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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com ISSUE NO. 315

WEEK ENDING October 16, 2016

Trial commences for men accused of slaughtering 12 in Bartica See story on page 20

Overseasbased private investigator hired to probe Gafoor’s fire US-based Guyanese on a mission to empower youths Page 3

See feature on page 31

Page 3

‘We will continue to search for compromise with the Opposition’ …President tells National Assembly as Opposition walks out over Govt’s high-handedness President David Granger being escorted into Parliament by Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland (R) and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo(L) moments before he delivered a special address on Thursday.

Opposition Leader questions review of ExxonMobil contract Page 8

Onica A. Charles

2 news

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Suspect held over nightclub shooting released on station bail

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he ex-bodyguard of a popular convicted drug lord who was arrested for questioning in relation to the fatal shooting of Ryan Sergeant, 19, at the Rio Nightclub two Mondays ago was released on station bail.

A source close to the investigation revealed that after the extended detention period had expired, the well-known man was placed on G$200,000 bail. He was also instructed to lodge all his travel documents and was asked to report to CID headquarters on a regular basis.

The source related that Police are working on gathering other evidence in relation to the

case and are hopeful in getting a breakthrough at the earliest opportunity.

The former ‘phantom’ group member turned himself in on Friday in the company of his lawyer. Three others were arrested but were subsequently released.

Ryan “Harry” Sergeant of Lot 2530 Layon Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was shot and killed, while another teenager was injured.

The injured teen is Jeffrey Ferrel, also of North Ruimveldt Housing Scheme. He was reportedly discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Attempts to contact the

teenager proved futile.

Sergeant was shot once to the jaw during an exchange of gunfire that started in the night club and ended on the outside.

After the shooting, the now dead man was picked up by his ‘gang members’ and dropped off at the Woodlands Hospital. It was reported that Ferrel was involved in an altercation with one of the suspects who in turn left the club with another friend and a female.

Further reports stated that after the trio left, they were followed by Ferrel and the now dead man and the argument resumed.

During the argument,

A Dead: Ryan Sergeant

the suspect whipped out a gun and discharged several rounds, hitting Ferrel to the neck and shoulder. Attempting to rescue his shot friend, Sergeant was shot to the jaw. The suspects then fled the scene.

It was during the review of the surveillance footage that the former body guard was arrested along with a woman and two others.

Suspect in Eccles robbery nabbed with gun, ammo

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32-year-old man of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown was Wednesday evening arrested with an unlicensed pistol and 11 rounds of matching ammunition at his home.

He was wanted for questioning in relation to several armed robberies.

Reports are Police swooped down on the man’s house about 18:45h after receiving information that he was one of several persons implicated in an armed robbery on October 2 at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

Upon his arrest, a search was conducted on the premises where the illegal firearm and

ammunition were unearthed in the house. He is expected to be charged shortly.

A taxi driver from Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara was recently charged for the

robbery.

It was reported that he was arrested after Police received information that he had dropped off the bandits after they would have committed the robbery.

According to reports, the victim, Rita R Khan of Anira Street, Eccles, was at home when the bandits invaded her property. They reportedly tied her up before ransacking the house and carting off G$750,000 in cash and other valuables.

The bandits then walked to a nearby taxi service where they boarded a car and left the area. The woman managed to untie herself and raised an alarm.

The Police were subsequently alerted and the driver of the car was arrested. The Police are hunting two other suspects for the robbery.

Man granted G$1.5M bail … over alleged G$10M fraud

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41-year-old man of Lot 15 Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was on Tuesday granted bail in the sum of G$1.5 million for allegedly committing a G$10 million fraud.

He appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The charge against Rajesh Tahadeo stated that on September 7, 2015, at Georgetown, he conspired with another person to commit a felony; that is to say, obtaining money by false pretence.

It is alleged that Tahadeo had falsely obtained G$10 million by virtue of a Republic Bank cheque #322007167, from Lloyd Singh after falsely pretending he knew Shane-Ann Boston as “Venice LaRose”, claiming the said woman owned a plot of land at Block H1 Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara.

Police Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt stated in the prosecution’s case that the defendant and the Virtual Complainant (VC) are known to each other. He stated that on the day in question, the defendant brought a woman to the VC, claiming she had a plot of land to sell. Singh paid the G$10 million and bought the land. However, it was later discovered that the plot of land was not for sale and the passport the woman used as a form of identification was forged.

Tahadeo’s Attorney Glen Hanoman said Tahadeo was granted bail in his own recognisance and has given six statements to Police Officers at the Police

Road fatalities on the rise in Guyana – Police

station.

Hanoman continued that his client is surprised to have been called into court and charged. He argued that his client was not aware that the woman was a con woman. He therefore requested bail to be set in a reasonable sum.

Police Prosecutor Hunt indicated to the court that he has no objections to bail since the defendant cooperated with Police Officers during the investigation.

He further stated that the defendant was only made aware of the charges the day before via phone call when he was also told he needed to attend court the next day.

Magistrate Latchman granted the defendant bail in the sum of G$1,500,000, to which the Defence Attorney objected. According to Hanoman, the amount granted would be tantamount to bail being refused to his client. He explained that Tahadeo is currently in an embarrassing financial situation, and appealed for the sum to be reduced.

The Magistrate stated that she had considered his request and bail was maintained at the sum of G$1.5 million.

The defendant is scheduled to make his next court appearance on November 1, 2016, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for statements and assignment.

s traffic enforcement efforts continue countrywide to curb recklessness on the roadways, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has stated that there has been an increase in road fatalities.

According to the Police, some 100 deaths were recorded at the end of September, which is 10 more deaths than what was recorded during the same period last year.

This represents an 11.1 per cent increase in road deaths.

There was also a 21 per cent increase of fatal accidents with 92 cases this year compared to 76 last year; while children deaths on the roadways

ing under the influence of alcohol and the other areas of concern, in order to reduce the carnage on our roads.”

To this end, they reported that during the period September 15 to October 11, ‘Operation Safeway’ saw an overall decrease in all categories of accidents. This includes fatal accidents reducing by 44.4 per cent, serious accidents by 46 per cent, minor accidents by 32.1 per cent and damage accidents declined by 36.1 per cent.

Additionally, some 5403 traffic cases have been recorded thus far including 1712 persons charged for speeding. B Division (Berbice) had

have decreased by 25 per cent with nine cases this year compared to 12 cases in 2015.

However, it was noted that had it not been for the operationalising of ‘Operation Safeway’ in mid-September, that figure would have likely been higher.

Moreover the Police said that to date, there was a reduction in serious accidents by 12.2 per cent with 259 cases this year compared to 295 last year and minor accidents by nine per cent with 364 cases in 2016 against 373 cases in 2015. However, damage accidents for the year increased by two per cent with 682 cases this year, compared 626 cases last year.

From January to September, the Police highlighted that the main cause of fatal accidents remains speeding with 53 cases, followed by inattentiveness in second with 19 cases and thirdly, driving under the influence of alcohol coupled with speeding accounting for 14 cases.

Nevertheless, the Police Force said “‘Operation Safeway’ is already creating an impact on the operators of all classes of vehicles with special emphasis placed on speeding, driv-

the highest number of offenders with 640 cases of speeding, while A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) came in second with 533 cases, followed by C Division (East Coast Demerara) with 224 cases and D Division (West Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) with 115 cases.

Divisions E (LindenKwakwani) and G (Essequibo Islands) recorded 82 and 51 cases respectively, while F Division (BarticaInterior Locations) had no speeding cases.

On the other hand, some 2669 persons were tested for alcohol, of which 392 were found to be above the limit and were charged with Driving Under Influence (DUI). Of these cases, some 352 breathalyser tests were done in the night and 40 during the day.

A Division recorded the highest number of DUI cases with 87, followed by B Division with 74, then D Division 59, C Division with 54, G Division with 35, F Division with 32 and Traffic Headquarters (Georgetown) with 30 cases. Division G recorded the lowest number of DUI cases with 21.

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Overseas-based private investigator hired to probe Gafoor’s fire

Sattaur Gafoor

By Ramona Luthi

I

n light of the second major fire at Gafoor’s Houston Complex on October 10,2016, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Sattaur Gafoor has announced that an overseas based private investigator has been hired to work along with the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service, to determine what caused the fire.

In an interaction with the media on Thursday,

Gafoor said that based on the negative publicity that the second fire has brought on the company, he is confident that the private investigator would prove that it was not negligence that caused it.

He stated that when the entity was almost destroyed by the first blaze, earlier in the year, it was due to the lack of fire prevention measures being implemented. However, this time around, he assured media operatives that all suggestions made by the Guyana Fire Service were adhered to and implemented.

Gafoor further emphasised that, inspite of what is being reported in the media, there were no combustible items stored in the bond, which was only completed 10 hours prior to when the fire began.

‘We will continue to search for compromise with the Opposition’ …President tells National Assembly

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resident David Granger on Thursday delivered a special address to the National Assemblyon the first day of its resumption of sittings after the two-month re-

The Opposition walked out of the National Assembly on Thursday

cess.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) parliamentarians just as he was about to address the National Assembly, walked out.

However, the President

said that despite the absence of the Opposition members, “we will continue to search for and find avenues for compromise and consensus”.

Opposition Leader BharratJagdeo, on

Wednesday, announced that the PPP/C parliamentarians would not have been listening to the President’s address and subject themselves a lecture on good govercontinued on page 9

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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EDITORIAL

Trump’s objectification of women

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he Donald Trump campaign for the US presidency represents one of the fastest ascents by an outsider to secure the nomination of either of the two dominant American political parties. His fall might be just as recordbreaking. Trump has been known for years for his candid, offthe-cuff remarks about women that frequently bordered on misogyny: “Fat. Pig.Dog.Slob. Disgusting animal” were some of his milder descriptions of them. Most of the objectionable comments were based on his objectification of women.

But when a video of a conversation that was inadvertently recorded on an open mike had him describing – using the “f” word – how he wanted to have sex with a married woman and “grabbing (women) by the p—-“, it became too much for many of the leaders of the Republican Party. While the numbers are still rising, at this time at least two dozen Republican Congressmen, Senators, past presidential candidates, and Governors have denounced him and demanded he step down. Trump bluntly refused to do so after going on air to offer an apology.

With less than a month to the elections, the question on everyone’s lips is whether Trump has fatally wounded his chances of acceding to the presidency. This newspaper predicted even before the end of the nomination “primaries” that Trump would go all the way. It is, therefore, apropos to examine the bases of Trump’s popularity to discern whether his latest outburst would turn away his supporters as much as it did the top leadership of the Republicans. At this time, most in the media believe it would.

Trump’s attraction, we pointed out, came out of his articulating fears in a huge segment of the American populace based on two intertwined ideological strands – nativism and American exceptionalism. Would his extreme objectification of women alienate many of those supporters? While the jury is obviously out, it is quite likely that as has occurred so many times, the “pundits” in the American media might be wrong.

Neither the nativists blaming the ailments of their country on immigrants nor the demand of American exceptionalism for their leader to “get tough” with even America’s allies has been satisfied by Hillary Clinton. But there is a need to go beyond the politically correct denunciation of Trump’s attitude towards women and appreciate that it is part and parcel of how the ideal American “macho” image is defined, as part and parcel of American exceptionalism. No one has yet written off Trump for his statements on Mexicans or Muslims and on women, the envelope was just pushed a little further than before.

Very revealingly, while Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said, “I am sickened by what I heard today. Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified”, he did not retract his endorsement of Trump. The issue is whether women in America are actually “championed and revered” or simply given lip service. And to this end, Trump’s own words in the video explaining how he was able to get away with his lewd and crude behaviour over the years is stark: “when you’re a star, they let you do it”.

And while Trump said that while he was just a “reality show” star, history has shown that political power creates just as much a “star” quality with its presumed power as a sexual aphrodisiac. While he might have been much more discreet about his womanising, for instance John F Kennedy’s, who is seen as the model of the modern, suave and collected US president, indiscretions are now very well known, even though he was married with two children whom he trotted out regularly to prove what a “family man” he was. The crudity of his successor, Lyndon B Johnson is also well known, while not surprisingly, Trump has finally honed in on the indiscretions of Bill Clinton.

It is very likely that this is another storm that Trump will ride out.

Guyanese women, and also a few men, took part in the Pink October Nestle Walk for Life last Sunday in Georgetown, as part of activities being held to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Everyone wants to live in a place where they feel safe

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t some point in the last few months, the unthinkable must have entered our minds: we are no longer safe in this society. The question as to if we ever were safe is a matter of opinion.

What matters at this juncture is the current situation.

Too often these days, we read and hear about tragic occurrences in communities and in the business community where life and property are lost. All of society is at the mercy of the thieves. No one is immune as the bandits pillage and, in the worst cases, kill at will.

Business owners and property owners must take the necessary precautions of protecting their homes and workplaces. It is their duty as stewards to guard against intrusion and events that put life and limb at risk.

More and more our spaces are becoming very dangerous to live in and work, almost akin to a battle zone where security is traditionally provided so the unsecured could gather and work in a relatively secured environment. Is that the kind of world we want for our children and for our children’s children?

The political, social and economic leaders in this country must come together and help frame a dialogue as to what kind of society we want to become. It is time to take collective responsibility for what is to be done going forward.

In the meantime, while all of society await this ‘coming together’ and the formation of a functional, national security plan, there are those who are planning their next attack, eyeing some unsuspecting business place and casing another residence.

In a society where there is clear stratification of wealth, how can each citizen afford to adequately secure and protect their property? Many are still struggling to provide food and shelter for their families and

now have the added burden of investing in security systems and measures.

Most assuredly, this makes the poor more vulnerable; as has been seen time and time again, criminals do not discriminate. Here is where Government is called to act – it should invest the resources to expand strategies to support communities, including individuals at high risk. Everyone has a view on what a safe society entails, but it is the role of the Government to make that vision a reality.

Everyone wants to live and work in a safe space, and it has become evident that for now, this can only happen by working in partnership with local authorities and the Police. Schemes such as Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch, and various environmental enhancement schemes can deter crime and help people to feel safe. Communities themselves can play a vital role in addressing these problems and helping their local neighbourhoods to feel safer.

Neighbourhood Watch is a partnership where people come

together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, community safety departments of local authorities, voluntary organisations, and above all, individuals and families who want to make their neighbourhoods better places to live. It aims to help people protect themselves and their properties, and to reduce the fear of crime by means of improved home security, greater vigilance, accurate reporting of suspicious incidents to the Police and by fostering a community spirit.

The bottom line is everyone wants to live in a place where they feel safe. Crime and the fear of crime are big concerns.

There are areas where residents look on and think “we are lucky”, as they may have lower levels of crime than in many other parts of the country. But no one is immune.

Unless and until the Government can effectively implement strategies to tackle crime-related issues, we all must shoulder the responsibility of protecting our families and our possessions. We cannot let the thieves win.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Consumer affairs body orders halt in sale of Samsung Note 7 in Guyana

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ocal suppliers of the defective Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone were on Wednesday ordered to cease selling the device immediately after the manufacturer confirmed several cases of the phones exploding.

The Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) of the Business Ministry, in a statement, also advised persons with either an original Samsung Galaxy Note 7 or the replacement to power down and stop using the device immediately.

The CCAC also warned that suppliers found selling the device would be in contravention of the Consumer Affairs Act and likely to be prosecuted.

“Suppliers must accept all returned Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices and

A Samsung Note 7 handset caught fire during lab test in Singapore (Reuters)

a full refund must be issued to the consumer.

Suppliers are also asked to halt sales of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 or exchanges for the replacement device,” the CCAC said.

It noted that South Korean tech giant Samsung earlier this week asked all of its global partners to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 after having found several cases of Note 7 phones exploding.

“The recalled devices have a 5.7 inch screen and were sold in the following colours: black onyx, blue coral, gold platinum and silver titanium with a matching stylus. Samsung is printed on the top front of the phone and Galaxy Note 7 is printed on the back of the phone,” the Commission said.

Samsung on Monday urged owners of the

Galaxy Note 7 to turn off the high-end smartphone while it investigates new reports of the device catching fire.

The firm also said it would stop sales of the phone and halt production.

Samsung recalled 2.5 million phones in September after complaints of exploding batteries and later insisted that all replaced devices were safe.

But there are now reports that even those phones are catching fire.

"Because consumers' safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 while the investigation is taking place," the company said.

"Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note 7 or replacement Galaxy Note 7 device should power down and stop using the device and take advantage of the remedies available," it added.

As late as Monday evening, a spokeswoman insisted the phones were safe to use.

But on Tuesday, the company said it would stop the production of Galaxy Note 7.

NEWS 5

Oil and gas revenue could transform Guyana –US Ambassador

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he United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, believes the revenues that are likely to come from the oil industry can transform the country to “one of the richest” in the western hemisphere.

“Examples of how the revenue could be spent include but are not limited to investing in hydropower and/or other forms of renewable energy, modernisation of health care facilities… better schools and universities, and infrastructure projects like a deep-water port and the road to Lethem,” Ambassador Holloway said at a recent presentation of financial assistance to Guyana’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) candidacy at the United States Embassy.

Ambassador Holloway cautioned that thoughtful planning by key stakeholders is needed to make this possible.

“The government, in consultation with other key stakeholders will be able to decide in what sectors and projects the revenues are to be invested,” he explained.

Oil revenues could be used to develop hydro power which in turn would drive local manufacturing. While oil production would not create many jobs within the industry itself, the possibilities for job creation in other sectors are significant. Guyana’s oil production will be done off shore and initial plans do not include refining the product.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, is optimistic when it comes to the potential of Guyana’s oil and gas industry. “Our government looks at this expected revenue as being explosively transformative for the

US Ambassador Perry Holloway

economic and social development of all Guyanese,” he had previously indicated.

Minister Trotman pointed out that having an accountable and transparent sector also creates an improved investment climate. “(It is) a signal to international investors that the government has a clear commitment to transparency and good governance and strengthening accountability vis a vis the Guyanese people,” Trotman said.

To realise this potential, the government has been pursuing membership to the EITI to have an accountable and transparent extractive industry.

The United States has provided financial assistance to Guyana to realise this membership.

Ambassador Holloway said this assistance, a grant through The Carter Centre, is part of putting infrastructure in place to facilitate the expected revenue from the emerging oil and gas sector.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Deep-seated intellectual dishonesty of the highest order Dear Editor, In his maiden New Year’s message to the nation as Executive President in 1993, the late President Cheddi Jagan charged the nation to be “lean, clean and mean” in all their actions. He advised his people that they couldn’t embark on reconstructing Guyana until and unless there is a “higher moral code of behaviour as a society and as individuals….”

He called on all to “set their faces sternly against squandermania, bribery, and corruption, discrimination in all forms, nepotism, and favouritism”. He said it is the only way we can “reduce the huge budget deficit left by the former government”.

Now, reflecting on these wise words from the most respected Head of State that ever ruled Guyana, I fast forward to the state of the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and the lethargy of the powers that be, when it comes to its appointment. Why is the PPC being undermined by the Granger administration when, while on the opposition benches, it was these same people who were shouting at the top of their voices for its establishment and how they were going to “fire and fry” the corrupt officials. But quite hypocritically, these same people, when given the power to act, profess that they are not “a cabinet of angels”.

Isn’t this deep-seated intellectual dishonesty of the highest order? Financial scandals involving public officials continue to capture the nation’s attention thanks to some determined investigative journalism.

Most of these scandals are as a result of the deteriorating ethical behaviours of public officials who have indulged themselves in all sorts of malpractices.

So when the people saw an older grey-hair gentleman professing “LOVE AND UNITY” and a commitment toward the establishment of the Commission at Whim in March 2015, they said let us give him a try. So where is that commitment today?

The Commission will contribute to the strengthening of procurement ethics, integrity, transparency, accountability and professionalism in public institutions. The PPC will help protect public resources and enhance public sector performance.

But President Granger has to act if the nation is to benefit from any of these bonuses of a democracy. Keeping politicians in the procurement equation will do nothing but embellish corruption in

Guyana. I was so proud of the National Assembly when they endorsed the names that will form the Commission. The National Assembly did its duty to the nation; they sent the names to President Granger over a month ago. But since then, there seemed to be a determined emphasis to bury this Commission by the powers that be in the Ministry of the Presidency.

So there are two important points of this letter: 1.

The Granger administration talked financial scrutiny when they were in opposition, but when given the power to act they have not walked the talk. One only has to review the 2013 Budget speech by the then vibrant leader of the AFC who has morphed into a proverbial mouse on the issues of integrity and good governance these days. In 2013 Ramjattan said by not appointing the PPC the then government was “breaching the Constitution”. But the breach is still alive today in 2016; so where is his voice today?

2. The Bid Protest Committee (BPC) is not a Constitutional Body, but a creature of politicians and thus it is not independent.

The BPC is nothing but a process to castrate the Guyana Constitution. By giving it a life, the Granger administration is attempting to politically influence the procurement system, which is one of the reasons why Guyana is where it is today. And when we think May 2015 made a difference on these acts of financial skulduggery, it has not. Actually, the corruption has got more pervasive and worst. Many complaints have been lodged with me that one member of this government has already built a mansion on taxpayers’ dollars for one of his secondary paramour by demanding sand, stone, cement and zinc-sheets before he takes their contract to the cabinet.

So let us not fool ourselves, the concepts of ethics, accountability, transparency, integrity and professionalism in the public service is under a clear and present danger under the Granger administration. There are clear signs of practices and behaviours, which perpetuate corruption, conflict of interest and financial malpractices such as unjustified sole sourcing of goods and services and so on.

It is time for President Granger to wake up and lead on this issue by appointing the Public Procurement Commission.

Regards Sase Singh, Maryland, USA

There should be equality in giving recognition to citizens for their contributions Dear Editor, I write to applaud the PNC led Government for boldly honouring its supporters and party financers at the recent national investiture ceremony. The party gave out 86 awards with just half a dozen to Indians who make up about 45 percent of the population. The party did the same last year and when it ruled between 1966 and 1992 primarily honouring its supporters and financiers; Indians, Chinese, Amerindians, and Portuguese were under-represented. When in office, the PPP largely failed to honour its supporters and activists who fought for the restoration of democracy and who displayed patriotism, as well as made significant contributions to the development of the nation.

The PPP needs to learn from the PNC on how bestow recognitions on deserving supporters and financiers. The PNC boldly makes decisions and implement policies to benefit its supporters unconcerned about what others say or how it’s viewed (racially biased).

The PPP lacked courage to make such decisions or implement policies to benefit its supporters.

I also wish to applaud the PNC led Government for bold-

ly establishing Dr Clive Thomas Chair at UG. Dr Thomas served UG for several decades. But given Thomas’ bias against the PPP and the racial, as well as political division of the nation, shouldn’t the VC (Griffith) of UG make an effort for balance in establishing Chairs at the premiere institution? Besides Clive, several others like Prof Bishun, Father Malcolm Rodrigues, Paul Singh, First Vice Chancellor Prof Harold Drayton, Suresh Narine, etc, were institutions at UG. A chair for them should also have been named to bring racial and political balance.

When the PPP was in office, suggestions and recommendations were made to party leaders to recognise the significant contributions of several prominent citizens by naming streets, parks and buildings after them and even establishing Chairs at UG (Tain and Turkeyen). Some of these outstanding personalities even worked tirelessly for the PPP helping the party and country in various endeavours.

But the party was uninterested in recognising their work, often seeing some of its own dedicated supporters and activists as opportunistic and displaying ku-

lak or bourgeois tendencies. But the PNC has no problem honouring its own or naming sites and chairs after those who back the party.

Since the PPP has not been interested in recognising the work of its own, Prof Griffith should consider also establishing Chairs for others who made more significant contributions to UG and to the nation than Clive Thomas. How about Dr Jagan; he founded UG and many feel his economic vision is far more worthwhile and applicable to Guyana and the third world than Clive.

So how about a DrJagan Chair for Sustainable Development or a Dr Bharrat Jagdeo Chair for Climatic Studies, or a DrNarine Chair for STEM, or Peter D’Aguiar Chair for Business, or a Dr Moses Nagamootoo Chair for Political Studies; Moses did struggle for 28 years for free and fair elections and subsequently for good governance. Give the nation racial and political equity recognising the contributions of the various groups.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Why the delay in establishing the Local Govt Commission?

Dear Editor, The operationalisation of the Local Government Commission remains yet another of the many unfulfilled pledges/promises of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) established the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry and the Amerindian Affairs Ministry in order to guide and support the work of local democratic organs across our country; namely the Regional Democratic Councils, the municipalities, the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and the Amerindian Village Councils.

In this regard, we at the Ministry of Local and Regional Development were guided by existing legislation even as we worked with the then Opposition political parties now in Government to bring realisation to the Local Government Legislative Reforms agreed to by the PPP/C and the People’s National Congress Reform after the December 1997 General and Regional Elections.

Aware of the contentious issues and concerns of the Local Authorities and residents within the various Local Authority areas; we sought to train staff at the level of the Local Authorities and to work with them to realise the desired improvements.

We were aware of the concerns/ criticisms emanating from the political Opposition, some local

authorities and residents even as we worked to (a) address challenges of local governance viz, allegations of incompetence, lethargy, corruption, over staffing, poor quality staff, discrimination in employment practices etc and (b) accusations to the effect that the Local Government and Regional Development Minister had too much ‘power’ and exercised too much authority and control over the operations of Local Authorities. We determined to address these concerns by way of Legislative Reform viz the Local Government Amendment Bill, the Municipal and District Councils Amendment Bill, the Fiscal Transfers Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill.

Several months ago, the Opposition PPP/C submitted the names of its three Commissioners to sit on the Commission. The Communities Minister is yet to name ‘one member after consultations with Local Democratic Organs’; while His Excellency is required ‘acting in accordance with his own judgment to name and appoint three members’. He is yet to do so.

What is preventing the Government from announcing its own members and activating the Commission? The people want to know Mr Minister! The people want to know Mr President.

Can’t find a suitable building to accommodate the Commission?

To the contrary, many Guyanese have opined that the APNU/AFC Government have

determined as a priority, to fulfil commitments and promises of positions in Government, jobs, contracts etc they made to voters in return for their votes at the May 2015 General and Regional Elections and the March 2016 Local Government Election. At the latter election, the Government was startled by the fact that the PPP/C enjoyed the support, confidence and trust of a significant number of the voting population.

After all, the PPP/C won 48 of the 71 LAAs at the March 2016 Local Government Elections and in all likelihood, will win five of the six tied LAAs when the Byelections are held. Certainly not the type of controlled freakism the APNU/AFC anticipated.

This is coming from the very politicians who while they were in Opposition would have Guyanese believe that they were keen and excited about local democracy prevailing. So much for genuine cries of transparency, accountability, good governance coming from the Government.So much for their hue and cries of local democracy. The Government has thrown these through the window. Many Local Authorities are obviously unaware of the Legislation/By-laws, regulations, customs and practices which guide what they do.

Let the Local Government Commission be established.

Sincerely, Norman Whittaker Former Local Government Minister

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Tobacco legislation for NEW GPC INC makes Parliament before month-end donation to Fire Service

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o u n t r y Representative of the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr William Adu-Krow, on Tuesday indicated that the long-awaited Tobacco Control Bill 2016 will be tabled in the House on October 28.

He explained that there were some hiccups with “moving forward” with the Bill, particularly as it relates to the ban on smoking in the home.

He said too that there were some objections that the home is considered a private place and the legislation should not dictate what occurs within.

“There was the contention that the home is my mansion. My personal space, but if someone else is in that home then it is not private.

Someone else can be affected by it,” he said.

Adu-Krow said too that although both the Government and the Opposition had signalled their “go-ahead” for the legislation, the Opposition has affirmed there should be more consultation before it is passed as law.

The proposed tobacco control legislation will see a ban on smoking in public places while cigarette advertising will be disallowed and graphic and text health warnings will have to be displayed on at least 75 per cent of the packaging on tobacco products.

The Bill seeks to ban smoking at all indoor workplaces, public transport and strictly regulates the sale of cigarettes while creating re-

Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow

porting requirements for manufacturers, wholesale distributors or importers, with penalties ranging as high as G$16 million and a period of imprisonment.

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings, had pointed out that it took the Bill a long time to be where it is today because there was a lot of fine-tuning to be done.

“We want to ensure that it is meaningful and it promotes disease control, healthy living and miners not being sold cigarettes,” she said, noting that one of the key aims of the Bill is to reduce second-hand smoking.

Dr William AduKrow stated that there is an urgent need for tobacco restrictions to be enforced in Guyana, underscoring that the profits brought in through the tobacco industry does not compensate for the many lives being lost from smoking and second-hand smoke every

year.

However, the key stakeholder, Demerara Tobacco Ltd, has labelled the Bill as heavily flawed. Managing Director of the company, Maurlaine ArgyleKirton, raised the concern that the Bill is not balanced and will cripple the tobacco industry once it is passed in Parliament.

According to the Bill’s explanatory memorandum, the purpose of the legislation is to fight the tobacco epidemic by implementing the evidence-based requirements of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which Guyana acceded to on September 15, 2005.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a National Tobacco Control Council to advise the Public Health Minister on matters related to tobacco control and allowing the enforcement powers of authorised officers who are authorised to conduct inspections, investigations or enforcement activities under the Act. The authorised officers can enter any public place, workplace or means of public transportation to conduct any inspection or investigation at any time during business or operating hours or any other reasonable or necessary time. They have the power to seize and detain or order the storage of any tobacco product that they reasonably believe does not comply with the Act.

Berbice woman succumbs after ingesting poison

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51-year-old woman is the country’s latest suicide victim. The Corentyne woman who lived alone, died on Monday after ingesting a poisonous substance.

The dead woman has been identified as Chandrawattie Sepulveda of Number 69 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. The woman is said to have been suf-

fering from a mental ailment and ingested the poison after returning from the psychiatrist on Saturday. According to reports, Sepulveda had made threats of taking her life during her doctors’ visit.

According to her brother Surajpaul Rajpaul, he travelled from Suriname and a sister came from Canada to ensure Sepulveda re-

ceived treatment for her mental disorder.

He said during the first visit, they were advised to remove all sharp objects from the home along with chemicals and anything which can be used to inflict self-harm.

However, as they returned home from the doctor’s visit on Saturday, Sepulveda quickly got into the house saying she wanted to use the washroom.

Moments after, her sister from Canada heard her coughing and when she enquired, Sepulveda said she had just ingested poison.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled for today at the Skeldon Hospital.

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Marketing Associate of the NEW GPC, Elisabeth Ram handing over the donation to Division Officer in charge of Operations, Compton Sparman

he NEW GPC INC donated over 2500 handbills to the Guyana Fire Service on Wednesday as Guyana observes National Fire Prevention Week.

As a part of Fire Prevention Week 2016, the NEW GPC made its donation of safety handbills to the Guyana Fire Service at its headquarters at Stabroek, Georgetown. The donation given to the fire service is an annual venture by the pharmaceutical giant.

Marketing Associate of the NEW GPC, Elisabeth Ram, disclosed that the company is elat-

ed to be a part of Fire Prevention Week of activities 2016 and hopes that the donation will be useful.

“We are happy to be on board again and we wish you all the best on future endeavours to curb the fire problem,” Ram said.

Division Officer in charge of Operations, Compton Sparman, who received the donation, thanked NEW GPC for their annual informative gesture and noted that the donations will definitely reach places that they are unable to reach.

“We would like to thank the NEW GPC for

their kind donation for fire prevention week… we are pleased to have the corporate play their part. The Fire Service cannot stand alone since we provide a public service to the community and any resources, whether it is fire prevention or protection we welcome,” stated Sparman.

Sparman continued that the handouts are very important to the Fire Service and will be distributed nationwide.

Fire Prevention Week began on October 9, 2016 and will conclude on October 15.

8 NEWS

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Middle St land acquisition: Opposition Leader questions review of ExxonMobil contract Cabinet orders

immediate halt to process

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams

Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada, Clarissa Riehl

abinet on Tuesday ordered an immediate halt to the process initiated by Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General (AG), Basil Williams to use the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes Act to take control of two plots of privately-owned land at the corners of Middle and Carmichael Streets, Georgetown, a source close to President David Granger’s Cabinet has confirmed.

The usually reliable source confirmed to Guyana Times Internationalthat the issue “came up for discussion” and a decision was taken to immediately suspend

Efforts to get a comment from the Attorney General continued to be unsuccessful as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.

The matter attracted the attention of Cabinet after this reporter reported that Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada, Clarissa Riehl, who owns one of the plots in contention, was preparing to file legal proceedings against the Attorney General.

Riehl is a senior figure in the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the largest party in the coalition Government.

There are also reports that the owner of the other plot of land, Beharry

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A section of the gathering at the public forum on Wednesday

iven that the oil and gas sector in underdeveloped countries are generally characterised by mass corrupt practices, concerns abound that the present review of the 17-yearold contract between US oil giant ExxonMobil and Government could pave the path for Guyana to fall into this bracket.

The lack of transparency regarding the review is only compounding the situation since unsuspecting parties can easily be induced to sign bad agreements that could potentially result in grave repercussions.

These sentiments were expressed by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo in response to a question posed by a concerned citizen during a public forum on corruption at the Sleepin Hotel, Brickdam on Wednesday evening.

Transparency International published that many countries rich in oil and gas are home to some of the world’s poorest people because too often, wealth stays in the hands of politicians and industry insiders because revenues don’t get published, payments made to governments to exploit resources remain secret, and bribery and embezzlement go unchecked.

During the event, Jagdeo questioned Government’s intention

given the review and urged that these reasons be made public for scrutiny.

“What does a review mean: are you going to review it to give more benefits to ExxonMobil? Or are you going to review it to take more from ExxonMobil? Or are you going to review it to make the existing agreement more efficacious, effective, etc? …You have to come to the Parliament and say so people will know what you are seeking in the review,” he stated.

Upon the announcement of the contract review by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, Jagdeo raised suspicions that this move could lead to corruption and claims of “selling out of national interests”.

Additionally, he was concerned about the Minister’s involvement in negotiations with oil companies, pointing out that this is precisely one of the reasons why the world is pushing so hard for full implementation and adherence to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), so as to ensure that politicians are somewhat barred from negotiations of terms with companies, thus preventing accusations of corruption or selling out of national interests.

But Finance Minister Winston

Jordan had expressed that the review was natural and was in keeping with the fact that the circumstances have changed since the signing of the first agreement.

However, he did not elaborate on the nature of the review.

Sovereign Wealth Fund model

On the issue of the oil and gas sector, Jagdeo said it was the PPP/C’s intention to fight for a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) model different to what is being used in Trinidad and Tobago.

According to him, the T&T model provides many loopholes for the executive arm of Government to create conditions through fraudulent forecasting of revenue to access the resources.

He explained that a model similar to Norway’s would be ideal since it outlines a multistage process of accessing resources from a SWF. “So you have to have independent verification that the conditions are met, and the conditions must be real and objective, and then you have a parliamentary oversight. If we have such a model, oil can benefit the country in a way that doesn’t destroy the other sectors like in many other countries,” he explained.

The Carmichael and Middle Streets property under contention

the process, pending an explanation from Williams.

The AG was not present at Tuesday’s sitting of Cabinet, thus prompting the decision to suspend the process.

The same source said that it is likely that the issue will be discussed at next Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting where the AG is expected to be present.

When asked if the process is likely to be abandoned, the source declared “We have no intention to compulsorily acquire any private lands,” indicating that Cabinet was not too happy with Williams’ actions.

Cabinet’s disgruntle was confirmed by another source who is very close to the Cabinet.

“There were some discussion on the issue and I can say to you that many members were not too happy with the manner in which this issue played out.

Many felt that the entire episode was embarrassing to the Government,” the source said.

Group of Companies has engaged its lawyers to examine the issue.

This publication was also told that President David Granger and “many” members of Cabinet were unaware of the move by Williams.

The Official Gazette of September 24, which published the Order made by Minister David Patterson on September 22, 2016, identified the property as the East quarter of Lot 92 Middle and Carmichael Streets.

The property was expected to be used for the proposed construction of Government buildings.

Williams’ only public statement thus far on the issue is a public denial that he initiated the process of acquiring the property and indicated that it was his predecessor, Anil Nandlall, who started the process prior to May 2015, a claim Nandlall has since denied.

However, Nandlall denied Williams’ claims, saying that the AG was peddling mistruths.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Corentyne sugar Indigenous Ministry launches worker killed project aimed at addressing in bee attack development issues

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Corentyne sugar worker was on Monday afternoon killed after being attacked by a swarm of Africanised Bees.

Dead is Taijram Jainarine also called

‘Plastic’, 57, of Number 69 Village, Corentyne.

According to reports, Jainarine was pronounced dead at the Skeldon Hospital.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) employer was constructing a dam when he was attacked. Jainarine and a partner were more than one mile in the Backdam.

Details of what transpired are still sketchy; however,this publication understands that when Jainarine came under attack his partner hid beneath a clump of bushes and later heard Jainarine groaning.

When help finally arrived, the man was discovered dead some meters from the tractor.

Meanwhile, in a statement following the incident, GuySuCo confirmed that at ap-

proximately 12:25h on Monday, two tractor operators were harrowing a section of the crossdam in the Skeldon Estate cultivation when a swarm of bees attacked them. Jainarine was later found in an unconscious state but was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The other employee was admitted for observation but later released.

Jainarine has been working with the Corporation for 25 years.

GuySuCo extended its deepest condolences to the family.

Juvenile Justice Officer to help professionalise NOC

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he Ministry of Education, Department of Youth, is taking steps to professionalise the New Opportunity Corps (NOC). To start the process, the services of a juvenile justice officer from the United States of America will be utilised.

Assistant Director of Youth, Leslyn Boyce, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA) said that the juvenile justice officer will be spending three months in Guyana doing a rapid assessment of the NOC and make recommendations on the way forward.

According to Boyce, the services of the officer were acquired through collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Boyce said that the

Ministry of Education is taking steps to integrate the psychologist who was attached to the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) programme to work along with the juvenile officer.

“We want to professionalise NOC and in doing that, we need to have the right group of persons with the right skill set who understand the system, who understand how to more or less manage these young people,” Boyce said In an interview with GINA in September 2016, Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry had said that in 2017 there will be capacity building for staff attached to the NOC. She said that the intention is to ensure that the NOC serves its mandate of being a corrective and rehabilitative institution.(GINA)

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he Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry on Wednesday launched its Sustainable Development Framework aimed at enabling Indigenous people’s development in Guyana.

Indigenous villages are now equipped with a framework aimed at ensuring they are strategically positioned on a sustainable developmental path.

This project came after calls were made for the Indigenous people to have “the good life” as was promised to all Guyanese by the current Administration during the presentation of its 2016 National Budget.

Under the framework, plans will be outlined and projects will be prioritised to ensure that the Indigenous community begins to develop.

Speaking at the event, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock said the Ministry is looking for a suitable way of fighting

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock (second from right in front row) as well as Junior Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry Valarie Garrido-Lowe among other invitees at the launch

poverty for the people; as such, the programme was being launched.

“Here is where we are looking for a suitable way of fighting poverty. And I believe that we could only fight poverty with those people who know about poverty, so we need to get them involved to show us, to show the team what their needs are,” he noted.

According to the Minster, the lives of Indigenous people are hard simply because

they have lost their direction on how to manage the environment.

“I’ve heard that we have a hard life but the life became hard because we have lost our direction of being able to manage in our natural environment. And here is where there is a good opportunity to have a framework to include those skills that are still there to making the communities stronger and better for the future,” Minister Allicock told

those gathered.

Also present at the event was Executive Director of Conservational International-Guyana (CIG), David Singh, who endorsed the project pledging his support to the endeavour.

This framework will enable Indigenous people to curtail inefficiencies within their villages and to put them on a continuous developmental path.

‘We will continue to search for... nance when the President was doing exactly the opposite.

Jagdeo has cited Granger and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon inviting Public Service Commission (PSC), Carville Duncan, a constitutionally protected office-holder, to discussions on having him demit office voluntarily.

The President has since suspended Duncan from the PSC until the hearing and determination of his future by a Tribunal that has been appointed to examine whether he should not be removed

because of criminal charges he is facing in the Magistrates’ Court.

from page 3

(More details in the next edition

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16 , 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

E Division Commander, 3 other senior ranks transferred

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Division (Linden and Kwakwani) Commander, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus and Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Inspector Chubinauth Singh, have been transferred from the Division along with two other senior ranks who were attached to the Mackenzie Police Station, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). The other ranks include a Corporal and Sergeant.

Brutus, who was moved to A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) where he now serves as Deputy Commander, confirmed that he was informed

by Police Headquarters of the transfer on Tuesday, but the actual move was put into effect on Wednesday.

This newspaper understands that Inspector Singh has been transferred to D Division (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) and was reassigned his post.

Former A Division Deputy Commander, Senior Superintendent

Commander Calvin Brutus

KarimBaksh, will now serve as E Division Commander. The post formerly filled by Police Inspector Singh has also been filled.

While the reason for the transfers is unclear, there were numerous complaints levelled against the outgoing officers by residents and senior officials within Region 10 which prompted an investigation by the Office of the President and Police Headquarters.

However, the findings of the investigations

have not been released to the public.

In February, several Lindeners had protested against the outgoing officers, accusing them of Police brutality and excessive force, however, the allegations were denied by the ranks.

The protesting residents had also requested their removal. The protest also prompted a meeting between then Commander Brutus and Regional Chairman RenisMorian, who had expressed frustration at the allegations.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16 , 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Scandals not contrived, they are facts known to everyone’ …Rohee says Harmon living in denial

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Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

decision by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, to request that the Opposition document the 25 ‘scandals’ it claimed the 16-month A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government has been involved in, has drawn scathing criticism from People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee, who said the minister seems to be living in denial.

After the Office of the Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday released an eight-page dossier chronicling the ‘scandals’, Harmon told reporters on Thursday that if the Opposition documented its claims, the Government stood ready to deal with them both inside and out of the National Assembly.

“Any accusations that they have let them bring it; if there are some matters which should be brought to the floor of the National Assembly, we will deal with them.

If there are other matters to be dealt with otherwise, we will deal with them,” Harmon told reporters.

However, speaking at his party’s weekly press conference on Monday, Rohee said that Harmon seems to be out of touch with the realities of both his Government and the views of citizens.

“These are not contrived scandals. This is not a question of scandal-mongering, these are facts that have published over and over again in different sections of the media and everybody knows about this. Transparency International knows about them, Human Rights Association knows about them, the Private Sector Commission knows

about them… [So] if Mr Harmon is in the denial mode I can’t help him.

If he is denying what we said in that document, then he is clearly out of touch with not only his government but the realities of the country. So sorry for him, I can’t help him,” Rohee said.

When asked about similar allegations levelled against the PPP while in office, he stated that those were well ventilated and published in the media and the political opposition had a field day against his party at the time.

“Now the shoe is on the other foot they really don’t know how to deal with it… it is their turn to face the music, that is the nature of governments,” Rohee declared.

Further, Rohee rejected Harmon’s proposal that the Opposition itemise its claims before they could be properly discussed either inside the National Assembly or other channels available outside the Chambers.

“We are speaking to the people of Guyana and there are two ways in which we speak to the people of Guyana: through parliamentary and extra-parliamentary means. The Opposition Leader Office has chosen to speak to the people directly in respect to this matter,” Rohee said, adding that some of the issues are likely to come up during the 2017 Budget debate slated for December.

Last Wednesday, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, released the eight-page dossier, chronicling what were said to be 25 scandals of the David Granger Administration, declaring that the coalition has more scandals on its rap sheet than the People’s Progressive Party/Civic

(PPP/C) amassed in its 23 years in office.

“The APNU/AFC Government has been exposed with more scandals and corruptions in 16 months than successive PPP/C Administrations were accused of in 23 years,” Jagdeo’s office said, adding that between June 2015 and August 2016, 14 months of the coalition Government, some 16 “scandals” were uncovered.

It said that August 2016 “took the cake” with the exposure of the highly-controversial Sussex Street drug bond deal, the BK International and Government’s G$1 billion “out-of-court” settlement, and the issuance of two fuel licences to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Inc, Dr Richard Van West-Charles.

Among the other “scandals” highlighted by Jagdeo’s office are the questions which still linger over the inauguration of President David Granger, the alleged removal of eight containers of steel by BK International from the Public Health Ministry compound, the dismissal of close to 2000 Amerindian Community Service Officers (CSO), the appointment of 33 foreign honorary advisers, as well as a number of presidential and ministerial advisers.

The Opposition also listed the selection of a disqualified company to complete the Specialty Hospital, leading to an abandonment of the project, the 50 to 100 per cent pay increase ministers received, the secrecy surrounding the D’Urban Park development project, pardoning of over 100 felons, and a number of out-of-court settlements with companies and individuals thought to be financiers of the coalition’s 2015 election campaign.

While in Opposition and before they coalesced, both the APNU and the AFC in 2012, had accused the PPP/C Administration of high-level corruption in a number of national projects, including Marriott Hotel, the Specialty Hospital, the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, and the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, triggering a live television debate on these issues.

Man jailed for stabbing 11-year-old A

man, who is said to be of unsound mind, will be taken off the streets for the next nine months after he was jailed for stabbing an 11-year-old boy.

Carl Anderson pleaded guilty as the charge was being read to him by Magistrate Dylan Bess.

It was alleged that on September 15, 2016 at the Avenue of the Republic, he stabbed the Virtual Complainant (VC), thereby causing actual bodily harm.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh read the facts, which stated that on the day in question, the VC was walking along Robb

Street when the defendant approached him from behind and stabbed him three times to his back.

The Prosecutor revealed that the accused was in the habit of stab-

bing people and many were happy with his arrest.

Magistrate Bess, before sentencing the defendant, warned him against such actions.

Investigators dig deep to determine cause of Gafoor’s fire

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nvestigators from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) are baffled by the fire that razed the Gafoor’s Huston Complex on Monday night, since that there was no electricity or any form of heat source to start the fire.

In providing an update, Officer-in-Charge of Operations at the GFS, Compton Sparman, has indicated that the investigation is ongoing as the fire service is trying to extinguish the debris and ensure that there is no fire before they withdraw completely.

“For the preliminary

investigations we will have to talk to persons who last dwelled within the bond and who last locked the bond up because based on the preliminary investigation we spoke to persons, supervisors, they said that the bond was closed at 05:20pm (17:20h), and we got the call one hour after at 06:30pm (18:30h) and by the time we got here, the entire bond was already engulfed in flames,” he said.

He highlighted that the materials stored in the bond were titles and white cement and a small amount of Christmas

decoration items.

When asked on whether Gafoor’s had implemented all fire precautions for the complex, he stated that they were implemented partially.

“We recommend that they do solid concrete walls, what we call them is partition walls so if you have a fire, it would be contained and that was done,” he noted.

Chief Executive Officer of Gafoor’s, Abdool Sattaur Gafoor, had indicated that the company was now recuperating from the effects of the previous fire and they had ordered the sprinklers from overseas and that it was expected to arrive shortly.

Gafoor was unable to remain stoic as part of his multibillion-dollar complex went up in flames for a second time within four months. He said that he was talking to his bond manager when another employee interrupted them about a fire in Bond Six, where tiles and white cement were stored.

According to Gafoor, he did everything to prevent a second occurrence of the May 18, 2016, fire which ravaged through several sections of the complex.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

PANCAP Director advocates for sex workers’ stigmafree environment

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he Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) will be one of the major stakeholders in the Caribbean Sex Work Coalition Sex Worker Implementation Tool (SWIT) meeting to be held next Monday.

And PANCAP Director Dereck Springer is advocating for a stigma-free environment for sex workers.

The SWIT offers practical guidance on effective HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) programming for sex workers, while providing evidence for the necessity of decriminalisation of sex work, the involvement of sex workers in developing policy, and the empowerment

and self-determination of sex work communities as a fundamental part of the fight against HIV. The World Health Organisation (WHO) created the body based on its 2012 recommendations on HIV and sex work.

Springer is calling for more attention to be placed on the issue of stigma and discrimination within the sex work environment.

“It is imperative that PANCAP attends and supports this workshop, since eliminating discrimination against sex workers is a key component of PANCAP’s Justice for All (JFA) initiative,” he said, adding, “the JFA advocates for the reduction of stigma and discrimination and the upholding of human rights with particular regard to the right to access HIV prevention, treatment and care.”

Co-Chair and Coordinator of the Caribbean Sex Work Coalition (CSWC), Miriam Edwards said the idea for the SWIT workshop was generated after leaders of the Coalition participated in the Global Fund SWIT workshop in October 2015 in Ecuador, as well as additional SWIT training activities earlier in 2015 organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

She stated that following discussions at the last regional meeting, an agreement was made by a consortium network of sex workers from Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) that increased awareness of SWIT was crucial to the development of sex workers in the Caribbean.

She added that the CSWC received the support of NSWP through

PANCAP Director, Dereck Springer

the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund (RCNF) to convene a fiveday SWIT training in Guyana.

“It is vital that sex workers and sex worker-led groups fully understand the importance of SWIT to creating a safe environment for sex work that is free of stigma and discrimination,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, Springer stated that ending AIDS required an environment that was free of stigma and discrimination. He highlighted that the key populations, such as sex workers, are more likely to receive education on HIV/AIDS, as well as prevention tools when there was no fear of being stigmatised.

“I fully endorse the objective of the SWIT workshop. Sex workers must be cognisant of their role in creating a stigma-free environment, as well as what actions are pivotal to eliminating the spread of HIV/AIDS in the sex work industry,” he added.

The SWIT workshop, which will host participants from Guyana, Jamaica, Antigua, Suriname, Trinidad and The Bahamas, aims to provide effective training on the use and implementation of the SWIT, with the objective of building the knowledge capacity of sex workers in reducing stigma and discrimination.

Campbellville man remanded to prison for stealing household appliances

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father of five was remanded to prison on Monday when he made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Keon Crandon was charged for stealing household appliances and articles valued at G$740,000.

It is alleged that on October 5, 2016 at Sheriff and Enachu Streets, Section K Campbellville, Crandon broke and entered the dwelling home of Diana Panday and stole several items including three gas bottles,

a four-burner gas stove, a Dell desktop computer , a 42-inch television set, three flower vases and articles of clothing.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge read to him.

Police Prosecutor Sean Gonsalves told the court that the defendant, when confronted, confessed to the offence and revealed that previously he was brought before the court for committing a similar offence.

Crandon is scheduled to make his next court appearance on November 2, 2016.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Carville Duncan moves to High Court to challenge authority of tribunal

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hairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Carville Duncan will be moving to the High Court to challenge the authority of a tribunal which will determine whether he should be removed from the post as the hearing continues at the Ministry of the Presidency behind closed doors.

On Monday, Duncan and his lawyer, Anil Nandlall, were seen exiting the tribunal at the Training Centre of the Ministry, although it was still in session. Nandlall said his client has excused himself from the hearing since his application for the hearing to cease was overruled. He disclosed that he stated to the Commission that his client will not be participating any longer in the hearing.

“The tribunal has overruled the objections and they are proceeding with their mandate and so we have indicated to them that we will no longer participate and we asked to be excused.

Duncan is challenging the tribunal,” Nandlall divulged to reporters.

He indicated that Duncan will move to the High Court later in the week on three grounds— the same grounds which were ruled against in the tribunal.

He asserted that the grounds are: there are criminal proceedings pending in the Magistrates’ Courts; Duncan never received a letter from Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo calling on him to show cause why the tribunal should not be established; and that his client has been called before the tribunal whose Chairman is a sitting High Court Judge—of whom Duncan exercises supervisory jurisdiction.

According to Article 144 of the Constitution, Nandlall explained that Duncan is entitled to a presumption of innocence, thus to establish a tribunal to investigate his removal from office on the mere institution of a charge before the determination of any guilt, is an infraction of that constitutional protection “which guarantees him innocent until proven guilty”.

He evaluated that the tribunal is “premature and an infraction and violation of that constitutional protection.”

According to the legal

Carvil Duncan

luminary, Duncan, as a member of the Public Service Commission, exercises supervisory jurisdiction over judges and since the tribunal Chairman is a High Court Judge, “it is improper for a member of the Judicial Service Commission to be judged essentially by a judge over whom Mr Duncan exercises a jurisdiction.”

Minister of State Joseph Harmon said the tribunal was set up to inquire, investigate and recommend whether Duncan ought to be removed from office for inability to perform the functions of the office, after he refused to gracefully vacate the office.

When Nandlall was questioned as to if his client was in fact offered an incentive by the President and the Minister of State to resign, he simply said he believed his client. “Well it is their word against Mr Duncan’s words and I believe my client, I could tell you that,” he said.

Harmon has since rejected claims that the Government offered money in exchange for his resignation as Chairperson of the PSC in light of his court charges.

“The Office of the Minister of State categorically denies the assertion made by MrCarvil Duncan that he was offered monies by the Minister of State or the President.”

The statement indicated that meetings were indeed held where Duncan was “gracefully” asked to vacate the positions he currently holds on several constitutional service commissions, given his current trial for allegedly stealing G$984,900 and conspired to steal G$27,757,500 from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

Harmon’s Office said Duncan indicated that he would discuss the matter with his family and return with a decision, however he never did, which prompted President David Granger to establish a tribunal to determine his fate.

NEWS 15

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

PPP condemns plan to remove Bosai commences construction of arch in Linden Stabroek canopy vendors

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he parliamentary Opposition, P e o p l e ’ s Progressive Party (PPP) has condemned the decision by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to remove scores of vendors from beneath the canopy of the Stabroek Market after municipal officials said the area is a haven for criminals.

These vendors have been plying their trade in that area for decades, but last week Wednesday, City Constabulary officers said a man was in the vicinity with a rifle in his possession but dropped it and fled after Police ranks swooped down on him.

This prompted the City Constabulary to recommend that the vendors who have been operating in that area for several decades be removed. This decision was endorsed by City Mayor Patricia Chase-Green; however, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee said on Monday that his party strongly rejects the proposal which he said is another move by the municipality to take

bread out of the mouths of vendors and “force them into illegal activities who knows where.”

He said that City Hall, in its attempt to rid the Stabroek Market of criminal activities, will in effect be creating a wider societal problem by throwing more vendors on to the streets.

He said if the argument is that the vendors are being removed as a result of the firearm found in the vicinity, and then the argument must be extended to the situation at Bourda, La Penitence and other market places in the City. Rohee believes the removal of the vendors will not solve the problem.

“What is required is the cooperation of the vendors and an increase of foot-patrols by people-friendly, not arrogant members of the Constabulary as well as intelligence gathering efforts through undercover Police operatives working in collaboration with the City Police,” Rohee suggested.

The municipality, particularly its Town

Clerk Royston King and Mayor Chase-Green are being heavily criticised for what has been consistently described as deliberate attacks on city vendors.

It started with a decision to suddenly remove scores of vendors from the Stabroek Square in the name of a clean-up campaign for Guyana’s Golden Jubilee celebrations back in May of this year, but with no alternative vending area.

That action attracted widespread protests from vendors who have been operating in that area for decades and eventually the municipality managed to temporarily secure a piece of land for the vendors.

That was followed by a unilateral decision last month by King to remove vendors from Robb Street, between Alexander and Bourda Streets. Again after protests outside City Hall and the Communities Ministry, the vendors were returned.

Rohee believes that all these actions by the Town Clerk and Mayor are appeasing the Granger Administration.

– as part of bauxite centennial observances

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rivately-owned Linden-based bauxite company Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI) has commenced the construction of an overhead arch in the community, as part of the bauxite centennial observances this year.

The arch is being constructed at a cost of over G$20 million.

Staying true to a commitment made a few months ago at the launch of the bauxite centennial observances, the company recently commenced the construction at Casaurina Drive, Mackenzie, at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) junction.

BMGGI General Manager (ag) Eric Yu, in his remarks during the launch in August, had outlined plans to commemorate the community's significant milestone with the setting up of the arch, as 2016 marks the one hundredth year of bauxite mining in the Linden community.

Bauxite Century Board Chairman Horace

Workers at the site of the arch

James on Tuesday explained that the Committee made a decision to have the arch situated at the closest point where Mackenzie, Wismar and Watooka meet, since those areas have close ties with the history of bauxite in Linden.

He noted too that it would not only be a structure for vehicles to drive under but would serve as a symbol, depicting the history of Linden.

The arch is expected to be unveiled on November 21 at a special opening ceremony.

As to the design, James said it would consist of an emblem of all the bauxite companies in Guyana. Presently, the foundation work for the arch is being executed by Linden-based construction company McRae's Construction, while the arch was assembled by VSH United.

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Govt hoping to gain majority control of Berbice Bridge ‌buys out DDL shares G

overnment has succeeded in its bid to buy out the 10 per cent shares held by the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) in the Berbice River Bridge Company (BBCI) in its attempt to gain majority control of the company in order to dictate the fee structure.

This newspaper understands that this multimillion-dollar transaction was completed last week.

Though Government through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments

Limited, and the National Insurance Scheme, already holds majority shares in the company, it could not convince the board of directors to reduce the fees for crossing the bridge and had eventually opted to offer subsidies to facilitate the reduction which took effect at the beginning of 2016.

However, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson indicated that Government is pursuing other means of lowering the tolls apart from State subsidies.

Last year,

Government announced that the beverage giant had offered to sell its shares in the BBCI for some G$45 million.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo disclosed that government was

DDL owned 10 per cent of the shares in BBCI

moving to engage other shareholders on buying out their shares so it can gain full control of the operations of the company.

The other shareholders are Secure International Limited, NEW GPC INC, Queens Atlantic Investment Inc, and Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Efforts to contact both Minister Patterson and his Deputy Annette Ferguson, to determine whether this plan was still on the cards, proved futile.

Minister Ferguson indicated that she was in a meeting, but did not indicate when would be convenient to call again.

The BBCI and government had reached an impasse concerning the reduction of the tolls, which

was a campaign promise the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition was eager to fulfill.

The subsidy offered by government to facilitate the reduction was insufficient to offset debts but after months of intense negotiations and the introduction of river taxis, the reduced fees finally took effect.

The river taxis were meant to be a more affordable alternative to the Bridge, but with the reduction of the bridge tolls, the two facilities began competing with each other.

Minibus operators began complaining of loss of business since commuters opted to use the river taxis rather than cross

the river via the bridge.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry developed a revised schedule for the operations of the river taxis to facilitate the minibus operations.

From September 1, the river taxi service began operating from 06:00h until 09:00h and again from 14:30h until 18:00h. Previously, the service operated between 06:00h and 18:00h.

But with the timechange, the taxi operators are complaining that the new operating hours would severely affect their trade since the schedule would limit the number of passengers who utilise their services after disembarking the boats.

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Trial commences for men accused of slaughtering 12 in Bartica

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Flashback: Three of the suspects arriving in Georgetown after they were apprehended

he five men who were allegedly involved in the slaughter of 12 persons in the infamous Bartica Massacre eight years ago are on trial at the High Court.

Mark Williams, also known as Durant or Smallie; Celbert “Chi Chi” Reece; Dennis “Anaconda” Williams; Michael Caesar called Deon Cort, “Fah” or “Kapone”; and Roger Simon known as “Goat Man” will today appear before a jury in the case, which will be presided over by Justice Roxanne George.

The five co-accused are facing 12 counts of murder as a first indictment, while on the second indictment; they will answer to charges of terrorism and unlawful wounding, in addition to three counts of break and enter and larceny.

During the 10-month Preliminary Inquiry (PI),

which was presided over

by Magistrate Fazil Azeez and which wrapped up in 2011, 37 witnesses had testified, including civilians, relatives of the deceased, forensic experts and several Police Ranks. The PI was conducted at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Back then, the men were all allowed to speak.

Reece indicated that he wanted to give sworn testimony, while Simon maintained his innocence and related that he would reserve his witnesses for the High Court trial. The others had remained silent. In his sworn testimony, Reece had revealed that the others were equally involved in the killing of the 12 persons.

The suspects are accused of killing Irving Ferreira, Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir,

Constable Shane Fredericks, Constable Ron Osborne, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasin, and Errol and Baldeo Singh on February 17, 2008 in an event that sent shockwaves throughout the country.

On that date, Bartica was attacked by a heavily-armed gang, leaving 12 people dead, including three Policemen. Police had contended that it was now deceased Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins, who was the leader of the criminal gang which carried out the brutal attack.

The gunmen had terrorised the town while the Bartica Police Station was overrun during the rampage. Several business places were also robbed during the hour-long mayhem. The attack is widely believed to have been linked to the Lusignan Massacre, which had occurred just three weeks prior.

In that January 26 attack, 11 persons had lost their lives. Bartica co-accused Mark Williams is also implicated in the Lusignan Massacre, and is also slated to stand trial for that matter in the current session of the criminal assizes.

Postal services set for dramatic changes in Guyana

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ublic Tele communications Minister Cathy Hughes, in an address in observance of World Post Day 2016, said, “Times have changed, methods of communication have changed, this particular source of national revenue has undergone some changes which is why we are recalibrating our focus to more efficiently accommodate our people’s 21st Century needs.”

The Minister assured that “Post Offices will not become obsolete”.

It was recognised that the use of postal services has declined significantly over the past few years owing to developments in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The ICT sector is being utilised for its speed, efficiency, availability and, in some cases, low cost.

“Postal services in Guyana are already undergoing very dramatic changes, even to the physical amenities and facilities that will benefit our pensioners, first of all,” Minister Hughes added.

Since persons worldwide no longer use the local postal systems as a first choice for sending mail and packages,

Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes

systems are being put in place in Guyana, to deal with the effects of such changes.

Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) Board Chairman, Reverend Dr Raphael Massiah, in his message, pointed out that over the next two years, “we plan to hone all the available skills of our human capital coupled with the maximum use of ICT to offer an improved service with greater efficiency and reliability”.

Massiah said the GPOC needed to take a bold step forward and recalibrate its operations in order to remain relevant to the everyday lives of people and business.

With the establishment of the Public Telecommunications

Ministry, Guyana is expected to move forward with the implementation of state-of-the-art telecommunication and Internet facilities.

Guyana will be preparing to confront fast advancing communication technology that has over time diminished the quantity of hand-delivered mail, which the Post Offices have been mailing across the world for more than 200 years.

The 64 branches of the GPOC will soon be rehabilitated to meet international standards to keep up with the changes in the direction of postal services. Services offered by this public facility include money transfer services, government or social assistance services, registration of births, deaths and marriages, bill payments, and postage and revenue stamps.

This year, World Post Day was celebrated on October 9, under the theme, “Serving a new society: delivering beyond your doorstep”. The observance was declared by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo as a means to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which was created in 1974.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Region 10 Education system Cheshire Home’s library shortfalls highlighted reopens after 20 years -as consultations continue

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ith numerous issues surrounding the proper delivery of education in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), a consultation headed by Education Commission Chairman Ed Caesar has shed new light on the strengths and weaknesses of the education system within the Region.

Caesar and his team met with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and Department of Education at the RDC last Thursday where several recommendations were made.

In response to complaints levelled against the Department of Education, Regional Education Officer Marcia Paddy Andrews

teachers in Linden refuse to go to remote areas to teach, and use medical conditions as excuses. She said there are instances where teachers are assigned to riverine areas, more so the Berbice River areas but are not occupying their posts.

In addition, Paddy Andrews said there are some schools which do not have a full complement of staff, like in Christianburg, while there are those that are overstaffed. She has therefore called for a “reshuffling” of staff within the Ministry Addressing the officials, Regional Chairman Renis Morian said there is a "disconnect" between the Region and the Ministry

for teachers in that sector in addition to training in the oil sector, since this is a new horizon for Guyana.

The Regional Chairman also spoke about the shortage of qualified teachers in indigenous communities, while noting that the quality of education in rural communities is not up to par. Those communities lack specialised teachers: "We got the impression that when all the technical and skillful people are trained and they come back from overseas, Region 10 does get what’s left. Chemistry, Physics, Sciences - how many schools doing it in Region 10? How many schools got that ability or capacity to deliver that?

of Education and pointed to what he described as the slothfulness of receiving responses from that Ministry, while relating that there is no point person to speak to.

Citing an example, he noted that the Regional Education Officer is soon to be transferred but the RDC has not been informed as to who will be the replacement.

He explained that, "The Education Ministry or the system, functions like a Ministry that is not connected to anybody...The kind of connection that we share, the kind of linkages that we have with other Ministries, we don't get that kind of linkage with the Ministry of Education. You can't find this person, they're never there, and they’re always out, always in a meeting. You can't get anybody."

Morian also recommended that there should be an established minimum standard in the Region with regards to school sanitation. Stressing the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), he also made a request for training programmes

A resident of the Cheshire Home enjoying his time in the newly opened library

Frozen.

Afterwards, students were able to explore the library, check out books and take free books home from the give-away shelf.

"My favourite part of the event was when the students applauded the Cheshire Home residents' hard work. The residents are so proud of themselves, but it's the entire community that benefits when we promote the inclusion of people with disabilities," Rudd said in an invited comment.

Schlitz, in a comment, recalled a moment with a young gentleman who was looking for a book on "Home Economics". "He wants to be a chef when he gets older. It was

great to see the students excited about books and I'm glad the library is here to spark interest in reading and support kids like this who have big dreams,” she stated.

Three residents of the home are currently being trained as Librarian Assistants – learning job skills and gaining confidence in themselves in the process. They will be able to assist community members in locating books as well as keep the library organised.

In addition, all three residents have excellent artistic capabilities and will continue to assist with the decoration of the library and the making of posters for future events.

Be inspired by the extraordinary lives of ordinary people - First Lady

A consultation in progress

stated that it should not be a blame game and suggested that both the Department of Education and RDC should work together.

She further explained that her Department is lacking in staffing, that it only has two appointed officers in addition to two Cadets, who were loaned to her office. As such, she made recommendations for additional staff.

"So we've been hopping along with borrowed staff. Sometimes our supervision is not up to par with what we plan.

You have to understand that in order to execute plans you have to have the relevant staff", she noted, while emphasising the need for Health and Family Life (HFL) and other coordinators within the Department.”

"If Councillors can understand what is required of the Department of Education, they will be less critical, especially in our situation where we are understaffed. It's not an easy task and we need the support of everyone", Paddy Andrews added.

The REO highlighted several other issues, including the fact that

C

heshire Home has reopened the doors to its library after almost 20 years.

Peace Corps volunteer Elizabeth Rudd has been volunteering with Cheshire Home in Mahaica, East Coast Demerara; a home for people with disabilities.

When the committee expressed interest in re-opening the library, Rudd thought that it would be a great community resource, but also an excellent project for the residents to be a part of.

The library was transformed over a fourmonth period as Rudd and five residents of the home cleaned, organised, repaired, and colour-coordinated the books.

During the opening ceremony, Cheshire Home welcomed people from the village and neighbouring communities to join in the opening of the library.

Rudd, alongside fellow volunteer Allee Schlitz, gave out fun gifts such as stickers and erasers to a group of excited students before reading popular children's books such as Dora the Explorer and

When the teachers graduate from University of Guyana they aren't sent to Region 10".

Recommendations

Councillor Gordon Callender in his recommendation said packages for teachers assigned to riverine areas should be made more attractive, since some are single parents and may not be able to afford to support themselves and children who remain in Linden.

Caesar added that there was a time when most were anxious to work in riverine areas because of the benefits which came with it; these benefits should be reinstituted.

Alluding to the age of enrolment, Councillor Sandra Adams pointed out that there are smart children who are 3 years 2 months, who are unable to attend school owing to their age and time of birth. She outlined that there are not enough facilities in Guyana to meet their educational needs. She suggested a similar set-up as that in the United States, where young children are allowed to enter preschool in preparation for their educational journey.

F

irst Lady Sandra Granger on Sunday told the congregation at the Annual Women’s Day Service at the Franklin Talbot Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church in North Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown, that women must be “inspired and strengthened by the extraordinary lives of ordinary people like us”.

faced with at home and how easy it is for them to compare their lives with that of another woman who seems better off: “You really do not know what goes on in those homes. Domestic violence does not only happen among the poor… illness and tragedy affect us all.”

Additionally, the First Lady urged the women to preserve their faith as

Congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church in North Ruimveldt on Sunday

Speaking on the role of women in society, the First Lady pointed out that as mothers, wives, sisters and daughters, women shoulder a huge responsibility and must lean on a greater power. She said that women bear the task of being the tower of strength to their families, and they must be reminded that every trial they’re faced with should be a reminder of God’s will for them. “…God gives us strength, support and guidance during our struggles so that we can become stronger and better persons; he empowers us for greater works.”

First Lady Granger remarked on some of the challenges women are

biblical women did. She noted that those women, who were dismissed as insignificant but remained steadfast in their faith: “Today as you celebrate your Annual Women’s Day, I urge you to be like that grain of mustard seed. Let your roots grow down into the rich soils, nourished by your faith, and build your lives around Him and He will empower and guide you to do greater things.”

The Annual Women’s Day Service, an all-day event, was led by Rev Yvonne Bullen in the morning, while the afternoon session was led by Sis Caldetta Gibson and Rev Andrew Morris-Grant.

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Guyana moves one step closer to enacting witness protection, whistleblower legislation …consultations commence

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ust a handful of stakeholders contributed to what was expected to be a widespread consultative process on the Witness Protection Bill and the Protected Disclosure (Whistleblower) Bill at the Pegasus Hotel on Monday.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, along with legal counsel gave an overview of the two pieces of legislations, as well as the framework in which they will operate.

Williams in his opening remarks explained that the two pieces of legislations will play major roles in stamping out corruption and other wrongdoings in the public service.

“These two Bills are among a suite of Bills that are intended to address a particular mischief that has really more or less crippled this country for a number of years and that is the question of corruption,” he outlined.

He reminded the audience of President David Granger’s address to the public service on

the need to promote a professional public sector: “President Brigadier David Granger posited, ‘corruption and bribery have no place in the public service. Instead the public service must be characterised by persons of integrity, impartiality and intelligence. Guyana can no longer condone the giving of bribes for simple services, it must become an un-bribable state.’ ” Moreover with the legislation, he hinted at the possibility of prosecutions as a result of the findings of the forensic audits.

“It is a very important Bill because as you know currently, there are numerous forensic audits that we’ve had and the clamour for prosecution really doesn’t address the fact that you can’t have prosecutions unless you have witnesses and in order to have witnesses you must guarantee their protection and that is what this government is bent on doing,” the Attorney General explained.

Under the Whistleblower legisla-

tion, persons can make protected disclosures which show an improper conduct has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur.

Improper conducts include any criminal offence, failure to carry out a legal obligation, conduct that is likely to result in a miscarriage of justice, conduct that is likely to threaten the health or safety of a person, conduct that is likely to threaten or damage the environment or shows gross mismanagement or impropriety or misconduct in the carrying out of any activity that involves the use of public funds or any financial resources of an employer.

The Bill is unique in that it not only provides for the protection of employees but any non-employee who has fair reason to believe that public service officials, including ministers and Parliamentarians, are guilty of improper conducts.

It is also unique in that all disclosures shall be made to the Protected Disclosure Commission

From left: Parliamentary Counsel Ronetta Sargent, Legislative Drafting Consultant Amanda Dhurjon, Chief Draftsman Cecil Dhurjon, Attorney General Basil Williams, High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana and Suriname Pierre Giroux, Deputy Parliamentary Counsel Charles Fung-A-Fat and Registrar of Commerce (ag) Nicole Prince

except matters that prejudice national security, defence or international relations. In those cases, disclosures will be made directly to the relevant minister or the President through established procedures.

Additionally, immunity will not be offered to the person who makes the disclosure if he/she was the perpetrator or an accomplice, but it is likely that the courts will consider this in any prosecution.

The Witness

Protection Bill provides for the establishment of a programme to protect witnesses and other persons in both civil and criminal matters.

The programme will be administered by an Administrative Centre, in collaboration with an Investigative Agency and a Protective Agency.

The Centre will have the primary authority of determining the suitability of the person to be afforded protection or assistance and arrange provisions for safe hous-

es. The criteria for admission will be strict and the Centre shall have regard for a number of factors which include criminal records of prospective participants, the importance of the evidence or statement, and the duration of the protection before admitting witnesses for protection or assistance.

Both pieces of legislations are expected to be taken to Parliament before the end of the year for a debate and its subsequent passage.

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GMSA calls for urgent review Miami Mayor gives of UK ‘ban’ on Guyana’s Jagdeo ‘Key to the City’ greenheart exports

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he Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has lambasted as “unfair” and in need of urgentreview, a decision by the United Kingdom which essentially restricts the import of greenheart from Guyana.

Moreover, the GMSA said the labelling of Guyana as a “pariah” in tropical forestry flew in the face of overwhelming independently verified evidence by internationally credible third parties – evidence which is available online and specifically on the Guyana Forestry Commission’s website “for those who wish to be further informed on the hard reality”.

The GMSA, in a

certification”.

It was noted that this was especially so for “our hardworking colleagues in rural and indigenous communities, who, over time, have come to appreciate and see the value of understanding and implementing the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) guidelines which they helped to formulate”.

The GMSA, in its missive, drew reference to the May 2015 UK Environment Agency Technical Note, on the sourcing of new supplies of greenheart timber, which “did come as a great surprise to the local industry, especially since the Private Sector and Government were in communication with CPET (The Central

tainability of greenheart forest harvesting by referring to the studies carried out by Tropenbos in the Bartica Triangle.

It was quick to point out, however, that, “the UK Environment Agency Technical Note refers to the sustainable forest management of the forests of origin and not only greenheart”.

In December 2015, the consultants to CPET clarified that the submissions by the Guyanese industry did not meet the requirements for Category B certification, as it pertained to issues such as “adequate multi-stakeholder consultation locally in the development of the Codes of Practice, forest policy and plans and regulation”, according to the

Greenheart logs from Guyana

strongly-worded missive over the weekend, said the “UK agency essentially pronounced on the sustainability of forest management practices in our forests of origin with absolutely no communication or consultation with any local industry stakeholders”.

It was pointed out by the GMSA that given that the markets for tropical forest products were declining and proving challenging: “Incorrect labelling of our forest management practices in this negative way can only be detrimental to the future lives and livelihoods of the 25,000 people directly employed in this industry.”

The GMSA maintains too that available statistics highlight the great efforts that both the industry and the Government have made to ensure “sustainable forest management of our forests for our future generations and that in an ecological sense, our forests are being sustainably managed, an effort clearly verified through abundant, independent, third-party analysis and

Point for Expertise on Timber that advised UK Government Agencies on Timber Procurement Policies) for over four years previous to the Note to provide evidence of legality and sustainable timber practices” .

According to the Association, as a result of the increasing global need to prove legality and sustainability, and meet certification standards, the industry had already entered into negotiations under the EUFLEGT programme to ensure that the local forest sector would meet these guidelines and import regulations for the UK and EU markets.

While the consultants to CPET did state that EU-FLEGT licensing would constitute adequate evidence of Category B compliance, the GMSA is adamant that the UK agency issued the Technical Note with no communication or consultation with local stakeholders.

The GMSA also drew reference to recent pronouncements by local forestry expert Dr Janette Bulkan, who had pronounced on the sus-

GMSA. “They never even got to the point of reviewing actual harvesting rates and practices on the ground – therefore the reference to the Bartica Triangle Study as the reasons for the Technical Note is incorrect in more ways than one.”

Pointing to some of the verification practices obtained locally, the GMSA said “our forest management system is subject to regular independent forest monitoring; in addition to Guyana welcoming this, it is also a requirement of the agreement with the Kingdom of Norway.”

It was highlighted that Guyana would not have received any funding for avoided deforestation from Norway under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) if our forest regulatory environment was considered as “pariah”.

Guyana has the third lowest deforestation rate in the world and, according to data released for 2015, forest operations only contribute one per cent of the total annual deforestation in Guyana.

Receiving the key to the City: Former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo receiving the key to the city of Miami from former Chief of Protocol of Miami, Wallis Tinnie, on behalf of Mayor Thomas Regalado, at a special dinner in honour of his visit to Miami to deliver the prestigious 18th annual Eric E Williams Memorial Lecture at Florida International University

F

ormer President Bharrat Jagdeo was given the Key to the City of Miami by Mayor Thomas Regalado.

It was presented by Wallis Tinnie, former Chief of Protocol of Miami at a special dinner in honour of his visit to Miami to deliver the prestigious 18th Annual Eric E Williams Memorial Lecture at Florida International University.

At the event, former President Jagdeo received proclamations and greetings from a number of Florida officials, including US Senator Bill Nelson, Mayor Carlos Gimenez of Miami-Dade County, Mayor Philip Stoddard of South Miami, Mayor Walter Campbell of Coral Springs, Mayor Jeri Muoio of West Palm Beach, Mayor Frank Ortis of the City of Pembroke Pines, and Commissioner Danielle Cava of Miami-

Dade County.

The lecture titled; “The Caribbean and American Presidential Power: A Donald Trump Ascendancy” was delivered at Florida International University on Friday, September 30. It attracted a large audience including Foreign Minister Frederick Mitchell of The Bahamas, members of the Caribbean Consular Corps, local elected officials, members of the Miami-Dade and Broward County’s community, and professors, students, and administrators from Florida International University.

The function was co-sponsored by the African and African Diaspora Centre at FIU and the Eric Williams Memorial Collection Research Library, Archives and Museum located in Miami and at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies.

Police continue raids on night spots s the raids on popular night spots continue, another unlicensed weapon

A

Revolver with four matching rounds was found on the person of a male patron. It was dis-

was found, but this time at Palm Court, Main Street, Georgetown.

According to Police, late Saturday, around 23:00h, ranks carried out a search at the popular Main Street establishment where an unlicensed .38 Special

closed that the man will soon make an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It was only last week that four men and a woman were arrested in the wee hours of Friday morning at a popular night spot in West

Ruimveldt, Georgetown for possession of arms and ammunition.

The five accused were found with two illegal firearms, several rounds of ammunition and a quantity of ganja. It was also reported that Police had swooped down at the Ballaz Wash Bay Bar some time between 01:30h and 02:30h where a search had been conducted.

On Thursday last, an Annandale, East Coast Demerara man was taken into Police custody after he was found with two illegal handguns and several rounds of ammunition in his possession.

According to reports, the 24-year-old, who was said to be unemployed, was arrested in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown after Police received a tip-off.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

AFC’s upcoming conference to review relations with APNU A

radical reform of the relations between ruling coalition partners, the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is likely, with an independent review of its affairs set for the upcoming AFC National Conference.

This review could see the smaller political party making more demands of APNU, as what occurred following an AFC retreat earlier this year.

AFC General Secretary David Patterson, during a news conference on Friday, disclosed that an assessment of the dynamics of the two parties was among the con-

AFC General Secretary, David Patterson

cerns to be discussed at the AFC National Conference, which will be held before the new year.

“I cannot dictate what the discussions

will be, but I can guarantee you that someone will raise the issue of the coalition; the successes or the things which they feel the coalition should do; they would raise the question of the AFC’s shortfalls, if any, what the achievements are; they would raise the issues of every Minister’s portfolio in Government,” Patterson explained.

Among the other issues to be discussed are the AFC’s role and progress in Government and the parties’ fulfilment of the joint manifesto.

“Each and every issue with leadership is put under scrutiny,” the General Secretary emphasised.

APNU and the AFC

The signing of the Cummingsburg Accord between AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo and APNU Leader David Granger

joined forces with the signing of the historic Cummingsburg Accord (Valentine’s Day Accord) on February 14 last year with unyielding dedication to change the politics in Guyana, with the country’s first-ever six-party coalition.

However, critics believe that the Administration has fallen short on one too many of its promises and has already forecast nothing but a bleak future, particularly for the AFC group of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led coalition.

Several political commentators shared the view that the AFC was shafted by APNU, with many of its inputs into Government policies being overlooked or rejected.

Opposition Members of Parliament have constantly pointed out that most of the AFC Ministers had little or no authority within Government and they were consistently being sidelined by APNU members.

It was also pointed out that AFC’s Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has been kicked aside

by APNU’s Mayor and Town Clerk on several pertinent matters at City Hall, including the controversial parking meter contract.

Additionally, the AFC’s nominees to the Procurement Commission, Dr Anand Goolsarran and Christopher Ram have both been rejected by APNU in the Public Accounts Committee.

AFC Ministers, like Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, have had their powers signifi-

cantly reduced, with the Prime Minister only having oversight over the Guyana Chronicle newspaper and the National Communications Network (NCN) – a role which was previously held by Information and Press Liaison Kwame McCoy, while a major portion of Ramjattan’s portfolio was handed over to PNC’s Winston Felix.

Nevertheless, according to the AFC General Secretary, since the forming of the coalition, the AFC and APNU have been able to iron out several issues.

He went on to underscore that in order to further strengthen the coalition, there needed to be increased and clearer communication between the lower levels of the two parties.

Meanwhile, this year’s biennial conference will seek to elect office bearers for the new two-year term.

Presently, Ramjattan is the Leader of the AFC and Nagamootoo is the Chairman (ag), following the recent resignation of Chairman Nigel Hughes.

The AFC is yet to decide definitively when the conference will be held, since there are major upcoming events it is trying to avoid a clash with.

These include the presentation of Budget 2017 in the National Assembly, followed by the lengthy budget debates, as well as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Congress in December.

“We are looking for an opening to have it done,” Patterson said, noting that the party will have to work within those parameters.

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APNU/AFC Govt ‘in a state New batch of medical doctors of drift' - Rohee charged to give high quality service T he Opposition, P e o p l e ’ s Progressive Party (PPP), is urging President David Granger to use his parliamentary address on Thursday to address the impending socioeconomic calamity, stating that Guyana is in a crisis of confidence brought about by the change of Government in May 2015.

Speaking at his party’s weekly press conference on Monday, PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee declared that there is a crisis of confidence in Guyana and urged citizens to oppose the retrogressive developments for the country’s future.

He said that the “crisis of confidence” is manifest in the fact that Guyanese no longer believe that the future of Guyana under the Grangerled A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government will bring the “good life” promised

by President Granger on the campaign trail.

“There is a pervasive national sentiment that the Granger Administration is clueless, incompetent and in a state of drift,” Rohee declared.

He said that the prob-

lems of Guyana lie in the “militaristic- command-style” rule by the APNU/AFC, which has dampened the spirit and morale of the working people, the small entrepreneurs, the established business community, and the farming community.

“Political instability, a lack of understanding of the Guyanese business culture…the absence of developmental-inspired initiatives, the lack of predictability and uncertainty in the future; poor understanding and appreciation of the socioeconomic attributes of vulnerable groups such as the Amerindian communities and the impact of misguided socioeconomic policies on their livelihoods have all contributed to the crisis of confidence,” Rohee stated.

He said that Guyanese were worried about their lives and future, adding that every social strata of the Guyanese population has lost confidence in the future of the sector in which they work and live.

Rohee said that a spirit of malaise has enveloped the nation, with the productive sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing declining and the business community reeling as a result of a

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PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee addressing Monday’s Press Conference

decline in the Guyanese spirit of hard work, due to the uncertainty that exists in the country.

He added that the marginal electoral victory of the APNU/AFC in May 2015 does not give it the right to reverse economic, social and cultural gains won by the nation under his party’s leadership: “Guyanese must unite and fight together with the PPP to preserve these gains and to win back; through Parliamentary and extra-Parliamentary struggles, a Government of their choice; through free and fair elections supervised by a reformed Gecom and reformed electoral process.

The APNU/AFC Government has promised that it will take time before the benefits of the impact of its economic policies are trickled down to the citizens.

ighty doctors who recently graduated from scholarship programmes in Cuba and China are undergoing two days of training organised by the Ministry of Public Health. The training aims to equip the doctors with knowledge of the programmes supported by the ministry.

At the end of the training, the doctors are expected to commence work at hospitals within the regions where they reside. This will be for a period of eighteen months.

Thereafter the practicing Government Medical Officers (GMOs) will be rotated to work in different environments such as health centres and health post throughout Guyana, including those in hinterland regions.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, who addressed the doctors at the start of the training said, “during the next two days you will learn of the many programs being undertaken within the various departments of the ministry and as a consequence you will have a very lucid understanding of the very high expectations required of each of you.”

The minister reminded the doctors that they are no longer in a classroom setting and are ex-

Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton at the opening of the training session

pected to showcase the knowledge and skills acquired while studying for the past six years, striving to continually revive and brighten their areas and place of work.

Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, reminded the doctors that he too studied in Cuba. He charged them to provide service of an exceptional quality.

“Being in the medical fraternity, studying in the same country, should pit us to a good relationship in our efforts to develop quality healthcare to the Guyanese nation and to continue and increase that quality,” Norton said, adding that, “For too long we’ve been looking to the United States of America for all the breakthroughs

in pharmaceuticals and different therapies, you know much more than I do what the embargo has done to Cuba yet they are now producing vaccines and anti-cancerous medications that the world is clamouring for so consider yourself fortunate to be a graduate from that country, having said that you are put in a position where you have got very high standards to maintain.”

Over the last ten years, Cuba has trained more than 700 Guyanese Doctors who return to serve in the health sector for a period of five years.

Many move on to specialise in areas such as obstetrics, pediatrics, dentistry, ophthalmology and orthopedics.(GINA)

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Our Green Heritage

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feature 29

Kaieteur Falls flow in the heart of the Guiana Shield

he Guiana Shield, within which most of Guyana falls, is a 1.7 billion-year-old geological formation located in the northern part of South America, covering an area of one

million square kilometres. It hosts one of the world’s most biologically diverse and lush forested regions, and remains one of the least (human) populated areas on the planet.

The Guiana Shield is described as a “vast expanse of lowland forest, mountains, wetlands and savannah in northern South America wedged between the llanos of northern

Map of the Guiana Shield. The population densities of the Guiana Shield is said to be comparable to (shield) regions such as Nunavut in northernmost Canada and Siberia in Russia, and remains the least populated forested region when compared to similar regions in Indonesia, Bangladesh, southern India and Nigeria

Venezuela and eastern Columbia and the Amazon River in north-

On Mount Roraima, a tepui within the Guiana Shield often called “the lost world”

A woodpecker looks for food in a tree trunk in Iwokrama. Iwokrama lies within the Guiana Shield, a region famed for its biological diversity in which more species are continually being discovered

ern Brazil.” (Hammond, 2005) According to the book “Tropical Forests of the Guiana Shield: Ancient Forests in a Modern World”, edited

by David S. Hammond, the Guiana Shield gets its name from a combination of old world and new world terms, where Guiana, Guayana and Guyana are variants of what is generally believed to be a traditional Amerindian word meaning “water” or “much water”. (Though others suggest the name derives either from a small tributary of the Orinoco; the name of an Amerindian tribe called Guaynos; or from uayana, the term for “pale” or “white”, used to describe the Europeans the tribe first encountered.)

The word “shield”, on the other hand, is used in a modern scientific context to describe a large region of very old, exposed rock that is generally not affected by modern volcanic or earthquake activity, which geologists call Precambrian basement rock.

The Guiana Shield covers 13 percent of the South American continent and almost all or most of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, while Brazilian territories make up about half the region. Hammond writes that the area falls within four northern Brazil states and “accounts for virtually the entire area of the shield draining into the

greater Amazon Basin.”

Some suggest the “Amazon” is part of the Guiana Shield.

However, while the term “Amazonian rainforest” has routinely been used to describe the region, strictly speaking, “Amazonia” refers to what Charles C Mann describes in his book “1491” as being defined by geologists as “the bigger region bounded by the Andes to the west, the Guiana Shield to the north and the Brazilian Shield to the south...” In addition, not all areas of Amazonia are rainforest. In fact, only half of Amazonia harbours an ecosystem most persons understand as the “Amazon”. Likewise, the “Amazon Basin” refers only to “the drainage of the Amazon and its tributaries.”

As Hammond also notes, the Guiana Shield was first associated not as a “geographical province” but as a “geopolitical entity”, following the arrival of Europeans to the region in search of gold; their subsequent conquering of its original peoples and, following that, distribution of and settlement in the region; a historical occurrence that has forged a distinctly new and different society in modern times.

Today, Guyana is making efforts to preserve vast areas of the Guiana Shield, one of the few remaining pristine habitats in the world, and a significant part of the country’s natural heritage.

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Guyana Coat of Arms

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arly Guyana was made up of the two colonies Essequibo and Berbice during the 17th century by the Dutch, its first colonial ruler.

Essequibo was administered by the Dutch West India Company while Berbice was founded and owned by Adriaan van Perre in 1627, though the Dutch West India Company remained somewhat of an overlord.

Demerara became a third colony in 1750, established under the West India Company.

Demerara and Essequibo united in 1787, and Berbice united with the two in 1831 when the three colonies united to become the three counties of British Guiana.

This history led to different heraldic seals or arms being adopted over the periods of colonization until independence.

Dutch rule (1621 – 1803)

The Dutch colonies From 1621 to 1791, the Dutch colonies of Essequibo and Demerara bore the seal of the West India Company, which comprised a Dutch cargo vessel or “fluitschip” sailing to the sinister (the side of the seal or arms that is to the left of the bearer, but to the right of the viewer). It was used for any business within the colonies under direct company rule.

The arms of the Van Perre family was considered the

An earlier misspelling of the motto on colony stamps that reads “Damus Patimusque Vicissim” (We give and expect in return).

Berbice colony heraldry, and was recognized from 1627 to 1713 when it was conquered by the French, and after which the colony was sold in 1714 to four Amsterdam merchants who went on to found The Society of Berbice in 1720.

Dutch Republican Direct Rule When the West India Company was dismantled in 1791, the Republic of the United Netherlands took over the rule of the colonies under the Dutch “Raad der Colonien”, meaning “Council of Colonies”. Its seal from 1792 to 1795 was the arms of the Republic with the legend “Raad Der Colonien”.

Then, in 1795, when the Batavian Republic succeeded the Republic of the United Netherlands, the three colonies became under the jurisdiction of the “West-IndischCommitté” (West-Indian Committee), and the seal was changed to the seal of the committee of the West Indian possessions from 1795-1801.

This seal bore the Batavian lion with a sword and shield on which was inscribed, “Committé tot de West IndischEezittingen”, and over which was a banner labelled “BataafscheRepubliek”.

(Batavian Republic)

British Rule (1796 -1966)

British Guiana: 18311954 Having seized the colonies in 1796 during the French Revolution, it was the British royal coat of arms that was used for official documents of the colonies under British rule. The colonies were returned to the Batavian Republic in 1802, but were seized again by the British during the Napoleonic Wars.

The Republic of the United Netherlands eventually ceded them to Britain in 1814 after the Batavian Republic ended, and the colonies were united in 1831 to become British Guiana.

While it is unclear who designed the British Guiana seal and/or motto (and exactly when), they were both in use after the completion of the Parliament Buildings in 1834, and by 1851 began appearing on colony stamps as a ship sailing to the sinister with the motto “DamusPetimusqueVicissim” below.

It has been noted that the original seal on the banner of Union Lodge, the oldest lodge in Guyana, which was recognized in 1813 by the Grand Lodge of England, contains the phrase “DamusPetimusqueVicissim” on its banner, along with the ship as its arms.

It is however, yet uncertain whether the Lodge adopted the colony motto and seal or if there is any link between the Lodge and the colony seal and motto.

Seal of the Committee of the West Indian possessions 1795-1801

More research is necessary.

Interim Government: 1954-1966 It wasn’t until 1853 that a strap bearing the motto around the arms was introduced, and remained in use until 1954 when Sir Alfred Savage, then governor of the territory, installed an interim government after the suspension of the British Guiana Constitution.

Under the interim government, a new coat of arms was prepared for the colony on Dec. 8, 1954. Comprising a British Blackwell Frigate in a shield in full sail to the sinister, it retained the colony motto inscribed on ribbon below the shield.

Interim coat of arms

Guyana: Independence Day - present As preparations for the colony’s May 26, 1966 Independence Day continued, a Jan. 21, 1966 Royal Warrant granted a new coat of arms.

The arms took symbolism from the country’s indigenous population, its important industries and its natural environment which included its national flower, bird and animal; its motto attempted to encompass the colony’s diverse ethnic mix and the goal of unity.

The new achievement was officially adopted Feb. 25 the same year by British parliament.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

US-based Guyanese humanitarian Onica A. Charles is on an empowering mission to eradicate poverty

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nica A. Charles was born and raised in Guyana.

She faced many challenges and disadvantages during childhood because her family could not have afforded a comfortable life.

Consequently, at the age of 12, Onica and her parents migrated to the U.S.A. seeking better opportunities.

Today, Onica proudly holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations. This was earned in 2007 through Florida International University. In 2009, Onica went on to achieve her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University. While attending that institution, she interned with two local municipalities: the City of Miami Gardens and the City of Sunrise.

Upon graduation, Onica was hired as an Administrative Officer for latter, where she developed Programmed Based Budgeting for the entire city. The struggling little girl was finally a woman of substance, independent and well-respected.

As an undergraduate, Onica was involved in local, national, and international service projects geared to assisting the less fortunate. Giving back to society inspired Onica to developan undying passion for philanthropy.

Onica has travelled to various parts of the world to assist in setting up clinics and centres in order to serve disadvantaged communities.

Onica A. Charles

Initially, she handed out sandwiches to the homeless, but wanted to do more. The philanthropist opened her first childcare facility within a low income neighbourhood in 2011. Little Master’s mission is to provide children ages 1-13with a high quality early learning programme and exceptional care in an environment designed to foster individual growth and development while instilling a love of learning. With her vibrant entrepreneurial spirit, Onica opened a similar facility in Miami called the Little Masters Academy. Both facilities are operated by her and her brother Leyland Charles.

Onica founded the International Children’s Outreach (ICO) in 2007.

It is a charitable organisation in the State of Florida, US. ICO is rec-

ognised by the IRS of the U.S.A. as a tax-exempt charity under Sec. 501c3 of the Revenue Code.

In 2014, she resigned from her position with the government to focus on her philanthropic missions.

Now, through ICO, Onica’s objectives are to encourage and promote the improvement of the lives of destitute children and young people around the world by; provide funds and teaching aids to enhance education opportunities for impoverished students; provide funds and treatment for children with medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS and mental health; provide medical supplies and support to underfunded hospitals and clinics so that impoverished paediatric patients may receive improved care; undertake and support projects

ICO's volunteers in Guyana enjoy putting smiles on children's faces

which enhance a family’s or a community’s ability to care for the health, welfare, or education of its children.

ICO currently operates in the Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, South Africa and the U.S.A. During 2016, Guyana has benefitted from a number of ICO’s outreaches. The first of these outreaches entailed a visit from seven volunteers from Florida International University (FIU) to the St. Ann’s girls’ orphanage in Georgetown. The volunteers spent a week at the orphanage where they were able to bond with the girls and used arts and crafts to help to teach the girls how to express themselves in a way that was positive and useful. By the end of the week, the girls, guided by their new friends, had made pencil holders, toothbrush cases and vases, among other things.

Apart from the time spent at the orphanage, the FIU students were able to visit the ICO community centre currently under construction in Craig, East Bank of Demerara, where they were able to offer the mason some assistance in the construction process.

Finally, the volunteers

Her graduation was a proud moment as it was a step towards empowering herself to empower youths

visited Grove Primary School, East Bank of Demerara, where they were able to participate in ICO’s monthly food hamper distribution programme. Every month at various primary schools ICO distributes hampers consisting of basic food items (rice, sugar, flour, salt, and butter, among others) to the families of impoverished children in the schools.

The second major outreach saw another donation of food items. ICO supplied all of the food to support the two-month ‘summer’ programme of the Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre. The food supplies donated to the children’s aid centre were prepared and presented by volunteers from ICO’s

Guyana chapter, which was “established in accordance with Guyana’s laws” in August 2015.

The third outreach benefitted disadvantaged children. For the past three years, ICO has hosted an annual Back-to-School Fun Day in Guyana. This year,500 book bags and school supplies benefitted children from Ruimveldt’s riverview community, Alexander Village, Diamond/Grove Housing Scheme, Craig, Timehri and Kuru Kururu.

Additionally, many of the 1,000 children that attended the funday were able to access dental services, which, according to Onica, was previously unavailable to them. continued on page 34

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olunteers of the Eco-Lifeguards include students and professionals with “a strong desire for safeguarding the environment for a better Guyana”. The organisation’s activities include, but are not limited to, biodiversity awareness through day trips and camps to observe the nat-

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

members and volunteers who work assiduously in fulfilling the objectives of Eco-Lifeguards.

“During trips to the highway with friends and colleagues, we realised that not many people know of our country's true beauty. As such, we started asking people to come with us on camps, day trips and so on to in-

Eco-Lifeguards work to inspire people to protect ‘the beautiful land of Guyana’

also involved in clean-up exercises, walk-a-tons, runs, food drives for the homeless, blood donation drives, and clothing drives for the homeless, among others.

“What we have noticed, especially with our volunteers, is a clearer understanding of our roles as residents in caring the environment.

Encouraging youths to be eco-lifeguards by getting them involved in projects geared at protecting their environment

Eco-Lifeguards' members work to help fellow Guyanese explore their beloved homeland

ural environment, educational talks and workshops, and engaging youths in personal and community development.

“Guyana is our home and like any good home we believe that all members of the house should contribute positively in some way.With this concept, Eco-Lifeguards was founded in 2013,” Morris Solomon said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Solomon and colleague Mahendra Rammainly manage the organisation with a focus on motivating people to protect their environment by getting involved in conservation activities.

There are also other

form them on the environment and get involved in conservation activities.

These included groups from schools, churches, youth groups and other private groups. We saw that many people were interested based on their comments on Facebook and from public interaction. We have also travelled across Guyana, during our free time, to spread the message of conservation,” Solomon pointed out.

Solomon added that Eco-Lifeguards’ main objective is to learn and teach others about the environment via invited talks, public outreaches, day trips and weekend camps. The group is

We see conservation efforts being adhered to in communities that we revisit and we are seeing a sense of ownership of a clean environment by many residents as well,” Solomon noted.

He also revealed that his group’s activities are all self-sponsored due to entities failing to fulfil promises to help financially. Consequently, Solomon stated that the Guyana Nice Bad initiative was born. This is the tourism arm of EcoLifeguards.

“For a small fee, we are involved in taking people on trips, both day and weekend tours, across Guyana. Our aim is to raise funds for the

group and to also promote the tourism aspect of the many communities we visit. Local tourism has so much potential and we have embraced it wholeheartedly. We

take people on day tours around Georgetown, West Bank/West Coast, and Berbice. We do trips to Lethem, Annai, and Mabaruma as well.

We are into hiking the

the school’s tree planting activities. Additionally, Eco-Lifeguards will be participating in the nursery school's clean-up of the school surroundings activity. Presently, the

Volunteers of all ages participate in Eco-Lifeguards' clean-up campaigns

Kanuku Mountains and exploring the waterways of the Mabaruma/North West area. Through the Guyana Nice Bad initiative we also support strongly those small craft and food businesses that sell local crafts and creole food. All the camps that we do are kept basic and affordable, which means we use tents and sleeping bags all in safe and secure environments, transportation is provided using our own vehicles, food we would cook (it's basically rustic tourism),” Solomon outlined.

Now, Solomon and his team plan on getting more volunteers. He said there are a few upcoming projects that will “require a lot of manpower”. Solomon mentioned Eco-Lifeguards is planning a fundraiser to purchase fans for a nursery school the group recently visited to which they donatedfruit plants for

group is planning its next food drive initiative. This is in addition to the public outreaches that they normally participate in.

“Guyana is a truly beautiful country and sadly many persons have not visited many places here. Our aim is to bring down the cost of local travels so that the ‘ordinary’ Guyanese can experience this country: from drinking coconut water in the country side to bathing in the many creeks on the highway, camping using tents, cooking on firesides, bush cooks, hiking the Kanuku Mountains, enjoying the Rupununi, to bathing in the Hosororo Falls and exploring Mabaruma.

Guyana nice bad and we want all to see this!”

Solomon declared.

For more information, visit Eco-Lifeguards and Guyana Nice Bad pages on Facebook.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Part II

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ritish historian James Rodway (1848 -1926) wrote regularly about the colony of British Guiana, from which today we are able to learn of many aspects of our early history. One such is the story behind the names of the plantations of the day that have now become our towns, villages and neighbourhoods; many others which may also be lost to time and memory. Here is an edited excerpt of his essay entitled, “The Names of our Plantations”, published in the Timehri: the journal of the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society of British Guiana (1911).

Partnerships are represented by Two Brothers, Friends, Two or Three Friends, or between the friends (Tusschen de Vrienden), this last spoiled by leaving out one S, and often reduced to Tuschen. Other friendly names are Friend's Retreat, Friendship and Fellowship; probably also Le Ressouvenir a souvenir of friendship.

Union (Vereenigen) was always useful, as was also Unity.

Loyalty and love of country is shown by Britannia,Waterloo and

Plantation Enmore, East Coast Demerara, c1903

Wellington, Prins Willem V., Hollandia, Zeelandia, Vriesland, Haags Boschand Huis in t' Bosch.

The two last refer to the Palace at The Hague and not as some think to old hags. La Belle Alliance, which settled the peace of Europe, was worth commemorating .

A strong religious feeling is shown by such names as Paradise, Garden of Eden, Land of Canaan, Land of Promise, Land of Plenty , an Angel's rest Engel Rust), an Angel's burgh (Engelenburg), Jerusalem and Salem also Joppa.

Through De Wildernis from Egypt, he passed

Mara where possibly his experiences were bitter, but trusting in Providence expected to come at last to his desired haven.

The Hermitage and the oratory (L'Oratoire) suggest religious retirement, and the pathetic names of De Saffon’s estates penitence, repentance and regret (La Penitence, Le Repentirand Le Regret) seem also to mean deep feelings of remorse, whatever be the truth of the story that one brother killed another in a duel.

Descriptive names are not rare. Position is indicated by Look Out, Belvedere, La Reconnaisanceand Prospect.

Some local

condition is shown by Sandy Point, sand brook (Zandvliet), sand in front (Zandvoort), a brook (Watervliet), Dryshore and

we have however Bush Lot, Woodlands, rough bush (Hardenbosch) and Bushy Park, which last however may be a reminiscence of the English country seat of that name; Hyde Park is obvious, and Park is hardly distinctive.

A reference to snakes appears in Slingeland.

Marshes, like bush, are very common but not distinguished;Poelwyk is a marshy retreat.

The neighbourhood of the sea is shown by Regt door Zee close to the sea,Zeezight, a sea view, Zeelugt sea air, Seafield and Zeeburg a sea castle.

At first sight the eye or hole in the sail appears to refer to a ship, but it is most likely proverbial, Het oog in t’ Zeil, a flaw or drawback, “a blot on the

view are indicated by Greenfield, a beautiful plain Belle Plaine), a fair or wide field (Belfield and Ruimveldt), a beautiful or extensive view(Bellevue and Ruimzigt), a joyful sight (Bly Zight), a happy dale (Blyendaal), a hollow (Hohleval), and a beautiful spot (Schoon Ord).

Freshness and green fields are patent in Spring and Le Printemps, Spring Garden and Le Jardin de Provence; in spring there was La Parfaite Harmonie with the song of birds (Vogelzang).

The grant was a Farmor La Grange, (owner des Granges), a Moor Farm, a Dead Tree Farm.

It was lovely, it was the planter's choice (Mon Choisi), it pleased him (Me Delices); it was well

A photograph taken outside the Great House at the Enmore plantation in British Guiana, c1876 (JohnPlatt photo. http://aaww.org/coolie-woman-gaiutra-bahadur/)

high and dry (Hoog en Droog).

Only up the rivers is high land to be found, it follows therefore that names with mount and hill are very rare; there is however one hill. (Den Heuvel) and bush and hill (StrikenHeuvel).

Bush is too common to be worth distinguishing,

Looking southwards along Camp Street from the intersection of Camp & Regent at St Mary's RC Church circa 1890

Water Street, Georgetown, British Guiana

escutcheon.” A new arrival rowed ashore, hence Strangroen, or perhaps it is a figure of speech, “pulling hard against the stream.”

The drainage is represented by Nooten Zuil and Ahram Zuil, Nooten's and Abram's canals;Swanenschutz is the sluice of Mynheer Swaen.

Flatness and a wide

situated (Welgeleegan), — Goed Bananen Land, a Canefield or Best

Coffee Land.

There was also a good neighbour (Beauvoisin). The village (La Bourgade) seems almost prophetic for the name occurs before Cumingsburg was laid out. (TO BE CONTINUED)

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

A Banquet of Books Part II

By Petamber Persaud

(Extract of an interview with Ric Couchman, in Georgetown, Guyana; September, 2016.

Mr Couchman is an outdoorsman who would be launching four books of poetry on Friday Oct. 21, 2016 at the International Language Institute, Queenstown, Georgetown) PP …. Earlier, we touched on your efforts to put your poetry to music but before we expand on that let’s look at a vexing subject: the decline in the appreciation of poetry.

RC First of all, there is a problem in the way poetry is instructed.

In addition to this, there is the perception on the part of individuals who are not familiar with poetry that poetry is, as I said before, something enigmatic; something only a certain group of individuals understands – so it is entirely closed off to the ordinary people as inaccessible.Well,

Ric Couchman

I’ll like to say that is far from the truth because, as you alluded to in the beginning where prose came out of narrative poetry. Information about what’s happening around in the world, information of things going on in around you in the community – this was presented in narrative poetic form.

The “Iliad” that really great poem of Western civilization; the “Odyssey”, Ovid’s“Metamorphosis”; these were all presented poetically…dramatized, sort of. So there is noth-

ing cryptic/hidden about poetry.

PP And there are the books from the East – the Mahabharata for instance…

RC Oh, the Mahabharata is my favourite book in the entire world. If I was left on a desert island and I was asked what is the one book you would have with you there, it would be the Mahabharata William Buck’s translation of the Mahabharata.

You can’t find a better story about humanity than the Mahabharata.

That’s another book that really influenced my writing.

Since we’re on the Mahabharata, let me say that my religious upbringings also influenced my writing. I was born and raised a Roman Catholic. By virtue of living in Bagotstown, I was exposed to Hinduism - I was immersed in it. My father enrolled me in the masjid in Peter’s Hall; I attended that mosque and I learnt the maktab and learnt some Arabic.

So I was immersed in the religious activities of the village – the funeral

rites, the wedding ceremony; as a child, I just sucked it up all up.

PP It’s time to hear how you treated those experiences in your poetry. So we’ll close with the poem, Bagotstown.

But just before that let me give the opportunity to share your intention to extend the life of your poetry by transforming it into other art forms…

RC What I’ve been doing recently was creating some small videos by having individuals recite the poems to which music is added – finding the sort of music that fits in with the theme of the work.Last week I was having a conversation with a singer/songwriter – a wonderful singer who was voice-trained by his mom – something you don’t hear these days: people doing voice training. Anyhow, I told him about my poetry and he encouraged me to read. While I was reading, he suggested we collaborate… and that was it. He knew a studio around the corner in Queenstown…so last night we recorded a poem “those there before” on the indiscriminate killing of children around the world, destroying our civilization; whileI read, he did his stuff and it was fantastic.

PP It is good that we are finding newer ways of extending the life of our poetry. For instance, the dub poetry and the

Cover of one of Couchman’sbooks

spoken word poetry have a sizable following.Ric, we started by locating you in Bagotstown and I know you have immortalized that place in poetry, so let’s have a piece that poem now.

RC Six o’clock bees and crappoes Announce the coming of night The time when jumbies roam And the moongazer…

Stares sightlessly at the moon And ole higues shed shrivelled skin….

In the distance a comfa drum Measures out its hypnotic beat…

Fathers, mothers,

children, neighbours Gather on front step Sharing stories of Anancy and Balgobin…

PP Thank you.I really wanted to get into this other book “3 am…”

RC The Devil’s Hour PP Not really.

There’s the other side when the muses visit.

It’s that time when we – the writer, artist, and musician create…And this side – the solitary toiling of the writer is seldomseen by people …

Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

Empowering youths to...

from page 31

Onica (seated left third in row) working with children in Guyana

In 2017, ICO will be hosting volunteers from Florida International University in Guyana, St. Lucia and South Africa once again. The volunteers will be executing outreaches in the areas of Domestic Violence, Health and Education, Social development.

Additionally, ICO will be opening its first community in Guyana, which is currently under construction in Craig on the East Bank of Demerara. The centre will boast a library, computer room, kitchen, meditation room and playground. Additionally, the servic-

es of qualified tutors and mentors will be available free of cost to the children and young people of the neighbourhood.One other project anticipated to commence next year include ICO’s Annual Debating Competition.

Onica wholeheartedly believes that “in giving back, you not only learn the value of helping others, you appreciate the opportunities that you were given”.

For more information on Onica’s empowering work, visit International Children's Outreach Inc. (ICO) on Facebook.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Star of the week

Saint Lucia to toughen up on work permits

T

he government of St Lucia plans to give serious consideration to applying tougher requirements for work permit applications, to provide maximum opportunity for job vacancies to be filled from within the country.

Labour Minister Stephenson King made this disclosure during an appearance on News Maker Live on Tuesday, stating that there are many foreign nationals who continue to apply for unskilled and sometimes semi-skilled jobs that could be performed by locals.

The minister said in many instances locals are being denied the opportunity to gain employment.

King said, “In some instances there are Saint Lucians who are applying for work permits for Jamaicans and Guyanese to work for them as domestic workers. And I ask myself the question, can’t they find people in Saint Lucia?… And I wont tell you sometime what they state that they are offering those people.”

While the staff at the Department of Labour main duties are to process work permit applications, King highlighted the need for persons to do further checks and balances, to

I

man Jaisingh is a 21-year-old advocate who is passionate about spreading awareness on mental health issues. Iman currently resides in Pennsylvania, U.S.A., where she is completing her third year at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania pursuing studies in psychology. Recently, Iman competed in the Miss Universe Guyana 2016 pageant, and although she did not win, Iman was able to use the platform given to her via the pageant to spread mental health awareness to secondary school children in Guyana. The advocate believes that informing our younger generations about mental health issues will help to decrease suicides in Guyana. In the future, Iman plans on obtaining her doctorate to become a psychiatrist.

Labour Minister, Stephenson King

ensure that these permits are granted under proper circumstances and there is no exploitation.

The minister said given this loophole, he would therefore recommend a more thorough review of the application process for work permits, where the applicants will have to appear before a panel at the Ministry of Labour, who will then scrutinize the application and determine whether the permit should be granted.

“But it goes back to the point that I have been making to my staff at the ministry, which is, the instrument of work permits must be a tool which drive our programmes in the country to be able to build capacity in our workforce,” he explained.

It therefore means that the ministry should be able to report when there is an increase for a

certain category of workers, so that the government could create special programmes to build a workforce to meet the demands.

“Work permit is a matter that cannot only be seen as a revenue generating issue, but must also be seen as…how do you measure your success with the work programme to reduce the number of applications.”

King noted that there are many Indian nationals who have been granted work permits, and not only have they adapted quickly, but in some cases they possess strong work ethics.

Callers to the programme urged the minister to deal with the issue with some urgency and even recommended that the government impose higher fees for work permits being granted to foreign unskilled workers, especially when there is a workforce here for that.

Currently, Caribbean Commonwealth nationals pay EC$2,000, other Commonwealth nationals EC$7,500, and other nonnationals EC$7,500 each for annual work permits.

Unskilled persons under these categories pay EC$200 for every 12 months.(St Lucia News Online)

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

This week's Crossword

This week's Puzzle

see solution on page 47

Those who would not see…

I

…in politics

n one of the Good Books, it asked why he didn’t speak more directly on nettlesome matters, Jesus replied, “This is why I speak in Parables. Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” Sam Hinds should’ve taken heed of Jesus’ wisdom when he replied to David Hinds on the latter’s charge that the PPP never really did much for African Guyanese – compared to what they did for Indian Guyanese.

So what parable could’ve conveyed his message so that the good professor could’ve accepted it?

The Prodigal son? “There was once a country with a party called the PPP that had two sons – Jagan and Burnham. One day, Burnham collected his inheritance and decided to go off on his own. He unfortunately pretty much not only frittered away his money – but plunged the country deeply into debt. In the meantime Jagan stuck with the PPP and after he died, his successor Jagdeo slowly built back the country.

And even took care of the debt.

Even though Burnham’s children didn’t return to the PPP, Jagan’s successor was determined to mend fences. He ensured they received free electricity for one score years. The other descendants of Jagan were very angry because Jagan’s successor hadn’t told them the half of how much he helped the children of Burnham. Not only that, he’d even taken sugar from the mouth of his children and given them to Burnham’s children.

Finally, very angrily, Jagan’s descendants confronted his successor running the show. And he explained to them: “Weren’t you always with me?

But look how long our cousins were away. And they have lost everything. It is our duty to share and share alike.”

Would this parable have convinced David Hinds that the PPP and Jagan’s successor had played fair with the African Guyanese citizens during their regime?

Your Eyewitness doubts it. Even if Jesus himself had returned on his promised “second coming” in this divided land, it mightn’t have made a difference.

The fact of the matter is that even if PPP had done a million things for the PNC’s constituency – and vice versa – it wouldn’t have mattered. Though seeing, they see not. That’s how the cookie crumbles in deeply divided societies.

In these places the people want to see their “own” faces reflected at the top. So what to do? One would’ve thought the answer was self-evident. Let the heirs of Burnham and Jagan come together as it was in the beginning – before the inheritance was split. Even they had understood and proposed that solution but it never happened.

But after talking the talk, Burnham’s successors want to keep it all. To ruin once again? …any mote in their party’s eye A corollary to the refusal to acknowledge any positives of “the other party” in divided societies is a willingness to forgive the sins of “your party”. Even when you know they’re dead wrong on an issue and contemptuously so, to boot. Is anyone surprised City Hall just inked the contract for parking meters that’s more crooked than barbed wire?

The PPP councillors voted against it… while the AFC councillors – including the Deputy Mayor abstained.

But all the PNC councillors raised their hands and shouted “Aye”!! So for the rest of the millennium – unless rising seas levels solve the problem – workers, visitors and shoppers to Georgetown will be shelling out more money to park than New Yorkers do. Even though each of them – apart from the Gang of Four – knows it’s a hustle.

But (political) blood’s thicker than water! …any good Another idiosyncrasy of divided societies is not to acknowledge good qualities in the leaders of the “other”. Witness Jagdeo’s acclaim in Miami – even being given the (gold) key to the city – but badmouthed by the government’s local partisans.

But hadn’t Jesus explained this, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.”

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

TRAVEL & tOURISM 37

As the sun sets the views get more spectacular

R

upununi is one of the last great wilderness areas on the planet and a biological treasure trove with a level of species richness on par with that of all of western Amazonia.

Since the 17th century when Sir Walter Raleigh was convinced that the Rupununi was the location of the mythical El Dorado, this remarkable area has captured the imaginations of explorers and naturalists.

But El Dorado lives on. Travelling from Yupukari,

A view of El Dorado

Rupununi – more than 45 minutes of expansive landscape – there lies, among the beauty of Guyana’s interior savannah, El Dorado.

It is a picturesque location in the Rupununi savannahs decorated with the calm waters of Lake Amucu and teeming with life.

As the sun sets, El Dorado shines.

It is a view that will take your breath away!

Exploring El Dorado offers an unforgettable journey. (Photos by Rupununi Learners Inc.)

El Dorado teeming with beautiful plants and insects

Infinite land and sky- the reason the Rupununi is renowned as one of Guyana's most spectacular locations to visit

38 art & culture

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Stephen Singh

Artist Stephen Singh

P

Detailed pencil drawing of a heart

ossessing an innate talent for pencil drawing, Stephen Singh is following a path to become a notable artist.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Stephen said

master painters, such as Michelangelo, Leonard da Vinci, Rembrandt and Vincent Van Gogh, inspired him to draw.

Famous artworks such as “The Last Supper” (a mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci), “The Creation of Adam” (painting by

"The Eye"

Michelangelo), “The Birth of Venus”(painting byItalian painter Sandro Botticelli) and “The Mona Lisa” (a mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci) provide inspiration for Stephen.

“I was not always into arts, but more into sports and reading. I started drawing after secondary school and picked it up seriously in 2013. My friend gave me an art book and suggested I use charcoal, which made my drawings look more realistic. I mainstreamed into drawing portraits particularly with graphite and charcoal pencil. I also did inking, airbrush, painting, tattooing and wood carving. For additional inspiration, I talk to other young artists,” Stephen noted.

The artist makes comparison between his artistic method to that of German composer and pianist, Beethoven.

“Beethoven can look at a piano and know exactly where to put his fingers to compose a symphony without anyone telling him. Similarly,

when I look at a place, person or thing, I have already drawn a picture of it in my mind. The possibilities of art are endless and this is what drives me to draw. Also, I do it because of a simple notion, ‘I can, I know I can and know I will’,” Stephen declared.

According to Stephen, art is a hobby for now and a means of “earning an extra income, which usually goes back into purchasing art supplies”.

Although a hobby, for Stephen art means a catharsis of emotions. He does not aimlessly draw, but strives to incorporate deeper meaning, and capture details and intricacies, which set him apart as an artist. He enjoys drawing portraits and figures with an aim to make these look as realistic as possible.

When examining his intricate drawings, one would be amazed to learn that Stephen has never attended any art institutions. His natural skill to create astonishing artworks is admirable.

Currently, the selftaught artist is working on promoting his art, and hopes to one day gain international recognition for his pencil drawings.

“For now, I’m gaining popularity via social media. My advice to young artists is to love whatever you draw and to use critiques as a motive to excel at drawing. There is no right way to draw or right technique to draw, however, whatever you draw should be your own

Stephen drawing "The Astronaut"

style. Also, I want to encourage all other artists to look beyond borders and to see artworks from other parts of the world and learn from them, don't be confined to only local arts. Not only arts, but in everything you do,

try to break borders and language barriers; be the writer of your own story, it will be retold,” the artist expressed.

For more information, visit SS Artworks on Facebook or call 6182346.

Intricate pencil drawing of a flower

"The Astronaut"

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

A new American race group W

By Ryhaan Shah

hile Guyana is desperately trying to erase racial differences to support the ill-conceived idea that this will create racial unity and harmony, the United States is considering adding a category to its official list of race groups in order to make sure that every citizen’s identity is respected and that there is equality and justice for every American.

The new racial category being proposed by the White House Office of Management and Budget would be assigned to citizens from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) who feel that they are not properly represented by any of the categories in census data and other official records. They are currently considered “white”; a classification which they say does not reflect their ethnicity and heritage. The Arab American Institute has advocated for this change for over 30 years citing that the exclusion has made MENA groups virtually invisible.

The new classification would result in the proper compiling of data on MENA groups especially with regards to discrimination against them, whether it is in housing, employment, schools, etc. This would help right wrongs and produce better policies to ensure that they receive equal treatment under the law. The proposal to create the MENA racial category points up the importance that the US Government gives to their citizens’ respective race, culture and heritage – a policy that exists in Guyana only in name.

Since independence, there has been a decided effort by the two racebased parties, the PPP and PNC, to erase the differences between the racial/ethnic groups and to create “oneness”. This advantages both parties which continue to claim that they represent all Guyanese.

The optics, of course, prove this a lie but if they can get every Guyanese citizen to stop seeing racial differences and to stop identifying themselves with ethnic/ racial prefixes – Indian Guyanese, African Guyanese, etc. – they will manage to get away with

the lie which negates any effort on their part to find solutions to the racial divide, the divide that is the main contributor to Guyana’s continuing underdevelopment.

To their credit, the parties have succeeded in large measure with their propaganda. Some Guyanese vigorously defend it while some are confused on the issue of identity. Most will tell you that they believe that sameness equals unity and that difference translates into divisiveness no matter all the examples of largely homogenous populations – ie, people who look alike – in India, Africa and the Middle East that are mired in tribal or religious conflict.

Most media houses promote the political parties’ agenda and while ethnic and cultural groups are tolerated, their representation is largely confined to cultural and religious compartments.

Their displays of staged exotica allow politicians to praise the nation’s diversity even as they push “oneness” as the ideal. A forked tongue is an essential tool in local politics.

Ethnic cleavage does not have to be Guyana’s future but to get to a unified national position would require open and honest dialogue that would allow the nation as a whole to come to terms with the truths of our history – both preand post-independence – that have led to the everwidening racial divide.

The USA, Canada and European countries are mainly homogenous and actively pursue policies of inclusion and cohesion for minorities in order to build stable and progressive societies.

Guyana with its six minority groups present different challenges and the social cohesion framework, borrowed from Europe, is nothing but a costly and timewasting distraction that serves as a cover for the Granger Government as it pursues what appears to be a racist policy that targets Indian Guyanese businesses and public servants.

Positive change will follow naturally when there is rigorous constitutional reform that acknowledges the racial/political divide and institutes laws

and regulations that will create a fair, just and equitable political arrangement whether it is a shared Government or a coalition in which all the peoples of Guyana will be represented.

In the US, there are critics who fear that the new MENA racial classification, if approved, could lead to these groups being monitored and targeted especially given the Islamophobia that currently obtains and that many might not check the new box on census forms for fear of retribution especially if Donald Trump wins the presidency.

However, most MENA groups welcome the move towards inclusion. Most see it as an example of America enriching its

fabric of diversity. Their official inclusion, they feel, speaks to what it means to be American.

And, so, America continues to progress and Guyana, with its push for “oneness”,

continues to check the box for failure.

40 news

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Cholera and famine fears rise in Haiti H

aiti faces the risk of famine after Hurricane Matthew left the country devastated, interim president Jocelerme Privert warned on Tuesday. The storm killed 1,000 people and has aggravated a cholera outbreak.

Privert said famine could grip the impoverished country in

the next three or four months if necessary steps were not taken in a timely manner.

Hurricane Matthew destroyed up to 80 percent of crops in some areas, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. For an economy looking to revive its agricultural sector,

this was a devastating blow. According to the Financial Times, Haiti’s agriculture was expected to attract 73 percent investment and create 74 percent of the country’s new jobs in the Fiscal Year 2014-15.

“But the concern is if we don’t take action now for the longer impact… three to four

People walk along a street in downtown Jeremie Haiti, Thursday October 6, 2016. Hurricane Matthew passed over Haiti on Tuesday October 4, 2016, with heavy rains and winds. While the capital Port au Prince was mostly spared from the full strength of the class 4 hurricane, the western cities of Les Cayes and Jeremie received the full force sustaining wind and water damage across wide areas. (Photo Logan Abassi UN/MINUSTAH)

months when the foods stop coming, we are going to have a real famine,” Privert was quoted as saying by the BBC. “What I saw with my eyes yesterday will take a lot of effort to work on the reconstruction part of what

has been destroyed,” he added.

The call for action comes as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also urged the international community to engage in a “massive response” to help the calamity-stricken people of Haiti.

“A massive response is required,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters.

“Some towns and villages have been almost wiped off the map,” he said.

Matthew, the fiercest hurricane to hit the continued on page 42

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

British induced famines and Indian Indentureship

B

etween 1838 and 1917, 239,000 Indians were brought as “indentured labourers” for the sugar plantations of Guyana – and a like number to the West Indies. The question arises as to why these persons left their country when their custom forbade “crossing the “Black Waters” (Kala Pani)”.

The short answer is structurally, it was ultimately a matter of life and death.

While indentured labour might be seen as a transitory passage of human labour from chattel slavery to the so called “free labour” of today, the conditions that herded Indians into that option were man made. The sugar planters had no faith freed Africans would sell their labour at a rate to make sugar profitable.

They therefore actively sought a new supply that would guarantee such cheap labour on demand. But where would such rates that could not attract freed slaves be a “pull factor” for indentureship? The answer was British India.

The story begins in 1757 when the troops of the British East India Company captured Bengal from the Moguls and completed their inexorable conquest of the legendarily rich India within 50 years.

Less than a decade later – between 1768 and 1771 from Bengal andeastern Bihar (from where most Guyanese immigrants originated) – more than 10 million persons: one third of the population – died from a “famine”.

Why? Two reasons.

Firstly, the farmers that supplied the bulk of the population with foodstuffs were forced by the British into producing cash crops for export – even while they were forced to pay onerous taxes at the threat of death and violence.

We quote the words of then British

Governor, Warren Hastings who boasted to the home office: “Notwithstanding the loss of at least onethird of the inhabitants of the province, and the consequent decrease of the cultivation, the net collections of the year 1771 exceeded even those of I768… It was naturally to be expected that the diminution of the revenue should have kept an equal pace with the other consequences of so great a calamity. That it did not was owing to its being violently kept up to its former standard.”

The cash crops the farmers were forced to grow included cotton, opium, indigo and, as described above, this was simply to keep paying off the extortionate demands of the British who exported rice and wheat even during the famines. Millions were also thrown out of work when the British forbade Indian weavers from producing cotton yarn and the cotton fabrics that had enthralled Europe.

Henceforth, only cotton woven by British looms could be sold in India! Where were the weavers to get the money to buy food much less clothes? Incidentally, Britain became the largest drug dealers up to the present where the opium – up to 800 tons annually – were shipped to China so that the British could buy Chinese tea.

Between the Bengal famine of 1768 and the end of Indentureship in 1917, conservatively, over 54 million Indians perished from famine.

In the book Late Victorian Holocausts (2001) Mike Davis describes how Viceroy Lord Lytton, insisted that wheat be exported to England. In 1877 and 1878, at the height of the famine when 10.3 million persons perished, grain merchants exported a record 800,000 tons of

By Ravi Dev wheat and 1.9 million tons of rice. As the peasants began to starve, officials were ordered “to discourage relief works in every possible way”.

And this is why the upsurge of indentured Indians correlated with the British-induced famines.

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Cholera and famine fears rise ...

from page 40

Caribbean in a decade, levelled homes, contaminated water sources and killed livestock, with victims pleading for help to arrive quickly.

The United Nations launched a $120 million flash appeal to cover Haiti’s needs for the next three months.

The UN’s World Food Programme has begun distributions from food stocks previously set aside for schools to feed hun-

dreds of desperate families, spokesman Alexis Masciarelli said.

At least 26 more tonnes had been moved to one of the worst-hit cities, Jeremie, for distribution, and more was on its way to Les Cayes, the other major city affected on the peninsula, he said.

UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien said the hurricane had triggered the worst humanitarian crisis in the country since the

2010 earthquake.

Cholera Haiti has been grappling with cholera since 2010 when an epidemic ended up killing at least 10,000 people.

Some say the outbreak never ended.

Hurricane Matthew has caused a resurgence of the killer disease as both fatalities and cases are on the rise. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on October 11 that it will send 1 million

doses of cholera vaccine to Haiti.

“The decision was made yesterday to deploy (an) additional one million doses and we have two options for using them, we can use the classic strategy with two doses, therefore we are going to cover half a million people, if I am good at maths. We can also go for a single dose campaign, which would be easier to implement, and that will help cov-

er one million people,” WHO cholera expert Dominique Legros told reporters during a news briefing in Geneva.

From 2010 to date, Haiti has recorded almost 800,000 cases of cholera mainly because of a lack of access to safe water. For 2016, there have been 29,000 reported cases, almost 800 cases a week.

“In [the] context of [the] hurricane, therefore floodings, there-

fore potential contamination of the drinking water by faecal sludge, we are quite concerned by the risk of further increase of cholera cases,” Legros said.

The widespread flooding is expected to spread sewage from the country’s poor sanitary systems, carrying cholera bacteria.

Nearly 200 cases of cholera have surfaced after the hurricane.

(TRT World)

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Three Cubans T&T Attorney General faces questions over photos of children land in court over bogus immigration with high-powered weapons claims, photos of two teenagers, a boy and girl, training with high-tech weapons, surfaced online. Asked if he was not concerned that photos of his children could be online, Al-Rawi said photos could be altered with the technology available today. He said he was concerned about the source of the pictures.

(Trinidad Guardian)

A

ttorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed on Tuesday that his family had received a threat assessment and instruction from the army after he received several deaths threats since he assumed office last year.

He made the comment during a hastily called news conference outside Parliament, as he responded to suggestion in the House of Representatives earlier by Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal that a Cabinet minister’s children had been photographed with guns.

While he described Moonilal as reprehensible for making the allegations, he confirmed that since he assumed office in September 2015 he was the subject of countless death threats.

He said as a consequence, a threat assessment “on the AG and his family was conducted by the security agencies in T&T.” He said after the treat assessment was conducted, “the security agencies indicated that it was imperative that international protocols for training how (when) people are exposed to threats had to be delivered by the security forces to me and to my family.”

He said: “Upon the instructions of the army in particular, my family was taken up to the Cumuto base where instructions (about) threats to our persons were provided.”

Al-Rawi said the pro-

…as Moonilal talks of Minister’s relatives with guns in online photos

T&T Attorney General, Faris Al-Rawi

tocols were “very carefully directed under the supervision of the army at all points in time.

They went through what threats look like, what panic can cause in the middle of a threat against your life, how aggressors behave, how the personal security in these situations behave and what is to be expected.”

He said both himself and Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs, Stuart Young, were the recipients of “umpteen death threats” since assuming office, adding Young also received similar threat assessments with him at one point.

However, Al-Rawi said he wanted to say categorically that “for someone such as Roodal Moonilal, who acted as prime minister of T&T, to raise the issue of children in a budget debate I find most reprehensible.”

“This was a simple matter of security, making sure that their targets of protection are or-

ganised and informed on their international protocols,” he said, adding that he was “very comfortable that my position is clear and I hold DrMoonilal in serious contempt of morality.”

The AG said for the Opposition MP “to drag (my) family members and particularly teenaged children into a conversation for political mileage is nothing short of the lowest, most base form of engagement in the politics of T&T.” He insisted the threat assessment against him was “significant” and receives constant attention by the security authorities. He said for security reasons he was not prepared to say more on the matter, but admitted that his family benefitted from international protocols on threat assessment. He confirmed that “it was under the direct care and supervision of the special forces and the army itself and it was entirely in their camp.”

Within hours of Moonilal making the

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday produced photographs of children who he claimed have a striking resemblance to senior Government officials posing with UMP 9mm guns which the T&T Defence Force uses.

Outraged by the photographs, Moonilal said he intended to send to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi copies of the pictures for their perusal and to take action since it was “wrong.”

He said we cannot build a society when we encourage children to use guns as “if it was a game and toy,” stating that there were Government members who “inadvertently, by their utterance, was encouraging crime.”

Moonilal said the photographs could be viewed on a Facebook page named “Kick out the PNM.” He made the disclosure while delivering his contribution in the budget debate yesterday, which created an uproar in the House of Representatives.

stamps in passport

A

Police Prosecutor was reprimanded by a City Magistrate after indicating to the court that he has no objections to three Cubans being released since the prosecution will be withholding their passports as evidence.

The three Cubans were charged for forging Guyana Immigration stamps in their Cuban passports.

The Magistrate im-

Ambassador is available to pick them up.

The Magistrate added that the Cuban passports should have been lodged at the Embassy of Cuba.

The three Cubans – Alvin Rodrigues, 44; Andez Rodrigues, 38; and Alleen Abask, 34; were each granted G$80,000 bail for forging Guyana Immigration stamps into their Cuban passports.

It was alleged that

mediately questioned the basis on which the Prosecutor was holding on to the Cuban Government’s property.

The City Magistrate then ordered the Police Prosecutor to read the fine print in the passports, but the Prosecutor explained that he was unable to do so, given the language barrier.

The Prosecutor said they will seek advice on their next move.

The City Magistrate told the three Cubans, through a Spanish translator, that the court will keep the passports in safe custody until the Cuban

on October 9, 2016, at Moleson Creek, Corentyne, with the intent to defraud a Police Constable of three Republic of Cuba passports in favour of themselves, the trio forged Guyana Immigration stamps purporting to show the same to ranks of the Immigration Department at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, knowing same to be false.

The men are scheduled to make their next court appearance on October 25, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for assignment and statements.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Exploitation of Guyana’s oil resource must be balanced with environmental responsibilities –Greenidge

E

x p l o i t i n g Guyana’s newfound oil resource must be balanced against environmental responsibilities and climate change. Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl

Greenidge, said that this is part of the reality that has to be confronted in the development of an oil and gas sector.

Speaking at the launch of the Guyana Oil and Gas Association last evening, Greenidge said that as a signatory to several initiatives to protect the environment and guard against climate change, Guyana must not become dependent on the oil sector.

He said revenues

from the oil industry should be used to diversify the economy particularly along the lines of the green economy. “I believe that the greatest promise lies in ensuring that the resources are used for enabling us to diversify our economy, diversify the human resource skills and capacities that we have so this remains to us a primary target in developing the resource to make sure that exploitation of the resource goes hand in

hand with the enhancement of the quality of the human resources,” Greenidge explained.

The transformative possibilities for Guyana’s economy are vast when oil begins generating revenues. However, it will not be immediate.

Minister Greenidge added that in developing the oil and gas sector, the government must ensure that it does not fall into the “resource curse” like neighbouring Venezuela.

“It is our intention to

make sure that resources are used in a manner that will enable us to diversify across a significant spectrum of activities from industrial activities, oil related activities as well as services, and this I think is the defence we have against the so called resource curse,” Greenidge pointed out.

To reduce the likelihood of dependency on this new sector, the vice President said that the government is committed to ensuring that oil and gas resources are used to create greater prosperity and opportunities “for future generations particularly through the sustainable investment of resources.”

The Minister added that careful attention to issues of governance, transparency and participation by national and foreign elements in the economy will also be an area of emphasis in the development of the oil and gas sector. (GINA)

Caribbean Islands share climate change adaptation plans

R

epresentatives from 11 Caribbean countries and development agency partners are meeting in Grenada's capital of St George's this week to discuss strategies to prepare for the impact of climate change.

Grenada held the final consultation for its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) on Tuesday, October 11, and will now host peers from the region to share lessons from its experience through a two-day regional workshop.

"Here in Grenada, we don't have to look far to see the impacts of climate change. We experience them every day," said Senator Simon Stiell, minister of state with responsibility for the environment.

"Grenada's NAP process will help protect against the potentially devastating effects of extreme weather like Hurricane Ivan in 2004. We look forward to sharing what we have learned about na-

tional adaptation planning with others in the Caribbean community to build our countries' resilience to climate change," added Kevin Andall, permanent secretary with responsibility for human resource development and the environment.

The NAP process was created by the United Nations as an opportunity for countries to plan for sustainable development in the face of climate stress. The Paris Agreement calls on all countries to engage in NAP processes, with each country's NAP driven by its unique adaptation needs.

Hosted jointly by Grenada's Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development and the Environment; the UNDP JapanCaribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP); and the NAP Global Network, the NAP assembly will see adaptation planners sharing experiences of national adaptation planning and action.

The Caribbean NAP Assembly aims to outline next steps in the NAP process for countries in the Caribbean region, and how development partners, such as USAID and the UNDP J-CCCP, can coordinate their support to help countries to advance their National Adaptation Plans.

"Climate change effects pose a serious threat to the livelihoods of many Caribbean people," said Anne Hammill, director of the NAP Global Network secretariat.

PROTECTING COMMUNITIES

"Through robust national adaptation planning processes that consider the needs of different key sectors like agriculture, health and tourism, countries can make important strides toward protecting vulnerable communities and ecosystems," she added.

In addition to Grenada, participating countries include Antigua and Barbuda,

Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname.

"UNDP's commitment to addressing climate change challenges within the region is certainly seen with the advent and subsequent activities of the J-CCCP," said ChisaMikami, UNDP's deputy resident representative.

"Japan is dedicated to promoting climate-resilient development approaches in the Caribbean, and has been making key investments in climate change adaptation technologies in the region," she added.

"This workshop is a great opportunity for our colleagues to learn more about the NAP process with the added value of learning from peers. We are keen to have these shared experiences enhance efforts to advance respective NAP processes," Mikami said further.

(Jamaica Gleaner)

Bigger government…

W

…for smaller economy

hat’s it with this government? Big government has been rejected by every sane country of the world yet they’ve decided to move full steam ahead in the opposite direction? Initially, when Prezzie announced a mind boggling 27 Ministers for his administration for a country with a smaller population than any main street (say, Broadway) in any major city in the US – your Eyewitness thought he was trying to be a political hipster. You know… all retro like back in the day with a Minister for every day of the month!

The US, mind you, with over 300 million people has only 15 Secretaries – as their “Ministers” are modestly called… but what do THEY know? But then there emerged a pattern: there was a method to the seeming madness and it was all explained when Prezzie announced that the government was still guided by the “philosophy” of the founder leader of the PNC, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.

And what was that philosophy, you ask dear reader? When it came to governments, Burnham insisted that “bigger was better”. This was so for the simple reason he believed the ordinary citizen was just clueless when it came to accomplishing anything.

They were just so… undisciplined!! They needed to be led – and for this you needed leaders. He of course, was the Supremo who had so many powers, that he needed four Vice Presidents to assist him.

So if Burnham had four Vice Presidents… we have to appoint the same number. Never mind the title has no relationship to any responsibility the appointee had to take care of. Quick now… what exactly is Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge doing as a “Vice President”? Don’t even get your Eyewitness started on KhemrajRamjattan!! And with that as background, you’ll now appreciate why OP – now called Ministry of the Presidency – needs more space. Gotta have people to keep track of all those Vice Presidents!!

But if you really do as Burnham did, you have to position your big and growing government on top of a shrinking economy. Why? Well jeez! Right now our economy is owned by all those private capitalists – and this just won’t do. But you can’t just nationalise them like back in Forbes days. So you let them die in the vine by not providing any stimulus or other monetary or fiscal help.

And then in a few years you just let them fall into the many hands of the government that’s been recruited and waiting!

Yes, dear reader – that’s why you have 27 Ministers and counting! …and diversifying sugar After slavery and Indentureship were tried as ways of providing labour to produce sugar, a well-meaning big one of sugar interests decided he’d try another way. Fella’s name was Lord Campbell. He thought, why not have the workers lease lands and plant the cane themselves as small farmers? They could then sell the cane to the factories.

He tried the experiment at Wales. In one phase he actually had houses built for the workers (Belle Vue) from where they could mosey over to their farms. No “drivers” and “overseers” to humiliate and exploit them. Another phase was to have farmers with large plots of their own land do the same thing.

And at Wales you have the largest acreage of land in Guyana under cultivation by the descendants of African slaves.

And what does our Big Government do? With absolutely no consultation, as Burnham had done back in his day, they commanded that “diversification” was now the mantra.

So whether they like it or not… some “independent” farmers will have to plant rice. For which there’s no market. …for prosecuting bad guys In case you wondered why the AG Chambers had to also spread their wings – even if it means expropriating your Ambassador’s property! – remember they’re the government’s lawyers.

And if they’ve done all those audits to identify the bad guys (read PPP ex-officials) who’s gonna put them behind bars?

47

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

www

Goddesses and violence against females

Soylent green

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atiricus was smiling. And this pleased his buddy Cappo as much as the information that September had been the hottest month in the history of the planet. He didn’t have to argue too much with his wife about slipping out to the Back Street Bar to “cool off”.

A smiling Satiricus meant he didn’t have to pay for the beers.

“Suhwha’ mek yuh suh happy, Sato?” he asked as they took their first swig from their sweating bottles.

“You wouldn’t believe this! “Satiricus exclaimed.

“Try me, na,” replied Cappo laconically.

“I’m really green with envy,” Satiricus continued. “How come my Editor hadn’t thought of it?”

“Ah wha’ yuh talk about?”Cappo demanded.

“Me nam?n’readah yuh know!”

“Well you know I read the Chronic on my computer in the morning, don’t you?” Satiricus asked Cappo who nodded. “Well imagine my surprise when I saw that all the top headlines and picture borders were in green!”

“Suhwha special ’bout da?”Cappo wanted to know.

“My friend, that means the Editor understands the philosophy of the Government,” said Satiricus who still couldn’t contain his excitement. “And he is conveying it without words!”

“Me still na know wha’ yuh talk bout,” Cappo confessed.

“Sometime I wonder about you, Cappo,” said Satiricus shaking his head. “THE CHRONIC’S GONE GREEN!! This is the philosophy of the Government!”

“An’ ‘e na gat nutten fuh do wid APANU collla green?” Cappo asked Satiricus in disbelief.

“Why do you always have to be so cynical,” Satiricus demanded. “First of all, no selfrespecting Editor would agree to use a party colour as his paper’s colour.”

“Really?” said Cappo with a snort.

“Yes, really! The paper is owned by the state and not the Government,” insisted Satiricus.

“And secondly, it’s a coalition Government and the parties COLOURS are green and yellow!”

“An’ yuh really t’inkyuhyella KFC party gat any say in dis?” Cappo wanted to know.

“Of course!”Satiricus assured his friend.

“Even Nagga Man and the Jhaat gone green now!”

Cappo didn’t say anything. He wanted to continue enjoying free beer.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

T

Anu Dev

onight (last Sunday) will be the ninth night of the NauRatri (literally “nine nights”) festival that we Hindus specifically set aside twice annually to worshipping God as “female”.

As a Hindu young woman, whose chosen form to worship God female – in my case specifically Saraswati, in whom all knowledge reposes and emanates – I’ve sometimes wondered how some Hindu men who also worship the Divine in her various female forms and incarnations, can inflict violence on females. But of course, violence against women isn’t confined to Guyana and certainly not only to Hindus.

It’s just that since we Hindus are supposed to have elevated women to the ultimate Divinity I was kind of hoping our menfolk would’ve seen us as in a bit kinder light

than those from other religions that insist that God is male. And who might need to use a “rod of correction” ever so often.

In Hinduism, by contrast, while God is ultimately beyond categories – including sex or gender – the conceived female aspects are actually endowed with the Shakti – or animating power.

In other words, the male manifestations are posited as completely inert (Pakriti) without the female. Can’t do a thing!

So we have, for instance, the Creator Vishnu with his female counterpart Lakshmi. She’s the power behind whatever “creation” – or “projection” as we Hindus prefer – that’s going on. One third of Hindus are “Shaktas” – whose major object of worship is the Mother in her various manifestations. In Guyana, most Shaktas originated in South India and are lumped together as “Madrassis”, since they left India from the port of Madras.

While Vishnu was incarnated first as fish, tortoise, boar and halfman/half-lion, in all his

human incarnations – whether as Ram or Krishna – Vishnu is accompanied by his Shakti.

As Ram, for instance, his double is Sita. Bringing matters to the human level then, supposedly to provide a model for us to imitate, when one marries, the women is said to be “the Lakshmi of the house”. In offering prayers to the Divine, the male householder is incomplete and the offerings aren’t accepted if he’s not accompanied by his “Lakshmi”.

So what gives with all this wife beating and violence against females in our society?? Why hasn’t our elevation of women among Hindus as Goddesses increased respect for women? Well for one, in the “modern” world, we have all accepted that “religion” is just one aspect of “life”.

Religion as a seamless, integral way of life as posited by Hinduism is “old fashioned” and “backward. Traditional Hinduism, we are convinced, can’t be “modern”. So our menfolk worship the Mother of the temple in the temple and then knock around the

“Mother of the House” in the house.

The view that the man is the owner of all he surveys – in reflection of the man with the grey beard who’s floating in the sky above looking down at us – undergirds what is called “patriarchy”. In modern Hindu homes, unlike the original model of society in which the female was the boss in her own domain, boys and men are still socialised to see females as “their own”. And in a capitalist society, this becomes translated as their “property”. And more to the point “sexual property” which he “jealously” guards.

If we’re ever going to get rid of this mind numbing violence that’s inflicted daily on females, this structural power imbalance between males and females which starts in the home – ironically by mothers – must be eliminated.

What was it they said about “the hands that rock the cradle”? It can help to make “ruling the world” a bit more fair.

All hail the Devi! Like a boss.

Anomalies…

H

…in power

istory’s replete with stories of small fellas who’ve brought “big ones” down low. We’ve all heard of Jack of “the Axe” fame… the kid who chopped down that Beanstalk and brought that fierce giant tumbling down. And then of course there’s David of biblical renown who took on – and then took out – the mighty Goliath. Well, it seems we’ve just discovered our own giant killer in Guyana – and he’s another David: David Patterson.

Pressed at the latest AFC press conference as to what was the denouement on the pitched rear-guard action they’d fought after claiming that too much power was accreted into the person of Minister of State Joe Harmon, Patterson claimed they’d cut him down to size. Pressed further if he’d care to elaborate on exactly what “powers” had been “cut”, Patterson coyly allowed he wasn’t one to boast!! And that the evidence was there to see!

Now while your humble Eyewitness would love to have an addition into the ranks of the modest and unassuming, he does think Patterson’s being more than a tad disingenuous. Right off the bat… the AFC’s grouse wasn’t just that Harmon was exercising too much power – but that these powers should’ve been more properly situated in that paragon of modesty, our recently self-confessed Tamilian PM, Moses Nagamootoo.

Now this Eyewitness never really felt Harmon was encroaching on anyone’s turf – least of all the PM. Like all good aide de camps, all he was doing was ensuring that his principal’s instructions were carried out. When slackers – like so many from the AFC camp congenitally are – fell down on the job, Harmon was forced to step in. But because they were showed up for the slackers they were, it bred resentment in the AFC executive.

Rather than thanking Harmon for saving their a55es, they sulked, stamped their feet and finally had a retreat (beat a retreat?) to draw some line in the sand.

All the retreat did, however, was to precipitate the departure of their Chairman! But Patterson thinks he’s being clever to ask reporters to show where Harmon’s now overstepping his remit. Wouldn’t a better proof of the AFC’s and Patterson’s giant killing skills be to show where the PM’s powers have been restored?

What about their pet peeve about the PM not been allowed to coordinate all the other Ministers as far as it had to do with his remit of “governance”.

Which is where they griped Harmon was muscling in.

For example, exactly what has the PM done to get Patterson to find out exactly what’s going on with the blackouts?

And if Harmon had stepped it, they’d be bitching about “power grab”!! What wankers!! …in responsibilities In Guyana, very few in the government appreciate the role of the Board of Directors of government corporations. And it’s really torpedoing their hopes of running this ship of state. A Board is responsible for setting policies for the corporation and then ensuring the management, headed by the CEO and his Executives, “execute” – as in “carrying out” – those policies. Not “execute” as in “killing” those policies – which seems to be the understanding of some in this government.

Take GWI… where the Chairman of the Board just resigned because the CEO’s doing whatever he damn well feels and – sensing where the winds’ blowing from above – some in the Board’s not willing to bell the CEO. Chairman Hinds has done the right and honourable thing – since ultimately he has a fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders of his corporation – the people of Guyana. He doesn’t want to be a “rubber stamp”.

Unlike the Chairman of GuySuCo, who allowed the government to bypass him and his Board to close Wales Estate! …in aid In the aid game, the recipient’s merely the conduit via which the aid’s returned to the giver.

Like with the $62M the US donated to prepare us for joining the EITI. The money goes to the US based Carter Centre!

48 Bollywood

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Animation genre is I’m not a movie difficult: Farah Khan person, says Kajol

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he has been a part of showbiz for over three decades, and delivered hits like “Karan Arjun”, “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…”. But actress Kajol says she doesn’t like to watch movies as much as she enjoys reading.

“I don’t watch movies. I really don’t.

I’m not a movie person! But my guilty pleasure are my books actually. I read

a lot of books. I love vampires, werewolves, everything with fangs and abnormalities on them,” Kajol said in a statement.

The actress spoke about her preferences during an episode of a TV show.

She became a part of the show with her mentor and close friend Mickey Contractor.

Kajol, who was last seen on the silver screen in “Dilwale” with superstar Shah Rukh Khan, also added that she is currently reading the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.

The mother of two said: “I’m a big believer in reading. I believe that children should read. I believe that regardless of gender, they should read because I believe in armchair travelling, I believe that it expands the mind. I believe that it makes you a better person, much more well informed.

“I think reading is a habit that everybody should cultivate.” (Indian Express)

Sunny Leone against cruelty to animals

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ctress Sunny Leone says she is against any type of cruelty to animals. Sunny last week visited the office of animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals here after she heard about Lucy, one of three puppies found abandoned in a box in the rain.

While the other two puppies couldn’t make it, Lucy turned out to be a fighter and is slowly recuperating with the help of vets. Sunny took it upon herself to help in finding a family who wanted to adopt the pup.

Talking about her love for animals, Sunny said in a statement: “Everyone should go out of their way to support animals as only we can be their voice.

I am an animal lover myself and I am against any form of animal cruelty. I didn’t do anything special for Lucy.

All I did was I found a home for her.”

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nection with the film.

“Sometimes people call me and Shirish (her husband Shirish Kunder) Motu Patlu,” said the “Happy New Year” maker.

“Motu Patlu: King of Kings”, produced by Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, Cosmos Entertainment and Maya Digital Studios and directed by Suhas D. Kadav, is about two best friends from Furfuri Nagar. These are popular characters from Hindi comic magazine Lotpot, and after a successful TV series on the same, its movie version is now set to enthrall cinema-goers, courtesy Ketan Mehta, DeepaSahi and Anish JS Mehta. (Indian Express)

Dwayne Bravo makes his Bollywood debut with Tum Bin 2 party song

A Sunny has been actively involved with Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation too.

On the film front, she will next be seen in Beiimaan Love, which is slated to release on Friday. (Indian Express)

No pressure of being Sonu Nigam’s sister, says Teesha Nigam

ollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam’s sister Teesha Nigam says coming from a family of great musicians like her father and brother, she feels responsible to take forward the legacy with the same passion.

The 25-year-old singer, who made her Bollywood singing debut with 2013 release, “Singh Sahab the Great”, says she feels no pressure being the sister of one of India’s most celebrated singers. In fact, the singer feels blessed

C

horeographer-filmmaker Farah Khan, who is known for making commercial potboilers, says there is still time for her to explore the animation genre as she finds it “tough”.

“Animated genre is difficult and I feel the movies that I make also are for kids. I don’t have experience in making animation, so I have to learn animation first and then make it,” Farah said in a statement.

She might have not made any animated films, but she did support an upcoming animated film “Motu Patlu – King Of Kings” by hosting a special screening here recently.

Farah also shared her personal con-

about the fact that she is Sonu Nigam’s sister.

“There’s no pressure.

But there’s a responsibility. I feel responsible because I have a great family legacy to take forward. My brother is an idol to so many. My father himself is a great musician so, I need to continue that thing. I feel blessed to be a part of the family that has this level of music enthusiasm. It gives you even more confidence,” Teesha said.

Teesha is now set to release her first single ‘Katna Nai’, establish-

ing herself as an independent artist and the singer is looking forward to it. “This song is originally sung by Sajjad Ali. I wanted to come up with a modern version of it as I thought it’s a perfect song to start your career as a single. My version doesn’t sound like original at all. It is very special and close to my heart,” she said.

The singer said Sonu helped her a lot while making of Katna Nai, “He was totally involved in the making of this song. He also gave his inputs and helped me on variations. It was like a family thing.” Her brother may have sung for almost every male actor, but Teesha would specifically like to give her voice to Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt. (Indian Express)

fter gaining immense popularity as a singer, the West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo will show his dance moves in his Bollywood debut song from Tum Bin 2, which also features the lead actor Neha Sharma. Neha Sharma, who shot with him for a party number called ‘Jäger Bomb’, said he is an impressive dancer and shooting with him was fun.

“He (Bravo) is so chilled out, easy going and so much fun. He came in with his game on. I don’t think any of us had any kind of rehearsal or preparation for it.

Everything that you see is impromptu,” Neha said. The actor further said the video was shot within a day and the intention of the cast was just to have fun. “We did it in a day. Everybody

came in together, we were like ‘this is what we are going to do, let’s have fun. It is a party song, so it is all about having fun.

Of course, I am dancing with him (Bravo). It’s a party number so everybody is dancing and having a good time,” she added.

The 28-year-old actress is happy that the audience have appreciated the music of “Tum Bin 2” so far and hopes the song with Bravo is also lapped up. “I don’t know when it (the song) is re-

leasing. We have started releasing the songs so one after the other it’ll be coming out. Everything which has come out, people have loved it. I am hoping they will love this one too.”

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, Tum Bin 2 is the sequel to the 2001 hit romantic drama Tum Bin that had Priyanshu Chatterjee, Himanshu Malik, Sandali Sinha and RaqeshVashisth.

The film is scheduled to release on November 18.

(Indian Express)

Twinkle Khanna announces new book

T

winkle Khanna, is here with her second book titled The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad. Twinkle who after a stint as an actress, has established herself as an interior designer, author and popular columnist. She took to Twitter to announce the same.

“My new book of stories that will hopefully make you laugh a lot and sigh a little. ‘The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad’,” Twinkle tweeted on Wednesday.

Twinkle husband-actor Akshay Kumar too took to Twitter to share the news of her book launch and wrote: .@

mrsfunnybones is back with what she does best (aside from making jokes about me) writing funny and wise stories #TheLegendOfLakshmiPrasad Her debut book “MrsFunnybones” was one of the bestsellers last year.

Twinkle also said her new book is up for pre-orders on various websites.

The daughter of actress Dimple Kapadia and late superstar Rajesh Khanna is married to Bollywood hero Akshay Kumar. Together, they have two children — son Aarav and daughter Nitara. (Indian Express)

Hollywood 49

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

For us, Indian movies Michelle Obama hosts White were Amitabh Bachchan House screening of Freida Pinto running around in his starrer ‘We Will Rise’ documentary glasses: Tom Hanks

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M

egastar Amitabh Bachchan “running around in his glasses and beating up bad guys” long stayed with Tom Hanks and defined the world of Indian cinema for him.

The Oscar-winning actor says the vast expanse of Indian cinema and different storytelling techniques still remain a mystery for the West, with only Bollywood making inroads abroad.

“For a lot of years, Indian movies for us were Big B running around in his glasses and beating up bad guys or midgets and stuff like that. We didn’t quite understand what was going on. If everyone starts speaking the common language of cinema, it will start representing itself,” Hanks told IANS in an interview here.

The actor said “it is only a matter of time” till the varied Indian stories spin their way to the West.

“Like the cinema from Japan and China have impacted the entire cinematic narrative of the West like ‘Crouching

Tiger, Hidden Dragon’

by Ang Lee. Those guys are workingin American films now. The fact is that we have not just been able to see films outside of Bollywood for whatever reason, or outside Satyajit Ray’s films.

“But it is only a matter of time because people in the United States see everything…All you have to do is be available,” he added.

Hanks has worked with Indian star Irrfan Khan in his forthcoming Sony Pictures Entertainment’s film “Inferno”. And he says he is open to attaching his star power to any Indian project, but would not do it “just to break into the marketplace”.

But Hanks will not be seen as a super spy climbing on the roof of Taj Mahal or doing stunts on helicopters – he’d rather do a film on “stereotypes of public life in India”.

Be it acting, directing, producing or writing — Hanks has explored different arenas of the creative field. (Indian Express)

Actor Jude Law misses Rome

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ctor Jude Law spent nine months living in Rome last year and has admitted he misses it greatly. The 43-yearold actor, who was born in Lewisham, London, spent time residing in the Italian capital and, although he likes the hustle and bustle of his home country, he wishes he could move back out to the sprawling cosmopolitan city because he felt like he fitted in and adored the architecture, reported Female First.

“I was happy, inspired, I enjoyed every single moment (of living in Rome). I was in an apartment close to the Campidoglio, I went running every day around the Circus Maximus. I saw the city at 5am, with just street cleaners,” she said.

“I had coffee in bars with truck drivers. I adored the rhythm of Rome, busy but less ag-

itated than London, cosmopolitan but less anxious than New York. It’s easy to visit and every walk is a miracle. You are walking with someone and at a certain point, here it is the Trevi Fountain, oh my God, that’s the Vatican. Amazing. I miss that.”

Meanwhile, Jude Law turned down the offer to play Superman because he was worried about the outfit. The 43-yearold British actor was offered to play the comic book superhero in Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns,” but the proposal didn’t attract him, reported ET online.

“This was a while ago.

So, you remember they were rebooting, they rebooted Superman, not this last time with Henry Cavill. They did it once before. When I was obviously young enough to play Superman.(Indian Express)

S First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the White House screening of “We Will Rise” documentary, which also stars Indian actor Freida Pinto, who is also one of the producers of the film.

Michelle Obama and actor Meryl Streep had much to celebrate on Tuesday when they hugged on stage at the White House during the screening, which coincided with the International Day of the Girl, reports people. com. The two travelled together over the summer to Liberia and Morocco, along with Malia and Sasha Obama, to shoot the documentary.

At the event, Michelle Obama shared her love for the Oscarwinning actress, saying, “The great Meryl Streep has just devoted her not-a-lot-of-time to this project. And she is delightful — she is delightful and is intelligent and is focused and engaged — as you would imagine Meryl Streep to be.” She also expressed her admiration for the young girls and women she met during her trip abroad for the documentary, tell-

ing the audience it was her very last trip with her daughters while PresidentBarack Obama is still in office.

“I carry their stories with me every single day. And it was a privilege to bring my mother and my daughters with me to Liberia and Morocco and — for them to get to meet you. And that was our very last trip together during our time in the White House, so it was special for so many different reasons,” she said.

In a sneak peek from the up-

coming documentary about the initiative, Streep reflects on why she was inspired to join the programme and travel with the First Lady over the summer.

The documentary is directed by Tony Gerber. Freida joined hands with Michelle Obama for Let Girls Learn — a government initiative aimed at helping girls obtain quality education. The “Slumdog Millionaire” star joined them to stress on the importance of education and staying in school. (Indian Express)

Priyanka Chopra is a cool chick and likes to gossip, says Russell Tovey

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nglish actor Russell Tovey has heaped praise on his Quantico co-star Priyanka Chopra, saying that the Indian actress is “just awesome”. “Priyanka is a cool chick. She is just awesome and she likes to gossip and she is funny and she is fun and always organised. She is a great compa-

ny leader, she is incredibly proud to be a part of this show, which in turn makes everyone proud,” Tovey said in a statement.

Priyanka, who was seen essaying an FBI agent named Alex Parrish in the first season of the American drama series, is now portraying a CIA agent in its sec-

ond season, which airs in India on Star World and Star World HD. Tovey expressed his views about Priyanka in a special video for Star World.

He added: “She is incredibly welcoming. It just the second season and I’ve come in, these other new characters just come, she was completely like ‘come in be a part of the nest.

“She is brilliant and what she brings to the show is aside from looking incredible is just a really natural charm that people really respond to and want to engage with and follow.”

Tovey also said: “I think it’s really exciting for someone who is a Bollywood star being in the United States, and heading a show, I think it’s showing great leaps forward. It’s very exciting.” (Indian Express)

Bryan Cranston opens up about painful childhood

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ryan Cranston has opened up about his childhood and has revealed he was abandoned by his father and his mother turned to alcohol. The Breaking Bad actor’s father Joe abandoned the family when Cranston was 11 years old and his mother Peggy turned to alcohol to cope, leading him, who has two sisters, to be sent away to live on his grandparents’ farm and he is still “dealing with the pain” from his youth, reported Female First.

“There’s still a lot of pain I’m dealing with.

It’s worse than if they died in a car crash, because they were still

there physically, somewhere. My mum and dad up through 10 years old were really

wonderful, that’s what was so awful about it.

“My mother was engaging and my dad was

my coach; we did things together and he brought home a donkey for us to play with. Then it all disappeared. He chose not to be with us or see us or be a father. My mother chose to become an alcoholic and drown her sorrows and sadness and resentment. She was like a ghost of herself. And no one ever explained why he left,” he said.

The 60-year-old actor reconciled with both his parents before they died and revealed he found a note from his father, which read, “The highlight of my life was when my children forgave me.”

(Indian Express)

50 sport

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Steven Taylor to captain Volleyball contingent named USA in Auty Cup T Goodwill Games 2016‌

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teven Taylor, the left-handed opening batsman, has been chosen to captain USA at the Auty Cup, which commenced on October 13, and the World Cricket League Division Four, which starts on October 29 in Los Angeles.

Taylor, 22, made his first tour with USA in 2008, at the age of 15, and eventually debuted as a 16-year-old in 2010. He has turned out 57 times for USA, including 21 50over matches in which he averages 32, with a high score of 162 against Nepal in 2013. He has spent the last two years with Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League, and skipped USA's last tournament the World T20 Qualifier in Ireland last summer to play for Tridents.

"Steven's game sense in the field is very good.

Tactically, he is quite advanced for a young cricketer," USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake said on Wednesday. "With his big-game experience in both the CPL and national colours, his knowledge of his team-mates, and

Steven Taylor has been given a second chance to captain the USA team (Photo: CPL/Sportsfile)

the respect they have for him, I know his leadership will play a key role in our future success."

Taylor takes over from offspinner Muhammad Ghous, who was axed from the side after captaining USA last year at the World T20 Qualifier.

Taylor has leadership experience at the Under-15 and Under-19 levels, and said he is eager to assume his new responsibility.

"I'm really excited to be appointed captain and

have the opportunity to lead my country," Taylor said. "I know the entire squad has been working hard to make the most out of the upcoming Auty Cup and work towards our goal of winning World Cricket League Four."

This is not the first time Taylor has been appointed captain. He was picked to lead USA at the age of 19, as a stand-in for the unavailable Steve Massiah, during the previous Auty Cup in Canada

in the summer of 2013.

However, he was stripped off the role before he could lead the side onto the field, after a latenight drinking incident while on tour as captain of the USA Under-19 side in July 2013. Taylor was also handed a one-match ban for "a breach of the team code of conduct and tour protocols," including breaking curfew on the U-19 tour. Timil Patel led the men's side for the 2013 Auty Cup, where they failed to win a match.

ICC Americas also announced that Anand Tummala will work as an assistant coach, alongside Dassanayake for the Auty Cup and WCL Division Four. Tummala, a former USA player who also played in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi, was a finalist for the head coach's role that eventually went to Dassanayake. Most recently, Tummala coached USA Women against a touring Marylebone Cricket Club women's team in Philadelphia last month. (ESPNcricinfo) Peter Della Penna is ESPNcricinfo's USA correspondent

wo weeks prior to the start of the Goodwill Games to be hosted in Guyana, the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) has released a list of players to represent the country in the sport.

General Secretary of the Guyana Volleyball Federation, Robert Millington indicated that the Federation will be sending two teams into the competition and they all have fulfilled their criteria of being 19 years or under and enrolled in an educational institution.

Both the male and female teams will be coached by national coach, Levi Nedd, While Rashaad Razak will be his deputy in the male division while Jadeshwar Doolchand will be next in command for the females.

The Male U19 Team reads; Ravi Rampartab, Vickram Nandram, Samuel Frazer, Marcelious Hector, Alex Fungfook, Klondyke Rodney, Jermaine Munroe, Lezon Khan, Joel Cort, Kellon Leitch, Xavier Lambert and Andy Rohoman.

The Female U19 Team reads; Cassie Junor, Krystal Paddy, Sefania Williams, Candacy Mentore, Irie Cadogan,

Cherry Frazer, Rushell Dundas, Fanke David, Shaliza Edwards, Shania Thomas and two spots remain open.

The 2016 edition of the Games, which is known as the Goodwill Games was officially launched at the National Sports Commission (NSC), Homestretch Avenue on Tuesday at a simple ceremony when it was announced that there will be seven disciplines of competition; Football, Volleyball, Badminton, Table Tennis, Basketball, Track and Field and for the first time, Futsal while French Guiana will not be participating in the games, thus the renaming.

It was revealed that thus far, Digicel, Banks D.I.H through their Powerade and Rainforest Waters brands, Impressions and the Government of Guyana via the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture Youth and Sport are all on board to sponsor the event.

The games will officially open on Friday October 21 with the opening ceremony at 18:00h at the Leonora Track and Field Facility followed by Track and Field events.

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Day-night format could give Test cricket much needed push, says Holder W

est Indies captain Jason Holder has said he is a fan of the concept of day-night Test cricket, urging players to give the format a chance on the eve of his team's maiden pink-ball Test against Pakistan in Dubai. Holder said he felt the day-night format would give Test cricket the push it needs to sustain itself in the modern cricket market.

"I like the concept and I think it is one that should be there to stay," he said. "We have to give a chance to something new. Obviously, teams might first take time to adjust to it. Test cricket needs that bit of impetus, needs a bit of a push, and I think, possibly, day and night cricket could be it."

The day-night concept has had its share of support from various corners, including Holder's counterpart, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who recently stated that the "future belongs to night Tests." Various concerns remain, nonetheless, on the durability and visibility of the ball. "It is a new thing with the pink ball, everybody is just trying to get accustomed to it," Holder said. "I personally did

West Indies captain, Jason Holder

not have big problems with the sighting.

"Few of the players from the slip cordon said it was bit difficult to pick up, and also fielding square of the wicket, probably looking into the sun, it was difficult to sight. Having said that, it is what it is. Tomorrow starts the pink-ball Test, so we have got to adjust to it, we have got to just go there and just try to be as professional as we probably can."

Holder did have his doubts about the ball's durability, though.

"Personally, it does do a bit with the new ball.

Five-six overs and after that it just stops a bit, and what I am basically concerned is just the con-

Guyana gets new CAC accredited judge

Franklyn Brisport is the latest CAC accredited judge

A

t the conclusion of the 2016 edition of the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Championships (CAC) hosted in the Dominican Republic, not only did Guyana record their best showing at the event but also Franklyn Brisport earned the CAC accreditation as a judge in the sport.

Brisport joins long serving judge, Frank Tucker as the only two Guyanese judges to be given this honour, and indicated that the CAC was his first exposure but “his scoring was right on point with the international judges.”

“For me the CAC was my first exposure as a

manager and doing the CAC exam and in my opinion it wasn’t as hard as I think it would be because I have been judging in Guyana for the past 1015 years and it was just a normal routine.” The new judge stated.

Brisport adds this accreditation to the long list of services in the sporting fraternity he officiates including Boxing and Football as well as a member of the executive committee of the Guyana Amateur Weightlifting Association.

The newly accredited judge extended gratitude to his sponsors, Demerara Harbour Bridge for providing this opportunity.

President of the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding Federation, Keavon Bess pointed out that this would add to the development of the sport while highlighting that Brisport would have done an exceptional job with the team in the Dominican Republic.

Brisport will now move on to attend the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness seminar in Curacao in December.

dition of the ball, whether it will hold up," he said. "Obviously, we had the experience of playing the warm-up game, and I reckon that around 30 to 40 overs, the ball starts

to deteriorate and got really soft as well. It is interesting to see how it goes in this Test match, different conditions here in Dubai, and, hopefully, I just think the most important thing to do is keep it as simple as possible, just assess what the ball is doing, try your possible best and make it swing and move."

West Indies have struggled in the longer formats of late. Their previous Test assignment, against India at home, ended in a 2-0 defeat, with one match being affected by rain.

"Obviously, it is a young team and we obviously went down in our last series. But it is a fresh series here and we had a pretty good lead-

up to this Test series.

We have been here quite a while, and most of the guys had a good camp in the Caribbean for the Test players alone, and they came here early and had a two-day game prior to the threeday game. I feel preparation, we have covered. It is just a matter of executing now. From the talks in the dressing room, everybody seems pretty confident, everybody is in good spirit, and so we can transfer on to the field of play."

West Indies did have some positives in that India series, however, most notably in the second Test where they salvaged what had seemed an improbable draw.

Reduced to 48 for 4 and

still trailing India by 256 runs in the second innings, Roston Chase led a stoic resistance as West Indies batted out 88.1 overs on the final day, scoring 340 runs while losing just two wickets.

Holder said the talent was there in the team, it was just a matter of execution. "We have got some quality players. If you look down our lineup, Kraigg Brathwaite has been around for a little while and he has got a few centuries, Shane Dowrich came back into the squad in the last series and did well for himself. We have got the talent there, it is a matter of execution. We need to play some aggressive cricket." (ESPNcricinfo)

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Rugby America North 7s Championships…

Green Machine begins preparations with spotlight on fitness After surrendering their title last year in the competition, the National Men’s ruby team, Green Machine have begun early preparations for this year’s championships which will be held on November 12 and 13 in Trinidad and Tobago.

With the aim of reasserting their dominance on this version of Rugby, head coach Kenneth Grant – Stuart has kicked off preparations on Wednesday at the National Park Rugby Field with some gruelling fitness drills.

The head coach is adamant that the players need to improve their fitness ahead of the championships and the work must begin from now.

“This is the first day of training, we are focusing on fitness and the guys look really upbeat; those that are here are happy and we only have half of the squad, with much of them being the younger players; training is the same basically, we are trying to tweak it a bit more so the younger players could fall in and get up to scratch with the senior players,” GrantStuart said.

He further stated that

Members of the Men’s team engaged in fitness drills at the National Park Rugby Field on Wednesday afternoon

“the sessions will be very intense heading forward, I will be having briefing with them of what is expected and the road will be smooth from there”.

Last year at the Cary, North Carolina at WakeMed Soccer Park, the ruggers were the defending champions but placed fifth and continued their dominance over Jamaica with a 19-5 victory. However, Guyana’s overall performance placed them third in the Championships which was not enough to earn qualification to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Cognisant of what is ahead this time, the coach explained that the team knows what is required of them at these champion-

ships.

He explained, “Sevens is our baby, the guys know what is required of them to make this, especially the senior players who has a history of this sevens.”

Meanwhile, the female team is seeking a change in fortune and return to their glory days in the competition, according to Coach Sabola Gray.

“From 2008 to 2010 we were doing great since we were three times champions and we lost in 2011 and since then we have not brought home a goal, so hopefully this year, i know my girls are going to do a great job, whatever result they come out with I’m going to be proud because we have a

lot of young players who are now grooving into the team, Gray explained.

Quizzed as to what is needed to bring the change in performance at the competition, Gray responded saying, “Hard work is needed, we have to do a lot fitness and a lot of ball work, we have a lot players not so famil-

iar with the rules of the game, so we the seniors have to give them advice and help them improve.”

The female side began their preparations since May and is currently in the process of conducting trials to get the girls’ fitness up to “A-standard”.

The male players selected are; Richard

Staglon, Ryan Gonsalves, Akeem Fraser, Kevin McKenzie, Rickford Cummings, Ryan Dey, Rupert Giles, Ronald Mayers, A. Jarvis, Dominique Lespier, Rondell McArthur, Kevon David, Vallon Adams, Dwayne Schroeder, Troy Bascom, Daine Parks, Claudius Butts, P. Joseph, Sean Phillips, Godfrey Broomes, K. Mars, T. Selman, Lancelot Adonis, Leon Greaves, O’Neil Charles, Peabo Hamilton, Osei McKenzie, CyonKitt, Patrick King, Grantley Williams, Toby David, Avery Corbin, Jamal Angus, Blaise Bayley and Jason Tyrell.

The officials are Head Coach Kenneth Grant–Stuart, Trainer Barrington Browne and Manager Robin Roberts.

Pollard, Ramdin dropped from ODI squad

W

est Indies have dropped Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin from their ODI squad for next month's tri-series in Zimbabwe, which also features Sri Lanka.

Courtney Browne, the head of West Indies' selection committee, informed Pollard and Ramdin about their axing via email.

The emails, accessed

by ESPNcricinfo, were sent by Browne earlier this week. Browne's message to both players was straightforward, saying they had been dropped and telling them they were free to seek clarification from him or the selection panel if they wanted. Considering the squad has not been officially announced yet, ESPNcricinfo sought a comment from the WICB on Wednesday, but the board did not respond.

Both Pollard and Ramdin had poor returns in the recently concluded limited-overs series against Pakistan in the UAE. Pollard man-

Kieron Pollard (Photo: BCCI)

aged 43 runs in the three T20s, and bowled two overs, going wicketless. In the three-match ODI series, which West Indies lost 3-0, Pollard scored 42 runs at an average of 14.00. He took one wicket in the 12 overs he bowled across the three matches.

Ramdin, who was recalled to the ODI squad, compiled 79 runs at 26.33 in the three ODIs and did not feature in the T20s. Browne's selection panel had dropped Ramdin from the squad for the four-Test series at home against India earlier this year. Ramdin made the news public on Twitter before the squad was announced, and was subsequently sanctioned by the WICB. Ramdin has endured difficult times in the past 18 months. Despite helping West Indies level the Test series 1-all at home against England, Ramdin was stripped of Test captaincy immediately after the 2-0 home Test series loss to Australia.

Pollard, meanwhile, has had mixed returns since returning from knee surgery last November. Pollard was picked for the tri-series at home in June, involving Australia and South Africa, and was instrumental in West Indies finishing as runners-up, scoring 205 runs at 41.00 including two half-centuries.

Browne, who replaced former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd as chairman of selectors in June, has taken some bold decisions during his short tenure, including dropping Darren Sammy after he had led West Indies to their second World T20 title.

Sammy did not hide his frustration when he called the symposium organised by the WICB and the West Indies Players' Association in July, to clear the differences between the board and the players, a "publicity stunt" on his Twitter account.

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Brandford’s heroics sink Old Fort

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GCC (purple) girls showed their skills to make a statement (Dexter Ceres photo)

he National Juniors Indoor Hockey Tournament officially got underway on Friday evening at the NationalGymnasium, Mandela Avenue as rising star; Aroydy Brandford single handedly carried the Hikers U-21 team past rivals Old Fort, while Saints had a mixed outing.

The opening night of the event, which was designated to the Under-21 competition, was definitely of top quality but the class of Brandford was clearly above the other players on both Hikers and Old Fort.

Brandford scored twice in the 8th minute and three in the second half (14th, 15th and 20th).

In the Boys division, Saints once again failed to capitalize on a leading first half as they played to a draw against GCC with the final score remained 2-2.

Saints entered the second half with

a comfortable 2-0 lead but poor defending led to GCC bouncing back with two goals in the 19th and 20th minute.

Hilton Chester and ParmanandDindial were the two architects of the first half destruction.

GCC made good of the draw to hand Old Fort a sound trashing. The GCC men romped to 6-0 at the end of the game.

Saints redeemed themselves in their final contest, defeating Phoenix 3-NIL. The Chester boys, Hilton and Hilmar score two while Parmanand Dindial scored the third.

The GCC female counterparts followed up the males and handed Saints women a 6-1 drubbing. Ace striker, Aliyah Gordon was the main destroyer for the GCC females, blasting four goals in the 6th, 12th minute with two in the 19th.

Hope, Powell named in WI ODI squad for Zimbabwe tri-series

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WICB President's XI squad cricketer Shai Hope plays a shot during the final day of the three-day tour match between India and WICB President's XI squad at the Warner Park stadium in Basseterre, Saint Kitts, on July 16, 2016. (Photo: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

atsman Shai Hope and allrounder Rovman Powell have been picked in West Indies' squad for next month's tri-series in Zimbabwe, after the selectors decided to drop Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin. Pollard and Ramdin's exclusions are the only changes to the squad that suffered a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series against Pakistan earlier this month.

Both Pollard and Ramdin had poor returns in the limitedovers series in the UAE. Pollard managed 43 runs in the three T20s, and bowled two overs, going wicketless. In the

three-match ODI series, Pollard scored 42 runs at an average of 14.00.

He took one wicket in the 12 overs he bowled across the three matches. Ramdin, who was recalled to the ODI squad, compiled 79 runs at 26.33 in the three ODIs and did not feature in the T20s.

Hope, who is a part of the Test side in the UAE, is uncapped in limited-overs internationals, but has played six Tests since May 2015 scoring 171 runs at an average of 15.54. He scored 76 in the three-day tour match against the PCB Patron's XI, played under lights with the pink ball.

Powell, uncapped in international cricket, had been named in the T20 squad for the UAE tour following a promising performance in CPL 2016. His only match on the tour was the practice T20 game against the Emirates Cricket Board XI where he scored 38 and bowled two overs for 14 runs.

The Zimbabwe series will begin on November 14 with a match between the hosts and Sri Lanka. West Indies' first match in the series will be against Sri Lanka on November 16. The final will be played on November 27.

(ESPNcricinfo)

Ontario Masters confident of success at Guyana Cup 6

By Ravi Madholall in Toronto

T

he Ontario Masters team is highly confident of making a huge impact in this year’s Guyana Cup 6 which will be run once again under the auspices of the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association from November 4-6.

With 14 teams featuring in the veteran category and 10 sides competing in the Open Division, the Ontario Masters boys are anxious to pocket the lucrative G$600, 000 first prize and a trophy.

Manager of the side Azeem Khan related that the guys are eager to do well and return to North America as a champion unit. The team is being selected from the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) over-40 and 50 tournaments that recently concluded in the Greater Toronto Area.

Khan, who is also the current president of the OMSCC, mentioned the team initially struggled to form since an extremely large number of selected players could not have been available owing to various and personal

reasons.

However, Khan is satisfied now that he is able to field a team to participate in this historical softball tournament which will be run for three consecutive days in Guyana’s capital, Georgetown.

“We [are] confident of doing well in Guyana; we should have a very competitive side to match the skills of the other participants as well,” Khan divulged.

Khan related that his organization will be hosting its second biannual Toronto Cup in 2017 probably in late August and those teams from Guyana, Florida, Canada and New York are expected to participate too.

“We had a fantastic tournament in 2015 and the important thing we got excellent support from the GFSCA; we are still thankful to them and we want to show similar support in their tournament; apart from that I think those guys have been doing a terrific job not only for the softball cricketers and fans but to help the youths; it is certainly admirable,” Khan declared.

Regal will be looking for a repeat in both categories in 2016

According to the OMSCC leader, he and his executives will start off with the preparatory aspect for next year’s Toronto Cup. What was commendable in the inaugural staging 14 teams took part.

In the Open category, six teams competed and those were: the champion New York Enforcers, GM Sports, Ontario Softball Cricket League, runnersup Dant Cricket Club, Caribbean Sensation and New York Softball Cricket League.

In the Masters Division, there were eight teams featured: winner Guyana Floodlights

Masters, Tri-States Masters, Caribbean Sensation Masters, New York Softball Cricket League Legends, New York Muslims Association, runners-up Our Own Cricket Club and OMSCC X1.

Quizzed on the combination of the touring squad, Khan, who still plays the game representing Guyana Sports in the over-50 section, feels they have a good and balanced side to be outstanding.

“Well, the last time we competed in 2014, we did relatively well to reach the quarter-final and the good thing is

that some of those players returning and that will boost our confidence tremendously since they have got the experience now; teams will definitely come out hard but I am more than optimistic of being the victorious side,” Khan revealed.

Some of the players to be on show for the OMSCC are: the stalwart Terry Mathura, who is likely to be the skipper, the experienced Prakash Singh, versatile all-rounder Surendra Persaud, aggressive batsmen Imam Gafoor and Mohan Harrirah among others.

Some of the senior

guys who featured for the OMSCC team on several tournaments like Sunil Dhaniram, Troy Gobin, Desmond Chumney, Shiv Seeram Rovendra Mandolall, Richard Driffield, and Bobby Parasnauth have opted out due to personal commitment for either other teams among different reasons.

Khan stated that the OMSCC team will be participating in the annual Florida Cup which is slated for mid-March.

Meanwhile, in the 2015 Guyana Cup 5, both teams from Regal won the Open and Masters titles.

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