Heart team worked assiduously to save the patient, but the fatality was unavoidable, since the patient was in need of a heart trans-

plant.

In addition to performing cardiac related procedures, the Baby Heart Foundation has also been helping to build the capacity of the GPHC to cater to paediatric cardiac patients.

According to Chief Executive Officer of Clinical Operations of the Baby Heart Foundation, Dr. Rodrigo Soto, they have seen progress in the training of local staff but they still have a long way to go.

He explained that the foundation has continued its bedside training for cardiology unit nurses and physicians and they plan to maintain this training online.

Dr. Soto said that the Foundation will be increasing the number of trips they make to Guyana annually from three to four.

According to him, within the next five years, the GPHC will be able to independently run the programme.

Their next trip is scheduled for September of this year.

Kitty man to spend two years behind bars for gun possession

Mark Calvan

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ark Calvan, 24, of Lot 272 Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was on Wednesday sentenced to spend the next two years in prison when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He was on trial after the Police on January 28, in Georgetown, found him with a .32 pistol along with three rounds of matching ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The Prosecution’s case contended that on the day in question, Calvan was walking along the corners of

Church and Cummings Streets, with another person when Police saw them acting suspiciously. A Police Officer approached them and both men fled. According to allegations made by the defendant, his companion was in possession of the gun and not him.

However, Prosecutor Deniro Jones explained that on the day in question, a Policeman approached the defendant, who started to run, but the Officer was able to catch up with him. The officer discovered that the defendant was in possession of the gun and the ammunition after conducting a search on his person.

The Prosecutor also informed that the defendant gave a wrong address to the Police.

Magistrate Latchman stated that the evidence provided by the Prosecution proved that the defendant was guilty as charged.

As such, he was sentenced to two years for each of the charges; however, the sentences will run concurrently. He was also fined G$100,000.

he Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) will be partnering with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (UNFAO) to implement a Sustainable Land Development and Management Project.

According to GINA, the proposed project is expected to take effect in January 2017. This is the largest collaboration of its kind in Guyana between the UNFAO and the GL&SC. The project will be funded through the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), in line with the Low Carbon Development Strategy, and in keeping with the ideals of a low emissions pathway of the Green Economy Framework.

The partnership was the outcome of a meeting, which was held last Friday at the GL&SC between Commissioner of the agency, Mr. Trevor Benn and UNFAO representatives comprising Dr. John Ronald Ford, Sub-regional Coordinator, UNFAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, Deputy UNFAO Coordinator/ Administrative and Technical Capacity – Land and Water

Representatives from UNFAO with Senior Staff of GL&SC

Divisions; Mr. Reuben Hamilton Robertson, Guyana Country Representative of the UNFAO and Ms. Angela Alleyne, Assistant UNFAO Representative for Guyana. Also present at the discussion was Mr. Marlon Bristol, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and Head of the Project Management Office, Ministry of the Presidency.

According to GINA, the proposed project, among other things, is intended to; promote good environmental stewardship in a green economy to achieve a better quality of life, improve planning, monitoring and evaluation capacities to address land management needs, improve standard of living through sustainable land use and

management practices, strengthen monitoring and enforcement capacity and ensure compliance with sustainable land management practices, mainstream policy and implementation by natural resource agencies and implement sustainable land development and management and monitoring using indicators for the reduction of land use conflicts and innovative problem solving initiatives.

It is also expected to increase land reclamation of degraded public lands and reduce degraded areas in relation to total land area, improve organisational image through better client-employees relations and ensure greater coordination and improved service delivery in technical areas.

Hinds cautions Gov’t about performance-based salary increase

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overnment’s proposal to pay public servants based on their performance has been placed under scrutiny, as political commentator Dr David Hinds said the deal might do more harm than good.

Hinds said Government instead of going that route, should pay every worker a living wage.

Government has proposed to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that a “differentiated approach” (performance-based salary increase) replace the across-the-board percentage increase usually paid to public servants.

“I think it is something worth thinking about. I think they are talking about paying the workers based on performance and I think there are some problems with that. I think all workers should be paid a living wage,” Hinds said.

The Arizona University professor said that he was very much sceptical about the proposal, which the GPSU said it was going to consider.

Government and the Public Service representative late last week entered into bilateral talks, and several proposals and considerations were made by both parties.

The performance-based proposal had sprung from a previous pronouncement

Dr David Hinds

made by President David Granger, driving home the message that lazy public servants would receive a lazy person’s pay.

But Hinds said this proposal was one that should be carefully considered by Government.

“If you’re talking about performance, then that should be on top of workers being paid a living wage. I’m very sceptical about the talk of performance, because people come to the workplace with different challenges.

You will have the woman who is a single parent, who has five children to deal with in the morning before she comes to work.

She comes to the workplace sometimes with tremendous pressure on her head that could affect her performance on the job and if you’re talking about paying her based on performance and not taking into consideration the social situation, I think you are running into a situation,” he ex-

plained.

He said while a salary increase based on performance was not in itself a bad thing, he still remained sceptical.

“One has to be careful that that approach does not lead to a hierarchy at the workplace that could in the long run defeat the purpose. Further, one has to be careful that it is not being used to discriminate against workers who may be at odds with management or too vocal at the workplace.”

He said attention should also be placed on the social circumstances of the individual workers, because workers came from different households and they brought to the workplace their different experiences.

“There are kinds of social factors that could influence workers’ performances. Workers from stable households may start with an advantage.

The system of evaluation, therefore, has to be fair, just and transparent. Perhaps a compromise could be reached where the bulk of the salary increases are given across the board and the remainder is based on performance,” Dr Hinds stated.

He also said he was not negating the fact that there were workers who neglected their work, but that has to be addressed.

“But I don’t think that we should lump all workers

who do not perform.”

Day one of talks between the GPSU and Government on public servants’ wages and salaries for 2016 culminated with the Union agreeing to look at the State’s proposal to replace the across-the-board increase.

According to a joint statement issued last Wednesday, following discussions, the two parties entered into the agreement.

“GPSU agrees to explore the Government’s proposal for the differentiated approach to replace the acrossthe-board percentage increase,” the release stated.

The parties also agreed that the negotiations were conducted in the spirit and obligations of the Memorandum of Agreement between the GPSU and the Public Service Ministry now Department for the avoidance and settlement of disputes.

The bargaining unit is to consist of persons employed under the Department of the Public Service (DPS) and Public Service Commission (PSC), including those on contract, the statement detailed. An agreement also was made for a committee to be initiated to make recommendations to the negotiating team on allowances for public servants as soon as possible.

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Still no lead in outstanding US$5M for GTT shares – President Government spokesperson Raphael Trotman had announced that Harmon has been able to retrieve some documents which show that the monies were paid.

In light of the controversy this revelation sparked, NICIL released a statement rejecting the Government’s assertions.

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President David Granger

o progress has been made as the search continues for the “missing” US$5 million for the sale of the 20 per cent shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) in 2012.

During the recent broadcast of his weekly television podcast ‘The Public Interest’, President David Granger indicated that the matter is currently at a standstill.

He disclosed that there are no leads on where to locate the money, who could be responsible for its disappearance, or have knowledge of its whereabouts.

“We have not located the money and we have not identified any person who could be regarded as culpable,” the Head of State stated.

Nonetheless, President Granger said

the search will continue, given that US$5 million is a significant amount of money.

The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) disposed of its 20 per cent shares in the sale to Hong Kong Golden Telecom Company Limited (HKGT) to the tune of US$30 million.

The Company made a down payment of US$25 million and the outstanding US$5 million was to be paid on October 22, 2014 but it never did despite several written requests by NICIL. Minister of State Joseph Harmon and NICIL Legal Counsel Natalia Seepersaud subsequently had travelled to China with the intention of collecting the money but were informed that the money was already paid.

While pointing out that the information is yet to be authenticated, NICIL claimed that Guyana’s former Ambassador to China David Dabydeen facilitated a US$5 million debt waiver with the Chinese Company on the grounds that it was not granted the same minority protection rights enjoyed by

NICIL (that is, two, instead of one, representatives on the GT&T Board of Directors). NICIL conceded that no payment of the outstanding US$5 million was ever received from the Chinese Company.

But former President Donald Ramotar contended that there was no side deal debt write-off.

“I am saying explicitly that there was no such agreement or transaction… It is absolutely untrue… It is not a question of whether or not I am aware of such an agreement, I am telling you that there was no such arrangement to write-off those monies,” he firmly posited.

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Low prices for paddy forcing rice farmers to explore cultivation of cash crops

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Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, chatting with residents on a recent visit to Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice)

he ongoing financial challenges in the rice indus-

try have forced many farmers in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) to abandon the sector and resort to cash crop cultivation. During a recent meeting with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, residents of Baiboo, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara explained that due to the current low prices for paddy, they are forced to plant cash crops.

The farmers however noted that although they are resorting to cash crops, it has reduced the amount of money they can earn since there is a surplus on the market.

“De greens selling cheap… then the rice farmer dem getting hardship to get price for paddy,” one farmer expressed.

Some of the less lucrative crops identified were bora, tomatoes, pepper and ochros.

Meanwhile, farmers of Mora’s Point, Mahaicony River, complained that they are finding it difficult going into the next crop since they are still owed millions by the miller in the area. After listening to their concerns, the Opposition Leader stated that Government has not done enough to assist rice farmers and to an extent, the industry.

“They have some resources that could still be spent on the rice industry; the first budget they passed, they put G$23 billion for the rice industry, I was happy [but] it wasn’t a cent – it was a paper transaction. They just passed the PetroCaribe funds through the budget,” Jagdeo noted.

The Opposition Leader also deemed the transaction as “misleading” to the National Assembly.

Ever since the collapse of the PetroCaribe rice deal with Venezuela in May 2015, farm-

ers have been receiving between G$1800 and G$2500 per bag of paddy.

Under the PetroCaribe agreement, farmers had received premium rates for their paddy, as much as triple what they are currently obtaining. Rice millers have reportedly claimed that they cannot pay the balances because they have not been able to sell the farmer’s paddy.

When Guyana Times International interviewed several farmers in Branch Road, Mahaicony last month, they reiterated calls for the Venezuela-Guyana deal to return, saying that it would increase their earnings in price per bag of paddy. The farmers had noted that for the previous few crops, they were unable to achieve any substantial profits from the industry.

Family members of some farmers had also told this publication that Government subsidies on fertilisers and equipment were necessary for their survival.

“We need a better price, we need some help to go back into the field, because right now it is very hard on farmers, right now the millers owe we a set of money and we can’t go back into the field,” Tajwantie Ramotar had noted.

Though the PetroCaribe deal was due for expiration in November 2015, Venezuela had axed the rice deal months before the official due date.

Under this deal, Guyana was required to pay upfront a percentage of the cost of fuel acquired from Venezuela, with the balance, which was placed in the PetroCaribe Fund at the Bank of Guyana, being treated as a loan repayable over 23 years, with a two-year grace period and two per cent interest.

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Shell Beach (Almond Beach) Essequibo Coast The only natural site submitted, also in November 1995, Shell Beach is famous for being a 90-mile long beach of sea shells, which is the nesting ground for the green turtle, leatherback, olive ridley and hawksbill marine turtles that are among the endangered species around the world. It was submitted under the World Heritage List criteria of containing “the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.”

City Hall, Georgetown Submitted in November 1995 under the criteria “to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius”, the City Hall, built 1887-1889, is described as, “one of the finest examples of Gothic Architecture in the Caribbean.”

Georgetown's Plantation Structure and Historic Buildings were proposed in the Tentative list in January 2005 under three selection criteria: to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design; to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history, and to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, landuse, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.

The area is described

with a brief history as one that, “can be considered the backbone of Historic Georgetown as this was the 'Road to Stabroek' mentioned on 18th century Dutch city maps, a 'damstreet' linking the military grounds of Kingston and Fort William Frederick (an Anglicisation of Willem Frederik, a Dutch Stadtholder) with the plantations of Cummingsburg and Lacytown, to Stabroek.

Stabroek was the strip of land reserved by the Dutch for public purposes and important buildings.

In these streets the specific townscape and atmosphere of Georgetown can be found along with the finest examples of 19th century colonial architecture. The structure of the former plantation grounds, defined by canals running perpendicular to the river and a connecting damstreet, is still recognisable in the urban layout.”

he UNESCO World Heritage List contains the names of worldwide places such as monuments, buildings, sites or cities, lakes, mountains, forests ordeserts that are considered by the World Heritage Committee as possessing significant universal cultural or natural value for inclusion as World Heritage Sites.To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must also meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.

Some World Heritage Sites of the Caribbean comprise the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, Old Havana

and its Fortifications in Cuba, the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica, Haiti’s National History Park - Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers, Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park of St Kitts and Nevis and Pitons Management Area in St Lucia.

Guyana has been submitting some of the country’s most famous landmarks to the Tentative List - a list containing sites to be considered for World Heritage Site status- since 1995. These include Guyana’s historic sites, buildings and natural areas.

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Hand painted high fashion

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tudents of the David Rose Special School have created a fashionable line of hand-painted clothing, revealing their talents.

The collection ‘Destiny’ is the result of a textile art programme spearheaded by veteran designer Sonia Noel.

Pieces featured this week can be purchased from the school. Money garnered from sales will contribute to the school’s development.

For more information, call the David Rose Special School on 226-4876 from Mondays to Fridays from 9:30am to 2pm.

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IMMIGRATION: TIME TO BECOME A US CITIZEN

By Rakesh Rampertab, Esq.

G

ET YOUR CITIZENSHIP. There is no greater means by which a lawful permanent resident or green-card holder can get significant protection in the United States (US) than by becoming a citizen. A lawful permanent resident is a non-citizen who resides in the US with certain rights, includinga right to work, own a house, buy private health insurance (e.g., “Obamacare”), and even sponsor others to become permanent residents.

However, having a green card today is not the most secured status an immigrant can obtain while lawfully present in the US. A greencard holder may still be deported. Indeed, deportation is possible if a green-card holder is convicted of a crime considered to be an aggravated felony or a crime of moral turpitude, under immigration law.

The issue of crime and deportation of a green-card holder is com-

plicated as it involves an analysis of both federal (i.e., immigration) and state laws. In addition to the lengthy list of crimes of moral turpitude, the phrase “crimes of moral turpitude” is itself inadequately defined in immigration law. Said another way, a conviction or plea deal that appears favorable in a state court, may be a cause for worry under immigration law.

As such, the interplay between crimes and various laws affecting a green-card holder deserves its own in-depth analysis in a separate article. However, for our purpose here, a greencard holder should know that crimes involving theft, fraud, or dishonesty will likely be recognized as crimes of moral turpitude, and subject one to possible deportation.

Convictions resulting from narcotic-related cases, acts of domestic violence (e.g., abuse of a spouse or lover), as well as those stemming from driving and drinking (or intoxication) such as aggravated driving under

the influence (e.g., DWI, DUI), may also lead to

be employed by the federal government itself,

example, a green-card holder against whom

immigration problems for a green-card holder.

It makes sense, therefore, to get citizenship immediately and secure the maximum protections and benefits allowed. These include a right to vote, a right to federal benefits such as Medicare, and a right to

such as with the FBI or postal service. Jobs with the police usually require citizenship also.

A US citizen can travel freely across our borders or through US airports without a fear of additional discomforts often reserved for a green-card holder. For

an order of protection (or restraining order) was issued by a New York State court may be pulled aside for additional questioning by an immigration officer.

Finally, the racism and hatred now fashionable amongst certain politicians as well

as lawmakers in many states (e.g., the 26 states including Texas that successfully opposed President Obama's executive program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents [or DAPA], to provide certain temporary benefits [e.g., work permit] for undocumented parents of children who have green cards or are citizens), make it necessary to get citizenship.

Too many green-card holders assume they cannot be deported that easily, and do not devote the time necessary to become citizens. But the politics and laws from certain sections of America have become so increasingly anti-immigrant and racist, that it is dangerous to have a green-card today when one is eligible for citizenship.This article is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. For immigration-related questions, you may contact this attorney at (917) 9431336 or rrampertabesq@ gmail.com.

Nine-year-old author launches second book

A

t just n i n e y e a r s old, Anaya Lee Willabus, of Guyanese heritage, has launched her second book, “A Bully’s Disguise”.

Anaya was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where she resides with her Guyanese parents, Dimple and Winston Willabus, and two siblings.

The young author’s second book is considered a “must read” for all children. “A Bully’s Disguise” exposes readers to the daily challenges that children are faced with. It tells of the how the main character, Mohan, copes A synopsis of the story outlined at the back of the book with these challenges.

This friendship, family and ly and racially diverse book teaches chilschool life while grow- city, New York. dren many lessons on ing up in a culturalAuthor’s brief bio

Anaya with her second book, 'A Bully's Disguise'

At the age of two, Anaya was taught to read by her father.

Thereafter, she began to memorize books, demonstrating an acutely photographic memory. Anaya immerses herself in reading books of all genres throughout the year.

During the summer, she grew very fond of the summer reading initiative promoted by then Assemblyman, Alan Maisel. Maisel's “Summer Reading Program”, which her school supports, proved to be a motivational challenge, as

each year she sought to surpass the previous year's book total.

Anaya reads in excess of 40 books during her school break.

To maintain her comprehension skills, her parents challenged her to write detailed essays on many of the books she enjoyed and to illustrate her favourite part. With such development, Anaya enjoyed writing and expressing her opinion of her findings and further build on her literacy skills.

Anaya’s her first book, “The Day Mohan Found His Confidence”,

which she wrote at the age of eight, earned her five awards, as well as local and international recognition for her outstanding literary contribution.

Today, Anaya maintains her outstanding academic standing at school, while tutoring first graders, writing for “Forum Kids Magazine”, and playing soccer. She also has a brown belt in Shotokan karate.

Visit Anaya the Author on Facebook for more information on how you can get a copy of “A Bully’s Disguise”.

34 feature

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Ganesh Singh demonstrates how blind cricket is played

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The 2015 blind cricket team that competed in St. Lucia

his year the Guyana Blind Cricket Association (GuyBCA) celebrates a decade of empowering the blind and visually impaired through the game of cricket.

GuyBCA was established in the last quarter of 2005 with the mandate of promoting and developing blind cricket in Guyana.

The game was launched in November 2005 with regular training sessions beginning in January of 2006 under the watchful eyes of blind cricket certified Coach Bharat Mangru, who participated in a training programme for coaches in September 2005 in Trinidad and

Tobago. The game was officially launched in April 2006 with the Guyana team competing against a Barbados and Trinidad combined team at the Demerara Cricket Club.

Presently, Cecil Morris is the acting president of the Association with Ganesh Singh g one of the committee members on the Board, with the responsibility of project coordination.

There are about 30 players, both males and females since blind cricket is not gender biased, who are part of the Association and are either blind or visually impaired. These players are between the ages of 10 to 40 and hails from Georgetown and other parts of Region Four,

Linden, Regions Two, Five and Six. Training sessions are held regularly in Georgetown and Linden, where there is a larger group of players.

The Guyana team participated in its first tournament in July 2006 in Barbados at the West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind (WICCB) first regional tournament.

Upon the completion of that tournament, three Guyanese players, namely Ganesh Singh, Oliver Kerr and Patrick Howard, were selected to the first West Indies Blind Cricket team. This team participated in the Blind Cricket World Cup in Pakistan in December 2006. All three players played on the

West Indies team during the tournament.

Over the years, the Guyana team has participated in most of the WICCB regional tournaments, but missed a few as a result of financial constraints, which has been hampering the development of the sport locally.

The last tournament the team participated was in St. Lucia in July 2015. A number of other Guyanese players have been selected to the West Indies squads, but were unable to travel with the team as a result of the lack of funding.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Ganesh Singh, who has been playing “blind cricket” for a number of years, said that the “Guyana team has always preformed very well at the regional tournaments with victories against all the regional teams with the exception of Jamaica, which has won the regional tournament the most times”.

Singh mentioned that the main constraints of the Association are the

lack of funding and a field for the players to train.

He is convinced that once these challenges are dealt with by the relevant authorities, the sport would be “more developed”.

“Blind cricket is not just a competitive sport, but a vehicle for the empowerment of persons who are blind and visually impaired. Playing the sport helps with the rehabilitation of blind persons, and at the same time building their confidence and self-esteem,” Singh pointed out.

Singh explained that blind cricket is similar to conventional cricket, but is played in two formats: a 20-overs and a 40-overs format.

The game is played using the regular cricket bat, batting gloves and wicket keeping gloves. The ball used is a hard plastic ball, which is the same size as a ‘normal’ cricket ball.

The plastic ball is white and hallowed inside and contains small iron beads that jingle when rolled to alert the players of the ball’s presence. The

ball is bowled under-handed instead of over-handed in conventional cricket.

This is done so that the totally blind batter can hear the ball’s approach.

A team is made up of 11 players from three categories of blind persons: four players are B1’s (totally blind), three B2’s (partially sighted about 10 feet vision), and four B3’s (partially blind with better vision than the B2’s).

All players are required to bowl, field and bat if necessary. The B3’s are required to act as runners for the B1’s, while they are batting.

Singh said that the Guyana blind cricket team will be travelling to Trinidad for the WICCB 9th regional tournament from July 8 to July 16.

With much-needed funding, the Guyana Blind Cricket Association can do a lot more in its empowering work for the blind and visually impaired.

GuyBCA would like to express sincere thanks to all those who have contributed to its projects thus far.

Care and compassion

D

Helping children live healthy lives

r. Alisha Griffith is a compassionate professionally trained educator, speech language pathologist, and audiologist. Over a span of nearly two decades, she has assisted countless people from all walks of life to overcome various challenges, empowering them to live their lives to the fullest.

Alisha was born in the US to Guyanese parents. Her parents went to the US on scholarships to study.

Her mother, Ismay Griffith, and father, Charles Griffith, returned to Guyana with Masters in Sociology and Agricultural Engineering respectively, to fulfil their obligations to their homeland, as stipulated in the terms of the scholarships. The family lived in North

Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where twoyear-old Alisha grew up until she was ten. The family then returned to the US, settling in Brooklyn.

Alisha holds a Clinical Doctorate Degree in Audiology (Au.D) from Pennsylvania College of Optometry and is certified in Speech Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). She has worked in schools, homes, offices, and in her own practice, connecting those with speech and hearing difficulties.

Through her work, the doctor has helped many believe in themselves.

Although her clients are dealing with disabilities, their confidence levels are no different from others.

In 2015, Alisha launched her coaching and speaking programme out of her

passion and willingness to serve others. She is known as the “catalyst for change, the igniter of positive energy”.

Her goal is to shift mindsets by first addressing one’s inner dialogues from negative to positive. This shift often results in appreciation and gratitude from within. She believes that remaining focused and weathering through life’s storms with a positive mindset are the keys to success.

Her most important role is being the proud mother of Zachary, her bright and extraordinary son, who is autistic.

“Being Zachary’s mom has been one of my biggest lessons of patience, expressing gratitude and appreciation even for the small things. He’s taught me how to identify strengths, many of which I see in him and myself,” she shared.

An advocate for autism, the doctor was inspired to create SoSMART Kids, Inc., a programme that helps autistic children learn social skills, martial arts, and fitness. Additionally, in 2014 she co-founded SMART FIT FAM Inc., a non-profit organisation that supports families with autistic children, and provides services and workshops that teaches the importance of wellness, fitness, and proper nutrition.

The doctor has visited Guyana and other Caribbean countries, as well as the US, speaking on various projects.

In April 2016 she organised and moderated the ‘Millennials Conference: Bridging the Gap’, a networking event

With her son Zachary

designed to recognise and connect Guyanese millennials who are living outside of Guyana. Guests at her events include First Lady of Guyana Sandra Granger, Second Lady Sita Nagamootoo, and New York State Senator Roxanne Persaud.

When she’s not immersed in her career, Alisha enjoys travelling, listening to Caribbean music, and dancing. She is also a black belt in Vee Arnis Jitsu.

Combining her culturally diverse background and expertise, along with her unwavering determination and compassion, Alisha Griffith aims to both motivate and inspire as many people as possible. (http://guyanesegirlsrock.org)

FEATURE 35

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

‘Children of Watooka’ by Steve Connolly

By Petamber Persaud

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xtract of interview with Steve Connolly, Georgetown, Guyana, 30 May 2016; Connolly is the author of “Children of Watooka”, published by Hansib Publications,which was launched May 27, 2016at the residence of the Canadian High Commissioner.)

PP Going through this book, I encountered so many other books – known and unknown – on Guyana, written

by Guyanese that for a moment I thought this was a bibliography of Guyanese books. But I know this is a memoir – your memoir, your story. Books are about stories. People love stories.

This book, “Children of Watooka”, is crammed with interesting and sometimes hilarious stories. But your story first.

SC Thank you, Petamber, I am so grateful to be here, so grateful to be back in the land of my birth – it has been sixty three long years, I tell my friends, when I left, I was ebony black as a ten year old child and I spent sixty three long years in the land of cold and snow and look at me now, look what happed to my colour [Caucasian]….There was always a longing for the country of my birth and then came to urge to write a story for my family. Gradually, as I met more and more people, I widened and deepened it to become a full book of the country that we all love, Guyana. I am a storyteller not a writer, this is my first book and I hope it is not my last.

Book cover

Here [indicating the book] I have intertwined the people’s stories – humorous, true stories – with history going back even before Sir Walter Ralegh and Columbus and so on. The book unravels history right up to the present and is full of stories, stories of eighty five people.

PP Wow… SC Yes, eighty five or more people of five different races; people who have given me stories over time, unintended for the book, but there is a small percentage of people who have given me stories for the book; regardless it is the story of our country and it would be useful to the children of the country to provide them with the achievement of a wide variety of people that this country is blessed with.

PP This is a monumental work, putting it together like you said with stories within stories to make a whole picture.Before we get a taste of some of those stories, tell us about that place, Watooka, a place known to generals on both sides of the war [WWII] but little known even to Guyanese.

SC Well I was born in McKenzie, British Guiana, in 1943, and McKenzie at that time was British colonial culture, incidentally, the Honourable Sam Hinds and Minister of Education, Rupert Roopnarain, were born in that same year.

McKenzie at that time was divided into Watooka which consisted of about fifty homes, all on stilts, on one side of the road,

Author Steve Connolly (guyaneseonline.wordpress.com)

along the river, for the staff of the Demerara Bauxite Company, and next door, across the Watooka Creek, was the village of Cockatara, that housed about 3000 black folks; not included in McKenzie at that time were Wismar and Christiansburg which did not have the facilities that McKenzie had. At that time, there was a bridge across the Watooka Creek, and as with British Colonial customs, a police was stationed there and blacks were not allowed to cross into the white village unless they have a pass to work as servants or offer some other forms of service.

Thankfully, around 1954, my father had pushed, and the policeman was removed and Watooka became more integrated as it is today…

PP This was happening in our country!

SC We’ll get into to that later… So Watooka was mostly Canadians at that time even though it didn’t start off that way. Demerara Bauxite Company originated from the Alumina Company of Canada which originated from Alcoa from America.

Watooka was a heaven for us children. The title of my book, “Children of Watooka”, is symbolic because the book is far more than children and far more than Watooka.

The only spark in our village during the week after school was the Watooka Pool. That pool developed champion swimmers later in North America… At that time the children in the pool was all white. Yesterday, with your former Prime Minister, Sam Hinds, as photographer, I was fortunate to have a swim in that old pool…and I was

surrounded by about thirty five youngsters, all black, and it was beautiful, so beautiful.

I am back home again.

Watooka has changes, we may get into that, but it has a lot of potential, not only Watooka but the whole area and I am so grateful to be back.

PP Continue Watooka then and now.

SC Our family left when I was ten years old, in 1953, I remem-

ber that well – I was old enough to remember the people and the area unfortunately I did not know the surrounding areas that well and it was a paradise and I have written a beautiful poem called ‘Watooka Moon’ which you can enjoy later. It was sunshine, it was protection, we had fun and we swim, we had a wonderful school of Canadian teachers, we also had an introduction to British History and British Customs.And my father had to work during WWII – we will deal with that later.

PP There is an important story associate with McKenzie in your book; about the role the bauxite of McKenzie in WWII, a role that influenced the direction of the war and not many people, not many Guyanese know about this….

SC That’s true.

Guyana is more known for Jonestown, than for its tremendous contribution to WWII – that’s my favourite subject, let me talk on that. My father had arrived in British Guiana 1940 as an engineer from Canada to fight the war in an engineering way and to produce bauxite. In 1941, he

wrote a beautiful 8-page letter to my mother in Canada to come over and marry him, saying you better get over here in a hurry because the black girls are really beautiful. So my mother came over on the passenger ship Lady Hawkins.

The captain was concern and passengers (relatives) were anxious going through the Caribbean because previous ‘Lady’ ships were torpedoed and sunk the month before. But my mother made it and on September the 8th the ship landed at the mouth of the Demerara River and next day my parents were married.

Three of the officials attended the wedding and three months later, they were dead because that same ship was torpedoed near Bermuda...

(To be continued) Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com What’s happening: “Made in Guyana” is now available at the National Library, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, bookstores and hotels.

36 hollywood

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Tom Hiddleston’s mother Irrfan Khan, Tom Hanks’s Inferno set for Imax release can’t stop gushing about Taylor Swift

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ctor Tom Hiddleston’s mother Diana was really happy after meeting his new girlfriend Taylor Swift.

The pair and “Thor” actor’s mother recently spent a day together in his homeland following Hiddleston’s meeting with Swift’s parents in Nashville.

“Tom’s mom is just gushing about Taylor.

She thinks Taylor is the loveliest. She was so happy to meet her,” a source said.

Diana, Swift and Hiddleston were spot-

ted walking arm-in-arm together and also visited Covehithe beach for a stroll, reported People Magazine.

“Taylor was almost immediately part of the family. She was very easy to get to know and

to speak with. Tom’s family sees him as a big celebrity, but Taylor is clearly on another level,” the source added.

The new couple is currently in Rome enjoying their European getaway. (Indian Express)

I

nternationally acclaimed Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan and Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks starrer upcoming mystery thriller film “Inferno” will be digitally re-mastered into the Imax format, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Imax Corporation and

Imagine Entertainment have announced.

Directed by Ron Howard, “Inferno” is the third instalment in the popular “The Da Vinci Code” franchise.

The film, starring Hanks as doctor Robert Langdon and Irrfan as Harry Sims, will be re-

leased into Imax theatres worldwide coinciding with the film’s general release dates, reports variety.com.

Rory Bruer, President of Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures, said: “We’ve had an extraordinary response to the film from audiences – it’s testing extremely well.”

Howard returns as director after helming the franchise’s previous instalments “The Da Vinci Code” (2006) and “Angels & Demons” (2009).

“Inferno” will release on October 28. (Indian Express)

‘Game of Thrones’ ‘The Mummy’ actor Aharon Ipale dies at 74 on its way to end I

“G

ame of Thrones” showrunner David Benioff has confirmed that there are only 13 episodes left to the much-loved fantasy series.

Benioff also said that the upcoming two seasons of the show will be shorter than usual, reported Deadline.

“It’s two more seasons we’re talking about. From pretty close to the beginning, we talked about doing this in 7075 hours, and that’s what we’ll end up

with. Call it 73 for now,” he said.

Benioff elaborated on the fact that the story cannot be unnecessarily extended for the sake of its fans and is definitely heading towards the end game now.

“Not planning to prolong the saga just because there’s a lot of people who still watch it. We wanted to do something where, if people watched it end to end, it would make sense as one continuous story.” (Indian Express)

sraeli actor Aharon Ipale, best known for his role in The Mummy franchise, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 74.

The Morocco-born star died on Monday at his home in Israel, reported Deadline. He is survived by his daughter.

His death has been confirmed by his manager Susan Ferris.

“For the past 15 years I have had the honour, and the pleasure, of working with Aharon Ipale. We are deeply saddened by his loss,” said Ferris.

The actor was best known for his role as Pharaoh Seti in the

Brendan Fraser-directed “The Mummy” series.

Ipale’s acting career spanned over five decades.

He began his career with TV series “General Hospital” in 1963. Ipale worked on TV shows like “Charlie’s Angels”,

“Miami Vice”, “Hawaii Five-O” and “Taxi”.

The actor also featured in 2007 film “Charlie Wilson’s War”, “Ishtar” (1987) and 1993 movie “Son of the Pink Panther”. (Indian Express)

get a call from producers asking her to take part in the new movie, which stars Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, reported Female First.

“They called me to be in the film, and it was kind of a homage and a sweet thing

for them to do. [But] I shouldn’t give too much away! Dwayne is the sweetest guy, he’s so sweet in person. I guess I had met him plenty of times, but I didn’t remember,” she said.

The film will release in May 2017. (Indian Express)

Khloe Kardashian checks with her sisters before posting on Twitter

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eality TV star Khloe Kardashian says she asks her sisters for advice on what

to post on micro-blogging site, Twitter.

The 32-year-old star is known for her frank-

ness on social media but she checks in with her siblings, Kim, Kourtney, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner before she shares her thoughts, reported Female First.

“My sisters never tell me I’m too outspoken. I will be told not to tweet certain things though.

We’ll be on group text all the time and I’ve learned from past experiences to ask them, Should I tweet this? And then they’ll give me their opinions, it’s usually no!” Khloe said.

“Then I’m happy. You just get drama for no reason. I think the older I’m getting I’m eliminating some of the drama which is good,” she said.

(Indian Express)

T

he much-talked about Baywatch movie will pay a “sweet homage” to actress Pamela Anderson’s iconic character CJ Parker.

Anderson, 48, played the bubbly lifeguard in the original TV series from 1992 to 1997 and was thrilled to

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Sanjay Dutt to shoot for another film before Siddharth Anand’s project

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he shooting of Sanjay Dutt’s upcoming untitled film with Siddharth Anand has been delayed as the director has asked

for more time for preproduction work. In the meantime, the actor will start shooting for another project.

Sanjay, who walked

out a free man earlier this year 23 years after his legal problems began over his possessing an assault rifle, was supposed to return to the silver screen with Anand’s film.

“Siddharth has asked more preparation time for the movie as it involves complex action scenes. He is the captain of the ship and it’s not wise to hurry him into the shooting process. So in all probability, we will be going ahead with another film of mine first,” Sanjay said in a statement. (Indian Express)

Wanted to know her better: Vidya Balan on Kamala Das biopic

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ctress Vidya Balan, who will be seen portraying Kamala Das, says the Indian-English writer was very progressive and she agreed to do this biopic because she wants to know her as a person.

“Kamala was very progressive, she was very strong. I loved the script (of the film) the minute I read it. I agreed to do this biopic because I want to know her as a person. She is a very unique person and I just want to know her better,” Vidya said.

The actress, who has delivered impressive performances in films like “The Dirty Picture” and “Kahaani”, says she doesn’t pay heed to people’s opinion about her as it affects her.

“I don’t read anything about myself.

I don’t base my life on that. If I have to base it on something, I would base it on positive things,” the National Award

V

eteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai has appealed to Hindi film icons like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan as well as the media to avoid referring to the industry as Bollywood.

“My sincere appeal to our industry and Amitabh Bachchan, SRK and media not to allow Hindi cinema named as Bollywood,” Ghai tweeted.

“Even if name, Bollywood is an unavoidable brand now. We still can at-

M

ouni Roy, who is currently riding high on the success of Season 1 of Naagin, is open to making a transition to films.

When quizzed about which Khan she would like to make her debut with, Mouni said, with-

bollywood 37

Travel changes your perspective towards life: Irrfan Khan

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ollywood actor Irrfan Khan enjoyed working for ‘Madaari’ as he travelled extensively across India

for its shooting. The actor, who likes to explore new locations, prefers to travel around the country whenever he gets two

days off from his schedule.

“Travel gives me a sense of wonderment you meet so many ordinary people from various walks of life. It changes your perspective to look at life…it always enriches me,” Irrfan Khan said.

‘Madaari’ has been shot in Mumbai, Shimla, Delhi, Jaisalmer and Hyderabad and various other places. The movie is all set to release on July 15. (Indian Express)

Govinda ultimate Bollywood dancer for me: Farah Khan

S winner said.

Vidya, who dabbles in multiple genres of cinema, believes people are ready for all kinds of films.

“People had said that after a point, masala films will not work, but even today masala films are working. There will be new kind of films coming out every day.” (Indian Express)

tach with words like Hindi Cinema and call it as Bollywood Hindi Cinema,” he added.

Ghai, who has films like “Kalicharan”, “Karz”, “Hero”, “Ram Lakhan”, “Saudagar” and “Khalnayak” to his credit also opined that “someone scoffed us as copycat and named us as Bollywood and we were silent and lost the dignity Hindi cinema of India”.

(Indian Express)

out batting a lid: “Every girl wishes to debut with Salman Khan.”

Talking more about her Bollywood aspirations, Mouni said, “I am interested in Bollywood.

Everyone wants to do bigger and better work.

I also want to do good

work.”

The television actress, however, refused to comment on speculations doing the round about her having bagged Bejoy Nambiar’s next.

Mouni, who was spotted yesterday at the launch of South African supermodel Gabriella’s clothing line, looked pleased talking about Naagin’s success.

“I am in a happy space at the moment. I am proud that the first season of Naagin did well.

I have signed Season 2 too and I am looking forward to the same,” said Mouni before signing off.

(Indian Express)

he has made some of the biggest Bollywood stars dance to her tunes but when it comes to picking up a personal favourite, director-choreographer Farah Khan says it will always be Govinda.

“For me, Govinda is the ultimate Bollywood dancer. I can’t see anyone beyond him. You can show me the most technical dancer but the fun that you have in watching him can’t be matched.

I can see him dancing for hours,” Farah told PTI. She thinks it is hard to match the rhythm and abandon that Govinda channels in his songs.

In choreographers, the list of favourites is long for Farah.

“I like Prabhudheva, Saroj ji… She was the queen in ’80s and ’90s.

Her songs are unmatch-

able. Shiamak Davar is very good and then there are Remo (D’Souza) and Bosco-Caesar.

Vaibhavi is great with classical Indian songs. There are so many. I like songs, not a particular style.”

Farah, who recently choreographed “Baby ko bass pasand hai” from “Sultan”, says though such outings are rare, she is always up for a challenge.

“I don’t do much cho-

reography these days.

Before ‘Sultan’, the last song that I did was ‘Gerua’. I only accept such assignments when there is an unusual situation or there is something very interesting.

I am not in the race for choreography now.

On the directing front, Farah has completed the script of her next film, which will be produced by superstar good friend Shah Rukh Khan (Indian Express)

A.R. Rahman to sing in Hrithik Roshan starrer ‘Mohenjo Daro’

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scar-winning composer A.R. Rahman, who has composed songs for filmmaker Ashutosh G o w a r i k e r ’ s “Mohenjo Daro”, has also lent his voice to a romantic song for the upcoming epic adventure-romance film.

Titled “Tum ho”, it will be the first song to be released from the film, which stars Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde. The track will be out in July.

“This is my fifth collaboration with Rahman after my TV show ‘Everest’. It has been a rewarding experience as we both got the chance to enter an entirely different space and time,” Gowarikar, who has previously worked with

Rahman in films like “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India”, “Swades” and “Jodhaa Akbar”, said in a statement.

Set in the pre-historic era, the film features a love story between Hrithik and Pooja.

“We had to build a lot from imagination, and we did that after doing research and consulting the archaeologists about the possibilities and probabilities of this period, which does not

get categorised as history, but as pre-history,” Gowariker said.

“I stayed within the findings from the excavations and the artefacts, while creating a make-believe world.

And Rahman has helped shape that world beautifully, exotically and believably,” Gowariker added.

“Mohenjo Daro” is set to release on August 12.

(Indian Express)

38

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

My nightmare at UG’s Berbice Campus

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ike so many Indians in Berbice, I grew up in a home in which my parents never attended school beyond the age of twelve. My father, now deceased, was a proud sugarcane harvester while my mother was a reputable seamstress but both could not read or write. My parents relied on oral traditions to guide their day-to-day actions but they were not stupid people. They were simply uneducated.

My mother can now read somewhat.

Of the seven children my parents raised, three of them have PhDs, one has a MA, two barely fin-

ished high school, and one was pulled out of Form One to take care of the younger ones. The latter was my solitary sister and I am still mad at my parents for depriving her an education.

My family story with regard to education in Guyana has another bizarre twist. None of us attended the University of Guyana. Actually, only two of us have visited the University of Guyana.

Instead, some of us have earned degrees from University of Wisconsin, State University of New York, University of Winnipeg, Florida International, and Columbia University.

Then why does the University of Guyana mean so much to me in particular? Or, why am I writing about the University of Guyana?

It is this inward hunger to come back home and

make up for lost ground through academic contribution. But I did not know where to start.

When I told my Nigerian friend in graduate school that I planned to go back to Guyana to live and work he said to me why place unnecessary burden on your life.

My goal of returning home began realistically when I ran into Dr Parsram Thakur at a conference in Suriname in 2004. I was then employed at the University of the Virgin Islands. I did not know Dr Thakur.

I found out later that he and my mother were kindergarten playmates. Dr Thakur asked me to come and teach at the Berbice campus. I said I would in a few years.

So far so good, but in 2004 my father died suddenly in upstate New York. My elder brother, a Professor at Syracuse

University, and I decided that in remembrance of our father we would set up a scholarship in his name at the Berbice campus. We did. However, the scholarship funds were abused and we pulled the plug on it. I doubt whether there is any record of this at the University of Guyana. It is sad, and in some ways, worse than my father’s death.

In spite of this bad experience, I was in 2009 preparing to come to Guyana to work at Berbice campus under the leadership of Dr Thakur but then someone or group of people discontinued this man’s contract with the university. For years, I have tried to find out why and I have gotten nowhere. I even wrote a few letters to one of the dailies inquiring about his termination but it fell on deaf

ears.

In 2010, I called the University of Guyana at the Berbice campus and spoke to an individual named Daizal Samad.

I expressed my interest in working on that campus and he advised me to send a cover letter and my CV. I did. For over eight months after submitting my information, I tried to contact this man and any time I called the answer from his secretary was that he was busy and he would get back to me. Whenever I was in Guyana in summer months I would stop in at the campus but he was never around. I decided to make one final call using a different phone. He picked up and after a few minutes he slipped into this “Corentyne Creole/ dialect” actually downplaying my frustration.

After all these months and almost a year he said

I would have to apply to the University of Guyana at Turkeyen. I asked him to forward my application and he said he could not do that. I said to myself this man must be a moron of morons. I was right. A year later he was removed from the job.

What is so bizarre about this experience is that I was going back home against the wishes of my family. I was also giving up an established faculty position at a reputable university in the US. What would have been encouraging to them more than me was that I was willing to accept whatever salary they were offering, which was, below expectations.

I wonder how many other individuals have had the same nightmare experience like myself. (lomarsh.roopnarine@ jsums.edu).

Stabroek (Tiananmen) Square?

S

atiricus now knew his “gem like” native land was finally going to take off. It was not going to be an “unpolished” gem no more. It had certainly been long in coming. “But better

late than never,” he sighed to his friend Cappo. The Back Street Bar was slowly filling up with regulars who each had to shake the water from their clothes like dogs trying to get dry. The rain

was really coming down.

“Suh wha mek yuh seh suh?” Cappo demanded.

“All dem t’ing de guvment do fuh Jubilee an’ da na impress you. Wha’ happen now?”

“Is not one thing, Cappo,” said Satiricus.

“It’s several things. Look at the Parking Meters we

are going to get. That is progress.”

“Me a look at de Parking Meta Sato,” replied Cappo ruefully. “An’ all me see ah t’iefing!”

“But you see Cappo, the problem with you and most Guyanese is you never study history,” said Satiricus as they touched their beer bottles before taking a swig. “Did you ever hear about the Robber Barons of America?”

“Na,” said Cappo. “Dem a who?”

“My friend, after America was 50 years old it was a set of rascals and robbers who set the foundation for what you see today.” pointed out Satiricus. “Fellas like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt.”

“Wha’ dem do?” queried Cappo” “Rockefeller thief

to create the largest oil company in the world, and Vanderbilt thief to build the railroads,” said Satiricus.

“But they left America more developed. That is what our Parking Meter thieves will do.”

“Now me anda-staa,” said Cappo. “Dem should gi’e de Mayah wan medal fuh bringin’ de mos’ advance parking meter in de worl’!”

“They should,” said Satiricus with feeling. “But another thing clinched my certainty that no one can stop our development.”

“Wha’ da?” asked Cappo, signalling for another beer—Satiricus was buying.

“The news that twenty of our policemen were sent to China for training,” said Satiricus. “In crowd control and disturbances.”

“Wha’ suh big ’bout da?” Cappo asked in surprise.

“Is de same thing I said before,” said Satiricus exasperatedly. “Y’all don’t know history!”

“Wha histry dis time,” enquired Cappo.

“My friend, just before China became the big economic power it is today,” said Satiricus, “There were demonstrations in 1989 to prevent it from happening.

The government had to use specially trained police to break it up.”

“Really?”‘said Cappo.

“Where was that?”

“Tiananmen Square,” replied Satiricus. “Just let those who want to stop our progress in Stabroek Square, try now!”

“Le’ abee drink to dat, Sato, ole Budday!” said Cappo.

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The politics of parking

By Ryhaan Shah

This week's Crossword

This week's Puzzle

see solution on page 49

A

decision to install parking meters in a city would appear an innocuous issue except that ours in Georgetown has become mired in scandal, suspicions of fraud, and bears the hallmarks of highhandedness, all of which are signature elements of the Granger Government.

There was no public consultation on installing the meters and had there been one, the vital question would have been: Why? Parking meters are used in large, congested cities worldwide to dissuade drivers from using their vehicles. In these cities, there are ready alternatives. Besides fleets of taxis, there are good public transportation systems of buses, subways and trains.

In Guyana, besides taxis, the only alternative are minibuses which are often overcrowded, rush about our roadways recklessly and put everyone’s lives at risk.

It therefore makes sense for those who can to own and drive their own vehicles.

There are some parking issues in the city centre but empty lots can be leased by the M&CC and drivers charged a nominal fee for parking to cover the rental cost.

No Caribbean city uses parking meters and in a small city like Georgetown, creating cycling lanes would make better sense. Encouraging people to bicycle into and around the city would ease traffic congestion, fit in with our greening strategy, and make for a healthier and fitter citizenry which would translate into less sick days and less stress on our medical services. That’s a win-win situation. The benefits would far outweigh the initial cost.

Also, Government is thinking about raising bridge crossing fees, drivers licence fees and vehicle fitness fees so drivers are already paying more to use our roadways.

These increased fees are already “burdensome” to use President David Granger’s word and since Guyana hardly tops the region as being economically progressive, the population is already hard pressed to make ends meet.

Investigations into the companies selected by the Mayor and City Council to install the meters reveals neither Smart City Solutions Inc nor National Parking Systems existed on the worldwide web before April last which, suspiciously, coincided with the time that there were fresh discussions on the meters’ installation.

Furthermore, there is absolutely no business sense in anyone signing a contract with a company before investigating their product as was done by the M&CC. Had they not done this, they said, their tour to Mexico would not have been paid for by the

company! Duh! The signed contract, according to Mayor Patricia Chase Green, is a “private document of the administration”. How and when does the use of ratepayers’ monies ever become private business?

This reads like a Hollywood script for a comedy in a banana republic about greedy and corrupt politicians in which, swaggering back from their all-expenses-paid trip to Mexico, one official says to the media, “I have no apologies to make; I getting like Harmon.”

Except that this is not fiction but fact. Those words uttered by Chairman of the M&CC’s Finance Committee and People’s National Congress (PNC) stalwart Oscar Clarke are chilling and return us to the days of Burnham’s excesses.

No one expects the review of the contract being undertaken by Clarke’s PNC comrades Attorney General Basil Williams and Finance Minister Winston Jordan to amount to anything but a rubber stamp of approval.

It appears that the lack of accountability, transparency and responsibility with public finances is a policy of the Granger Government, including at the local government level where elected PNC/A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) officials are using their authority to push through decisions by whatever means necessary.

Deputy Mayor Sherrod Duncan of the Alliance For Change minced no words when he said of the M&CC’s behaviour that “such levels of arrogance are not only nauseating and sickening but places Guyana right back to the days of executive thuggery”.

The PNC has learned everything from its past of party paramountcy and thuggery, that very past that they wanted the electorate to put aside and forget when they cast their ballots at last year’s general elections.

Whereas this should be a straight case about the citizenry insisting on integrity and honesty from our public officials, it will descend into being just another example of partisan politics where PNC hardliners will continue to behave with arrogance because it is the party’s culture as learned from their maximum leader Forbes Burnham who they continue to praise and shower with awards.

It is from this point that tyranny arises. The disappointment with the Granger Government is absolute and the citizenry must support the Deputy Mayor and every rightminded City Councillor on this issue and reject the attempts to foist a project onto the city that reeks of corruption.

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42 news

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La Penitence man gets 3 years in prison for gun possession

E

dward McCullen was on Monday sentenced to three years when he made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was found guilty of being in possession of an illegal firearm along with matching ammunition. He was also fined $50,000 each for the two charges.

It was alleged that on June 5, 2015 at East La Penitence, Georgetown, he had in his possession one Intratec firearm and matching ammunition without a gun and ammunition licence.

The Prosecution contended that Police officers were in the vicinity of East La Penitence when gun shots were heard.

Upon investigating, the defendant was seen running with the gun in his hand.

The Police gave chase and he dropped the weapon in a nearby septic tank and approached the officers. He was arrested, taken to the septic tank where the gun was recovered and later taken to Eve Leary Headquarters where he was charged.

In presenting her ruling, Magistrate McLennan said that after investigations,

it was established that the gun found in the septic tank was the same weapon used to fire the shots that were heard. Also the shell casing matched those found in the firearm.

Additionally, the defendant was previously convicted for 58 months on a similar offence, a possession charge.

After considering the facts of the case, McLennan declared that the court is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did carry out the act for which he is charged.

However, the defendant was not satisfied with

the ruling and pleaded to the McLennan saying that he was not in possession of any firearm nor was he even aware of the incident for which he is being charged.

He explained that on the day in question, he was sitting on his bridge when Police officers ran past him.

He added that as they were returning, they noticed him on the bridge and arrested and later charged him with the offence.

Magistrate McLennan explained to him that the evidence provided proved contrary to his plea and handed down the sentence.

JAILED: Edward McCullen

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The Guyana Volleyball Federation

feature 45

Sportsmanship can result in victory

I

Encouraging students in Berbice to get involved in the game

n Guyana, volleyball is not just a game. It helps players to get and keep fit, and teaches youths about sportsmanship. These are just a few areas on which the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) focuses.

Established in 1966, GVF is a non-governmental organisation advocating the sport of volleyball within Guyana at all levels.

The first president was Gary Shuffler (Snr.), the father of Lennie Shuffler, the immediate past president of the Federation.

The current president is John R. Flores.

Flores was part of the Federation’s executive body since 1995, and became president briefly in 2000, but had to leave due to an overseas appointment in 2001. He then returned to take up the post of president once again in March 2014 and has been so since.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Flores recalled, “since school days at Queen’s College in the 1970s, I was exposed to the game and have always continued to play while serving in the GDF to now”.

GVF’s objectives are to make volleyball one of the top sports in Guyana by 2020; to become a selfsustaining sports organisation in Guyana; to establish a schools volleyball programme that can participate in international games; to assist in strengthening the three volleyball associations in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice to have the game played countrywide; to establish a beach volleyball circuit to allow players the opportunity to participate in international tournaments, and to continue to be part of the South American Confederation to allow Guyana to participate at an international level among high quality teams.

“There are three associations in the Federation,

one in each county, with each having a minimum of ten clubs at varying levels in far-flung communities such as Bartica, Orealla, Mabaruma, Linden and Lethem. We are forming sub-associations to assist these clubs in better managing the game. We also assist them with technical development. I would say about 20,000 persons play volleyball in Guyana.

Volleyball is the most played sport in the world, while football is the most watched, which is the same in Guyana,” Flores pointed out.

Flores mentioned that during his tenure with the Federation, he wants to ensure it has an established and vibrant primary and secondary school programme, which can also be a nursery for volleyball clubs. He added that he would like to see more female players and also, continue to compete in Confederation tournaments to raise GVF’s standards.

GVF competes at tournaments at both school and club levels, and at Inter-Guiana games, border games with Brazil and Venezuela, and international club and national team tournaments in South America, at both beach and indoors games.

“We are presently the male Inter-Guiana games defending champions.

The Demerara male club is the defending champion at the last international club tournaments held annually in November in Guyana. We have sent teams to both beach and indoor tournaments in South America,” he outlined.

Playing volleyball has many physical benefits.

One such benefit is developing hand-eye coordination. Volleyball requires paying close attention to the ball so that you can use your arms and hands to come into contact with the fast-moving volleyball in order to send it flying over the net. “The

Volleyball Handbook” states that learning volleyball requires skills that help you connect with the ball as well as move

in ways that allow you to prevent the opposing team from scoring points.

Another benefit is learning about sportsmanship. Acting as part of a team requires that you learn good sportsmanship and how to work well with others. Playing volleyball gives you these

advantages by requiring you to pay attention to what your team members are doing so you can work together to anticipate the moves of the opposing team. Playing on a team also teaches the value of hard work and fairness. Volleyball is a competitive and physically

demanding sport that depends on how well you accept defeat, as well as how graciously you win.

These and many more benefits can be gained by being a member of GVF. If you wish to join, call 223-6377 or visit Guyana Volleyball Federation on Facebook.

& culture feature 46 art

K

nowing our history means knowing our origins; knowing our rich heritage and who we are as a people.

There are numerous historical objects we may have inherited from parents or grandparents that may seem invaluable, but is priceless when its his-

“I happen to be going through storage and perusing anything within my little collection of memorabilia,” he recalls. “‘Guyana's Year Book 1966’ is one such historical literature piece I possess… The book has a photo of Miss Cheryl Chung (Miss British Guiana 1965), but her sash reads Miss Guyana. A wild guess is that she was Miss British Guiana 1966 to the Miss Universe Pageant and that photo of her wearing the sash was after independence...

Perhaps, she is the crossover from Miss British Guiana to Miss Guyana for 1966.”

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

tory is considered.

Many times persons would have held these now historic documents or objects that at a time in our history had meaning or symbolism different to ours today; items that reflected hopes and reflected our place in the world.

Some of these objects have survived the test of time and are safely preserved in public and private collections.

This week we feature some historical photos and comments by collector and avid researcher Trevor Pemberton.

“One of Guyana’s most accomplished ‘son of the soil’, who should be remembered for his sterling contribution to his country, is none other than the late Sir Lionel Luckhoo. Apart from his world recognition of being knighted by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, Luckhoo, in collaboration with American doctor John R. Thompson, penned a book, ‘The Silent Witness’, which was available to the public in 1995. This is a photo of Luckhoo’s personal copy, which is now part of my personal collection of historical artefacts. For the record, some years now that book was literally in the thrash to be thrown away. I spotted it and kept it from heading to the dump – one man's thrash could be another man's historic treasure to cherish,” he notes.

“Being a private collector of historic British Guiana and Guyana items over the years, I just stumbled on one and only one photo of ‘Youth Week’. It’s a historic event where schools would participate in road marches around the city and take the salute at the Square of the Revolution. Another similar historic event would be ‘Mass Games’.

As we celebrate our 50th Jubilee anniversary, I thought I would share the photo as an educational tool and a reminder that the above mentioned events would have fallen within the 50 years since independence celebrations,” he explains.

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

travel & tourism 47

Almond Beach

A section of Almond beach

A

lmond Beach has a small indigenous community of about seven families living along the beach. They earn their living by farming, fishing or picking and selling coconuts from the seemingly endless miles of coconut trees along the beach. The community, through its Almond Beach Community Development Council (CDC), has also explored bottling its coconut water.

Many inhabitants also work with a marine turtle monitoring project where wardens actively protect nesting sites, some leaving only during the off-season – when there is no nesting. Many Almond Beach families have become rangers and spokespersons on turtle conservation.

Almond Beach lies on the Essequibo Coast within Shell Beach; Shell Beach, according to Michelle Kalamadeen, is the broad name given to a protected area Mr Audley James, one of the beach's older along the Atlantic coast that comprises residents, enjoys telling stories to visitors several sections that also include, which have given the area its name – have Kamwatta, Tiger and Gwennie beaches.

It is about 6km from Waini River been around for about 25 years now, but mouth, close to the Venezuela border, and the beach is showing signs of erosion; stretches for about 4km. The endangered which is why, if you get the opportunity to Leatherback, Green Turtle, Hawksbill, and visit the beach now, grab it as it may not Olive Ridley turtles nest on the usually be the same in the future.

Shell Beach, one of Guyana’s unique quiet, isolated parts of the wind-swept travel destinations, is also one of Guyana’s beach.

Due to forces of nature, beaches proposed Unesco World Heritage Sites. undergo a cycle of erosion and shell (Some information also provided by Suresh accumulation. The shells on the beach – V. Kandaswamy)

Large bone from a whale that died on the beach

Closer look at the houses on the beach

Almond Beach resident picks coconuts

West end of Almond Beach (Suresh V. Kandaswamy photo)

48 art & culture

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A world of artistic creativity

A

n art teacher, artist, craftswoman, babysitter, cobbler and baker, 24-yearold Sheena Maria is a woman of many talents.

Sheena’s artistic abilities extend into designing shirts, pendants, graphics, painting and sculpting.

Already immersed in her various artistic talents, Sheena was determined to add crocheting – a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials using a hooked needle – to her list.

Her desire to be successful was fuelled by criticism when she started to learn the skill.

“I always wanted to learn crochet. Initially,

Sheena Maria

I was slow, but I continued because I like doing it. One day, while I was crocheting, someone came up to me and said, ‘You can do many things, but one thing you can’t is crochet.’ The way it was said was meant to discourage, but I was determined to continue,” Sheena, who studied at E.R. Burrowes School of Art, disclosed in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Displaying such fierce determination, Sheena shows that criticism can be used as a motivator to being a success story.

She recalled that

about a month after learning crochet, a family member asked her to make a bag. After successfully making one, Sheena was motivated to continue.

“While growing up, I can remember always seeing my mom sewing – whether it was embroidery or clothing – and I always wanted to learn everything she did. Even before learning to make crochet bags, I have been making bags out of scrap cloth from my mom’s sewing. This goes way back in high school, about ten or more years now. Since I started working with wool, it is much more exciting for me. It is about five years now I have been making bags out of wool,” Sheena noted.

“I think if you have an idea for a business and you have a passion for it and it makes you excited, that will help you going on days when business is not so good,” she declared.

For more information on Sheena’s work, visit Sheena Maria on Facebook.

A few of her stylish bags

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“Rally, rally round the Guyana Amazon Warriors”

British example (Brexam)

S

atiricus was confused. Not an unusual situation, he thought. Satiricus accepted he wasn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the room. Any room.

“But what the heck’s going on over in the Mother Country?” he asked his friend Cappo plaintively.

“Mudda who??” replied Cappo, who was busy waving his hands in the air vainly trying to get the attention of the bar girl at the Back Street Bar. “Mother COUNTRY, Cappo!” said Satiricus with some degree of exasperation. “Didn’t you read that Britain just voted to leave the EU?” “Yuh mean “Brexit”? Cappo asked with a raised eyebrow. He had just given his order for two beers.

“Yes. ‘Britain Exit’. Have you forgotten Britain was our Mother Country?” snapped Satiricus.

“But na fifty year abee get independence fram dem?” asked Cappo. “Abee na just celebrate Jubilee? How laang dem guh be abee Mumma?”

“Look, Cappo. Everything we learn…we learnt from the British. So they’ll always be our Mother Country.”

“Suh wha wraang wid Brexit?” Cappo asked with feigned innocence. He was just starting on his second beer. Satiricus was still buying.

“EVERYTHING’s wrong with Brexit, Cappo,” moaned Satiricus. “Europe was good for Britain economically. But the majority of poor people listen to the politicians blaming Europe for crime and stuff.”

“Like in de las’ election in Guyana w’en KFC blame PPCEE fuh everyt’ing”?” Cappo asked slyly. “Wha’ else happen?”

“Well, the newspapers all started blaming Polish immigrants for taking away people’s jobs, when in fact they were doing low-paying jobs no one else wanted,” said Satiricus indignantly.

“Like how de Muckraker bin blame de Chinee people wha come in Guyana fuh sell cheap goods?” smiled Cappo, nodding his head.

“What you trying to say, Cappo?”

“Budday! ‘e look like abee prappa larn plenty tings fram abee Mudda Country!”

Satiricus looked closer at Cappo to see if he was mocking him. He decided Cappo wasn’t. But then, even Satiricus had concluded he was a dim bulb.

“Well, Cappo, there is one thing we didn’t learn from the British,” he confessed.

“Wha’ da?” inquired Cappo.

“Their Prime Minister resigned when it was clear he made a mistake. That would NEVER happen here.”

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

I

Anu Dev

have to take time off from my ruminations on “medicining” to talk this week about cricket. We must have our priorities in order, don’t we? And I’m a certified cricket tragic – just can’t get enough of the game.

Cricket’s always been one of the things that have brought us together as a Caribbean people – never mind it’s the source of some of the fiercest arguments you can imagine. You know the most passionate arguments are with families!! Now the West Indies in the ODI final against the Aussies and (more to the point) with the CPL starting next week, I’m sure the “words around cricket” will be flying faster and more furiously than ever before.

We Caribbean people,

after all are acknowledged across the globe for “knowing their cricket”. We have a reputation to maintain!!! And with CPL, we now have our own individual country’s teams!!

One thing I really like about this CPL tournament (apart from the fact that we have our own team and we’re getting games in Guyana without begging anybody) is that many young, local cricketers are getting a chance to play. This opportunity will both give them a chance to experience what it’s like playing against International players and also a chance to shine and be recognised.

When the CPL was launched, I noted with the other tournaments like the IPL, CLT20, and Australia’s Big Bash, there were so many new players who impressed us and eventually made it onto their national teams.

I prayed, “Hopefully the same will happen for the West Indies – we’ll discover some new talent to revive the current team.” Well…look how our under-19 team did

in the World Cup! Three Amazon Warriors incubated players!!

Guyanese have always supported the West Indies more than most, because we identify with the West Indies – we’re West Indians.

We mightn’t strictly be a part of the West Indies geographically – we’re smack on top of the AMAZON. But culturally and historically, we’re more West Indian that some of the islands. We’re cut from the same cloth, we all survived colonialism, we used cricket as our way of beating the rulers at their own game.

So we’ll support the West Indies – they’re our team. But with them sometimes snubbing our Guyanese players, it’s difficult not to feel a bit miffed.

But with the CPL, we’re rooting for something else entirely. We’re rooting for our country.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors are OUR TEAM!!! It’s Guyana versus Trinidad, or Guyana vs Barbados – not West Indies against the rest of the world. It’s a powerful thing, this national-

istic feeling. It’s a whole new adrenaline rush when it’s your country’s team that wins. It’s your country’s flag that you’re waving; your country’s colours that the players are wearing; it’s you, the Guyanese people who are being represented.

All within the Caribbean family of course!!

In Guyana, we don’t have trouble having sold-out matches, we’re always starved for more cricket. I’m sure this set of matches in the CPL will be the same. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families or friends to hang out together to enjoy a sport that has brought together so many generations of sports enthusiasts. They scoffed at the new slambam format in the beginning – but now that T20 has brought is so many new fans, no one’s scoffing any more.

The local games begin on next week’s Thursday night; may the best team (Guyana Amazon Warriors) win. I may just sneak away from my books to be there!

Enjoy the view.

Facing conundrums…

E

…in crime and punishment

ver since man crept out of the caves and tried to stop bopping people over the head with clubs to get them to do things he wanted them to do, he did so by imposing rules. He tried to convince the “others” that the rules “were for their own good”. But a whole lotta folks just didn’t go along with the rules – some because they seemed to be just born with a contrary streak. Others because circumstances were just messed up.

And even though we’re ten thousand years away from that time, man still has to have clubs to bop people over the head when they break the rules. One clever fella said we all have a tinge of that contrary streak – and said if we were angels, we wouldn’t even need the rules much less clubs.

In fact, the body into which all the rules about how we should carry on – at the highest level – are condensed into something called “the state” which insists that only IT can do the bopping. Over the half millennium or so that the state has been in existence, it has invented all kinds of new “clubs” – whips, chains, guillotine, hangman’s noose, jails.

Right now the most sophisticated clubs are called “electric chairs”, but the United Nations is insisting that even this has to go.

It’s evidently not saying that ALL punishment must go – just the one that snuffs out the life of the transgressor. So, at least, they aren’t claiming man has evolved into angels! But this has raised a question that we in Guyana must answer – since we’re being pressured no end not only by the UN but some of the supposedly “evolved”

states. These states can carpet bomb countries from five miles up in the sky and kill hundreds of thousands of lives or use drones directed from 12,000 miles away and kill folks selected in their beds – that’s OK. But they insist our state is UNCIVILISED for killing a few convicted bad eggs who’ve taken the lives of someone else.

The argument they use is killing killers doesn’t DETER more killings. But deterrence isn’t the only value undergirding our rule for living together, is it? If the whole point of creating states is to stop this private bopping of guys who get on your wrong side, isn’t there some JUST EQUIVALENCE in taking the transgressors’ lives?

Thing is, those who want to do away with states killing people who break the law should also take a stand against states killing folks en mass– in other states.

They actually probably never broke any rules, did they? …in representation

Prezzie addressed the City Council. Though not sanctioned by statute or the Constitution, he was still received in style by the entire panoply of power of the Municipality. Never happened to any PPP President during the past 23 years! But what the heck? Comity between the two layers of government gotta be good.

Prezzie emphasised that Councillors were each elected by 2800 good burghers of our fair city – and they, the Councillors, are answerable to them. Not to the party that they represented at the elections! To wit –-APNU! Well, there were a couple of AFC’ers but as we know they’re neither here nor there. But this is an interesting point Prezzie has raised – about who the Councillors answer to.

Head of the Finance Committee and former General Secretary of the PNC, Oscar Clarke recently asserted he doesn’t have to apologise to anyone for “doing his own thing” on the parking meter abomination.

Not even to his 2800 constituents? …at Reg 5 RDC

Since Prezzie diplomatically spoke to City Hall about their Parking Meter overreaching, could he have a word with his Councillors on the Reg 5 RDC? They’ve prevented meetings of the Council for months in supposed defence of Prezzie’s honour. Does Prezzie think he was dishonoured?

50 sport

WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Have never been as fit Smith hails move to take matches to Florida as I am today’ – Kohli CPL …says Canada should also be included

I

ndia's Test captain Virat Kohli has said that his outlook towards fitness changed after IPL 2012, and a healthier body has not only made him a better batsman but also an improved fielder.

"Till IPL 2012, I did not focus much on the physical aspect," he said at a promotional event in Delhi. "I never got into the minute details of fitness, things like what I need to eat from morning to night, how much I need to work out and how much I need to train.

After that IPL, I started listening to my body. I made a lifestyle choice. I wanted to explore a new side of my body to take me to the next level because I never wanted to be average. I wanted to best in the world. So I always had that mindset but never had the physical ability."

Kohli cited an example of how improved fitness helped allay fielding apprehensions. "When you become fit, you feel you can do anything," he said. "I will give you one example. I was never a quick fielder. I was never willing to field in every position. But after becoming fitter, lighter and stronger, I overcame

Virat Kohli

all those doubts I had [about fielding]. Now it [staying fit, eating right] has become second nature to me."

One aspect of his fitness that Kohli has particularly focused on is strength training, which Shankar Basu, the trainer of the Indian team, felt added a new dimension to his batting.

"Kohli once said that he has to tweak his game as he cannot hit sixes like others. This IPL, he hit 38 sixes which is the most this season and 15 more than his last season's tally. There is a definite surge in his power," Basu, who has also worked with Kohli at Royal Challengers

Bangalore, had said in an interview to BCCI.tv.

"In September we got an assessment of his muscle mass. At the end of the season, we wanted to see if there was a change and what we noticed was his muscle mass had increased dramatically. In the last six months, he has put a lot of time in developing his strength, mass and power."

Having become a "fitness freak", Kohli hoped his younger colleagues would follow suit. "If you look at some of the statistics [rising health problems in India], it causes fear in your mind," he said. "So I want to create awareness on fitness, the importance of staying fit and healthy. You would be able to do what you want to do only when you feel fit from inside.

"I have never been as fit as I am today. It has worked beautifully for me. It has become a lifestyle choice for me. Even in my off time, I watch what I eat. In fact, I get more excited about fitness, feeling good, being healthy than anything else. That is probably because my body realises that fitness is what I would need after my professional career is done."

By Akeem Greene

M

any pundits of the sport consider it a momentous move to have Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches played in Florida, since it could possibly open the floodgates for more professional cricket to be played in the United States and Guyana Amazon Warriors allrounder Dwayne Smith is firmly in agreement.

“I think it is a very good idea. I would hope they can get into Canada as well; there are a lot of Caribbean people in America and I’m sure they will come out to see their favourite players, their team… I think it’s a good idea to get them into the cricket. America is here now, but if you can get Canada into it as well, I’m sure it will be good,” Smith said in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International Sport.

The Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida will be hosting some, if not all of the six Florida matches.

The Amazon Warriors will be a part of the first match against Barbados Tridents on July 28 from 19:00h, then on July 29, the action continues at the same time when St Kitts and Nevis Patriots play Trinbago Knight Riders.

July 30 will begin the weekend of two double headers, as Jamaica Tallawahs face St Lucia Zouks from 12 noon; then from 16:00h, the Amazon Warriors battle the Tridents once more.

The next day, the Knight Riders face the Patriots followed by Tallawahs versus Zouks.

The CPL matches will be the first revenue-generating cricket matches at the facility since West Indies played two Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand in June 2012.

The “Biggest Party in Sport” has its own unique attributes which set it apart from other T20 leagues around the world, as it stands out with its festive atmosphere, which, according to the West Indies T20 opening batsman, is making outsiders intrigued by the tournament.

“It’s very good. I think everyone is excited about CPL right now, you can see the Indian owners are coming and buying into teams and hopefully we can get it where the other overseas players can play, like the Indians, but it’s a good tournament

The aggressive batsman sees a future where the “Biggest Party in Sport” flourishes in North America

and I hope it can continue to grow, making it bigger,” Smith said.

The 33-year-old, who has played with the Barbados Tridents for the past three editions, has produced some stellar performances during the tournament. The pugnacious right-hand batsman has scored two centuries in the CPL, one of which came against the Warriors in 2014.

The Amazon Warriors new recruit aims to continue his rich form to help his team in their title bid.

“It’s always good to play with a new team; have been with the Tridents for three years, having said that, I have been selected for the Amazon Warriors, so it is all about the Warriors,” Smith said.

He added, “I’m upbeat for it, looking to get some good performances, and hope it gives us a chance to get some wins.”

In speaking of his new team’s chances, the Barbadian, who was part of the winning West Indies World T20 Squad in 2012 and has a vast knowledge of T20 cricket, having played 255 matches to date, believes the Warriors are very much capable of doing well in the six-team competition.

He explained, “Our chances, I think we have a very good team, good mixture of experience and youngsters and I would hope that it would help us throughout the tournament and I think

we have a really good chance to win the competition.

Smith, who tasted CPL championship glory in 2014 with the Tridents, is of the firm belief that not having some of the more famous players will in no way hamper the Warriors’ chances.

“It’s all about the experience and who knows how to play in the Caribbean; a lot of people are big names but they still don’t make runs in the Caribbean; they still don’t perform that well with the ball in the Caribbean, so I think we have the ability to go far here and I’m sure we will be competitive in this competition,” the player said.

He further stated, “I don’t look at other teams. I look at my team and I will focus on my team and to get my team better is for me getting performances and being consistent with it.”

The batsman will have the first opportunity to thrill fans with his powerful stroke-play when the Warriors take on the Patriots at Warner Park on Thursday after which they head to the twin-island Republic to play defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders on July 2.

The Martin Guptillled side will then return home for the first of four home matches beginning on July 7 against the Tallawahs. (akeemg@ guyanatimesgy.com)

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WEEK ENDING JULY 3, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Zouks defeat TKR in tense Hero CPL opener A

fantastic innings of 62 from 44 balls from Darren Bravo was not enough to secure victory for the Trinbago Knight Riders against the St Lucia Zouks in the opening fixture of the 2016 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Johnson Charles made a fifty for the Zouks before the experience of Michael Hussey and David Miller saw their team home against the reigning Hero CPL champions.

In tricky bowling conditions with dew making the ball extremely wet it was hard for the Zouks to find control with the ball in the first innings of the match, but they had done a fine job at keep-

ing the Knight Riders scoring in check until the last two overs. It was from there that Darren Bravo launched his assault that on another day would have been match winning.

At the start of the 19th over Darren Bravo was on 34 from 35 balls, it had been an innings of patience and it had held the Knight Riders’ effort together, but it was far from explosive. That changed in those final two overs as he scored 29 runs from nine deliveries, with Bravo hitting three sixes in the last two overs.

At the halfway point it seemed that the Knight Riders were favourites with a very de-

Cricket's Olympics question gains urgency

O

pposition to cricket's entry into the Olympics is set to become increasingly problematic after the ICC was advised that the sport's preferred path to inclusion may be shelved by the IOC. The Olympics question is set to be among a suite of agenda items to be discussed at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh this week.

The earliest window for cricket to be played at the Olympics is 2024, an event favoured to be awarded to Los Angeles.

Budapest, Paris and Rome are the other bidding cities, with the formal award announcement to be made in September next year.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that greater urgency has been added to the debate by advice from the IOC that the direct entry path to the Games may soon be closed off.

The ICC is eager to apply directly through the IOC, rather than through the local organising committees of individual games.

This is partly because the IOC path involves direct funding of at least $15-20 million for the ICC, in addition to the money made available to each individual Board. It would also guarantee cricket's inclusion in at least two editions of the Olympics.

While that pathway is more attractive, the ICC has been told that it may be shut down for the 2024 Olympics and beyond, due to a desire to make the Games as flexible as possible for each host city. The 2020

Olympics, scheduled for Tokyo, recently nominated karate, skateboarding, sports climbing, surfing and baseball/softball for inclusion. To wait on the desire of a host city to add cricket would require the selection of a location that already has cricket as part of its culture, with the chance that it could then be dropped again after only one Olympics.

Earlier this month an IOC statement said: "The Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 proposed the new sports in response to the new flexibility provided by Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC's strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, to encourage innovation in the Olympic programme. Olympic Agenda 2020 gives host cities the option of suggesting new sports and events for inclusion in their edition of the Games. The host city selections are not binding on future Games hosts."

Recent talks between the ICC and the BCCI saw the Indian board reiterate its unwillingness to work with the Indian Olympic Association "in any way at this point in time". The BCCI's reluctance relates to issues of government intervention that have also been highlighted by the International Olympic Committee, notably when the IOA was suspended by the IOC between 2012 and 2014.

Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig

cent score on the board, but the Zouks found batting much easier right from the start. While Trinbago had struggled to find a way to time the ball well on this pitch the St Lucian side did not have the same problem inside the batting PowerPlay. Shane Watson and Johnson Charles got the visitors off to the best possible start as they put on a partnership of 47 in 35 balls.

That stand was broken by Dwayne Bravo with a slower ball that Shane Watson chipped to mid-off via a leading edge. The Knight Riders would have hoped that the fall of Watson’s wicket would bring that

back into the match, but Charles had other ideas. He reached 52 and looked completely untroubled when he reverse swept Sunil Narine and he was brilliantly caught

by Brendon McCullum.

The umpires could well have called the delivery a no ball but Narine was given the benefit of the doubt.

With a bowler like Narine in your ranks you will always feel that you are in the game and when he picked up the wicket of Andre Fletcher in his next over the Zouks position looked less assured.

The fall of Fletcher’s wicket brought together the hugely experienced pair of Michael Hussey and David Miller with

59 runs still needed at just over eight an over.

They combined to put on 43 of those before Darren Sammy finished the job after Hussey was bowled by another Dwayne Bravo slower ball.

Miller seems to have

re-found his form at exactly the right moment for the Zouks and for the Hero CPL as they ran out winners by six wickets with five balls to spare.

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Warner Park in St. Kitts & Nevis confirmed as 2016 CPL Finals venue

T

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are delighted to announce that the staging of this year’s finals have been awarded to Warner Park in St. Kitts & Nevis.

All four games of the knock-out stages of the biggest party in sport will be played at Warner Park, starting on Wednesday, 3 August and culminating in the 34th and final game on Sunday, 7 August.

There will be a reserve day on Monday, 8 August.

Information on ticket sales for the CPL finals will be announced in due course on www.cplt20.com.

Commenting on the announcement, CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe said: “After a lengthy process over the last number of months, we are delighted to announce that the finals will be held once more in St. Kitts & Nevis.

“Warner Park is an iconic and intimate venue and will be a fitting arena for the staging of the Play offs and Final, in what is shaping up to be a hugely exciting tournament.

Having hosted the 2014 finals, we know that there will be a strong appetite across

St. Kitts & Nevis who will no doubt welcome thousands of supporters from across the Caribbean and beyond during finals week.

“On behalf of CPL I would like to thank the government of St. Kitts & Nevis for their support, not least Minister Richards and his cabinet colleagues who have each played a key role in agreeing to host this year’s finals.”

The Honourable Shawn Richards, Deputy Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and

Culture said: “On behalf of the St. Kitts & Nevis government, I would like to express my delight that the finals of the biggest party in sport will be hosted here, in front of the most passionate fans in the Caribbean.

“We are truly honoured by this award by CPL and we will endeavour to host the greatest finals to date. I know that we can count on the great support of the people of St. Kitts & Nevis to turn up in huge numbers once more to see some of the greatest cricketing talent in the world. We look forward

to welcoming thousands of visitors from near and far to savour the sights and rich heritage of our great nation.”

This will be the second time that the finals have been awarded to the prestigious venue in St. Kitts. Kieron Pollard’s Barbados Tridents, who clinched the title last time out in 2014 in Warner Park, will no doubt be hoping that the selection of this year’s finals venue is a favourable omen for what is set to be the most competitive CPL to date.

The CPL T20 tournament is played between six teams

and is divided into a group stage and a knockout stage.

In the group stage, the teams each play 10 matches overall, four of which are at home, with each team also playing two neutral venue games in Central Broward Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida (from 2831 July).

In all, seven stadia will be used in this year’s CPL; Barbados (Kensington Oval), Fort Lauderdale (Central Broward Stadium, Lauderhill), Guyana (Providence Stadium), Jamaica (Sabina Park), St. Kitts & Nevis (Warner Park), St. Lucia (Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium) and Trinidad & Tobago (Queen’s Park Oval).

The knockout stage will feature the following games involving the top four teams at the end of league play: Game 1: 1st v 2nd (Winner advances to Final) Game 2: 3rd v 4th (Loser eliminated) Game 3: Loser Game 1 v Winner Game 2 (Loser eliminated) Game 4 Final All four play-off games will be played at Warner Park. (cplt20)

Hero CPL secures broadcasting first for cricket with Facebook Live T

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are delighted to announce that all 34 matches in this year’s CPL will be broadcast live on Facebook around the world, via Facebook’s official live streaming partner Grabyo.

CPL will become the first sports league to supplement its existing broadcast deals and use the Facebook Live platform to ensure that 40 countries around the world, including the likes of Pakistan, South Africa and The Philippines can now view the biggest party in sport live. It will also be the first time ever an international cricket match has been broadcast using Facebook Live.

A host of international stars will be competing from across the cricketing world at this year’s CPL including the likes of AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Shakib Al Hasan, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Shoaib Malik, Kumar Sangakkara, Dale Steyn, Mike Hussey and Shane Watson.

In addition, the six CPL sides – Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots,

St. Lucia Zouks and Trinbago Knight Riders will include a host of ICC World T20 champions including the likes of Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle and Andre Russell who took the world by storm in India earlier this year.

Cricket fans from Argentina to Hungary will now be able to the world’s biggest T20 stars in action starting with Trinbago Knight Riders clash with St. Lucia Zouks from the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Wednesday, 29 June (9pm Caribbean / 2am GMT / 6.30am India) and running through to the final in St. Kitts & Nevis on 7 August.

Commenting on using Facebook Live, CPL Chief Operations Officer Pete Russell said: “We are delighted to announce how we’re using Facebook Live, which we believe has the potential to change the face of cricket broadcasting and enhance the CPL’s everincreasing international audience.

“In 2015 the CPL’s global viewership exceeded 93 million and we now have the platform to boost our viewership even further for the forthcoming tourna-

ment. Caroline Smith, CPL’s Head of Digital, and her team have done a fantastic job with our social media activity and this deal proves that they have put us ahead of the curve in un-

ment and look forward to engaging more followers internationally. I want to thank Grabyo and CPL's production partner, IMG for their combined efforts, hard work and creativity in making

eting first and to help bring fans around the world closer to the game.

As the world’s largest sports stadium, more cricket fans engage with content on Facebook than anywhere else and

derstanding how best to reach our global fans with live games.

“On Wednesday night the CPL will make television history and in doing so extend our reach to both traditional and non-traditional cricket followers across the world. We are hugely excited about this develop-

this broadcasting first a reality.”

Asha Thacker, Sports Partnerships – Facebook India - “Facebook Live allows fans to connect to cricket and their favourite stars and we are delighted to be working with the Hero Caribbean Premier League and Grabyo for this crick-

it is unique experiences such as this that allow fans to engage in a more meaningful way.”

Gareth Capon, CEO of Grabyo said, “On the pitch, T20 cricket is helping to globalize and expand the sport of cricket, bringing a new generation of fans into the game. The use of so-

cial video, particularly live streaming, presents an opportunity to reach an unparalleled audience far beyond the traditional broadcast ecosystem.

“Facebook offers an user base of 1.6 billion and to be able to bring live action from the best cricketing talent direct to mobile devices around the world, right as the action happens, is incredibly exciting. We look forward to working with the CPL throughout the tournament and helping them use social video to engage new audiences across the globe.”

COUNTRIES TO WHICH CPL WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON FACEBOOK: Argentina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, PNG (Papua New Guinea), Romania, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, South Africa, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Vanuatu

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Former Guyanese cricketers on show at Guyana Softball Independence Cup in Canada

By Ravi Madholall in Toronto

F

our teams are set to compete in the annual Guyana Independence Softball Cup on Saturday at St Bedes in Canada.

The 20-over action will

commence at 09:30h, and some exciting cricket is predicted given the fact that a large number of topquality softball players will be exhibiting their talents.

Several former Guyanese players will be representing various teams at the event.

The Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) in collaboration with the Guyana Consulate in Toronto will run off the day’s event, which runs parallel to celebrate Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

Apart from the OSCL

side, a team each from the Canadian Softball Cricket Association, the Ontario Round-arm Softball Cricket Association and the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs will be participating.

According to the coordinator of the softball

Sunil Dhaniram

extravaganza, Albert Ramcharran, all systems are in place and no doubt the day’s proceedings should be exhilarating as well.

“I [am] very confident we will have a wonderful day of softball matches from these four teams,” he related via email.

Ramcharran, who is also current President of the OSCL, further revealed that the League’s team have already been selected and was optimistic they could make an impression.

He stated that Honorary Acting Consul General for the Guyana Consulate in Toronto, Mishelle NH Butters is expected to grace the occasion, along with staff from her office.

Clyde Gulliver, an

Assistant Consular Officer of the Consulate, informed this publication that the High Commissioner for Guyana in Canada was invited to attend the event, but would not make it owing to other commitments.

However, representatives from the main sponsors: Fly Jamaica, Western Union and Caribbean Airlines among others are set to be in attendance.

The day’s event will conclude with a presentation of prizes and trophies.

Some of the ex-Guyanese players are: Sunil Dhaniram, Zaheer Haniff, Dillon Heyliger, ovendra Mandolall, Andy Chinsammy, Azib Alli Hanif, Hemnarine and Harrienarine Chattergoon, Shiv Seeram, Devon Ramnauth, and Riaz Kadir.

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