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‘Fear will flourish’

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ISSUE NO. 322

WEEK ENDING december 4, 2016

…Private Sector says of Govt’s plan to empower revenue body to access bank accounts See story on page 13

New York named ‘2016 Best Smart City’

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Guyana/Barbados celebrate 50-year-old friendship Page 3 President David Granger presented to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart a painting done by Guyanese artist Ms. Merlene Ellis for the people of Barbados on the occasion of their 50th Anniversary of Independence.

T&T continues to site Guyana as source of trafficking victims

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Berbice teen recalls horrifying ordeal at the hands of bandits …during robbery attack

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New York’s Mayor, Bill de Blasio

2 news

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Opposition Leader consulting Role of family important civil society on new GECOM in addressing suicide – Chairman Dr Paloma Mohamed

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and other colleagues of the PPP/C meeting with members of the Private Sector Commission on Thursday

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embers of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Thursday met with the Parliamentary Opposition and its Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo at Parliament as part of a consultation process to select a list of six persons to be considered eligible for Chairmanship of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Members of the Opposition, under the leadership of Jagdeo,

also met members of the religious community and labour unions on Wednesday at the same place for the same reason.

The Opposition is scheduled to also meet with other demographics and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) as consultations continue over the replacement of outgoing Chairman of GECOM, Dr Steve Surujbally.

Constitutionally,

the Opposition Leader is vested with the responsibility of shortlisting six persons that would be suitable for the Chairmanship post.

Of the six names provided by the Opposition Leader, the President will select one to become the new Chairman of the electoral body.

Should the President not be satisfied with the list provided, the process would then have to recommence.

Berbice teen recalls horrifying ordeal at the hands of bandits

…during robbery attack

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Kallicharan Sookchan

teenager operating a hire car, PTT 6559, had the vehicle hijacked at gun point in New Amsterdam on Tuesday night.

Relating the terrifying incident, Kallicharan Sookchand, also called ‘Amid’, told Guyana Times International that the men bound his hands and threw him in a clump of bushes.

According to Sookchand, at about 20:00h he dropped off the owner of the car and while atthe corners of Main and New Streets, New Amsterdam, he was stopped by a man.

“Then the man say he got to go he got to go and pick up two girls in the scheme, so Isay ‘aright leh we go.’ When we reach ah had to wait fuh about five minutes and thetwo other man come in the car.”

He explained that the initial passenger directed him to Angoy’s Avenue and stoppedat the junction of Angoy’s Avenue and Post Office Road where the two men boardedthe vehicle before taking control.

“One of them put a gun to me and one of them start choke me from at the back.And they tape down me mouth.”

Sookchand was taken to Savannah Park where he wasrelieved of his cellular phone valued at G$55,000 and G$2000 cash, along with the car.

The car is valued at G$2.8 million and is owned by Shawn Nandalall of Sheet Anchor, East Canje.

According to the 17-yearold, two of the men left with the car while the third banditguarded him. He related that the bandit then received a phone call and based on whathe heard, the bandit was instructing the person on the other end of the line on how toopen the gas tank.

“The cable for the gas tank not working so you have to use the key and open it, but byis a new model car they think that must by some button to open it. He pull the duct tapefrom my mouth fuh me to tell him how to open the gas tank. I hollafuh help and he fire ashot and ask me if I want he to do it the easy way or the hard way,” the teen related.

With mud still covering most of his body, the frightened teenager said it was three hours after the initial encounter that the man who was with him said he was leaving and removed the duct tape from Sookchand’s mouth.

He further told him not to try and loosen the duct tape from his hands until after 15 minutes.

Sookchand complied with the request even as the bandit made good his escape.

The matter was reported to the Police and immediately there was an all-stationalert, but despite searches in and around New Amsterdam, there was no trace of the car.(Andrew Carmichael)

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Dr Paloma Mohamed

amily history has a great role to play in personal suicide tendencies – this is according to Dr Paloma Mohamed, who made the pronouncement last Friday as she addressed members of the Police Force at a suicide awareness forum.

The event, organised by the West Berbice Chapter of the Guyana Association of Female Police, was held at the St Michael’s Church Hall at Hopetown, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

Dr Mohamed, who is Deputy Chancellor of the University of Guyana and teaches “Matters in Public Health”, pointed to an important aspect of bringing awareness about the suicide epidemic – placing focus on those who have attempted suicide.

She explained, “When people die of suicide and we report those numbers, that doesn’t help anybody. It helps in raising awareness in people that there is trouble and people have died, but really, I think that the more important numbers to understand are those who repeatedly tried to commit suicide until quite a number of them actually succeed.”

She noted that what was more frightening than the number of those who actually complete the act was the reality that seven times that figure attempt suicide.

“It is almost seven times more than those who end up completing the act,” she said.

Dr Mohamed highlighted some of the reasons for persons to want to harm themselves.

A 2012 World Health

Organisation report indicated that Guyana had a suicide rate of 44.2 per 100,000 people and that for every single suicide committed by a female, there were 3.2 suicides committed by males.

By comparison, neighbouring Suriname had a suicide rate of 27.8 per 100,000 persons, and Venezuela’s rate was 2.6 per 100,000 persons.

Alluding to the reasons why suicide in Guyana had been so difficult to eradicate, Dr Mohamed said, “It is not about just counselling somebody when they show up in your office.

Suicidal tendencies and suicidal ideas are part of a wide, broad and deep social context and if we continue to put the blame on individuals when they show up in the office and to think that counselling alone will help… We need to absorb those people who make general life better.”

These persons, she explained, are more often than not family members. She added that we were all part of a complex series of interrelationships, which can either support or pressure us.

The programme was organised by Chairperson of the West Berbice Chapter, Sergeant Cynthia Kelly.

Four-yr-old T&T girl was beaten to death- autopsy

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our-year-old Jenice Figaro, who reportedly died after eating a meal of fries, was in fact beaten to death, an autopsy has found.

The autopsy, performed by forensic pathologist DrEslyn Burris Mc Donald at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, found her death was due to blunt force trauma.

When the T&T Guardian contacted Jenice’s father, Robert Figaro, he declined to comment on the results.

“Right now I am having a conversation with the police and I cannot speak right now,” he said.

Figaro told police he left Jenice last Thursday night in the care of a female relative who, along with her children aged five and eight, lived at his home at Corosal, Whiteland.

According to reports, at around 8.30 pm last Thursday, Jenice was at

the dinner table eating with two other children when she complained of a tummy ache.

The female relative said Jenice wet herself and she tidied her and put her in bed, but the child still complained of pain. When the pain persisted an ambulance was called in. By the time the ambulance arrived Jenice had stopped breathing and was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

An autopsy was supposed to have taken place on Friday at the San Fernando mortuary, but the doctors sent the body to Forensic Science Centre after they observed marks of violence on the body.

The female relative who is being blamed for the killing has since professed her innocence. In an earlier interview, the relative, who moved out of the house on the night of the incident, denied

Jenice Figaro

having anything to do with the child’s death.

Figaro, in a previous interview, said he did not want to believe the relative had anything to do with the child’s death. However, he admitted that the child had several injuries in the past, including a burst lip, a fractured wrist and a burn on her tummy, which had engaged the police’s attention.

However, nothing came out of those matters.

Investigations are continuing.(Trinidad Guardian)

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana/Barbados celebrate 50-year-old friendship P

resident David Granger and First Lady, Ms. Sandra Granger joined Barbadians to celebrate that nation’s 50th Anniversary of Independence at three national events, which were observed with pomp and ceremony, despite inclement weather that resulted in major schedule changes.

The Head of State attended the Toast to the Nation event held at the Barbados Defence Force Headquarters at St. Ann’s Fort, the Reveal of the 50th Anniversary of Independence National Monument at The Garrison Savannah and the Golden Anniversary Spectacular Mega Concert at Kensington Oval.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who

welcomed the President and First Lady to the event, described the Guyanese Head of State as his friend and colleague and emphasised the 50-year-old friendship between the two countries.

Speaking at the Toast to the Nation event, he said, “I am very pleased to have here… my friend and colleague, the distinguished President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. His presence here, this evening, is of great importance because Guyana in 1966, as well, on May 26 went into Independence and earlier this year itself celebrated its Golden Jubiliee. I was there for that celebration and I am very pleased to welcome President Granger and Mrs. Granger here to Barbados. The warmth

A section of the audience at the Toast to the Nation event (GINA photo)

and the hospitality and the generosity of Guyana can be unbounded.”

That generosity was illustrated later in the evening when President

Granger delivered a gift of a painting depicting the national bird of Guyana, the Canje Pheasant, which was created by Guyanese art-

ist, Ms. Merlene Ellis, to the people of Barbados on the occasion of their 50th Independence Anniversary.

The President also

gifted Prime Minister Stuart with a Winslow Craig crafted, wooden sculpture called the ‘The Chief Witness to the Environment’. Reading the artist’s description of the work, the Guyanese Head of State said “The visual imagery is derived from a combination of Indigenous Guyanese petroglyphs, patterns and weaving designs.”

Presenting the gifts, he said, “We would like you to have these two gifts as a symbol of the 50-year friendship between our two countries, which is seen today November 30 and of course the fact that Barbadians have been coming to Guyana for over 50 years as welcomed migrants.”

Significantly also, Guyana has played a continued on page 9

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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Tel no: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709.

Fax (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 Email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

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No growth Budget 2017

he dust has not settled on the reactions to Budget 2017, but the dominant sentiment appears to be one of disappointment. This was exacerbated when Finance Minister Winston Jordan confirmed during his budget speech what he had strenuously denied up to then: economic growth had ground to a halt and only increased production in gold allowed an adjusted growth rate of 2.6 per cent to be projected for 2017. This is a far cry from the double-digit growth rate needed over at least a decade for a near-term significant rise in standards of living.

Ever since the Great Depression of the 1930s, Governments in mixed economies have generally followed the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes, who proposed specific Government interventions to smooth out the regular business cycles or the deeper ones that result in depressions. They accomplish this through the revenue and expenditure measures of annual budgets in tandem with monetary policy that influences interest rates.

But in the postwar era, with the challenge of the Soviet Union’s socialist model of Government interventions to deliver targets for growth in the various sectors of the economy via “five-year plans”, it became expected that Governments of mixed economies would follow suit in their annual budgets.

From this perspective, the three traditional functions of mixedeconomies’ budgets – allocative, distributive and stabilisation, were now deployed to deliver targeted growth rates. And it is this imperative that seemed to have escaped the Finance Minister in crafting Budget 2017.

Take for instance, the allocation of resources between “public goods” – those, such as infrastructure – bridges and sea walls – that are essential to the citizenry, but are not provided for by the markets, and private goods. The Government announced it would be looking for private partners to construct the highway between Linden and Mabaruma, and also would be issuing bonds to embark on other infrastructural projects. Both of these measures will have the Government competing with private investors for funds and reduce the overall efficacy of investment decisions through what is called the “crowding out effect” because of higher interest rates.

The Government, on the other hand, has steadfastly refused to consider the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHEP) that was totally funded by loans and grants and which would have been serviced by payments that presently go to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). This win-win situation was scuttled by the parties in Government when they were in Opposition and they have obdurately not heeded the calls of the domestic and international business community.

For the distributive function of the budget, the Government uses its taxation and expenditure (fiscal) policies to assist in a fair distribution of income to the population as a whole. But what the Government has done is to increase the tax burden on the relatively minuscule middle class and this is giving them either a disincentive to work harder – since the marginal income earned will be taxed at the higher rate – or an incentive to cheat on their taxes. Either way, the economy will not grow as fast as it could have.

In its stabilisation function, the Government can use its influence over monetary policy to stimulate growth of the economy by setting macroeconomic targets for, say, job creation and savings rather than just keeping inflation down. For Governments such as ours that are seeking to stimulate growth, inflation rates of two per cent are simply ridiculous and betray a tendency to stick to a course of action that has long been discredited.

Another area where the Government has not shown enough creativity in crafting its budget is to, on one hand, complain that the price of sugar on the international market is set by players such as Brazil and India that heavily subsidise their producers and on the other, to declare that we cannot subsidise ours. They ignore the fact that when we close down half of the sugar industry, as they have decided, the economy will shrink and workers will be pushed on the breadlines.

Guyana’s First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger poses with pop star, Ms. Robin Rihanna Fenty at the Toast to the Nation event held in Barbados to celebrate that country’s 50 Independence Anniversary (GINA photo)

WHO issues new guidance on HIV self-testing I n advance of World AIDS Day, WHO has released new guidelines on HIV self-testing to improve access to and uptake of HIV diagnosis.

According to a new WHO progress report, lack of an HIV diagnosis is a major obstacle to implementing the Organization’s recommendation that everyone with HIV should be offered antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The report reveals that more than 18 million people with HIV are currently taking ART, and a similar number is still unable to access treatment, the majority of which are unaware of their HIV positive status. Today, 40% of all people with HIV (over 14 million) remain unaware of their status. Many of these are people at higher risk of HIV infection who often find it difficult to access existing testing services.

"Millions of people with HIV are still missing out on life-saving treatment, which can also prevent HIV transmission to others," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.

"HIV self-testing should open the door for many more people to know their HIV status and find out how to get treatment and access prevention services."

HIV self-testing means people can use oral fluid or bloodfinger-pricks to discover their status in a private and convenient setting. Results are ready within 20 minutes or less. Those with positive results are advised to seek confirmatory tests at health clinics.

WHO recommends they receive information and links to counselling as well as rapid referral to prevention, treatment and care services.

HIV self-testing is a way to reach more people with undiagnosed HIV and represents a step forward to empower in-

dividuals, diagnose people earlier before they become sick, bring services closer to where people live, and create demand for HIV testing. This is particularly important for those people facing barriers to accessing existing services.

Between 2005 and 2015 the proportion of people with HIV learning of their status increased from 12% to 60% globally. This increase in HIV testing uptake worldwide has led to more than 80% of all people diagnosed with HIV receiving ART.

Who misses out on HIV testing?

HIV testing coverage remains low among various population groups. For example, global coverage rates for all HIV testing, prevention, and treatment are lower among men than women.

Men account for only 30% of people who have tested for HIV. As a result, men with HIV are less likely to be diagnosed and put on antiretroviral treatment and are more likely to die of HIV-related causes than women.

But some women miss out too. Adolescent girls and young women in East and Southern Africa experience infection rates up to eight times higher than among their male peers.

Fewer than one in every five girls (15–19 years of age) are aware of their HIV status.

Testing also remains low among "key populations" and their partners - particularly men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who inject drugs, and people in prisons - who comprise approximately 44% of the 1.9 million new adult HIV infections that occur each year.

Up to 70 % of partners of people with HIV are also HIV positive. Many of those partners are not currently getting tested. The new WHO guidelines recommend ways to help

HIV positive people notify their partners about their status, and also encourage them to get tested.

"By offering HIV self-testing, we can empower people to find out their own HIV status and also to notify their partners and encourage them to get tested as well," said Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of WHO’s Department of HIV. "This should lead to more people knowing their status and being able to act upon it. Selftesting will be particularly relevant for those people who may find it difficult to access testing in clinical settings and might prefer self-testing as their method of choice."

Self-testing has been shown to nearly double the frequency of HIV testing among men who have sex with men, and recent studies in Kenya found that male partners of pregnant women had twice the uptake of HIV testing when offered self-testing compared with standard testing.

Twenty three countries currently have national policies that support HIV self-testing.

Many other countries are developing policies, but widescale implementation of HIV self-testing remains limited.

WHO supports free distribution of HIV self-test kits and other approaches that allow self-test kits to be bought at affordable prices. WHO is also working to reduce costs further to increase access. The new guidance aims to help countries scale up implementation.

WHO is supporting three countries in southern Africa which have started large scale implementation of self-testing through the UNITAID-funded STAR project and many more countries are considering this innovative approach to reaching those who are being left behind.(Taken from WHO)

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

What ‘good life’? …Economist says poor and working class will feel the brunt of Budget 2017

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he Guyana Government through Finance Minister Winston Jordan, continues to give with one hand and take more with the other – this time, through the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) by two per cent and reapplying it to a sleuth of goods and services, including utilities such as electricity and water.

This is the conclusion of former Alliance For Change (AFC) Executive Member and Economist, Sasenarine Singh. The former AFC top man was invited by Guyana Times Internationalto proffer an initial analysis of the 2017 G$250 billion Budget that was presented by the Finance Minister on Monday last, and according to Singh, “after establishing in his first two budgets, a reputation for fragmented policy document without a comprehensive economic framework, Winston Jordan has not failed to surprise.”

According to the economist, the Minister continues “this deceptive strategy of giving with one hand and taking more with the next hand, and again it is the poor and the working class that will feel the most

Former AFC member, Sasenarine Singh

economic pain, thanks to Budget 2017.”

No choice

Presented under the theme, “Building a Diversified Green Economy,” Singh told Guyana Times International, “this document will clearly fail to take the average man any closer to the good life.” He noted that although there has been much talk of a four per cent growth rate, “reality finally dawned on the Minister as he had no choice but to reveal that the actual growth rate for 2016 will be 2.6 per cent which is a reflection of two previous budgets that were poorly constructed, implemented and monitored.”

He recalled too that the Minister himself admitted that the Public Sector Investment Programme performed poorly and this can be mirrored by the fact that the capital receipts that were budgeted at G$31 billion actually came in G$10 billion short because of the meagre drawdown on the international grants.

According to the economist, Minister Jordan ”wrong-footed the nation by implementing three budgets that are all designed to tax and spend, but the brunt of all new taxes are falling on the small man.”

VATABLE

Explaining his case, Singh used as example, the penalty for the small man for not painting his particulars on a horse cart in 2017 which has moved from G$150 to G$10,000.

He also zeroed in on the 14 per cent Value Added Tax on electricity consumption of more than G$10,000 per month.

According to Singh, “This is clear evidence of giving the workers with one hand with an increase in the tax threshold from G$55,000 per month to G$60,000, which should

be able to put G$1500 per month in new cash into the pocket of a worker that earns G$60,000, but then if that worker has a light bill of G$10,001 per month, they have to pay G$1400 per month in VAT, leaving them with net increase in wealth of G$100 per month… That cannot even buy a sweet drink in Guyana and certainly there will be no spare change for sweet for the children.”

The economist’s scathing remarks also extended to other tax measures announced by the Minister, one such being the announcement of the need for businesses to now be keeping dual accounts.

According to the Singh, “the measure that the Minister claims are aimed at spurring growth is too convoluted and complex to reap the intended deliverables… Why can’t the Minister keep things simple?”

Dual taxes

He posited, “If you are giving the Private Sector a 27.5 per cent corporation tax rate, give it to them…

There is no need to complicate thematter and then claw back some of the benefits with a convoluted sys-

tem called adual tax rate system for the companies.”

Singh has since adumbrated the position, “This measure clearly illustrates that the Minister does not clearly understand what drives value in the Guyanese economy and does not competently understand the critical challenges that are inhibiting Guyana’s growth…”

He told this publication, “In the final analysis, this budget does have some majoreconomic risk that can undermine the 2017 growth rate from materialising… On the whole, the package of measures will stall, rather than acceler-

ate, economic growth.”

Singh suggested that to grow the 2017 Guyanese economy, key growth centreslike agriculture, manufacturing and housing have to be better supported with complimentary economic activities being driven in a significant manner in renewable energy, ICT, and eco-tourism. The economist is adamant that “reducing VAT from 16 per cent to 14 per cent – while a campaign promise – is an ill-advised position… In the final analysis, this is a mixed budget that is unfair to the poor and the working class.”

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

What ‘good life’ is the Govt talking about?

Dear Editor, The 2016 budget was about beckoning the ‘good life’ and we saw what happened: rising cost of living, drastic decline of rice and sugar production, contraction of the manufacturing sector, decline in the livestock sector, decline in the forestry sector, construction declined, rising unemployment especially among youths, rise in crimes, wage freeze in the sugar industry, paltry wage increase in the public sector, increased taxes and a reduction in the real growth of the economy to 2.6 per cent, while the Ministers and other Government officials enjoyed salary increases ranging from 50 per cent upwards! This is compounded by the massive and shameless squander mania which the Government at all levels has been engaged in. You do not have to be Einstein to see who enjoyed the ‘good life’ in 2016!

Well, we must give the Finance Minister some credit for the 2017 Budget’s theme; he ensured that he informed us that this budget will be “…bringing a better life for all Guyanese”.

So it is implied that if the 2016 Budget failed to give us a ‘good life’ (which it did) then this one will surely bring it!

Lenin once warned that “a lie told often enough becomes the truth” and this was perfected by Adolph Hitler. A ‘good life’ and a ‘better life’ repeated often enough will convince Guyanese that they are indeed living a better life even on an empty stomach.

However, the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo made an accurate assessment when he lamented that the 2017 Budget will not benefit the working class and will ‘kill the private sector’ and its ominous signs forebode an equally gloomy future.

Firstly, we have the exact opposite to what the previous Government did to alleviate the sufferings of the pensioners.

Pensioners were given electricity and water subsidies which went a long way in ensuring a ‘good life’ for them, unlike this Government which introduces a 14 per cent VAT on those two vital utilities. Similarly, it is

not a valid argument that pensioners will not be affected by the imposition of VAT simply because 105,000 residents pay less than $10,000 per month. How many pensioners are in this category? It is beyond any doubt that pensioners would have been better off with the electricity and water subsidies.

Moreover, how will they be better off when they have to now pay VAT on staples such as milk, potatoes and many other necessities? These items are consumed on a daily basis! Therefore, how can no subsidy on water and electricity, plus VAT on necessities, result in a ‘better life’?

Secondly, the negligible reduction in VAT will not result in any tangible gains for the consumers since items which are normally consumed by the working class and were previously zero-rated are now VATable. What will happen to sugar workers who have been denied any form of wage increase for the past 2 years? An ever increasing inflation rate will spell disaster for them and their families.

This reduction in VAT will only serve to benefit the more wealthy class of people who consume expensive luxurious items.

Thirdly, what will be the cumulative effect (the Domino Theory) of an imposition of VAT on electricity and water?

Will these not increase the production costs of goods and services? Most definitely, and the commercial sector will have to recoup these costs and of course the final consumer bears the burden.

Lastly, the 2017 budget shows clearly that the Finance Minister is just an adroit juggler whose main intention is to squeeze as much taxes as possible from the poor working class of people of this country and ensure that the excesses of this Government can be sustained and not its socio-economic development. Monetary and fiscal policies which can stimulate the economy are sorely lacking in this Budget. Next year will definitely be worse than this year. I am sure that the Opposition will expose the inherent weaknesses of this Budget!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Feasible opportunities in the sugar industry Dear Editor, I have noticed, what I believe, were misleading comments and insinuations made by Gobin Harbhajan, in his letter which appeared in the November 18, 2016 Stabroek News. Harbhajan submitted that it was the PPP which ruined the sugar industry and betrayed the workers. It is interesting to note that Harbhajan’s statements coincide somewhat with those in a previous letter from Abel Seetaram, both of whom are suspected to have links with a very senior personnel of the Government.

While holding no brief for Jagdeo and Ramotar, gentlemen who are most capable of providing their own responses, the author if indeed Harbhajan, whose name signed the letter, ought to be fully aware of the history and travails of the sugar industry over its long existence.

It is apt to note, as President Granger recalled in the November 08, 2016 Kaieteur News, the sugar industry is the “single oldest continuous industry in Guyana”.

During its long life it has experienced a fair share of difficulties but also managed successfully to overcome them. Indeed, the private owners and past governments in the post-nationalisation period have ensured, in view

of sugar’s recognised importance, that the industry was able to continue its productive operations.

In the somewhat “short” period since nationalisation we have seen challenges arising in the industry as well as its resilience to recover.

In the late 1980s production fell dramatically and averaged about 157,000 tonnes in the 1988-1990 period. In 1990, production fell miserably to 129,920 tonnes. In that era, we saw much experimentation and financial wastage in terms of non-sugar diversification; an exodus of workers from the industry; a lack of key and necessary inputs, among other things.

It was felt then, by some, that the industry could not be saved but their alarm was unnecessary. As we later saw with a new and capable management and a motivated workforce the industry emerging from its trough and between 20022004 production reached a high average of about 320,000 tonnes.

Now, we are faced with similar circumstances once more.

Production in the 2013-2015 period is somewhat better, averaging about 211,000 tonnes. Last year we saw production reaching a high of about 231,000 tonnes undoubtedly due to careful planning and attention to detail in the 2014/15 period. But what is disconcerting rather than going forward,

as was widely expected, we seem to be going in the other direction.

GuySuCo is now aiming to produce 194,000 tonnes down from the 242,000 tonnes which was incorporated in the 2016 National Budget.

While it is hoped that the target is realised and even surpassed, it brings into question the quality and the efficacy of the industry’s management. An important question needs to be asked as to whether the intent is deliberate in order to engender a certain outcome.

The industry has great opportunities to rebound. Diversification is now a must but not aquaculture, orchard fruits, cattle rearing and rice cultivation as being touted. Rather the industrialisation of sugar in the form of expanding electricity production, and other such ventures mentioned before by others.

There are feasible opportunities for the industry to harness its potential and to overcome its present challenges and ensure a viable future. It needs the will and a caring government committed to our country’s sustainable development.

Kenneth Joseph, General Secretary NAACIE

The hassle our pensioners must endure

Dear Editor, Reports in the media about the various sufferings of Guyana’s pensioners continue to jolt one’s conscience; the latest involves the cruel hassles imposed on them by an apparently mindless bureaucracy which insists that they endure a nightmare of days annually just to collect their pension books.

For Guyanese who might not be aware, it is noted that for each year that these poor pensioners survive the harsh realities of living on the pittance called ‘pension’, they must first collect a pension book containing 12 pages; they then encash each page at the end of each month at the nearest Post Office; even this monthly ‘encashment’ often poses physical and financial hardships for the pensioners who have to travel to the Post Offices and often have to wait for long hours, sometimes in the sun and rain, reminiscent of their toiling through decades of hard work and hardships (unlike some Guyanese who ride on their backs as politicians for a few years and then collect fat sums as pensions, irrespective of their ages and financial status!).

The letter by Balram Persaud in SN of 26/11/16 is a vivid description of what the pensioners at the Suddie Amerindian Hostel had to endure, as an example of the shameful and mindless processes being imposed on them just to collect their yearly pension books.

As detailed in the newspaper report, the pensioners, many feeble or sick, had to wait from dawn until the staff distributing the books arrive after 10.00h and instead of showing some humaneness, they virtually ‘pushed the pensioners around’ for hours more before they could collect their books. What was worse is that many could not get their books before it was time for the book-distributors to ‘close shop for the day’ so that those who did not make it to the top of the line for that day had to return the next day.

Surely, there must be a smarter, easier, less cumbersome way!

How about just making the pension book available to the pensioner when she/he collects the pension for the 11th or 12th month of the current year for use in the next year?

If the checks and balances and related safeguards required for the actual payment/collection of the cash are satisfied, then the same can apply to the collection of the pension book. Why complicate an obviously simple exercise at the harsh, inhumane cost of the poor pensioners?

Yours sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

news 7

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Caricom pays tribute New York named ‘2016 Best Smart City’ to Fidel Castro Former Cuban President, Fidel Castro

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hairman of Caricom Roosevelt Skerrit has said member countries will forever be grateful to former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

In his tribute at José Martí Revolution Square in Havana, on Tuesday, Skerrit said Cuba offered its expertise to build up independent countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This was especially evident in the training of medical doctors and other health care workers and the granting of scholarships in other disciplines.

Caricom will be forever grateful to Fidel and to you, the Cuban people for the great sacrifices you have made against great adversity, in annually sustaining the training of our professionals for decades on both a bilateral and multilateral basis,” the prime minister of Dominica added.

Speaking of Castro’s impact on Caricom economies, Skerrit said it is dif-

ficult to identify a sector that was not changed for the better.

“I can say, without fear of being contradicted, that our health services would be the poorer but for the generous hand of Fidel at critical times in our development. We have recognised that contribution by awarding him our highest honour, the Order of the Caribbean Community, in 2008, the only non-Caricom citizen to whom it has been accorded,” he added.

The Caricom chairman said Castro’s zeal to untangle the grip of colonisation and oppression went beyond the shores of his beloved Cuba.

He highlighted the Cuban revolutionary’s interventions in Mozambique and the Angolan War that changed the course of history in these two former Portuguese colonies and played a defining role in the struggle to free South Africa and the continent from the scourge of apartheid.

(Antigua Observer)

Family pleads for justice for 7-yr-old accident victim

F

amily members of seven-year-old Padmini Patram of Adventure Truck Line Dam on the Essequibo Coast are seeking justice for the little girl, who was struck down on November 17, 2016 while attempting to cross the Adventure Public Road.

Following the accident, the girl was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Although she has since regained consciousness, Padmini is now bed-ridden.

The Fisher Primary School pupil is confined to a bed where she depends on others to provide for all her needs.

According to her father, Rohan Patram, he has received no cooperation from the traffic officers in the Region and he has expressed his disappointment at the way in which the entire matter is being dealt with.

He further explained that the traffic officers have been adamant that the injured child must go to the station to give a statement. Patram maintains that it would be easier and more convenient for the injured child if the officers would visit the home to take the statement.

According to the frus-

Seven-year-old Padmini Patram lies helpless on her bed

trated father, he has been incurring daily expenses following the accident while the driver is walking free. He said too that since the accident, the driver has only provided G$50,000 (receipt provided) to assist with transportation expenses.

The seven-year-old has already undergone three CT head and abdomen scans, which revealed that she has suffered from Poly Trauma.

The scans conducted by the Cancer Institute of Guyana revealed that the child also suffered multiple head injuries, hepatic laceration, mild hemoperitoneum, multiple pelvic bone fractures and minimal patchy areas of consolidation on the lower lungs. Her father said that he was haunted daily by what has happened

to his daughter and was disappointed that justice still could not be served.

The young Patram was struck down around 15:00h on November 17.

The accident involved a pick-up truck bearing registration plates GNN 3818.

According to a Police report, the child and her eight-year-old brother, Anesh Patram, were passengers in a car which was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road. The car then stopped in an effort to offload passengers, and Padmini ran across the road.

The report further stated she ran from east to west across the public road and unfortunately came into contact with the right side front fender of the pick-up, which was proceeding north along the western side of the said road.

Head of Traffic for G Division (Essequibo Islands and Coast), Arunanauth Ramnauth, when questioned about the progress of the investigations, said a report was currently being prepared and would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice. He said too that he visited the child at the hospital last Saturday.

N

ew York’s Mayor, Bill de Blasio recently announced that New York was awarded the “2016 Best Smart City” by the Smart City Expo World Congress in Spain. The award recognizes cutting-edge initiatives that help resolve urban challenges and benefit cities and their residents.

According to a statement from the Mayor’s office, this announcement comes at a time when the City is seeing major progress related to Mayor de Blasio’s One NYC plan, which aims to create a more sustainable, resilient and equitable city.

“New York is proud to be recognized as the capital of innovation and progress, and a city where everyone has equal access to opportunities and success,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“We are committed to ensuring we continue to be the leader of urban sustainability, resiliency and technology, and we are honored to host Smart Cities NYC ’17 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this coming Spring," the Mayor added.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the

New York’s Mayor, Bill de Blasio

Smart City Expo World Congress announced a new partnership to hold their first event in the United States: Smart Cities NYC '17. The international conference and exposition will focus on the intersection of technology and urban life and will be held May 3-6. More than a dozen City agencies and offices will participate alongside public and private sector leaders and influencers from around the globe.

“There could be no better place to hold this important event than in New York City and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” said Jerry Hultin, Chairman and Executive Director of Global Futures Group. “Smart Cities NYC ’17 will bring together world-class keynote speakers, experts and residents for constructive discussions and provocative debates,

while also showcasing and advancing cutting-edge solutions for creating smarter, safer and more resilient global cities.”

“Brooklyn Navy Yard has been a center of innovation since it was first used to build ships 200 years ago," said BNYDC President David Ehrenberg.

"Brooklyn Navy Yard continues that tradition today as home to a mix of older manufacturers and a growing number of companies that use advanced technologies to design, engineer and manufacture products – which now employ more people than at any time since the Navy left Brooklyn.

We are delighted that in recognition of the role we play in making New York City the world's smartest city, we've been asked to host this incredible event,” he added.

8

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WILL TRUMP DEPORT St. Lucia Govt to hold public discussions on OUR CHILDREN?

By Rakesh Rampertab, Esq.

W

e are living in dangerous times. And America, already a dangerous place, is rapidly becoming a place far too threatening for some to live in,especially for those who do not have legal immigration status (i.e., they are “undocumented”) Ordinarily, there are lots of people living in the United States (US) who are very afraid because of the political situation, in light of the recent national elections. And this includes persons who do have their “green card” or

US citizenship. The fear may be for another person, perhaps a person who came to the US as a child and who now is at risk of being arrested, processed, and deported from the United States.

For a brief while, some who came to the United States as children were allowed certain temporary benefits as a result of an order signed by President Barack Obama.

This order came into effect on June 15, 2012, when the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that under what became known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program, certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. This means that they would, at least temporarily, avoid being deported back to their home country during that period.They would also be eligible for employment authorization.

As it is, the program is at a standstill since February 2015, when a federal judge ordered that it be placed on

hold. However, now that a republican government will soon be in office, it is very likely that these children may not benefit further from DACA, and instead may be deported.

Further, a similar program called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), which was meant to give undocumented parents similar temporary privileges, was never implemented because of the aforesaid federal judge’s decision. In effect, undocumented children and undocumented parents living in the US are vulnerable to deportation, if Mr. Trump were to sign his own executive orders to set aside the orders signed by President Obama.

President Obama, to his credit, has said publicly that he would urge Mr. Trump to think “long and hard” before his administration endangers the status of those who came here as childrenillegally, but were allowed to get work permit and a temporary reprieve from deportation under the DACA program.

Time will tell. If President Obama's suggestion is ignored, then it is likely that agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agency, will increase their raids on homes, workplaces, schools, playgrounds, soccer fields—any place that an arrest of an undocumented person can occur.

That is to say, once ICE and other federal agents get an order and begin to execute it, anyone may become trapped under the weight of such an order, because there are likely to be many immigration officialsand agents eager to deport just about anyone who is deportable. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. For immigrationrelated questions, you may contact this attorney at (917) 943-1336 or rrampertabesq@gmail.com.

decriminalising marijuana

T

he St. Lucia government says it is planning a series of town hall meetings to discuss the decriminalisation of marijuana.

National Security Minister Hermangild Francis said it is important for the discussion to take place, and to explore the properties and use of hemp.

The discussions will be held in the 17 constituencies on the island and Francis, a former acting police commissioner, said he had met with various stakeholders including medical practitioners Dr. Marcus Day, Dr. Stephen King, and Paul Francis from the Iyanola Advancement of Rastafarian and Nyabinghi Tabernacle.

“We had a very open and frank discussion on the way forward. We have agreed to meet again on November 30. The November meeting will designate a committee responsible for hosting town hall meetings in all 17 constituencies on the island, where all the necessary information will be disseminated,” Francis added.

He said that he also intends to meet with his

fellow Cabinet colleagues, Lenard Montoute, the Minister for Social Justice and Equity and Health Minister Mary Issac.

He said discussions with the Attorney General centered on reviewing legislation with the intent to assess how to amend the Drug Act. In June, the Guyanabased Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat announced the start of the formal regional conversation around marijuana.

In July 2014, the CARICOM leaders had mandated the CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque to establish the Marijuana Commission which would, inter alia, “examine the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding the various aspects of Marijuana use in the Caribbean and its implications, and

make recommendations to the Conference”.

In fulfilling its mandate, the Commission hosted the first of a national consultation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the issue.

CARICOM said that discussions will also be held with special interests groups such as researchers, medical practitioners, including of alternative medicine; advocates for medicinal and others uses of marijuana, and representatives from the National Drug Council, as well as faithbased organizations and non-governmental organizations.

The Commission is headed by Professor RoseMarie-Bell Antoine, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).(CMC)

Govt hoping to set up 4 hinterland radio stations in 2017

R

adio stations will next year be established in four hinterland communities to the tune of G$150 million, Finance Minister Winston Jordan has announced.

During his budget presentation to the National

Assembly on Monday, Jordan said these radio entities would stimulate communication and information sharing in native languages.

“Our Government intends to do its utmost to preserve the cultural richness of our indigenous peoples even as we pursue accelerated development of the hinterland,” he said.

The communities that will be benefiting from radio stations are: Moruca and Santa Rosa in Region One (Barima-Waini); Orealla in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Aishalton inRegion Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), according to Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock during an interview with this newspaper on Wednesday.

He explained that Government would establish the stations and hand them over to the communities to take charge, noting that one of the aims of the initiative was to create employment opportunities for locals.

The Minister explained that in the fullness of time, Government hoped these hinterland

Minister Sydney Allicock

radio stations would transmit information to those residing on the coastland. Allicock pointed out that currently, persons living on the coastland were unable to tune into the radio frequenciesof the radio stations in the hinterland.

However, he noted that the feasibility of the frequency exchange would be up to technical persons to determine.

Government has already commissioned two radio stations in the hinterland communities of Lethem in Region Nine and Mabaruma in Region One. So far, Radio Lethem and Radio Mabaruma are being transmitted through the Stateowned National Communications Network (NCN).

NEWS 9

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Prince Harry meets popstar T&T continues to site Rihanna in Barbados Guyana as source of

trafficking victims

M

P

ost of the human trafficking cases in T&T identified by the Ministry of National Security’s Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) have been related to sexual exploitation, Alana Wheeler, CTU’s director, said yesterday.

She was address-

Guyana and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“And, yes, we have had T&T nationals as victims as well,” Wheeler told a small gathering in the auditorium.

She continued: “Most of these cases, approximately 85 per cent, have been for sexual exploita-

knew as friends.

The potential victims were later followed by people unknown to them.

“This is what is happening in our country.

It’s real,” she told the conference.

Wheeler said victims were not always naive, poor and desperate peo-

ing participants attending a conference on Human Trafficking and the Co-relation to Abuse, HIV and Aids at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation’s Regional Complex.

It was organised by the Network of FaithBased Organisations (FBOs), with members from various religions in T&T. “Since it began its operations (in 2011), the CTU has identified 30 persons as victims of trafficking and charged 22 T&T nationals for human trafficking and related offences.

“The victims we have encountered have come mainly from within the region, Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic,

tion.

“The other types have been for domestic servitude and forced labour.”

Wheeler said, at present, there were two human trafficking cases in the High Court, the two people charged being police officers.

She said there were 20 other matters in the preliminary pre-trial phase, two of which involved minors.

She said the traffickers’ main weapon was deception.

“They lure their victims via advertisements, social media acquaintances or persons known to them,” she added.

Participants were told of real cases in which young people gave suspected traffickers information on people they

ple.

“They can be of any socio-economic demographic.

“We have had victims who are mature in age, university students and graduates, and people from well-connected and respected family backgrounds.”

She said calls to the CTU’s human trafficking hotline, 800-CTU have tripled since its launch.

Wheeler said FBOs have a role to play in helping victims rebuild their lives by restoring their faith and trust in God and man.

They also have a tangible role to play in providing food, clothing and shelter to victims, she added.(Trinidad Guardian)

Prince Harry is on a 15-day tour of the Caribbean (Photo: Kensington Palace)

rince Harry has met Barbados’s biggest star, Rihanna, twice in a day at events marking 50 years of independence.

According to a BBC report, at an afternoon event in Bridgetown, Prince Harry kept the singer waiting as he stopped to greet the president of

Guyana first, before turning to her.

Rihanna, who has had eight UK number ones and 29 UK top 10 hits, stood to greet the prince, who said: “Hello, it’s very nice to meet you.”

The pair later sat side-by-side on stage at a celebratory concert.

Guyana/Barbados celebrate...

FROM PAGE 3

Some members of the Guyana Defence Force along with their Barbadian counterparts at the Toast to the Nation event

role in the Barbados celebrations with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) delighting the crowd gathered at the reveal of the National Monument event with a spectacular fireworks display. In addition, weather permitting, GDF paratroopers, supported by the Air Corps will display their skill, at today’s (Thursday) Independence parade at the Garrison, Savannah, which had to be rescheduled from yesterday, because of heavy rains, which resulted in some flooding. A total of 25 GDF members are participating in the Independence activities.

Also attending the 50th Anniversary of Barbados Independence events is Prince Henry of Wales, KCVO, familiarly known as Prince Harry.

The Prince, who delivered a message on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II at the Toast to the Nation event, and will be arriving in Guyana on December 2, 2016, greeted the President and the First Lady at the Toast to the Nation event.

The Guyanese Head of State and Mrs. Granger were also greeted at that event by Barbadian superstar and Youth and Cultural Ambassador, Ms. Robin Rihanna Fenty and her Guyanese born mom Ms, Monica Braithwaite.

Barbadian National Hero and West Indian cricketing great, Sir Garfield Sobers, familiarly known as Sir Gary, also met with President Granger following the Toast to the Nation event. Prime Minister Stuart had earlier described Sir Garfield’s role in establishing Barbadian pride at the time of Independence.

“While we were discussing Independence at Lancaster House in 1966, Sir Gary Sobers was on the playing fields of England making a statement on behalf of Barbados and the West Indies in the summer of that year. Needless to say, of course, the West Indies team triumphed in that 1966 series and Sir Garfield Sobers outperformed everybody else, both in the bat-

ting and bowling departments. So he made his own contribution to our confidence as a people in 1966 as we were making those tentative steps towards nationhood.”(GINA)

10 news

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4 , 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Mahaicony smash-up leaves one dead, several injured

A

three-vehicle collision at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) has reportedly left at least one person dead and four others injured.

The accident occurred about 11:00h on Wednesday. Dead is EsmeeRockliffe, 61, of Lot 6 L Enterprise, Mahaicony. The retired Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) was reportedly heading home from Berbice when the accident occurred.

While details remain sketchy, this newspaper understands that the col-

Dead: Esmee Rockliffe

lision involved two minibuses and a car, and might have been

caused by reckless driving on the part of one of the drivers. One of the minibuses reportedly toppled several times before coming to a halt.

The now dead woman was tossed from one of the minibuses and landed on the roadway where she sustained severe head injuries. The injured persons were taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where they were admitted.

NyashaRockliffe, the eldest daughter of the now dead woman, told this newspaper that the accident occurred about 11:00h, but they received the news about 13:20h.

She, along with other relatives, rushed to the hospital, where they saw her mother lying on a bed with blood on her head.

The grieving daughter noted that her mother took her last breath around 14:00h.

The now deceased woman left home about 08:00h to accompany another daughter to transact some business at New Amsterdam.

“She was heading back home when the accident occurred… we don’t know which vehicle she was in, all we got is a call and we rushed to the hospital,” the daughter noted.

Traffic Chief Dion

Guyana stepping up efforts to address maritime trafficking

G

uyana has joined 26 countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the Seaport Cooperation Project (SEACOP), which aims to clamp down on maritime trafficking.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan on Wednesday signed the MoU on the implementation of SEACOP in the presence of the European Union (EU) Ambassador Jernej Videtic and Ms Karen Clarke, Regional Coordinator for the SEACOP programme.

SEACOP is a programme to train and

Having established effective units in West Africa, the project is now extending into a number of new countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Guyana, to reflect continuous changes in trafficking routes.

The first SEACOP specialised training event in Guyana will take place from March 6-10, 2017, and will see nine law enforcement officials from Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard being trained.

The training will be conducted by experts from the UK Border Force Agency and the

Guyana launches SEACOP to tackle maritime trafficking

Two of the vehicles involved in the accident

Moore confirmed that the accident involved three vehicles, while noting that several persons were injured.

Rockliffe leaves to mourn her five children, among other relatives.

The drivers of the two minibuses were detained by the Police, while the driver of the car was admitted to the hospital.

Only recently, the Guyana Police Force revealed that analysis showed seven fatal accidents between September 15 and October 20, 2016 across the country, compared to 12 in 2015; 25 serious accidents compared to 37 during the same period in 2015; 35 minor accidents compared to 44 during the same period in 2015; and 42 accidents where damage was incurred compared to 56 in 2015.

In addition, 821 persons were charged for tinted vehicles, driving unlicensed, private hire, using cell phones while driving, failing to wear seat belts, failing to wear safety helmets and breach of traffic light signals.

equip interagency units to identify, search and interdict all forms of maritime trafficking.

SEACOP improves the capacity of law enforcement agencies in monitoring maritime trafficking and detecting illicit maritime cargoes onboard suspect vessels.

Access to databases and regional and inter-regional networks of partners is designed to move law enforcement towards an intelligence-led approach that will help reduce the trafficking of cocaine.

The Seaport Cooperation Project will run until December 2018 with a budget of €6 million and will cover selected countries in Africa, Latin America and theCaribbean.

During the first two phases which began in 2010, the project was focused on West Africa, where it set up a network of Joint Maritime Control Units (JMCUs) in strategic seaports.

Intercepting drug and other illicit cargoes is a critical component of the Cocaine Route Programme, a series of interconnected programmes funded out of the EU Instrument Contributing to Stability and Peace. Drug traffickers are continuously modifying their routes in response to law enforcement activity.

course will focus on delivering advanced search techniques for a range of vessels. This will establish a multi-agency Joint Maritime Control Unit (JMCU) in Guyana, dedicated to the search of vessels. In addition, the project will donate specialised equipment and search tools to the JMCU. A series of mentoring events will follow in subsequent years.

A second course is planned to be delivered jointly with Jamaican officers in late March 2017 in Jamaica. This course will be conducted by UK National Crime Agency maritime experts and it will be delivered to four vetted officers from Guyana and four vetted officers from Jamaican law enforcement agencies.

This course will be focused on advanced maritime intelligence training, providing access to key international partners. The course will create a Maritime Intelligence Unit (MIU).

Officers participating in this course will be invited to attend an annual mentoring event,which will be attended by all MIU-trained teams participating in the project, with a view in promoting trans-regional working practices. An annual conference will also be convened to promote trans-regional networks.

news 11

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4 , 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Duncan to challenge Top Cop announces Chase-Green for changes for promotion mayorship of Georgetown

individuals themselves can make their case and those cases [will be] considered,” Persaud told the gathering which included several senior ranks.

He further explained that the board is chaired by Assistant Commissioner of Police Administration and noted that the board will include all divisional and branch commanders.

A

s the mayoral elections get underway, Deputy Mayor of Georgetown Sherrod Duncan has announced that he will be contesting for the position of Mayor of the City of Georgetown.

In an interview with Guyana Times Internationalon Wednesday, Duncan said that a special statutory meeting is expected to be held before December 12, during which either sitting Mayor Patricia Chase-Green will be re-elected by the City Councillors as Mayor, or a new Mayor will put into office.

Duncan explained that even though ChaseGreen has not been in power for a complete year, the election is being held to come into conformity with the Municipal and District Council Act. “The Act says that elections for Mayor must be held by December 16 of every year, that is why the election will be held so soon,” the Deputy Mayor told this newspaper.

Donation

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Deputy Mayor Sherrod Duncan will battle for the top post

Chase-Green has held the post of Georgetown Mayor from April 1 of this year, after serving many years as second in command after former Deputy Mayor Robert Williams died.

Both Duncan and Chase-Green contested on the A Partnership for national Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) ticket, but the two, however, seemed to be at odds on many occasions as they have held opposing views on the management of the capital city.

In July, reports surfaced that the Deputy Mayor was not provided with the benefits the

Mayor and Town Clerk received. This included transportation and Duncan claimed that he was forced to utilise a bicycle as a means of reporting to and from the office, whereas the Mayor and Town Clerk were appointed a vehicle and driver.

Chase-Green had stated that this was so because she was not granted these luxuries in her position as Deputy Mayor. However, it was opined that this scenario was a way of “punishing” Duncan for his stance against the installation of parking meters in Georgetown.

Guyanese among two killed in BVI accident

A

Guyanese was one of two people killed following a vehicular accident in the vicinity of Savannah Bay Beach, British Virgin Islands on Sunday evening.

The Guyanese has been identified as 31-year-old Dexter Cottoy, also called “Decky”, formerly of West Coast Berbice, while the second victim is Calvert Brown, also known as “Buju”, of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Reports are the bodies of the two men were found in their wrecked vehicle, whichpresumably plunged some 150 feet downhill.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the two men were travelling from a place called the Valley to a commercialised area whenthe accident took place. The bodies were pulled from the wreckage by public-spiritedcitizens.

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) told an online media outfit: “The vehicle was found approximately 150 feet downhill of the cliff, which overlooks the Savannah Bay Beach. The bodies of the two were found inside the vehicle.”

Police Officers of the Virgin Gorda along with Fire and Rescue

eeks after having voiced concerns over several ranks that were promoted during his vacation, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud has announced changes in the way junior officers can move up the ranks.

This revelation comes against the backdrop that in late October, Police ranks who were promoted by Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine in Persaud’s absence feared that their promotion would have been withdrawn since there was controversy about who had powers to make promotions within the Force. However, a few days later, Minister of State Joseph Harmon advised that the promotions will remain intact.

Speaking at the unveiling of a Police gym

named in his honour on Wednesday, Persaud suggested that the promotion board unit will play an even more active role in the elevation of ranks, leading to less reliance on the word of Commanders. The Commissioner further disclosed that any rank who feels that he or she is suitable for upward movement can express their justifications via letters to the board.

“Matters that are considered for promotion were recommendations by those Commanders only [but ranks who think that they are desirous [and] are eligible for promotion [could] make their case in writing and the board has been instructed to assess all those cases. So it’s not only limited any longer to a recommendation of a Commander but

Cops hold two more for East La Penitence execution

Dead: Dexter Cottoy

Services, medical personnel from the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic, Rasta Trucking, L&S Garage, employees of Yates and Associates and officers of the BVI Port Authority were all in attendance and assisted at the scene following the accident, the Policestated.

An investigation has been launched.

Affiance man commits suicide

A

21-year-old man known as “Movindra” of Affiance, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is the country’s latest suicide victim.

According to reports, around 16:00h on Tuesday, the man’s body was discovered hanging from the ceiling in his home. The body was discovered by his father, Drublall, who last saw his son around 12:00h when he returned from work.

According to information reaching INews, the young man was reportedly experiencing relationship problems.

The body was cut down by Police and

W

Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud

Meanwhile, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was present to hand over a donation to the Police Force of 18 tint meters and 15 decibel meters to measure noise levels.

Ramjattan announced that the donation was provided by the Chinese Embassy and further disclosed that the equipment came along with the necessary batteries and chargers.

Speaking with media on the sidelines, the Police Commissioner informed that the Police will carry out several assessments to determine where the equipment will be deployed. He however disclosed that the requisite testing will get underway in time for first use of the equipment by next week Monday.

Persaud further noted that the visibility will be key when Police will assess the amount of darkness the tint carries.

(Shemuel Fanfair)

later transported to the Suddie Public Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

T

he Police have arrested two new suspects in connection with the executionstyle killing of 31-yearold Paul Rodney, called “Shirts”, which occurred at East La Penitence, Georgetown. This latest arrest has brought the total to three persons who have now been implicated in the murder and the Police are still hunting the prime suspect.

Commander A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara), Clifton Hicken told media operatives that the Police are working on leads to apprehend the main perpetrator at the earliest opportunity, based on information received from those in custody. He noted that it was through diligent work that the Police were able to arrest the men.

The first suspect was arrested a few days after the shooting incident at

his Warlock home. Upon his arrest, he was reportedly nursing a bullet wound to one of his legs which suggested that he might have been shot during the shooting incident.

However, the Police are also working on the theory that the now dead man might have been killed with his own firearm.

It was reported that Rodney, who is a known character to the Police, was beaten mercilessly by his attackers during an altercation following an argument over a deal that went sour.

The confrontation started at a party in East La Penitence and ended at Avocado Avenue, where Rodney’s body was found with at least seven gunshot injuries.

He attempted to escape, but was shot to one of his feet and collapsed.

Well-placed sources revealed that it was at this time that his assail-

ants walked up to him and pumped several other bullets to his abdomen and chest. The now dead man reportedly begged for his life when he was cornered but his murderers did not spare him. On the other hand, Police in a statement related that at about 02:55h on Monday last, a mobile patrol on Mandela Avenue, heard several loud explosions and went to investigate. Upon arrival, a group of men was observed running as they discharged several round into the air.

Upon checking the area, the Police noticed Rodney lying on the roadway and covered in blood. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The three men in custody will be grilled as Police continue their hunt for the prime suspect.

12 news

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD

…Dookhoo says 14% VAT on water, electricity will place additional burden on citizens

F

ormer Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Ramesh Dookhoo on Tuesday noted that he was saddened by the adjustments of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity and water bills.

Dookhoo, in an invited comment, indicated that the implementation of 14 per cent VAT on water and electricity bills for consumers was not only a disappointment from the Government’s end, but it was not beneficial.

“It is really a sad day when we have to stoop to this level to do this… why does the Government have to do this to people when both of these agencies are budgeted?” he questioned in airing his dissatisfaction with this particular budget measure that was announced

by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

The former PSC Chairman also said that he foresaw an additional burden for the ordinary citizen, arguing that all the Government has done was shift taxation from one end of the table to the other.

Jordan, in his Budget 2017 presentation, has proposed the reduction of the VAT from 16 to 14 per cent and in the same breath proposed 14 per cent VAT be added to electricity bills exceeding G$10,000 monthly and water bills exceeding G$1500 monthly.

This announcement was received with angry shouts of reproof from the Opposition benches; however, Jordan posited that it was a promise to alter the arrangements for VAT made in his par-

ty’s Manifesto.

Dookhoo also lambasted the Government for the introduction of a G$10 per bottle environmental tax on all beverage companies. He stated that this was particularly “unfair” for the manufacturing industry, since the manufacturers and the importers are different.

He explained that manufacturers were required to pay licencing fees amounting to G$10 million every year, along with meeting the required levels of emissions and the purchase of recommended equipment. “So, basically what they are asking us to do is pay more… pay twice of which the importers will be paying, leaving us at a disadvantage,” he remarked.

Dookhoo said what

the Government should have done was introduce incentive programmes for the manufacturing industry, based on the number of persons they employ. This measure, he pointed out, is being implemented in the Caribbean.

“Probably, they didn’t get a chance to study this before their budget presentation, but they need to do something better for the manufacturers,” he said.

He said too that the PSC was seeking a meeting with the Minister for the Government to reconsider the new environmental tax, given that local beverage manufacturers would have to incur many recurring expenses to retain the environmental licences.

No VAT refunds

He also stated that many companies, like the National Milling Company which produces zero rated items, would no longer be able to apply for VAT refunds. He stated that the Milling Company would not be able to apply for refunds of about G$200 million per year under the new provision, resulting in bigger levies on that company which manufactures flour, rather than importing it.

Meanwhile, Dookhoo lauded the Government’s decision to issue medium-term bonds to finance Guyana’s fiscal deficit. He indicated that there was a lot of liquidity in the bank system, given that Guyana did not have a major capital market. However, he stated that he did agree with Opposition Leader

Former PSC Chairman, Ramesh Dookhoo

Bharrat Jagdeo that it would affect interest rates.

He also commended the Finance Minister for the adjustment of the PAYE (Pay As You Earn) tax from 30 per cent to 28 per cent for individuals earning less than G$2,160,000 per year or G$180,000 per month. He further stated that the reduction in Corporation Tax would help encourage production.

Jury acquits 2014 Dochfour murder accused A

mid scenes of jubilation from some and streams of tears from others, Davendra Ruplall, who was on trial for the murder of Suresh Goberdhan at Dochfour, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was on Tuesday afternoon freed of the charge.

The 12-member jury returned with their not guilty verdict after some two-and-half hours of deliberations at the Demerara High Court, where Ruplall was absolved of the January 2014 killing of Goberdhan, who died after a row over two games of pool. His dead body

Sister of the deceased, Samantha Goberdhan is consoled by a relative minutes after hearing the “not guilty” verdict

was discovered on a dam at Dochfour with multiple head injuries.

After Ruplall was freed amid a packed courtroom, he said “it

feels great to be free”, and added that he plans to pursue a job in finance.

While his family members were overjoyed,

the relatives of Suresh Goberdhan could not contain their disappointment over Tuesday’s verdict, and several persons broke down outside Court Three after Justice Jo-Ann Barlow announced that the then murder accused was a free man.

The Judge told Ruplall now that he is a “free young man”, he should “stay away from rum shops” and to avoid spending so many hours consuming alcohol as was done on that fateful night.

The jury’s decision comes nearly one month after the trial first began, which eventually saw 15 witnesses taking the stand to testify.

Chief among those who testified was Khemraj Persaud, who testified for the prosecution.

It was contended that after the murder accused had lost two games of pool, he, Goberdhan and chief witness Persaud, were headed to another rum shop on two bicycles when Ruplall alleged threatened the deceased.

He allegedly picked up a piece of steel, said to be three feet in length, and “lashed” Goberdhan to his head, then dragged him to the ‘sea dam’ and “lashed him more to his face”.

In summing up the trial on Tuesday morning, Justice Barlow told the jury that they had to consider why the Police did not send the rock found at site for testing earlier in the case.

This rock was shown

Murder accused Davendra Ruplall moments before he was freed of the murder indictment

once again in court on Tuesday. The jury was reminded of Corporal Benjamin’s testimony that he did not check the rock as his investigation directed that it was not the murder weapon.

When Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh testified last week, giving evidence in relation to the post-mortem examination that he conducted on the body of Goberdhan, he disclosed that the deceased suffered injuries to his shoulders, lacerations to his chin, left cheek, neck, and between the eyebrows. Dr Singh further explained that the young man also had suffered multiple fractures to the head.

The jury was once again reminded that a strong scent of alcohol was detected in Goberdhan’s stomach, but was cautioned against using the belief that heavy alcohol consumption by Ruplall was responsible for the young

Dead: Suresh Goberdhan

man’s death.

When the prosecution had first presented its case, it was alleged that at the scene of the incident on January 16, 2014, Ruplall ran through Goberdhan’s pockets and stole his money and mobile phone, while the eyewitness, Khemraj Persaud, had shouted several times for the murder accused to “stop”.

At this point, a man who lived across the road, Orin Calendar, also witnessed the ordeal and explained that he saw the “lashing” from his veranda. Sometime after, when threats were made to call the Police, Ruplall reportedly jumped onto his bicycle and fled the scene while Persaud also rode through the sea dam. Ruplall pleaded not guilty to the capital offence.

The State’s Prosecutors were Siand Dhurjon and Shawnette Austin, while Defence Counsel Sandhill Kissoon represented the murder accused.

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‘Fear will flourish’ F

ear and insecurity in depositing monies in bank accounts will flourish with the empowerment of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to garnish funds held by taxpayers who have outstanding tax arrears, says President of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Eddie Boyer.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced on Monday that provisions of section 102 of the Income Tax Act Chapter 81:01 will be revised to provide authority to the GRA to access any taxpayers’ bank account in order to ‘garnish’ monies it claims to be owed.

Boyer, in an invited comment to by Guyana Times International, said this power bestowed upon the country’s tax authority is a major cause for concern when the repercussions of such a move are examined.

He opined that the Private Sector does not support persons bypassing on paying their taxes; however, he indicated the procedures enforcing tax collection must include mechanisms that do not drive apprehen-

PSC Chairman, Eddie Boyer

sion among the population.

“I don’t think the power to GRA to garnish your bank account without a court order should be done by… If they have a court order, fine, that would give check and balance,” he noted.

The PSC Chairman explained that the consequences of such a move will be dire as persons, out of fear, will move to withdraw their monies from the banking system.

“The ramifications of it or what I think would happen as it relates to persons in the banking system, persons in the Diaspora; these people will find ways to take their monies out of the banking system for fear

that their monies will be garnished without proper regulations…It gives the feeling of insecurity, if there is no court order,” Boyer explained.

According to the PSC Head, such an outcome would be counterproductive to the Government’s efforts and vision to promote a society that is not heavily dependent on cash-based transactions.

Last month, Government had announced that it will take a major step along technological and digital lines, encouraging through legislation the use of cards to transact financial businesses.

Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes had said she hopes to

take to Parliament next year a draft legislation to support such a paradigm shift, noting that discussions are already ongoing with the Bank of Guyana Governor Gobind Ganga in this regard.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had also expressed utter shock over Government’s inclusion of such a measure in the budget, noting that it was “unbelievable”.

On the other hand, the Finance Minister, in his budget presentation, explained that such a measure “would assist to improve compliance with demands issued by the GRA for outstanding payments.”

The National Budget 2017 also empowers the

…Private Sector says of Govt’s plan to empower revenue body to access bank accounts

GRA further by preventing persons from leaving the country until outstanding arrears are settled. GRA will no longer be required to secure a court order in order to enforce this provision, according to Minister Jordan.

Jordan announced too that the GRA will be looking to put in place an “Excise Stamp Programme”, based on an Agreement with Canadian Bank Note (CBN).

An excise stamp is a type of revenue stamp affixed to excisable goods to indicate that the required excise (and other) taxes have been paid on

the product.

“This will see the stamping of alcohol and tobacco products with high-security stamps, which can be read by barcode scanners,” according to Jordan.

He used the opportunity to announce too that the Commissioner General of GRA will no longer be allowed to provide extensions for the payment of VAT. Explaining his rationale, Jordan told the House, “VAT is funds held in trust, no such right should be given to taxpayers regarding payment… therefore this provision will be repealed.”

Guyana Revenue Authority Headquarters

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Guyana Govt gears to invest G$1B in renewable energy projects …AFC wind farm financier poised to benefit from tax holidays, concessions

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overnment has announced allocations and concessions as incentives in order to pursue a ‘green agenda’ and one of its financiers is conspicuously among the front runners to immediately benefit from the measure.

Alliance For Change (AFC) financial backer, Lloyd Singh and the Guyana Government have inked an agreement for development of a wind farm at Hope Beach and according to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, investments such as this will not only benefit from tax exemptions as a result of Budget 2017, but will also be granted a two-year tax holiday.

The budgetary measure that immediately benefits financiers of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/AFC (APNU/AFC) Government is reminiscent of last year’s measures which sought to place restrictions on the importations of used vehicle in favour of newer ones.

Speaking to the measure outlined in the 2017 Budget, Minster Jordan told the House, “Government will be granting a one-off tax holiday of two years for corporation tax to importers of items for wind and solar energy investments, and for investors in water treatment, waste disposal, and recycling facilities.”

He announced tax exemptions too for investment in, and construction of, water treatment and water recycling facilities, which will in addition, also be given a one-off tax holiday of two years for corporation tax for companies involved exclusively in such importation.

Solar farms

Speaking on Government’s role in pursuit of a green agenda, the Minster said, “Under the renewable energy programme, in 2017, we will install the first ever solar farm on a large scale in Mabaruma.”

He said G$264 million has been budgeted towards the installation of the solar farm, which when operational, is expected to supply some 400 kilowatts of electricity and will afford residents in the Region One (Barima-Waini) communities an additional 17 hours of electricity to the 3000 residents of Mabaruma.

“Furthermore, our Government has also advanced the pursuit of additional solar farms with a capacity of 800 kilowatts at Lethem, 400 kilowatts at Mahdia, and 1.5 mega-

watts at Bartica,” Jordan further stated.

Expanding on Government’s green state agenda, Minister Jordan said the strategy “encompasses environmental protection, citizen security, employment and value chain creation, energy, health, education, social protection, and resilience against climate change and economic shocks… It is about sustainable development, embracing a broad range of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligning perfectly with multi-dimensional progress.”

He told the National Assembly that as the Administration consolidates and builds on previous initiatives with a low-carbon focus, including the use of renewable energy sources and co-generation alternatives, the Government will review and expand the scope of alternative energy solutions.

Electric vehicles

Jordon said, “Some immediate measures that will be taken towards this expansion will be: The lowering of the excise tax on hybrid and electric vehicles; granting of tax exemptions to set up electric vehicle charging stations; zero-rating the excise tax on biofuel and specially designed refuse trucks; the restriction of used tyres; and a reduction of taxes on new tyres.”

According to Jordan, “Our Government will prioritise evidence-driven and cost-effective options to determine our renewable energy choices across the country to successively transform the energy mix and reduce the share of non-renewable energy sources in the overall ratio.”

He said that it is in this vein that Government will shortly be releasing the outcome of a review of the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project, which was undertaken by Norconsult, the Norwegian-contracted consultants, after the comments of both the Kingdom of Norway and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana are incorporated into the final document.

One billion

According to Minister Jordan, “In 2017, the Government has made a budgetary allocation of almost $1 billion to implement a series of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, following the charge given by His Excellency President David Granger for the Public Sector to lead the way in transitioning towards greater renewable energy use.”

The, interventions, according to the Minister, will be channelled through and managed by the Guyana Energy Agency.

Providing some insight on the agenda for 2017, Minister Jordan said the renewable energy programme for the upcoming year will entail the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftops of 64 Government buildings.

Japanese aid

According to the Finance Minister, Government’s energy efficiency programme will involve, also, the replacement of inefficient lights and the installation of 10,427

An artist’s impression of the 25MW Wind Farm at Hope Beach, East Coast Demerara

light-emitting diode (LED) lamps and 3766 occupancy sensors in Government buildings, as well as 360 energy efficient outdoor lights.

This intervention, he said, will result in annual energy savings of 0.93 GWh or 600 barrels of oil

equivalent, with an estimated annual cost savings of G$54 million.

The Minister announced too that in 2017, they will consider utilising the balance of the current Japanese Non Project Grant Aid facility to the private sector to procure

5000 energy efficient street lamps.

“This endeavour will result in the replacement of the existing inefficient 250W street lights with 120W LED street lamps, resulting in energy savings of about G$158 million annually.”

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Govt working to create welcoming environment for investors – Minister Gaskin

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usiness Minister Dominic Gaskin on Monday said his Ministry was prepared to do all that was possible to create a welcoming environment for investors coming to Guyana.

According to the Minister, Guyana supports an economic model that sees Private Sector investment as the key driver of sustainable growth.

He stated that sustainable growth, by its very nature is a longterm rather than a short-term model.

The Minister was at the time addressing employees of Republic Bank Guyana Limited and their counterparts from Barbados, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago at the Bank’s first-ever trade Mission to Guyana.

“There must be a long-term partnership between Public and Private Sector in creating an economy that is not only relevant to Guyana, but the wider region,” he told the gathering at the Marriott

Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin

International Hotel in Georgetown.

According to Gaskin, the business community in Guyana is aware of the challenges of raising capital. He said the high cost and stringent requirements of the formal banking system, coupled with the under-developed capital markets, do not provide enough financial options for a well-diversified economy to take place.

He said, “So whether within borders or across borders, we do need a financial sector that is responsive to the needs of

a growing economy, and will be willing to put new options on the table to finance that growth.”

The Minister explained that despite this staggering reality, investors were flooding Guyana to explore opportunities. It was with this in mind that Government was seeking to create the right environment for businesses to do what they do best.

Gaskin said the Business Ministry has as its top priority making Guyana an easier place to do business. In so doing, the Ministry has developed an action plan on business reform that would be rolled out over the next two years. This plan, he said, will bring significant improvement to the ease of doing business in Guyana “It is fairly comprehensive and relies on a number of agencies to collaborate and in some cases amend and create new legislation to change and improve the way certain things are done,” he said.

The Ministry also

understands that there are factors that can limit economic growth and development. He noted accelerated infrastructure development was a particular area of focus.

Minister Gaskin further stated that there was no doubt an investment in infrastructure needed to be aligned with economic opportunities.

Gaskin mentioned as an example the road through Guyana that would connect Brazil to a deepwater port on our Atlantic Coast. He said this was feasible given the lower cost of transportation it would create for companies in northern Brazil. Once the road is completed, a number of investments opportunities are likely to become more attractive.

“So, over the next few decades, with the right investment, Guyana can be transformed into a private regional economic hub. The right investments will come once there is enough confidence among partners and the likely returns attractive.”

Private Sector body writes Govt on City Hall’s no-show at tripartite meetings

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ome months after agreeing to work in a tripartite committee aimed at developing and modernising the capital city, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been dragging its foot in participating in the initiative.

The committee, which consists of representatives of the M&CC, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and Central Government, was expected to discuss matters in relation to the institutionalising of a solid partnership to develop the capital city.

Following several non-appearances by the M&CC, the PSC wrote Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan expressing concerns over City Hall’s apparent unwillingness to partake in this meaningful venture. “The PSC is disappointed in the lack of commitment shown on behalf of the M&CC representatives as reflected in their absence and request for postponement of the meetings scheduled for such dialogue, and hopes that this situation can be reversed so that effective dialogue can be facilitated,” the Private Sector body penned in a letter to the

Communities Minister.

The letter, seen by this newspaper, noted that the PSC underscored the importance of this dialogue forum, and despite the unwillingness demonstrated by the M&CC, recommitted itself to the process for the betterment of Georgetown. “(We) hope that the M&CC can join us around the table as a meaningful partner,” the PSC stated.

The organisation also expressed gratitude to the Minister for coordinating and facilitating a structure for these meetings, as was recommended by President David Granger.

The PSC said it was cognisant of the financial challenges faced by

the M&CC and on this basis agreed to be part of a tripartite committee to arrive at solutions for revenue generation and sustainable development of the capital city.

The decision to form a tripartite committee came out of a meeting between the two entities following City Hall’s imposition of a container fee and a cargo fee for all cargo within vehicles of specific weight traversing the streets of the city.

City Hall recently made a decision at a statutory meeting to ask Central Government for a G$600 million bailout in order to pay its debts.

Reports indicate that the City Hall delegation is yet to formally make the request of the

Communities Minister; however, the subject Minister has already made it clear that he is not desirous of granting approval for such a venture.

“This G$600 million bailout that we all have read about in the newspapers, where that particular council is looking for that support, what I can say… and from my own understanding and the limited current engagement that I have had with colleagues in the Administration, is that I do not think that there is any appetite on the part of the Central Government to be favourably disposed towards that request,” Bulkan recently asserted at a forum in Berbice.

No cease order for RUSAL – President T he conflicts surrounding Russian bauxite company RUSAL and its labour issues have not reached such a grave stage that it warrants a cease order. This is according to President David Granger.

He made this assertion during his weekly telecast “The Public Interest” which was aired on Friday.

An official order handed down by a Government agency or court directing a person or entity to stop doing something immediately is called a “cease and desist order.” Such an order effectively places an injunction on the person or entity that prohibits the named activity, labeling it suspicious or illegal.

“I don’t think we need to reach the level of a cease order at this point in time. There are measures which could be put in place by the unions to ensure that the controversies are adjudicated and I do not think those measures have been exhausted at this point in time,” President Granger stated, in response to a question posed by one of the journalists on the panel.

The Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and RUSAL have had issues following the dismissal and suspension of 57 workers several years back.

Some of the workers’ concerns raised over the years include being compelled to complete tasks without the necessary equipment to do the job; staff working far in excess of five years and receiving no raise in pay; staff reporting sick receiving pay eight hours

for a three-day period, but upon resumption money is deducted from their salary; poor ventilation in office areas; and no occupational safety and health representatives or committee, among several other issues.

The bauxite company recently disrespected the Government by failing to attend a meeting organised by Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence and Junior Minister Keith Scott to deliberate on the matter.

Recently, the workers union expressed concerns over the company’s move to establish a Workers’ Social Welfare Committee, noting that it is an attempt to isolate employees from the unions.

According to the Union, this Committee would be responsible for addressing workers socio-economic issues” and be its workers’ medium for communication and information flow to and from management.

The Union contended that this move is unacceptable and infringes upon workers’ freedom to subscribe to a union of their choice.

Nonetheless, President Granger holds out that there are measures that can be explored before Government makes any extreme decisions regarding this matter.

“I urge that the Ministry of Social Protection remain engaged with the company, and if necessary, we can result to legal means to ensure workers’ rights are protected,” he said.

RUSAL has been operating in Guyana since 2014.

Police unearth 21,000kg of cannabis in Berbice

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olice on Friday last conducted a drug eradication exercise which unearthed four cannabis cultivation fields in Berbice.

According to information reaching Guyana Times Internationalthe 12-hour long exercise at Gateroy, Upper Berbice River, unearthed four fields measuring eight acres.

An estimated 10,000 plants measuring be-

tween 2 to 6 feet in height which amounted to approximately 21,000 kilograms, were being cultivated.

However, after the discovery, the Police acted swiftly to destroy each field by fire. This was photographed and placed into evidence.

An arrest is yet to be made but Police are working hard to find the owner/s. Investigations are continuing.

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Duo accused of murdering Sterling Products guard for High Court trial

O

Orin Aurthur

Ryan Paddy

rin Aurthur and Uree Voswick, the two men charged with murdering Wilfred Stewart, a Sterling Products Limited guard during the course of robbing Sterling Products Limited, were both sentenced to stand trial in the High Court.

The two men along with Ryan Paddy, who died in the Camp Street Prison fire earlier this year, had the charge brought against them which alleged that on December 8, 2016, at Providence, and during the course of a robbery, they killed Stewart.

The duo appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore who said that the evidence against them is sufficient and ruled they

will stand trial before a Judge and Jury.

On the day of the

Uree Voswick

incident, the security guard, of Graham’s Hall, East Coast Demerara, was shot by gunmen who were, at the time, forcing their way into the Sterling Products Limited compound.

Global auditing firm sets eyes on Guyana A

n international tax, audit, and advisory company has set its eyes on Guyana to make its services available for what could soon be an influx of investors, owing to Guyana’s promising oil and gas sector.

KPMG, a global network of professional services firms, operates in 155 countries and has an employment count of some 174,000 persons worldwide.

A two-member team visited Guyana recently and spoke with Guyana Times Internationalabout the company’s objectives.

KPMG Trinidad and Tobago Director of Tax, Gillian Wolffe O’Neil, along with Tax Assistant Manager Saskeia Carmichael, in an interview last Friday, said the company, which operated in Guyana years ago, was back owing to the recent oil find.

“It is well known that due to the recent oil find, many investors will be coming to Guyana. We thought that we should do our best to help those investors coming here. The company offers both tax and audit and advisory services and they need to know, which is the most efficient way to set up a business. That is one of the reasons,” Wolffe O’Neil said.

She said after the setting-up of a business and with the tax impact of the company carrying out business in Guyana, it may need advice on the most efficient way of carrying out their business.

Assistant Tax Manager Carmichael said a lot of persons have tax related misunderstandings and fears. She said the aim of KPMG was to simplify the process,

to bring issues to the fore and “hold their hands and show that if they are compliant, they tend to sidetrack the normal route of compliance”. She said there was no fear or backlash in being compliant, noting that it was something that they were hoping to push.

“In my experience, people think that tax is so complex, they are intimidated by it. We are here to make

it simple as possible; it is nothing to be afraid of. What we know is once you are compliant, you will have the peace of mind to know that your financial affairs are being adequately addressed.”

Carmichael added that there were many benefits in being compliant. She said from the perspective of foreign investors coming into Guyana, some of whom would want to do business with local companies, the investors more than likely would have high standards and would want the local companies to be above board and compliant with their tax and corporate obligations.

This makes it quite easy for them to partner with local companies, she added.

Alluding to what makes KPMG stand out from other companies,

Wolffe O’Neil said, “We don’t just offer a service, what we pride ourselves in is that we always understand our clients. We believe that we need to understand your specific issues, your concerns, your facts and then we will devise on a solution to your concerns.”

Carmichael added that there were many other aspects of taxation that the company focused on. Among its main objectives, however, is to seek to ascertain how it can help the business to become more tax efficient and bring the business up to an optimum level of taxation. She said it may be a situation where the company is not accessing the reductions and incentives that are available.

“It is really about having that one-on-one with the client and deciding on your operations, transactions and interaction with other companies, how best you can tailor resolution to suit a particular situation.”

According to Wolffe O’Neil, Guyana is one of the favoured jurisdictions, and the company has always provided consultancy service here (after closing operations here).

She said while they have clients and conduct audits in Guyana, they are seeking to expand the services.

KPMG responds to clients’ complex business challenges with consistent methodologies and common tools across industry sectors and national boundaries.

The company’s history spans some three centuries. KPMG (Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler) itself was formed in 1987 with the merger of Peat Marwick International and Klynveld Main Goerdeler.

Jagdeo calls on Govt to release fact-based assessment of Amaila Falls

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overnment’s unjustifiable delay in the release of the fact-based assessment of Amaila Falls – which would have determined if this was the ideal route for renewable energy in Guyana – creates strong suspicions of attempts to hide the conclusions in the report.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has issued another call for the release of this document so that Guyanese and businesses can access an independent assessment of the merits of Amaila Falls and determine for themselves if the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition’s decision to scrap the project was indeed in the best interest of the country.

Amaila Falls could have been almost operational by now and consumers could have been close to seeing the end to expensive, unreliable and dirty electricity and Guyana would have been entering into the ranks of the top 10 users of clean energy worldwide.

The project, which would have been the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country’s history, had the potential to reintegrate the country with the global capital markets for the first time in over 40 years, the Opposition Leader said in the statement.

“Instead, Guyanese face years more of unreliable electricity supply and excessively high bills – with no end in sight. Blackouts last for up to 10 hours a day, and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is putting future electricity costs up by buying expensive, dirty energy supplies. Only two weeks ago, they bought four new oil-based generators. The blame for this situation lies entirely with the APNU/AFC coalition,” read an excerpt of a statement from the Office of the Opposition Leader on the matter.

Global capital markets

The missive explained that the People’s National Congress

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

(PNC) party, now APNU, caused Guyana to be excluded from the global capital markets in the first place – and the decades of zero investment in Guyana that resulted.

The Opposition chronicled that upon assuming office in 2015, APNU/AFC continued their “economic vandalism” by stopping the project in its tracks.

“They justified these acts of vandalism through a series of inaccurate statements, including when the Finance Minister stood before the National Assembly and declared that to proceed with the Amaila Falls project

would be “a downright criminal act of deception.” The Minister said that the Government’s “investigations” had revealed that Amaila Falls would cost GPL US$2.6 billion over 20 years.

President Granger said that the Amaila Falls Hydropower project would saddle Guyanese with decades of debt,” the statement posited.

The Party outlined that Amaila Falls has repeatedly been identified as the best fit for the first major hydropower development in the country and that the ideal way for its development would be through a public-private venture.

In 2013, Guyana had secured a best-in-class US private investor to be the major sponsor for Amaila Falls and the contractor to build the project was selected through an open, competitive, international process.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) pointed out too that the then Opposition was privy to all of this information – that the Amaila Falls Project

met the world-class social and environmental safeguards of the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).

The Party noted that Guyana could have sustained its global leadership on green growth and low carbon development, instead of being relegated to the rump of countries that talk about green growth but does not act.

Jagdeo has already labelled this Government as being one of such, with President Granger constantly touting the concept of a green economy but not taking any strident measures towards its realisation.

Govt wrong

The Party contended that Granger was outright wrong when he declared that the Project would saddle Guyanese with debt.

“There would be no public debt. The Government’s contribution to Amaila Falls would largely come from US$80 million which was earned in payments

from Norway and has been sitting – unused – in a bank account at the World Bank and then the Inter-American Development Bank for years. By 2017, Amaila Falls could be generating about 50 per cent more electricity than the entire GPL supply in 2012, for about half the cost,” it explained.

The PPP/C argued that customers’ electricity bills would have decreased significantly from 2017, and would further plunge in stages until it reached 90 per cent cheaper than they were in 2012.

Government had initially promised to release the report by May 2016 but now it is saying that the document will be made public in January 2017.

Government is now pursuing, as an alternative to the Amaila Falls Project, the Hope Beach Wind Farm Project – but the Opposition has since contended that this will not generate enough capacity to dramatically transform the country.

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Diamond man killed in Soesdyke crash after dropping wife to airport As a result of the impact, David was flung out of his vehicle through the front windscreen. He was rushed to the Diamond hospital by public-spirited citizens and was pronounced dead on arrival.

His motor car split into two as a result of the impact.

It is unclear whether David was speeding at the time or had fallen asleep at the wheel.

Reports are that his wife was able to cancel her flight upon receiving word of the accident.

This publication visited the dead man’s home; however, no one was at home at the time.

A

Herman David

man of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) is now dead following an accident on the Soesdyke Public Road, as he was returning home from dropping his wife off at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.

Dead is 33-year-old Herman David of Lot 1538 Section B Diamond.

According to reports, the accident occurred around 05:00h on Tuesday.

Guyana Times International understands that David was proceeding north in his motor car, PPP 9168, when he lost control of his vehicle and slammed into the back of a motor lorry, GKK 2143, which was parked a short distance away.

Meagre increase of G$800 (US$4) for Old Age Pensioners

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The wrecked car after the accident

The National Assembly on Monday

ld Age Pensioners can look forward to a ‘whopping’ $800 (US$4) increase from next year, while workers across the spectrum will also benefit from an increase in the income tax threshold, which has been moved from its current limit of G$55,000 monthly to G$60,000.

These are among the measures announced by Finance Minister Winston Jordan when he presented the 2017 National Estimates to the members of the National Assembly on Monday.

Jordan was at the time speaking to the measures proposed by Government to reduce inequality and increase disposable income for 2017.

Minister Jordan, in announcing the adjustment in the income tax threshold, said Government proposed to increase the current threshold of G$660,000 per annum to G$720,000 per annum or onethird (1/3) of the employee’s salary.

He said this would result in an additional 7600 persons being taken off the tax register.

The Minister announced too that there would be a reduction in the Personal Income Tax rate from 30 per

cent to 28 per cent for individuals earning less than G$2,160,000 per annum or G$180,000 per month.

“I propose to introduce an element of progressiveness in the tax system…A new rate of 40 per cent will be applied to the incomes of individuals earning in excess of G$2,160,000 per annum,” he added.

Explaining the proposal, Minister Jordan said, “These measures will allow for an annual increase in take-home pay for persons earning under $720,000 or $180,000 and for persons earning $2,160,000 to benefit from an additional annual take-home pay of $46,800.”

In the case of the higher paid employees, “by allowing for one-third of their income to be tax-free, the incidence of tax will not exceed 25 per cent, thereby allowing for a higher take-home pay”.

According to Jordan, “this would reduce the need for tax-free benefits, in kind, now being paid to employees in the Private Sector in lieu of salaries, and claimed by self-employed persons in lieu of income.”

He said the measures would result in Government forgoing almost $4 billion.

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Govt looking to capitalise on landfill biogas for energy – Granger

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s Guyana continues to move along its “green path”, the Haags Bosch Landfill site may soon be used to generate electricity. This was suggested by President David Granger who related that the gases emitted from the area aback Eccles, East Bank Demerara, could be used to provide power.

“One of the solutions to Haags Bosch is to ensure that we trap the gas that is being generated there and use it for electrical generation,” the President explained.

He made these comments on Saturday evening at the launch of the Demerara Bank’s fully solar powered Head Office at Camp Street, Georgetown, where he congratulated the company on making good on its 2015 pledge that it would have continued “to go green”.

“I am proud and I must congratulate the bank – not only taking up the challenge but on demonstrating leadership to other corporations in Guyana,” President Granger told the gathering that included bank executives, diplomats and a range of other officials. Demerara Bank went fully solar at its Head Office on October 21, which meant that the services of electricity company, Guyana Power & Light (GPL) were no longer utilised. This move was praised by the Head of State who further pointed out that the country’s “clean energy revolution” is gaining momentum. On this point he encouraged other local companies and organisations to follow suit, stating that, “Guyana will move clos-

President David Granger

er” to fully utilising renewable energy by 2025.

Chairman of Demerara Bank’s Dr Yesu Persaud boasted that his company’s all solar initiative has shown the world that a “small Third World country can do it”. He reiterated his mantra that “nothing is impossible”.

“Decide on what you want and go after it,” the Chairman encouraged.

In light moments, Dr Persaud took some time to single out older gentlemen like him who have served the country for a number of years. He humorously targeted GWI Chairman Dr Richard Van West-Charles but it was his light-hearted jab about Guyana being a “poor country” to pay Hamilton Greene’s pension that had the gathering in a brief moment of uproar.

“We together we can change this country, not only green but make it a prosperous place where our people will be proud of saying, when they

travel overseas, that [they are] Guyanese,” Dr Persaud stressed at the event.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the company, Pravin chandra Dave explained that Demerara Bank is the first in the Caribbean to fully operate on solar power.

He made reference to the April 22, 2016 Paris Climate Change Agreement that Guyana signed onto which aims to reduce gas emissions and foster Climate Resilient Development.

He pointed out in sentiments echoed by President Granger, that the country will achieve success if it focuses on capitalising on available resources such as wind, sun, water and fertile land. The CEO disclosed that G$775 million was spent on the 25,000 square foot building and noted that much planning went into its roofing design to accommodate the 360 solar panels.

The structure was designed to save costs and it uses LED lights and 52 Inverter ACs. There are also 216 batteries which will store power from the panels and will last up to three days without direct sunlight. There are also generators as a last resort that would be powered for two hours to recharge the batteries.

Dave explained further that nearly G$28 million was spent on the panel and batteries but it will save in an energy cost of nearly G$1.5 million per month.

President Granger, other officials and the media were granted a tour of the multimillion-dollar facilities. (Shemuel Fanfair)

Two placed on G$400,000 bail each for causing death of 4-yr-old T

wo men were granted G$400,000 bail each when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Derick Bailey, 21, of Lot 336 Satchi Bazar, Prashad Nagar, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on September 10, at Sheriff and Garnett Streets, he drove motor car GPP 3500 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of Abiola Providence, aged 4.

Heranand Boodram, 22, also pleaded not guilty to driving motor car PMM 1426 in a dangerous manner thereby causing the death of Abiola Providence.

According to the facts, Bailey was backing out of the parking lot of a Royal Castle outlet when Boodram slammed into his vehicle.

The deceased, who was an occupant of Boodram’s vehicle, was flung through the window and onto the road. The little girl and two of her relatives were in the back seat of the car which was proceeding south on Sheriff Street.

The car had stopped at the junction of the aforementioned streets and was, in

Dead: Four-year-old Ambeka Providence

the process of turning west when GPP 3500, which was proceeding north, collided with the left side of the car.

Providence was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

However, their Attorney successfully petitioned for bail and requested a speedy trial.

After the defendants were granted bail, family members of Providence were heard screaming threats in their direction.

One woman was heard wishing for the death of Bailey’s baby who is said to be only a few months old.

Govt can legally reverse parking meter project – Opposition Leader

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overnment holds the power to legally terminate the parking meter project if it is genuinely against any move that imposes additional burdens on the working class.

The Administration has been sympathetic to the outcry of the public over the ongoing instalment of parking meters throughout the capital city, but maintains that it has no authority to instruct City Hall – an independent body – on how to conduct its work.

Taxpayers have decried the concept of the project since before the green light was given for its implementation on the basis that it would contribute to the already onerous expenses of a typical citizen.

They had also lamented the lack of consultations before the imposition of this new initiative and the fact that the entire undertaking was shrouded in secrecy and crafted in such a way to enrich just a handful.

Amid these concerns, the Administration had

Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan

reviewed the project in search of illegalities and after finding none, granted its approval and made some recommendations to make the idea more favourable to the public.

But Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo contended that if the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition really cared about the welfare of the populace, it would ensure its councillors on the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) make decisions reflective of the political party’s policies and campaign

promises.

“APNU has the majority of councillors on the City Council. All they have to say, like we say to our councillor, we campaigned on the platform not to raise taxes in any of the NDCs and we are not in favour of raising any rates and taxes across this country, and when we campaigned for Local Government Elections, we made that clear,” the former President explained.

He posited that the project, in its current form and at this time, will only enslave the city and its residents, as well as drive businesses out of Georgetown.

“Things are too difficult for people to face increased taxes. They (Government) can easily kill this parking meter contract or have it adjusted,” Jagdeo emphasised.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentary Opposition’s motion on the project was on November 24 deferred

by Speaker Dr Barton Scotland, in light of a

Kit Nascimento

pending court matter on the project.

Deputy Mayor, AFC’s Sherod Duncan, has staunchly objected to the project, noting among other concerns, that there was no public tendering to award the contract to the best bidder.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) also opposed the implementation, arguing that it will put a strain on the working people, many of whom do not earn enough to pay for that kind of service.

Although the parking meter project came under fire from all sides, the M&CC is moving ahead

with its implementation, with the first phase set to be completed in December.

Not only will citizens be forced to pay the charge, they will have to endure paying Value Added Tax (VAT) on it until the city can have it removed. The implementation process is divided into two phases – the first phase will occupy 3237 parking spaces in Georgetown, utilising 157 parking meters.

The second phase will be completed three months after the first phase, and would cover 4000 spaces and utilise 163 parking meters. The locations for the meters in the second phase were not divulged to the public.

Initially, the project was being spearheaded by Ifa Kamau Cush, who was named the Director of Smart City Solutions. However, just a few weeks into the project, the company’s Public Relations Officer, Kit Nascimento, stated that Cush was only a shareholder of the company

Director of Smart City, Solutions Amir Oren

and was no longer operational.

Smart City Solutions’ director is Amir Oren.

The initial fees were also reduced and commuters will now be charged G$50 plus VAT for 15 minutes; this will also be mandatory to public transportation, until preparations are made for alternative parking spaces.

The parking meters would be operational from 07:00 to 19:00h Mondays to Saturdays.

However, parking is free any time before 07:00h and after 19:00h, and on Sundays and holidays.

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Tourism cannot take place where there is discontent – Gaskin

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usiness Minister Dominic Gaskin indicated that the circumstances surrounding the country at this moment may not be conducive to a budding tourism industry with maximum potential to burgeon into a massive sector.

He was at the time delivering the keynote address during the Guyana Tourism Authority’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Friday evening.

Gaskin underscored the importance of tourism to a country’s development and acknowledged the fact that Guyana boasted the rich natural resources to capitalise on this sector. However, he lamented that current conditions in the country were not favourable to the expansion of the sector.

“There are way too many young Guyanese who are out of work and

Guests and awardees gathered at the Marriott Hotel on Friday night for the Guyana Tourism Authority Awards ceremony

not really getting the feeling that Guyana is working for them; that is the problem, they are losing interest in their own country and that’s not a good thing for them, not for Guyana and not for tourism. Tourism cannot thrive in a place where there is discontent,” he stated.

Gaskin emphasised that “you don’t see tourists flocking to countries with problems”.

“Given the high rates of unemployment among the youths in Guyana, we cannot afford to not make the right decisions when it comes to how we manage our economy,” the Business Minister said.

That aside, Gaskin highlighted that Guyana’s tourism sector had the potential to become a major industry like the gold, bauxite and sugar industries – and the nascent oil and petroleum sector.

“I think tourism if we want it to be a major industry, it is only going to happen if we have large

investments taking place; big projects taking place,” he added.

Gaskin also expressed that each administrative region in Guyana should take up the initiative to promote the tourism hotspots in its geographic area.

“We are a country of 10 regions and each one of its regions has its own unique features and each of those regions has a product to develop. I’d like to see tourism become a permanent agenda item on the business of the individual regional councils. That is the way we can get tourism to filter down to the citizens of this country who need to be involved in tourism and who need to un-

derstand that tourism is a viable industry and who need to understand also that tourism can be a solution to the problem of unemployment,” he explained.

November is Tourism Awareness Month (TAM) every year in Guyana, and is an opportunity used by players in the tourism sector to promote the country’s attractions through various initiatives such as Restaurant Week, the Rupununi Safaris, bird watching tours, among other projects.

Tourism Month 2016 is being celebrated under the theme “Tourism for All: Building Partnerships for Tourism Development”.

Another person charged for Rohee robbery A man was on Monday charged with carrying out a daring robbery at the home of former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Dellon Wills, 28, of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

It is alleged that on November 9, 2016, at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) while being in the company of others and armed with a gun, Wills robbed Anjanie and Anika Layne of jewellery and cash totallingG$2.6 million, property of Clement Rohee.

It is also alleged that on the same day, at the same location, Wills robbed Anjanie and Anika Layne of jewellery valued G$1 million, property of Chandanie Rohee.

The defendant was previously charged for causing death by dangerous driving.

On the day of the incident, the two maids (the

Laynes) were in the home which the men, who were carrying guns and a knife, invaded.

After confronting the two women, the bandits held them at gunpoint and ordered them into the upper flat of the building, where they gagged and bound them with duct tape.

The men then ransacked the home and found a quantity of jewellery belonging to the Rohees, after which they made good their escape.

The prosecution stated that currently the Police were in possession of CCTV footage which showed the accused carrying out the act along with others.

Bail was granted at G$100,000 for each charge, and the matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

Wills is scheduled to return on January 11, 2017 to court, and is expected to lodge his passport.

A woman whose car was used in the robbery was recently charged with the crime.

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Status quo of ailing sugar industry cannot be sustained – Govt

Finance Minister, Winston Jordon

espite announcing a G$9B bailout for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Government believes the stark reality of the situation is that money injected into sugar, in its current state, is money wasted and it would make no impact on the operating losses and cash deficit status of the industry.

This was the damning report given to the National Assembly

by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, when he on Monday presented the G$250B Budget for 2017—the third budget to be presented by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government in just over a year and a half in office.

The Minister reported to the House that sugar has in fact recorded a dismal performance this

year and it is projected to decline further in the coming year.

According to Minister Jordan, the status quo of the sugar industry can neither be sustained nor maintained.

He said as currently structured, the industry would require Government’s support to the tune of G$18.6B and G$21.4B for 2017 and 2018, respectively.

“This is an untenable position, one that would seriously jeopardise the fiscal stance of the Government, while compromising resource allocation to other critical and important areas.”

Lamenting the situation, Minister Jordan said the radical reorganising of the sugar industry is required as a matter of urgency, since the continued postponement of the hard decisions on GuySuCo’s future would result in the corpora-

tion incurring even more debts (estimated currently at G$80B) and an escalation of the demands on the Treasury.

He has since announced that “recognising this grave situation, a Cabinet Subcommittee has been established, tasked with making definitive recommendations for implementation by the end of 2016.”

According to Jordan, “this Committee has been examining all options and will make a full report to the Cabinet of Ministers shortly.”

Jordan announced nonetheless that for 2017, the Government has made an allocation of G$9B to support the financing of GuySuCo’s operations.

This he said “brings to G$32B, the amount of resources that would have been provided to the Corporation since August 2015.”

Lion’s share

Speaking of allocations in the 2017 Budget, Minister Jordan recalled the appalling mathematics and English results fielded at this year’s national Grade Six Assessment and the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate.

To this end, the minster announced that edu-

cation delivery will be receiving the lion’s share of the 2017 Budget, to the tune of just over G$43B, representing just over 17 per cent of the G$250B National estimates for the coming year.

According to Jordan, “the priority which we have given to the education sector and the increased emphasis that we will be placing on the delivery of quality education across all levels is reflected in the budgetary allocation of G$43.1 billion, or 17.2 per cent of the 2017 Budget.”

He said it is expected to have a more definitive role in changing our development trajectory.

Included in this allocation, according to Jordan is a sum of G$1.9B for the school feeding programme and G$578 million to purchase textbooks.

“Together with the President’s 5 B’s Programme, these measures are expected to result in improved attendance, attentiveness, and productivity.”

He said too that over G$3.5B has been allocated to construct, extend, rehabilitate and main-

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

tain schools, teachers’ quarters and other buildings. Within this, several new schools are slated for completion, including YurongParu Nursery and Hiowa Nursery in Region 9, Bamia Nursery and Primary in Region 10, and Baramita Nursery in Region One.

Public Security

Another sector to receive a substantial chunk of the Budget is the security sector which has been allocated in 2017 G$29.1B “to restore public confidence in our security sector.”

Among some of the initiatives targeted by the Ministry with responsibility for Public Security is increasing the recruitment of Police, by approximately 20 per cent, to boost Police presence as a deterrent to crime.

Jordan said too that the monies will also be

used to equip the Police with vehicles and specialised equipment aimed at improving mobility and response times to reported crimes.

He said too that the allocations will go towards expanding patrols in key areas to deter criminal activity, for which over G$740M has been budgeted, complemented by expansion of the mounted branch in key hinterland locations.

He spoke too of re-establishing and operationalizing the 911 service to restore public confidence in the response capability of the security services.

According to Minister Jordan, in order to offset the overcrowding of the Georgetown Prison, the complex at the Mazaruni Prisons will be expanded at a cost of G$2.2B, of which G$369M is budgeted, in 2017, and will see the expansion of offices, inmate living facilities, staff and family living facilities, training facilities, as well as the construction of a school, daycare centre and places of worship.

He announced too that for the first time, a port Georgetown fireboat will be added to the fleet of fire vehicles, at a cost G$250 million, to service port Georgetown.

“In addition, expanded fire protection services have resulted in G$49.4M being allocated for two water tenders in Leguan and Wakenaam as well as two ambulances to augment the integrated 912 and 913 emergency services to improve response time.”

He announced too that three new fire stations, costing about G$77.5M, will be constructed at Mahdia, Mabaruma, and Melanie Damishana.

Public Health

As it relates to the delivery of healthcare services across the country, the Minister announced too that this sector will also benefit from a hefty chunk of the Budget.

According to Minster Jordan, “this Government continues to prioritise the health and wellbeing of the people as a pillar for ensuring economic development, happiness, productivity, and prosperity.”

He reminded that in 2016, “we expect to expend over G$27 billion, or 12 per cent of the National Budget, in the health sector,” while in 2017, this will increase to G$31.2 billion, or 12.5 per cent.

According to Jordan, the Public Health Ministry will in 2017 pay greater attention to

equipping and upgrading district hospitals to deliver the full suite of mandated services, “as this would lead to greater equity between the hinterland and coastland.”

He said too that additional specialists, in areas such as paediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, dental, and general sur-

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

gery, will be deployed in Regions One, Eight, and Nine.

Government, he said, has also allocated G$2B for the improvement and maintenance of health infrastructure countrywide.

“Particular emphasis will be placed on upgrading health facilities for district level hospitals and comfortable living quarters to attract the necessary medical personnel in the hinterland, in areas such as Baramita, Bartica, Kamarang, Mahdia, Port Kaituma, and Annai.”

According to Minister Jordan, over G$6.5B has been allocated in this Budget to procure drugs and medical supplies for our citizens who access public health facilities.

“Although we have been budgeting adequate sums of money, our population continues to experience frequent non-availability of drugs and medical supplies at almost every public health facility, suggesting a number of problems in the procurement, storage, and distribution systems.”

This problem, he said, will be arrested by ensuring that the process is informed by data driven health information systems in order to ensure more consistent supplies and avoidance of waste.

He used the occasion to also provide highlights on investments to be made in areas of youth, families, the elderly and vulnerable, culture and arts in addition to gender equality, and hinterland development, among other sectors. (Gary Eleazar)

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature

by

Petamber Persaud

E

xtract of interview with Carmen Barclay Subryan in Georgetown, 2016. Subryan is an educator, novelist and poet. Her publications include “Black Water People”,“Black Water Children” and“Black Water Women”.

PP Guyana has produced its fair share of historical fiction writing - family dramas and family sagas – going back to the 60s with Edgar Mittelholzer’s “Kaywana Trilogy”.

Other family sagas that come to mind include Roy Heath’s “Armstrong Trilogy” and Churaumani Bissondyal who is working on a pentalogy in the Kassaku series of five books…

Guyana, also, has loads of resources for writers found in our history of sugar, slavery, indentureship, colonialism, independence etc…

Writers are also exploring the history of our bauxite - another resource of the country and for the writer. In this genre of writing, we must bear in mind the biographies and autobiographies because contemporary writers are feeling more inclined to write their stories especially the writers overseas….

CBS Oh yes. And then when you write what you know, everything flows, coming up like a well, a great outpouring, a catharsis. I find that I do very well when I write what I know…

PP And you know a lot about Guyana’s bauxite - this is where you come in and this is where the Black Water People trilogy comes into the picture…

Carmen, why have you taken on this challenge?

CBS It was indeed a challenge – it was a journey because I was really catapulted into this situation because one of our family members – Sammy Allicock – decided to get as many family members together for a reunion…

PP The Allicock family.

CBS Yes. PP Which area are we talking about?

CBS I’m talking about Linden which

is Christianburg and Wismar…

PP …the whole mining area…

CBS Sammy was in Maryland saying we must have this reunion, and I had always wondered when I was at school with so many people named Allicock – I was a Barclay but my mother, Sybil Allicock, and my grandfather was George Garvan Allicock – and I [saw] some Allicocks who were light, white and some were really bright while others were the in-between like me and others were dark…

And I said how did all this happen? And once Sammy started the process of the reunion, the real interesting thing was Sammy had access to a will of the first Allicock who was Robert Frederick Allicock and he made copies for everybody – Sammy was very inclusive despite the fact that some of the whiter Allicocks were not having much to do with the darker ones – some people didn’t even know they were related to each other.

I sat in classrooms – elemental school in Christianburg as well as in Mackenzie High – and played on the netball team with two of my cousins and didn’t know we were cousins; we were related. That was the situation and when that will came about, it was a fantastic document which really propelled me into going on this search, on this 10 -year search.

PP Wow, 10 years!

So it was a real challenge …

CBS You see I was living in Maryland, teaching at Howard University and wondering where was I going to get the documents from.

But Howard had some of the things I needed, like Zahra Freeth’s “Run Softly Demerara”, the Kaywana trilogy.

Howard had all that stuff in there because Howard is an international university so they had all those documents; I didn’t even have to come home to look for anything.The will was a fantastic document PP RF Allicock’s will…

CBS Yes. That will was probated in 1822.

He came to the colony

Cover of “Black Water Women” (Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. February 1, 2008)

in the mid-1700s and he had eight children with a coloured woman and one child with an indigenous woman. Our line came down from the coloured woman and the b… line came down from the indigenous woman; but in the long run they were all mixed in; the families were even intermarrying; there weren’t many others to choose from.

RF Allicock owned Plantation Nooitgedacht – that

was the Dutch name for Retrieve – he retrieved it from the Dutch. And when he died, he left that plantation to the coloured woman, Ann Mansfield, and her eight children. I have an excerpt of the will in that book [“Black Water People”] where he actually gave them slaves – would you believe that one of the first Allicocks, a coloured woman, owned slaves!

[Reading extract of the will….] And he had so

feature 29

much money that he left to each child an inheritance on attaining the age of 25.

Then there was Patterson, another Scotsman, who came later, in about 1805, he probated the will and the only way we were able to get the will eventually was because he was a white man – black people at that time had no will and no will to probate.

Patterson was an interesting man because when he came he started a woodcutting establishment and he had one of the biggest woodcutting establishments in Guyana. He was friendly with Bookers and he sent a lot of his logs to Georgetown…

This was [the] Patterson great house [showing picture] … with two cannons and a long pier running down to the seaside….

PP All of this is leading to George Bain Mackenzie?

CBS Yes, he comes into the picture about here. Part of the pier and other things were lost to erosion … caused, I think, by the bauxite company dredging the river because in 1914 when George Bain Mackenzie came here looking for bauxite, he actually went to the Allicock family – all the Allicocks were living along the river and you could go from one

house to the other to the other…everybody along the river were related because they were all part of Plantation Nooitgedacht which they inherited. So in 1914, when Mackenzie sailed up the river looking for land to plant oranges – that’s what I’ve been told, I don’t know the truth of the matter.

But the man was a geologist and there were rumours of bauxite before – this great calcined bauxite – and the next thing you know he had bought up X-number of acres or roods, whatever they were called at the time, from some of the Allicock families; all did not sell. And he went back and died and it was said that they put a curse on him.

But he was an old man of seventy-something and in those days that was an advanced age.

Anyway, Mackenzie was able to acquire the land in 1916; that was when the bauxite mining started at Three Friends.

PP And now in 2016, we’re celebrating its centenary and this is the background, the setting for your three novels in the Blackwater People Trilogy…. (to be continued) Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo. com

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he idea to hold an exhibition in New Amsterdam began with a letter dated April 12, 1890 in which the Committee of Correspondence of the Royal Agricultural Society offered $800 to the New Amsterdam town council for the purpose of holding an exhibition for the county’s artisans and farmers to present and sell their products.

After a series of meetings, January 28 and 29, 1891 were fixed for the date of the exhibition, and a committee selected for the

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

planning and preparation of the exhibition.

A subscription list was opened and almost $1,000 was collected towards the event that soon included participants from all over the colony.

The event was then widely advertised throughout the country, and the various villages apprised of the event and what it entailed. During the course of the year, some 2,000 applications arrived for partaking in the exhibition. Because of this wide appeal, the Town Aerial view of New Amsterdam circa 1800s

Lord Gormanston

Hall, which was the largest building in the town, was offered free of cost by what was then the Board of Superintendence of the town.

The exhibition, with a band in attendance, was opened January 28, 1891 by His Excellency Lord Gormanston, and featured exhibits from all over the colony: from Mazaruni in the west to Orealla in the east.

More than 3,000 persons were estimated to have attended the event, which lasted on average some 24 hours over the two days, with some of the opinion that it should have lasted longer.

Some of the exhibits included provisions, fruits and vegetables, sewing and decorative craftwork, including basket work and shoe making, and prepared food items such as jellies, preserved goods and cocoa. There were also crab oils, glues and honey on exhibit; carpentry and woodwork, cabinet making, jewellery, leather work and coopering. A major disappointment for the organisers however, was the lack of participation from the ricegrowing East Indian immigrants of Berbice and participation of few Georgetown artisans.

Prizes were also presented to numerous exhibitors by judges, some of whom came from as far as Georgetown to judge the products and produce, which were divided into classes.

Fruits and vegetables were categorised as Class I, and, despite what was described as some poorly presented selections, the displays were considered generally good.

Class II was prepared food stuffs and included jams, jellies, preserves and coca. Rice was also offered a prize in the class but had few exhibitors, none of which were from East Indian planters.

However, the Class III group, which included needlework, tailoring, basket work and shoemaking among others, featured numerous exhibitors and was considered the

best class of the exhibition with its high standard of work. Class IV exhibits were of oils, glues and honey, with the crab oil prepared by the Orealla indigenous Indians described as being of exceptional quality.

Class V and VI were the general arts and manufacturing: cabinet making, coopering, carpentry, carving, jewellery etc.

The few Georgetown exhibitors in this class were lauded along with

some New Amsterdam participants for their exhibits. The final category was Class VII which featured sugar, rum, molasses and others, but had very few exhibitors.

As a result of the first exhibition’s popularity, the New Amsterdam council tentatively planned another Berbice Industrial exhibition for August or September the following year.

Municipal Market below the Town Hall, New Amsterdam, British Guiana n.d

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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he Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been using dogs to aid in searches, sniffing out explosives and ammunition. One such dog is ACE, a three-year-old Labrador from Scotland.

He was just over one year when he came to Guyana in 2013 – already known as ACE. Dogs were the first domesticated animal, and have been the most widely kept working, hunting, and pet animal in history. Notably, dogs have been used by law enforcement agencies for over 100 years.

Why dogs? Well, among other instinctive capabilities, dogs possess up to 300 million olfactory (sense of smell) receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in humans. And the part of a dog’s brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is, proportionally speaking, 40 times greater than ours.

With this impressive olfactory ability, a welltrained canine can deter criminal activity and assist police departments in “sniffing out” illegal drugs and explosives, in tracking fugitives, and with finding missing persons.

In an interview with

The ball is his favourite toy

Ace follows the command to sit, given to him in Dutch

by McPherson

Sunday Times Magazine, Dwayne McPherson, ACE’s handler who has been in the Force for six years, said dogs in GPF are used to aid police search.

ACE is not the only dog in the Force; there is Ben (senior dog) and Brenda. They all have different handlers and have been part of the Force for years Recently, ACE became a media sensation for uncovering a gun concealed in a car.

A GPF press release had stated then: “Based on intensive intelligence gathering, ranks of the Guyana Police Force conducted a search on a taxi driver of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, and his motor vehicle at the Brickdam Police Station. In the initial search, the ranks came up empty handed and decided to utilize one of its sniffer dogs trained in the detection of firearms and explosive devices. The canine which goes by the name ACE arrived with its handler and in the presence of the driver and other ranks, led them to the left front door panel, which when opened revealed an unlicensed .38 Smith and Wesson revolver with five live matching rounds. The driver has since been tak-

Ace and his handler playing

ACE

en into custody.”

McPherson, who, throughout his years on the Force, has worked as a finger print technician, police photographer and bomb disposal ordnance officer trained by the army to diffuse bombs, said he instructed ACE to carry out a search on the said vehicle.

ACE sat at a particular spot, an indication to his handler that something was there. McPherson took him around the vehicle for a second time and ACE sat at the exact spot.

That prompted McPherson to conduct an extensive search of the spot and the firearm was discovered.

This was ACE’s first major find.

ACE and McPherson received training at the Global Dog Handler Training School in Somerset, Texas, US. “I received dog handlers’ training at the Global Dog Handler Training School in Texas.

I spent about one month.

For ACE, he was trained to sniff out explosives such as RDX [a white solid widely used as an explosive] and TNT, among others. He was trained to search planes, vehicles, sites, houses and so on.

When I first met ACE, he snapped at me twice. But after training together, we developed a big brother, little brother relationship,” McPherson recalled.

According to McPherson, the dogs are assigned to one handler because they “react differently to different persons”.

During the training, the handler and canine bond and build a relationship.

This is to ensure he follows the commands of his handler and no one else.

ACE knows to sit, lie, jump, and stay. McPherson would shout out these com-

mands in Dutch because of ACE’s origins. (Scotland has some history of Dutch migration). However, after working along with McPherson for a few years now, ACE is responding/ learning these commands in English. He is trained to follow these commands only from McPherson.

A typical day for ACE starts with training in the morning, being fed at a specified time in the afternoon, and then groomed while being checked thoroughly for scars around his body. His handler would take him for walks, and before he is fed, they play with ACE’s favourite and only ball. In keeping with his training, ACE is not allowed to have toys, only his ball, so as to “avoid him from becoming familiar with many items”.

“ACE is fed ‘puppy chow’ and gets protein and

vitamins. His discipline is taking his ball away and putting him on a leash.

When ACE is 12 years old, he’ll retire. After retirement, the GPF would decide how he would still be incorporated in the force,” McPherson pointed out.

McPherson, who has two dogs of his own, hopes

ACE and his handler, Dwayne McPherson

to one day be part of training programmes for more dogs like ACE. When this publication visited ACE at his kennel, housed at the CDI headquarters, he was just being a dog: playing with his favourite ball and showing off the different commands he knows.

32

D

esigner Sonia Noel’s casual resort men’s wear offers chic, breathable, comfortable and sophisticated shirts for a tailored look.

These fashionable bespoke pieces are made from durable fabric, and are ideal for any guy who wants to “stand out from the crowd”.

This collection was showcased at the recently concluded prestigious fashion event, Guyana Fashion Week held at the Pegasus Hotel.

For more information, call 2263099 or visit Sonia Noel Designs on Facebook.(Photos by Keno George)

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

By the Very Revd.

Ignatius Scoles S.J.

O

f all our public buildings of less modern date, we have no one building in the town claiming for itself a greater share of architectural merit, than that large solid block of structure known as the Public Buildings:

school, but of the Italian development of the latter form of art.

Judging from the style of the building, some worthy pupil or admirer of Sir William Chambers, or some one of his school, must have spent his thought and worked his pencil on its design, but whoever it was he knew his profes-

ties; that is, by his gloves and boots — mere details though they be; so the true architect is known or distinguished by his mouldings mere details, but true tell-tales!

The mouldings then in the Public Buildings prove at once that the design of the building fell not into builder’s hands, — or copying

Public Buildings, Georgetown, British Guiana (no date)

a building constructed evidently before the revival of mediaeval art in the mother-country, and consequently without a touch of gothic art to mar its beauty or interfere with its integrity.

It is strictly classic, as in contradistinction to mediaeval; though not of the sublime Grecian stamp, or ancient Roman

sion well, as plinth, column, cap, entablature, pediment, dome and all do amply testify; but the greater test of his architectural knowledge, is seen in some of the lesser details, and especially in his mouldings.

They say in England that the true gentleman is known by his extremi-

clerks', but to the care of one of whom Vetruvius might be proud.

The structure as a whole, is plain and simple; nay severe. The plan is good and no doubt was convenient enough before it was made to do double duty, and became like, so many sheltered within its walls, — act-

'Court House', British Guiana n.d.

Spectators at a cricket match at Parade Ground, Georgetown, British Guiana n.d.

ing.

If fault it has, it is perhaps too low, considering its length, and consequently wanting in simple grandeur and general effectiveness; a fault however, the low level of our land must be made in part to pay for. The building has an unfortunate ailment; it suffers from two excrescences in the back, of quite modern growth.

So much then for its architectural merits to which such scanty justice has been done.

From a constructional point of view, considering its mighty weight and massive walls, the building has stood well, and kept its head fairly above the ground, and we are tempted to add, fairly above the water too; considering how soon we come upon that element out here. For on our Georgetown soil, as many to their cost well know, our difficulty consists not so much in raising our buildings, as in preventing them from sinking down.

Our public building has had its trials, and its failings too, in spite of much money sunk, or the many timbers driven down, in forming its foundation: however, in spite of its expensive piling we may learn a lesson and be taught perhaps to trust more to vertical wood than horizontal sand.

Let us consider just one more matter connected with the Public Buildings; and that is, the material of which it is constructed. It is not built of marble! or solid stone; nor is it ashlered, or fronted with the best of bricks

feature 33

Revd. Ignatius Scoles SJ (Dec. 1, 1834 –July 15, 1896)

well faced, nor have the hardwoods of the colony found favour there, but it is built of good stock bricks well stuccoed over. Now stucco is an unwholesome sounding word in the ears of many good English architects, though salvation to the builders; but in our Georgetown public buildings, may we not fairly make allowance for its use, all things and many circumstances being well considered; and no doubt the architect with a well-balanced mind considered them one by one, and thus he might have argued to himself: “Stone I cannot get, wood I want not, while bricks well faced with surface rubbed, will ever show and make visible to all, ugly splits and cracks, rents and open joints; for settlements, like scandals, are sure to come where weakness abounds below; and my building is built, in spite of piles deep driven in, on soft wet mud, much deeper still; I will then fashion a front of stuc-

co, for like kind charity it will cover many a venial fault, and may prevent some more serious ones; and what is mostly to be considered, it will readily allow itself to be speedily repaired.

Frost, the dire enemy of all plastic work at home, shall not, cannot touch it here; and other advantages I fail not to procure. Then, stucco I will use, for it will befriend me much, nor shall it belie or exalt itself like unto stone or marble, or humble itself to wood or wattling. Stucco shall be its name at birth, and cement and plaster shall stand proxy for it.”

The Public Buildings, or Parliament Buildings, were designed by Joseph Hadfield and completed in 1834. Revd. Ignatius Scoles SJ was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, writer and architect who designed City Hall in Georgetown, which opened in 1889. His writings on the Public Buildings appeared in the Timehri Journal (1885)

34 feature

W

omen-owned businesses are mostly formed out of necessity: the necessity to meet the needs of their families, to establish who they are, to cater to a need in their communities and sometimes in their own lives.

Founded in September 2016, the Association for Women Entrepreneurs was formed by four phenomenal and enterprising women: Evie Kanhai

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Gurchuran, Java Coffee Bar, EMTEC, Kanhai’s Centre; Ruth Johnson, Simple Solutions Dream Weddings and Events; Debbie Houston, Glitzy Glamour Cakes, Catering & Events; and Niketa Hussain, Le Cosmetiques Beauty Supplies.

From supporting each other in various ventures, the need was revealed for an organization that believes in sisterhood and a construc-

The phenomenal women of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs

A round table discussion for women in business

tive approach to seeing other women succeed.

Further discussions led the Association’s founders to want to help other business women in a structured and recognized approach. Pulling from their own experiences and years of exposure in their respective industries, they wanted the burdens and challenges of doing business as women to be eradicated.

Evie, Ruth, Debbie and Niketa formed the Association for Women Entrepreneurs because they felt that women were underserved and underrepresented. They believe there is a real need to propel the efforts of women in business, to help them become established, flourishing and viable entities that can serve their communities and countries well.

The objectives of the Association for Women Entrepreneurs include strengthening women-owned businesses through collaboration, training, funding and initiatives for creating income generating opportunities; create opportunities for women owned businesses to thrive, survive and excel in their respective in-

dustries; develop a culture of purposeful buying that benefits women’s lives, their families and their communities; and to connect women entrepreneurs with local and global networking and training initiatives that can develop markets and export their products and services.

The Association aims to embolden more women entrepreneurs to seek out opportunities, to bring their businesses in line with the systems outlined by governments and other stakeholders; also to be at the top of their fields, to access resources and training and to create opportunities for others in their communities. Additionally, it hopes to become a world leader at connecting women entrepreneurs with opportunities for growth and achieving their fullest potentia;, creating knowledgeable and empowered women leaders that shape and create economic opportunities for their communities.

For the Christmas season, the Association is happy to give back to women entrepreneurs in Guyana. The Association of Women Entrepreneurs wraps the best Christmas opportunity for women entrepreneurs by presenting its inaugural “Women’s Christmas Market”.

Through this event, the Association presents opportunities for women to promote their businesses, generate new clients and boost their Christmas sales. It will also provide exclusive special packages to drive its Christmas opportunities.

“These business women will enjoy two days,

December 3-4, 2016, at the ground floor of Giftland Mall of executive training from our team, which aims to help teach passionate business women how to maximize and generate business opportunities and vital match making and networking opportunities. Women-owned businesses comprise more than 50 per cent of the business population, and Association of Women Entrepreneurs is proud to bring together our powerful women's business enterprises to continue to grow their companies and fuel the economy,” CEO of the Association of Women Entrepreneur Evie Gurchuran said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

By building a database of suppliers and buyers, the Association will see a change in the struggle for womenowned businesses to survive. The Association also stresses the need for funds where women can access money to complete projects, funds with low collateral and interest rates, in order to change the culture of how women do business.

“As a body, we need the support of various stakeholders and institutions, especially the government. We need corporations to especially recognize the importance of women entrepreneurs and the contribution they make, and how they in turn can make a difference through purposeful purchasing,” Evie declared.

For more information, visit Association of Women Entrepreneurs on Facebook or call Grace on 592-673-6222.

35

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Star of the week

Protest at Queen’s College!

M

aking rounds on Facebook, and even news reports last week, Queen’s College has been thrown into the public eye for something quite uncharacteristic of the school: a protest.

Students were photographed and videoed marching and holding placards with slogans such as “Agree for Agri”, “Less land, less food, less life”, and “Agri lives matter”. This whole debacle arose due to the fact that the school’s administration announced the Ministry’s plans to build a cafeteria.

How could something so simple cause so much controversy you ask? Well, the answer lies in where the cafeteria was proposed to be built. In what appears to be an oversight, the cafeteria was slated to be constructed on a piece of land that extended about eight to 10 feet into the school’s Agricultural Science plot. This enraged the teachers of the subject, since they said they had not been given much notice of this plan, and that it would affect the students greatly.

By infringing upon the land of the Agricultural Science plot, beds, which were being prepared by students in for their CXC examinations, would be destroyed, and the main entrance to the plot for

K

enny Hercules is a 22-year-old who aims to remove the preconceptions attached to male models locally. He attended the New Campbellville Secondary School and is currently employed as an optician at Modern Optical Service.

Kenny only recently began his modellingcareer when he participated in Guyana Fashion Week in March 2016.

He has modelled for many award-winning Guyanese designers, including Nelsion Nurse and Sonia Noel.

Recently, Kenny was the male winner of the Guyana Fashion Week ModelImage competition, which was held at the Pegasus Hotel. “It was an amazing feeling being the male winner of the Guyana Fashion Week ModelImage competition knowing it was my first competition I ever entered. My self-confidence has improved a great lot being a part of this competition,”he said. Endure stigma and discrimination attached to males being on the runway by being focused and disciplined,” isKenny’s advice to males who want to pursue a modelling career. Other than modelling, Kenny enjoys singing and playing sports. The aspiring optometrist hopes to one day open his own optical practice. As for modelling, Kenny noted: “Modelling is something I enjoy doing, so I'm just going as far as it takes me.”

heavy materials would be blocked. The teachers bemoaned that the already tight pressed plot was losing even more space, and that this was unacceptable.

Additionally, a relatively new water trestle would be demolished.

On Monday of this week, construction began, and so in protest, Ms Ogle, the Head of Department of Agricultural Science, sat in front of the fence so as to disrupt progress.

She impressed that the destruction of the plot was unfair, and that if plans were in place for the students to be relocated, they should be enacted immediately. Not much long after, Agricultural Science students especially those from the Fifth Form, who are writing their CSEC examinations next year, came out to join their teacher.

Protests only escalated throughout the week, reaching a pinnacle when construction workers began to fill up drains. Inflamed, scores of students used their lunch period to protest the continuation of the work. They surrounded trees that needed to be cut down, and marched in circles wielding placards.

Some students even began to dig out the sand from the drains, which had been filled.

Ashley Anthony

Some other issues with the cafeteria that students cited were its proximity to a chicken pen; making it was unsanitary; and that the estimated cost was far too much. They believed that the school did not need another cafeteria and that the money could be put to better use. The school would have indicated that the old cafeteria would be converted to a stationery store.

Following the protests, the Agricultural Science plot has been taken in at the side, but expanded to the front. Hopefully this appeases everyone.

Thoughts on the protest have been mixed. Many old Queen’s College students have expressed pride in the students for standing up for their rights, while others have reservations as they found a protest to be unnecessary. Nevertheless, to me it shows that the students will not be silent on matters that affect them.

This, I believe is a good quality, and even if a protest was a little on the dramatic side, it accomplished the desired change.

36

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Death and taxes…

This week's Crossword T

This week's Puzzle

see solution on page 47

…conflate in Guyana

he saying goes… “death and taxes are two of the certainties of this life.” Well, in Guyana, seems the PNC-led Coalition Government wants to change this to “death THROUGH taxes is now a certainty here”. Listening to their Finance Minister deliver his third budget speech in 18 months, even his colleagues on the government benches were thrown into deep shock.

All they heard was a litany of gloom and doom.

Back in the days of the first PNC regime, the populace used to glue their ears to the radio to hear what new taxes or “bannings” would be introduced to make their life even more miserable. It’s clear this government takes its vow to cleave to the ideas of their Founder Leader Burnham very seriously. During the PPP’s 23 years, they managed to introduce a new mantra – no new taxes!!

But all of that’s gone and the old (not so happy days) are here again: taxes and more taxes will fall on the middle class and even the “used tyres” they can afford is banned. And we can start right there to deconstruct this budget to show that this government in general and this Minister in particular don’t know their a55 from their elbow when it comes to handling the economics of running a country.

Even though the PPP was able to pull up our per capita GDP so we now qualify as a “medium income level” country – and not the Highly Indebted Poor Country tag we inherited from the PNC – we’re still a pretty poor country – still barely above Haiti in the rankings. Even Suriname next door has twice our per capita GDP. So why ban used tyres? These are affordable to our “middle class” who can also only afford used cars that are brought from Japan.

Wouldn’t it be better to impose a minimum tire thread depth? Frankly, the “new tyres” that’ll be brought from China will be worse than most of the used ones imported from, for instance, the USA! Why? Well, one dealer told your Eyewitness when he goes to China to purchase tyres, the first question is “How much you want to pay?” Meaning you’ll get “new garbage tyres” if that’s all the dealer’s willing to pay. And in the Guyanese market, that’s all he can sell so that’s all he’ll buy.

And we don’t have to elaborate on the elaborate hoax pulled by this government on their promise to “lower VAT”. By lowering it down by 2%, but now applying the 14% VAT on electricity and water, they’ve put in a thump and pulled out a plum – for themselves.

The poor will now be further strangulated by taxes! …with no benefits The Minister didn’t mince any words on the sugar industry and its 17,000 workers supporting 70,000 persons directly and 150,000 persons overall.

Subsidising the industry while it is reorganised to stand on its own two feet (management and workers) is now dubbed as “money wasted”!! Forget about its G$52M CoI that recommended subsidisingGuySuCo for three years while a buyer is sought.

And rice? They’re on their own. No reduction of taxes on the inputs that farmers use to produce paddy. So what if rice farmers support almost 100,000 Guyanese? Death through taxes is certain, no?

What about the working poor in the Public Service?

“Later” for them too! Not even the Christmas Bonus the PPP used to give out.

So, exactly what is this budget doing for the ordinary people? Zilch! Nada! Nyet! But maybe there’s a method to the madness. Probably expecting more persons to use their US visas, the Government’s increased the departure tax! They’ll make a bundle.

Just so they can pay for their perks and 50% salary increases! …and sin taxes Pity the youth men who may want to drown their sorrows in the imported beer they prefer. It’s an equal opportunity “sufferation” budget.

So taxes been raised to the sky!

feature 37

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Hobbyist photographer hopes to inspire preservation of Guyana’s old buildings

Kenny Harrinaraine

U

sing photography to prompt preservation of Guyana’s architectural heritage, Kenny Harrinaraine demonstrates that the camera is indeed a powerful tool.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, the photographer talks about his most reflective photographic collection, ‘Abandoned Guyana series’, and his motivation to “preserve Guyanese craftsmanship and skills”.

Sunday Times

Photography is what I do for a hobby and it’s how I express my passion for art.

Sunday Times Magazine: What do you enjoy photographing?

K e n n y Harrinaraine: I photograph any and every thing, but landmarks, landscapes and flowers are the things I love capturing through my lens.

When I capture a subject, my focus is trying to preserve it. That is why I try to look at the subject from my point of view. I try to bring out what I think is beautiful or ugly about what I am photographing.

Sunday Times Magazine: What inspired you to do the ‘Abandoned Guyana series’?

K e n n y Harrinaraine: The ‘Abandoned Guyana series’ was inspired by photographers in the U.S.A. who posted on their Facebook, Abandoned America. I thought someone should do the same for

moved. The mystery and unanswered questions inspire me.

Sunday Times Magazine: Any photography projects you are currently working on?

K e n n y Harrinaraine: I am very passionate of taking photos of the moon, so it’s one thing I’ll venture into. I have also developed an interest in photographing our kokers and the fishing boats alongside.

For now I am a hobbyist and enthusiast.

However, if there’s an opportunity for me to have a part-time photography job, that would be really nice. I am always willing to tour my amazing county and sharing our way of life through my pictures.

Early this year I participated in the “VISIONS” exhibition, which exhibited works from the “Capture Guyana” competition, which was sadly cancelled.

“VISIONS” was the

Kenny hopes his photography would prompt preservation, of our architectural heritage

Magazine: What sparked your interest in photography?

K e n n y Harrinaraine: I always had the urge to take photos even when I didn’t own a camera. The landscapes of the beautiful Guyanese countryside and coastline will inspire anyone who has an appreciation for beauty to stop and take a picture. My first camera was a Samsung digital camera, one of those pocket size ones. I later had both a super zoom pointand-shoot, which I still use most of the time, although I now own two DSLR cameras.

Sunday Times Magazine: Is photography a hobby, a passion or career?

K e n n y Harrinaraine: By profession, I am a suspension mechanic, someone who specializes in the undercarriage work on vehicles.

Guyana.

Unknowingly, I was already taking pictures of our beautiful colonial buildings around Guyana, many of which are in a deplorable condition, abandoned and demolished.

These are treasures that make us unique from the rest of the Caribbean.

Through photography, I aim to preserve these masterpieces of Guyanese craftsmanship and skills.

It’s impressive to note that most of these buildings were built without the use of power tools that we have today. The ‘Abandoned Guyana series’ is about anything forgotten, old and rusted; it fills that longing and satisfies the dark creepy side of my personality. Most of these houses look haunted in some way to me. I also often wonder who had lived there, what were their lives like, if they had just left everything and

first time my work and passion was showcased on such a large scale with media coverage. I would love to be part of such exhibitions in the future. I would like to thank the organizers of “VISIONS” and every one who played a part in getting the exhibition together. It provided a platform for the many talented photographers in Guyana to showcase their passion.

As a photographer, my biggest challenge is to learn how to deal with the attention I receive when people see me with the camera, as they are concerned and timid when they see a camera regardless of its size. Also, the ongoing crime situation in our county makes me think twice when bringing a camera to Georgetown.

However, despite challenges, I will continue to follow my passion for photography.

Another abandoned house highlighting Guyana's rich architectural heritage

Decrepit colonial house at Windsor Forest

Abandoned old house in Canal#1

38 travel & tourism

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Panoramic view of Kusad’s moist highlands (Photo from marinetomyrmecologist.blogspot.com)

K

usad Mountain is a small isolated mountain near Guyana’s border with Brazil. The expansive Rupununi Savannah, “a sprawling tropical grassland peppered with rock outcroppings and forested mountains”, surrounds the mountain’s rocky peaks.

To get to the mountain, the trip begins at Lethem with packing trucks and pickups

to travel through dense savannah and muddy trails.

The Takatu River, which forms the border between southern Guyana and Brazil, is located within the vicinity of Kusad mountain.

It is said that “immense biodiversity occurs in this poorly known region [Kusad]”.

(Information excerpted from wilderness-explorers.com)

Kusad Mountain (Andrew Snyder photo)

Storm clouds hover over Kusad (Photo from marinetomyrmecologist.blogspot.com)

Grassy path to Kusad Mountain (Photo from marinetomyrmecologist.blogspot.com)

The sun rises over Kusad Mountain (Photo by Andrew Short)

Arriving at the foot of Kusad Mountain (Photo by Andrew Short)

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

news 39

Linden needs investment in bauxite industry - says President Granger at unveiling of centenary arch at Linden

The Centennial Arch, which was constructed by Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Limited in celebration of the 100 years of bauxite mining in Linden

P

resident David Granger said that while the bauxite industry remains an important and viable part of the economic landscape of Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region Ten), Linden must move beyond being known as a mining town to a manufacturing hub in the country.

He was at the time delivering the feature address at the unveiling of the Centennial Arch to commemorate 100 years of bauxite mining in the town. The arch, which is located at the intersection of Washerpond Road and Causarina Drive was constructed by Chinese bauxite company, Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Limited.

Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman, Minister of Business, Mr. Dominic Gaskin, Minister of Telecommunications, Ms. Catherine Hughes and Minister within the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Ms. Annette Ferguson were also present at the event.

The President said that despite the challenges facing the industry, he remains optimistic that it can turn around its fortunes if the right approach is taken. However, he urged Lindeners to work on diversifying their economic base rather than being excessively dependent on a single industry.

With regard the fortunes of the bauxite industry, the President explained that it must be retooled itself to confront the challenges of volatile external markets on which it heavily depends and emphasised the need for innovation and investment to ensure continuity of the industry.

“We all have to be involved in working for the survival and the success of this industry. If it fails, we all fail. If it succeeds, we all win. Guyana’s bauxite reserves are not near exhaustion. We still have enough reserves to allow for production for another 100 years… The development

of the industry requires significant investments and that is why we welcome our partners from the People’s Republic of China… The Government of Guyana does not possess the resources to make such investments on its own,” the Head of State said.

He said that large foreign investors like Bosai have the necessary financial means to recapitalise the bauxite industry and noted that the Region must remain an attractive destination for these types of investments.

With regard to innovation, President Granger pointed to the need for new technologies to improve efficiency and reduce the cost associated with the removal of its overburden and the shipping and processing of ore. He called on stakeholders of the industry to explore cheaper energy sources. “I believe that once we overcome that hurdle we will be able to move from bauxite to alumina and from alumina to aluminium,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Linden, Mr. Carwyn Holland said that bauxite is at the very core of the rich legacy that Linden is known for. “This impressive edifice looms tall to remind our youth and reminds us all that our heritage in bauxite is one to be proud of,” he said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Regional Chairman, Mr. Rennis Morian, who said that the arch is a symbol of a Region 10 that is rising and informed that new buildings that are being built by the Regional Administration, all part of the effort of enhancing the Region’s infrastructure.

Outgoing Chinese Ambassador, Mr. Zhang Limin in his remarks said that the move by Bosai to construct the arch is not only symbolic of the strong ties between the company and the town of Linden but also of the strong relations between Guyana and China.

Bauxite mining started in Upper Demerara-

Berbice belt, which occupies over 14 percent of the country’s land mass, in 1916 after it was discovered by an American geologist, George Mckenzie. The contract for the construction of the arch, which is built on six reinforced pillars that stands at five feet tall, was awarded to the Surinamese company VSH United, which also constructed the Agricola Arch.

At the very top of the arch is a crown, which bears the logos of all the bauxite companies that operated in Linden over the past 100 years. Additionally, huge plates will be placed around the arch on which vital historic information about Linden will be inscribed.

Plans are also in the pipeline for the development of a recreational park next to the arch.

40

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

The end of sugar: the farce?

R

ecently, we spoke of the tragedy at the end of African slavery and the beginning of Indentureship (Portuguese, WI African, African, Indian and Chinese) to facilitate the survival of the sugar industry to generate profits for the planters. We alluded to Marx’s aphorism that history repeats itself as a “farce”, in light of the remarkably similar number of challenges and responses in the present.

With sugar, Europe decided to introduce mono-culture agriculture in the West Indies and ruled that it was salutary to enslave Africans to meet the demands of that inaugural “industry”. As explained last week, as their economic circumstances changed Europe decided that the “primitive accumulation” from chattel slave labour be transitioned to “free labour” – for increased profits, of course. In the West Indies, however, because of the aforementioned “demands”, bonded or “indentured” labour was now legalized as a way station.

The arguments are eerily being echoed today. The “preferential prices” for sugar the local planters received would be lost because of the removal of preferential tariffs. Labour costs would be too high because the workers (newly freed Africans) didn’t appreciate the workings of the newly created “market economy” that depended on the “invisible hand” of demand and supply. The factories and field practices that had to be retooled demanded capital infusions that had to come from lower wages from the workers (the new indentured servitude).

The descendants of the freed Africans are still grappling with the post-emancipation structural conditions imposed to herd them back onto the plantations. And the farce is that the APNU/ AFC coalition government are using the same “economic argument” to deal with the present day challenges. Way back in 1999, we had critiqued the 1998 GuySuCo Strategic Plan, and advised that its operations should be consolidated and not expanded.

One reason was because we predicted the new 20th Century European “preferen-

tial prices” – contracted to last “in perpetuity” – would once again be jettisoned with their new economic circumstances – consequent to the intensified globalisation that was inaugurated with their colonisation of these same islands.

We still remember debating Ian Mc Donald of GuySuCo on this point and his (poignant) refusal to believe Europe would be so cavalier and callous to do that.

The eventual 36% cut in prices was announced in 2005.

Accepting the received “economic” wisdom, the government decided to follow its Plan to increase sugar production in Berbice and bring down its overall high costs (US.24 cents/lb) through mechanisation and efficiencies of scale, down to US.12cents/lb.

The second and more personal reason for our disagreement was the degrading and inhuman social relations imposed by the labour intensive nature of sugar production in Guyana.

Mechanisation, we felt, would only go so far, since with our unique system of canals for drainage and irrigation, it would inevitably lead to soil compaction that would hinder ratooning and thus raise costs.

And it was for these reasons we proposed, that starting with the Demerara plantations, which were always the highest cost producers, they should be diversified from sugar. And the lands distributed to the workers to become independent farmers of crops that would be supplied to privately owned factories for processing.

Ultimately if these new products were more profitable than sugar, this would be the model that could be used to move the entire industry away from monoculture plantation agriculture.

Up to now, the APNU/ AFC Government has handled the increased travails of the sugar industry very badly. After deploying a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) it seems to have placed its report in cold storage and initiated ad hoc moves that have bemused sugar workers and befuddled the Guyanese public. From its actions at Wales – which has the largest number of private cane farmers (including the largest bloc of African Guyanese cane farmers) and most

By Ravi Dev ethnically diverse work force – they seem determined to repeat the actions of the sugar planters in 1834:Which is to accept the view of workers as “capital” that can be deployed or destroyed at will in the thrust to generate profits with no consideration for the development of their own human potential. This is the farce.

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Odessa Grogan to represent Guyana at Miss Caribbean Carnival Queens Pageant

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wenty-four-yearold Odessa Grogan who stands five feet, six inches tall and weighs 108 pounds will represent Guyana at the Miss Caribbean Carnival Queens Pageant slated for St Kitts and Nevis on Saturday, December 17.

The pageant is a celebration of rich Caribbean carnival culture and as such, Guyana’s Mashramani experience will be the focus point of her showcase, with a worldwind of creativi-

ty, colours, fun and festivities. The Accounts Clerk is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, having completed her diploma in that field at the University of Guyana.

The talented beauty ambassador recently participated in her first pageant, the Miss Guyana Universe which was won

by Soyini Fraser. Grogan likes Indian, Latin and modern dances as well as some acting and disc juggling.

Affectionately called “Spice Girl” – a name she got after being teased as a child due to having a similar hairstyle to “Scary Spice” from the Spice Girls – she is eager to represent Guyana on the international stage.

She is the youngest of seven children and was first runner-up in the Colefacts Student Designing Competition.

She is also a part of the Civil Defence Commission Volunteer Corps, which was de-

veloped to support the functioning initiatives of the Centres for Disease Control (CDC); the country’s national disaster organisation, particularly at the community level.

Much of the focus of the CDC VC is on disaster risk management as it relates to children.

Community service is extremely important to eight 8 when she first became involved with healthcare philanthropy.

Since then, it has been a personal pas-

Odessa Grogan

sion of hers. Among other causes, she routinely undertakes feeding programmes with friends and colleagues for vagrants in the various area of Georgetown.

She has also focused a

lot on orphanages as well by personally organising the donation of clothing, and personal and school supplies. The orphanage project has taken place every Christmas since 2009.

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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Suchitra Mattai

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S-based Guyanese artist Suchitra Mattai’s artwork examines the general themes of identity and globalization through landscape.

Mattai was born in Guyana and also grew up here but now she lives and works in Denver, Colorado, USA. She received an MFA in painting and drawing, and an MA in South Asian art, both from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

She has exhibited her work in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, DC, Minneapolis, Denver, Austin, Berlin, Germany, and Wales, United Kingdom. Her paintings have appeared in the publication “New American Paintings”. Additionally, she just completed a residency at RedLine Contemporary Art Centre, Denver.

Suchitra often appropriates found objects to create

mixed-media drawings, paintings, sculpture and installations.

Her disconnected landscapes are created from history, memory, travel and pop-culture, and invert the familiar in order to complicate assumptions about race and gender.

Her newest project, entitled “Revisionist”, explores and dissects the process of “colonization”. She considers the colonial gaze, the gaze of the “Other”, the vague memory of a past “home”, and a family legacy of ocean voyages to foreign lands by contracts of bondage.

By appropriating and transforming historically contextual objects, she invests them with new and oblique meanings.

“Art has always been a way of living for me. My father wrote in my baby journal that I only wanted to draw since I could pick up a pencil. I have

always made art. Painting and drawing have always been close to my heart. I spent a lot of time by myself, as my sisters are much younger than me. This time led me to internalize experiences in a peculiar way and art has proven to be the best path for me to express my thoughts and attitudes. I also had one artist role model as a child – our family friend and a fellow Guyanese, Suresh Hanuman, was a source of inspiration,” Suchitra said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

The artist mentioned that she is the happiest when using her hands to create.

Creating not only brings her joy, but also allows her to communicate the ideas she wants to voice. Suchitra disclosed that “as a woman and minority in the United States”, it is of particular importance for her

Artist Suchitra Mattai

“to express those ideas in our current political climate”.

For 13 years Suchitra has taught art to university students, but recently chose to resign from teaching “in order

to focus on making art”. She plans to continue to pursue exhibiting her work across the globe so that she can continue to be part of “this world-wide art conversation”.

Her advice to young artists is to “Follow your dreams in any way that you can, but realize that every life experience contributes to your success as an artist. Develop your technical skills, but really think about what it is that you need to say through your art. It is the marriage of form and content that produces the most amazing artwork. It took me many years to be a ‘professional artist’, but I always created art. Initially, I studied statistics and mathematics in an effort to be practical, and then art history, but in the end I have pursued my passions.

Being an artist comes with struggles and sacrifice, but the path is entirely worth it!”

"Imagine that" (2015).

Thread on vintage needlepoint

"Echo" (2016).

Mixed-media installation

"Anecdotal" (2016). Mixed-media installation

"Her earthly gains" (2016).

Mixed-media installation

"Generally, I don't think that way" (2016). Mixed-media installation

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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7th Edition of GFW a tremendous success G

uyana Fashion Week came to a spectacular close after one week of continuous activities, all designed to upgrade the status and scope of the burgeoning fashion industry.

Over the last weekend, Guyana witnessed three amazing fashion showcases at the Savannah Suite, Pegasus Hotel Guyana.

The shows featured designer collections from local, regional and international clothing brands.

The first runway presentation highlighted a select group of aspiring designers together with a line-up of up-andcoming models, in a production called ‘The new guard’. Winners of the male and female model category, respectively, were Kenny Hercules and CandacySubrattie.

The winner of the aspiring designer award was Linden native, SetraOselmo with a highly creative showing utilising hair to create spectacular costume art.

The other seven aspiring designers brought interesting storylines to impact on their collections, rendering unique Guyanese style in their creative showings.

CandacyMc Clean, Abeni Sullivan, TandicaFavourite, Stephen Validum, Mark Junor, Audrey Callendar, Shevaun Abel shared the spotlight on

that Saturday afternoon showcase of fresh new world style.

Walter Greene, a USbased, Guyanese style connoisseur and fashion editor par excellence commented on the cutting-edge, pushing the envelope contributions of our creative nationals.

There was an Antiguan contingent comprising of three new brands, developing in the tiny nation. All the designers emerging out of a programme were coordinated by Vanda Neale Gardner, under the Antigua Barbuda Festivals Commission, whose creative consultant is none other than, the Caribbean fashion guru, Richard Young.

Based on the vision of Antigua and Barbuda’s Trade, Commerce and Industry, Sports, Culture and National Festivals Minister E P Chet Greene, Young has facilitated this intra-regional interface to promote the Caribbean brand, in spite of its multifaceted components.

Kareem Simon of the ‘Jsimon label’, Kareem Blucher and Krystal Benjamin of ‘KB Squared’ and ShirrineGillon of ‘Rainbow Expressions’ were elated to participate in a platform beyond their local scope, and boy were they well received.

The collections were a hit! There was also a model contingent from

Cutting (PPP’s) nose…

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Curacao – Face Model Organisation – who featured six striking models in the weekend’s line up.

Other seasoned designer Sonia Noel, CEO of Guyana Fashion Week, presented Nubian Renaissance – a NeoAfrican twist on her traditional architectural latticing. Tracy Douglas’ modern tie dyes in deep pigments of forest life were a telling signature expression of her tribal influence.

Nelsion Nurse brought a menswear collection, ‘Metamorphosis’, showcasing red, black and white trendy urban-wear revealing the diverse attitudes of today’s male. Paula Evans brought her special trademark hand

painted flora and fauna motifs, walking on sunshine, on breathing fabrics and returning Guyanese designers – Dawn Vanrossum showed curvaceous couture in high-grade linens, in captivating hues and Stacy Angoy’s afrocentric resort wear was a compelling favourite of the event.

Creative Director and Caribbean fashion guru, Richard Young, says the second longest fashion festival in the Region is indeed proving its mettle. “Sonia Noel was exuberant about the return of GFW, expressing the relevance of its subtitle, ‘On the Pulse’, to the youth empowerment and creative arts mandate.

…to spite Guyana’s face

pposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo was once again forced to raise the issue of the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project (AFHEP) – for probably the zillionth time. But really… why does this have to be so? Your Eyewitness can’t see any other reason than this PNC-led government doesn’t want to engage in any initiative that might redound to the credit of the PPP in general, and of Jagdeo in particular.

Now… dear reader… while you may think this answer is rather simple, it is not simplistic. It’s based on the eminently sensible advice offered by Sherlock Holmes: Once you’ve eliminated all other possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. Now what are those “other possibilities?

APNU and AFC have never claimed Guyana doesn’t need hydropower. In fact, Prezzie’s of recent jumped aboard the “Go Green!” Bandwagon with such fervour, you’d be forgiven for assuming he’s vying for the “Champion of the Earth award”.

Hydropower is as green as you can get. Water falls off a cliff through gravity then through a turbine where it spins wire coils around an electromagnet to produce electricity that’s transmitted over “electric wires” to end users! Remember those old fashioned “dynamos” on bicycles that produced “light”?? Same thing, except the falling water does the work of your long suffering feet!! Not even an atom of that nasty Carbon Dioxide produced!

Now before they joined at the hip to get into power, APNU and AFC claimed the PPP government wasn’t giving them a peek at the contracts with Sithe, the developer, and China Development Bank, the financier. Norway, of course, had already lodged Guyana’s contribution of US$80 million. But as soon as Donald Ramotar became President in 2011, he shared all the paperwork with the opposition. Who declared they were “overcome” at the openness of the new government.

But yet they didn’t budge. APNU initially said it was waiting for a “due diligence” report from the IDB, which had US$100 million skin in the project. But then APNU suddenly announced they’d “relook” at the contract if they got into power. Now, Sithe’s no fly-by-night operator like, say, Surendra Engineering.

They’re part of the Blackstone Group – one of the largest investment entities in the world. As a US corp it’s subject to very stringent financial scrutiny by their regulatory regimes. Not surprisingly, Sithe refused to be hobbled in this manner and walked. And the IDB, considering the project dead, ceased its due diligence study.

So since we still need the hydropower and APNU/ PNC’s in power, what’s the hold up now?

Like we said, just blind hatred of Jagdeo! …on rice Under the PPP regime, the rice industry broke all sorts of records in production and exporting. We became a significant player after exporting 600,000 tonnes and were poised to hit the million tonne mark. But then the government changed, the PNC-led coalition took Office and the industry collapsed.

What happened? Well, the same thing that happened to AFHEP. An unwillingness to have anything redound to the credit of the PPP and Jagdeo.

As a matter of fact, Jagdeo had personally intervened with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela to broker a rice-for-oil deal under the latter’ PetroCaribe Initiative. Guyana was getting one and a half times the prices from other markets – and the farmers responded.

Now as soon as they got into Office, rather than engaging the Venezuelans who’d indicated they were looking at Suriname for a better rice deal, the PNCled coalition Government launched a feral blast at Maduro on the border front.

To cut Jagdeo’s deal, they ignored that even during actual war, countries negotiated on other vital issues. …at Skeldon Sugar Factory How low can the PNC-led coalition Government sink in cutting Guyana’s face? Well, some pretty conclusive evidence’s surfaced that they’ve let the Skeldon Factory fall into disrepair.

Just so to embarrass Jagdeo!

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Life and times of a med student

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atiricus knew he was about to be grilled now that the budget was out and he was cornered at the Back Street Bar. The fellas still considered him a supporter of the Government no matter how many times he kept telling them he just had a soft spot for Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat.

“How could I not?” he thought to himself . “Just one look at them and you know they were ‘sons of the soil’.”

“What’s that about soil?” inquired Hari, who was looking at Satiricus with raised eyebrows.

“I didn’t realise I was speaking aloud,” admitted Satiricus sheepishly. “I was just thinking Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat are real sons of the soil.”

“They are “soiled” all right,” said Hari with a grin and much to the delight of Bungi, who seemed preoccupied with downing his beer in the shortest possible time. “And I’m not even mentioning they have more dirt under their fingernails than Bungi, who’s a canecutter!”

“Sile? Dem two harkatimo’ nasty dan de Finance Ministah,” blurted out Bungi. “How dem can sit dong an’ ‘llow de Ministahfuhseh ‘e naguhspen’ mo’ money fuh sugar? Dat da wan waste?”Bungi sounded really upset.

“But you want to tell me…in the whole Budget, nothing was right?” asked Satiricus with an air of desperation. He signalled for another round of beer.

“Most of what Jar Dan said was just empty words,” said Hari. “Didn’t he say his last two budgets would turn around the economy?”

“Well, me na know about dem fancy t’ing and suh,” said Bungi with an innocent air. “But Jar Dan tu’n round de graph dat bin a guh up wide de PPP… and now yaguh dong!”

Hari grinned and gave Bungi a high five. “But I’ll tell you how Jar Dan don’t know a damn thing.”

“How can you possibly know that?” asked Satiricus doubtfully.

“When Cappo left for America, he paid $4000 departure tax,” said Hari firmly. “I know because I paid it for him.”

“And?”Satiricus wanted to know.

“And…Jar Dan just said he was raising the travel tax from $2500 to $3500,” said Hari triumphantly.

And rubbing it in, Bung chirped in, “An’ even thoNagga Man a travel every week, ‘e nacorrec’ Jar Dan.” “Nagga Man don’t pay departure tax, Bungi!” grinned Hari at Satiricus. “Perks, you know,bai!!”

“To a people’s budget!” They clinked bottles with a reluctant Satiricus.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

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Anu Dev

oday I’ve decided to write a bit about what my last week has been like. It hasn’t been the most exciting week but it’s been what I’ve come to expect from a typical week in medical school – tiring but somehow still satisfying.

I’m currently in my Adult Medicine rotation.

My time is split between being on ward rounds, helping with ward work and bedside-teaching on the wards. See the common theme here? The wards.

Every rotation we’ve been through, there’s always a doctor telling us some variation of “the wards are your textbooks and the patients are the pages of those books”.

I was on call last Sunday and Thursday. On call days, whatever units are “on call” are then in charge of the management of all of the patients admitted that

day. By our Friday post-call rounds, I think we ended up with over 50 patients admitted under our unit.

On call days, I’m expected to be down in Accident and Emergency to “clerk” patients and help with things like taking blood.

Last Thursday, I got to meet an interesting family.

Their son had to be brought in for a sickle cell crisis. In sickle cell anaemia, there’s a mutation that cause the red blood cells to be sickleshaped instead of the usual rounded, biconcave shape.

Because of this change in the shape of the red blood cells, the cells don’t flow through the blood vessels as smoothly as they should. Sometimes they get stuck in the blood vessels – that’s called a vaso-occlusive crisis.

These crises are extremely painful. This patient had been having pain for the past week despite being on pain killers.

Talking to the patient and his family, I got to hear first-hand the effects sickle cell anaemia can have on patients and their families. The patient had to

be hospitalised more times than people four times his age and he has to be on antibiotics and painkillers every day. Before I started clinical medicine, sickle cell anaemia was just something I read about in books: I didn’t hear it talked about all that much.

But in the past month, I’ve seen so many kids and now adults coming into the hospital because of complications of sicklecell anaemia. It’s been an eye-opener. Medicine is becoming more granular – and real.

There’s a lot of walking around in medicine and especially in this rotation because we have patients in all parts of the San Fernando General Hospital – the new hospital, the old hospital and in the teaching hospital. We end up doing almost everything on the move – talking, eating, studying (and sometimes even sleeping) are all done while walking. That’s why I spent over an hour last weekend trying to find the perfect pair of comfortable shoes after spending a week with bruised and

blistered feet.

We have classes on the wards most days of the week. Usually we have to examine a patient and summarise our findings to the consultant, along with what we think the diagnosis might be. Then we’re drilled with questions around the patient’s particular condition. It’s supposed to help us to think clinically about what might be wrong with the patient and helps us to hone our techniques when examining patients.

Helping out with ward work usually means routine things like taking blood, putting in IVs and setting up things like blood transfusions. There’s also a lot of filling out of forms and running down to the lab for things. Again, more walking.

It’s been a long week, and a tiring one at that.

But I’ve ended the week knowing more than I did at the beginning, so all that running around and walking up and down feels worth it.

Delayed… …Demerara crossing uring the 1992 elections, the PNC pulled out all the stops. At a Stabroek Market Square meeting, Deputy Mayor Robert Williams offered his audience a clinching argument in his peroration: “And look how we gave you the DemeraraHarbour Bridge, comrades. Now you can sport at Tony’s on West Bank and return home the same night!!” He got the loudest round of applause for that one.

Since then, the regular traffic on the Bridge has increased exponentially – even as the structure is decades past its expiry date. The back-ups during the rush hour – morning and night – are now of mythic proportions. And us being Guyanese, the scrapes and scratches and fender benders have created a cottage industry of its own. Not to mention adding billions to healthcare costs to deal with the increased high blood pressures induced.

Well, at long last the PNC-led coalition government is picking up on the PPP administration’s proposal to build a fixed structure bridge to replace the old floating one; long giving us the dubious distinction of possessing “the longest floating bridge in the world.” Maybe its poetic justice. The PNC’s getting the opportunity to make amends for all the time portions of the bridge – being pontoons – floated down river and giving the occupants of several cars and minibuses a fair imitation of Huck Finn rafting down the Mississippi River!

The PPP had conducted a pre-feasibility study back in 2013 and concluded that the best site for the new bridge was from Versailles on the WBD to Houston in Georgetown. The most important innovation would be a clover leaf entrance and exit ramps on both approaches that would eliminate the need for vehicles slowing down at those points. It’s this slowing down that cascades backwards and holds up traffic for the length of the backup.

The biggest hurdle will be the cost, since fixed span concrete bridges don’t come cheap. It’ll definitely replace the SkeldonModernisation Plan as the “largest

D

investment in Guyana”. Where will the Government get the approx US$250 million financing? After their browbeating of the Public Private Partnership BBCI on tolls reduction, they can forget about THAT model!!

With the economy showing no sign of heading north anytime soon, it’s doubtful the government may want to saddle itself with that big a bump in its debt portfolio. But the last time then British PM David Cameron visited the Caribbean in 2015, he did promise £300 million or US$375 million in GRANTS to the Caribbean for infrastructural development.

Maybe they won’t fund the whole bridge… but they can certainly take care of a goodly portion!!

Let’s get that study out – and request in, chop! chop! …”do fuh do” on Edghill Just over a year ago, Juan Edghill, the PPP Junior Shadow Minister of Finance, made some (allegedly inflated) statements on the Ministerial Salary increases the PNC-led coalition Government had awarded itself. The comments were questioned by the Finance Minister and last May a Motion was moved in Parliament by Government MP CharrandasPersaud to haul Edghill before the Privileges Committee.

Now six months later, Speaker Scotland suddenly remembered to give effect to the Privileges motion and summon Edghill before the committee he heads. Is this just coincidence, the PPP wonders, that it was Edghill who’d moved the motion on MP Norton that resulted in the latter being sent to the same committee? Or caused a major embarrassment to the Government by moving a motion (which the Government used its 1-seat majority to defeat) on the D’Urban Park scandal? But the Govt is ill advised.

Any highlighting of the 50 per cent Ministerial salary increase as the Christmas season unfolds is sure to pi55 off even its own supporters! They should let sleeping salaries lie! …nationalists’ recognition Edghill’s motion to identify financiers of the D’Urban Jubilee Park was blocked by the Govt. Why wouldn’t businesses be proud to say they helped with the patriotic Park?

48 Bollywood

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Beautiful mom-to-be Kareena Kapoor Khan has uncovered life’s new chapter

Priyanka Chopra postpones Sarvann release due to demonetisation

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K

areena Kapoor Khan is just unstoppable. The beautiful actor is due to deliver her first baby in a few days but she is still busy being a full-fledged movie star. From magazine covers to Bollywood parties, from billboards to giving interviews, Kareena is everywhere.

The actor is expecting her first baby with husband Saif Ali Khan and the due date, according to Kareena’s father Randhir Kapoor, is December 20. But see her latest magazine cover and you will be surprised how radiant and ethereal Kareena looks.

Kareena Kapoor is on the cover of

Grazia India’s December issue. The official page of the magazine shared Kareena’s look on the cover with a caption, “We end the year with a bang, with mama-to-be Kareena Kapoor Khan leading our last issue of 2016, and owning every bit of it.”

The cover reads as, “Hey Mama!

Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Next Chapter,” and we are excited to know more about this phase of hers. Though it is not the first time we see Kareena on a cover with her baby bump. We saw her happily posing for HT Brunch cover recently too. (Indian Express)

riyanka Chopra’s upcoming Punjabi film, Sarvann, which was earlier scheduled to hit screens on December 9, has now been pushed to January 13 following the demonetisation of high currency notes.

Due to the economic challenges faced by cinegoers, the makers had a joint meeting recently after which they unanimously decided to shift the release date of the movie by a month, also

to coincide with Lohri, which is a very auspicious day.

“Considering the short term economic challenges faced by the people, we decided to shift the release date of the movie on the auspicious day of Lohri on 13th January,” Madhu Chopra, Priyanka’s mother said in a statement.

Produced by Priyanka’s production house Purple Pebble Pictures, Dr

Madhu Chopra, Deepshikha D e s h m u k h (Pooja Films), co-produced by Siddharth Chopra and directed by Karan Guliani, Sarvann” is a heart-warming narrative of a young NRI returning to India to find his roots.

“The subject has got a universal appeal and caters to a large section of the potential audience who likes family entertainers with a strong message,” Madhu said. On work front, Priyanka is busy with the second season of the American sitcom, Quantico. Alongside, the actor is also prepping up for her Hollywood debut, Baywatch. (Indian Express)

Playing guitar is one of my favourite things: Lisa Haydon

It’s important to build my brand as Bollywood is a fickle place: Sunny Leone

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ctor Sunny Leone says she always wanted to expand her horizons in e-commerce as she feels she is a product of social media and the “Baby Doll” star wants to be on the safer side in case her Bollywood journey ends.

“I realised it quickly in my journey here that it’s only I who would have to adjust because Bollywood will never change. I always knew that I wanted to have my own e-commerce. The shelf-life of a Bollywood actor is not always long until you are Salman, Shah Rukh or Aamir Khan!” Sunny told reporters during the launch of her mobile app.

The actor further said, “So, it is important for me to build my brand in such a strong manner that in case I don’t make

A it beyond one film or a few films, I have something to fall back on.”

Sunny has collaborated with New York-based start-up Escapex. The actor said that while she is excited about interacting with her fans on the app, she herself is a follower of actor Sonam Kapoor’s social media profiles. “I like following Sonam. Every day, she does something new so she is quite interesting

to watch. I would, in fact, want her to join me on my app! That would be fun,” Sunny said.

When asked which male actor she would want to have with her on the platform, Sunny was more than happy to name Ranveer Singh.

“Ranveer Singh keeps doing crazy and fun things and he has a great fashion sense as well!”

(Indian Express)

ctor Lisa Haydon says playing guitar is one of her favourite things to do. Lisa will be playing the role of Shonali in Bindass’ soon to be launched web series – ‘The Trip’. She plays the role of a feisty, free-spirited girl who is a musician.

She was asked to play the ukulele and to shoot a music segment all to be shot in one take itself. With her love for music and instruments, she took on the challenge to try out a new instrument and practised for two days.

Lisa said in a statement: “I’ve really liked playing guitar since I was a kid. It’s one of my favourite things to do.

My character on ‘The Trip’ is a musician and when I was asked to play the ukulele, I jumped at the opportunity to try out a new instrument.”

“The song has an amazing tempo. The ukulele is pretty challenging but it was worth learning to play the track on it. I kept practising till I got it right and now that I have got the hang of it, not going to give up playing it anytime soon.”

‘The Trip’ is a fun and spirited coming-ofage story of four friends, who go on a road trip to Thailand. As one of the girls is set to tie the knot, the gang plans a road trip as part of the bride’s bachelorette. The journey though turns into an emotional roller-coaster that establishes the relationships they share with one another and with their own self.

Lisa got married to long time beau Dino Lalvani last month.

(Indian Express)

Ranveer Singh is a stand-up comedian in Befikre

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efikre is on its way to the theatres. But while a lot has been said about the kisses and fearless quotient of the film, we are still unaware of Dharam and Shyra’s characters played by Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor respectively. Recently, a short video released by Yash Raj Films gave us a glimpse from the perspective of Vaani’s character, who is a tourist guide in Paris.

Today, the filmmakers released another video that tells us that Dharam is a stand-up comedian who has been invited by one of his friends to perform in front of the Indian crowd but during the trip, he meets Shyra (Vaani Kapoor) and is totally besotted by this free-spirited woman.

While watching the video, Dharam says he has no past. He is just amazed by Shyra’s history. He tells the crowd that she has dated 42 men, and we can totally relate to Ranveer’s confusion. Ranveer’s portrayal of the brave Peshwa Bajirao has left us speechless but would Dharam give us an entertaining time in the theatres?

That shall be revealed on December 9.

Meanwhile, the actor is busy shooting for his next venture Padmavati, which also stars his alleged girlfriend, Deepika Padukone.

By the way, his co-star Vaani has a tip for you, she says if he makes you laugh then he is a keeper. (Indian Express)

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WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Was pushed to my limits on movie set: Ryan Gosling on La La Land

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ctor Ryan Gosling had fun working on the musical La La Land with actress Emma Stone but said learning his lines, songs, dance routines, jazz piano and the keytar was a lot to take in. “Trying to fit the keytar into my schedule of things I had to learn was pretty funny. But we were all being pushed to our limits to see what we were capable of. We worked for three months on, for instance, one number that happens at sunset where it starts as a scene, then it becomes a song, and then it’s a dance and then it’s a scene again and it all happens in one take,” Gosling told Empire magazine.

The scene was homage to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’s “Isn’t this a lovely day (to be caught in the rain)” routine from “Top Hat”, and Gosling loved getting the chance to put a new spin on the iconic footage, reports femalefirst.co.uk. “That idea, just the clever nuance of the way Fred and Ginger’s characters were trying to make the best of a bad situation, we tried to subvert that lyrically in our scene. We tried to make the worst out of a good

situation,” he said.

La La Land is set for release next month and has already garnered amazing reviews and multiple film festival awards, including the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada, while Stone picked up the Volpi Cup Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival in Italy for her role.

Meanwhile, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling will be honoured with Outstanding Performer of the Year awards at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The actors will be feted for their roles in new movie La La Land at Santa Barbara’s Arlington Theatre in February next year, reported Deadline.

Stone has never been honoured by festival organisers before, but Gosling received the first Cinema Vanguard Award in 2008. “Ryan and Emma’s luminous performances in La La Land remind us of the transformative and magical role of cinema,” a statement from SBIFF’s executive director Roger Durling read. (Indian express)

Amber Heard stars in video on domestic violence

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mber Heard, who just settled her acrimonious divorce case with Johnny Depp, has spoken out about eliminating violence against women in a video. The actress partnered with the #GirlGaze Project for a new video about domestic violence, and briefly shared her personal story, reported People magazine. “I guess there was a lot of shame attached to that, the label of victim.

It happens to so many women you know, when it happens in your home behind closed doors with someone you love it’s not straightforward,” Heard, 30, says.

“If a stranger did this

as it was pointed out to me if a stranger did this it would be a no brainer.” Heard had filed for divorce from ex-husband Johnny Depp in May after 15 months of marriage, claiming in court filings that Depp, 53, had abused her throughout their relationship.

She had also filed a domestic violence restraining order against Depp four days after filing for divorce. “If I hadn’t had a few people that I really trust around me, a few women support, a few friends. If I hadn’t had them around me, how different my life would be,” Heard said in her emotional PSA. “Just as a woman

having gone through this in the public stage, in the public arena that I did it, I have a unique opportunity to remind other women this doesn’t have to be the way it is, you don’t have to do it alone, you’re not alone. We can change this,” she added.

The coupleannounced they had reached a divorce settlement outside of court in August, just one day before their scheduled restraining order hearing. The judge ultimately dismissed the domestic violence case against Depp and terminated the actor’s temporary restraining order.

(Indian express)

Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher prepping for second baby’s arrival M ila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are set to welcome their second child any day now, and judging from their public talks over the past few months, they are much more prepared this time.

Kunis and Kutcher, who are already parenting their 2-year-old daughter Wyatt Isabelle Kutcher, have not been shy in talking about their growing family, even revealing that their second baby is a boy, reports E! Online.

Parents have to maintain their confidence in order to keep calm in the house when things get wild. Kutcher told the ‘Today Show’ that he definitely feels more capable this time around.

“You have a recognition that they’re pretty durable. You’re not go-

ing to break them,” he said, adding, “The first one, I almost became a doula. I was reading every book…This one, I haven’t done anything.

I’m like, ‘Well, we didn’t break the first one.'”

They are also less obsessive this time.

In an interview with Conan O’Brien, Kunis revealed that she was practicing being a little less obsessive by not having all the crazy apps and daily checkups like

she did while pregnant for the first time.

“With the first one, there were these apps where you could check daily to see the size of your baby based on fruit.

So, ‘Oh, today my baby’s the size of guava,’ or a banana, or avocado.’ And I did it, like, every day,” she revealed. “[This time] I couldn’t even tell you how far along I am right now,” she added. (Indian express)

John Travolta accepted American Crime Story on advice of Tom Hanks

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ctor John Travolta was told to accept the role in “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson” by filmmaker Steven Spielberg and actor Tom Hanks.

The 62-year-old, who played the role of O.J. Simpson’s attorney Robert Schapiro in the TV series, has admitted that he spent four months mulling whether to star in the 10-part series or not. But the advice of Hanks swayed his decision, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“It was Steven Spielberg. It was Oprah Winfrey. It was Rita Wilson Hanks and Tom

Hanks. And it was former Disney magnate Michael Eisner. They all thought it was completely the right move.

“Spielberg and Eisner were the most enthusiastic,” Travolta told GQ.com about the show, which follows the 1994 murder trial of the former American football player’s partner Nicole Brown Simpson.

Travolta, who has worked in the entertainment industry for over four decades, says there are high points in everyone’s career, although actors are not “guaranteed” to be involved in every “high quality” project.

The “Forger” actor, whose eldest son Jett died in 2009, has son Benjamin as well as daughter Ella with wife Kelly Preston. Travolta said: “You have these points in your career when you are associated with high quality, with depth, communication, and things that matter on a social level.

“And when you hit those notes — whether it be ‘Primary Colors’, or on the cover of ‘Time’ magazine, or ‘Pulp Fiction’, or ‘Saturday Night Fever’, or ‘Urban Cowboy’ — where you’re affecting the society on a global level, then you feel a different kind of pride. It’s beyond the pride of success. It’s the pride of… integrity, I guess?

“You’re not always guaranteed to be involved with projects that will hit those notes.

When you are, you really do register it,” he added.

(Indian express)

When Dev Patel spent an hour looking in mirror

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ritish actor of Indian descent Dev Patel says he spent an hour looking at himself in the mirror for his role in his latest film Lion. Patel told Empire magazine: “It required an energy shift. I’m a super-hyperactive kind of dude and the role required a level of stillness. Saroo had this emotional pain, this weight. I spent eight months prepping and it was all a process of introspection. “I travelled around India on trains to get a feel of what it would be like, I wrote diaries, I visited orphanages. Garth would get me to stare in the mirror for an hour.

It’s amazing what you can see when you stop for a moment and really try to look inside yourself.”

He landed the role after a gruelling six-hour audition in which he worked through the entire script with director Garth Davis and “lost his mind” at the end, reports femalefirt.co.uk. “At the end of it, Garth said, ‘Before you go, I’m wondering if you could just scream?’ I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I want you to roar like a lion. Let go of emotion and completely purge the pain you’d feel in Saroo’s situation. You don’t have to do it.’

“And I was like, ‘Of course I have to’. So I did and I completely lost my mind. I was jumping in at the deep end,” he said.

Dev Patel also says he wanted to do Lion for his mother as she is the biggest influence in his life. Lion, which is already receiving critical acclaim, is based on the true story of SarooBrierley, a young Indian boy who gets separated from his brother and mother when he ends up 1,000 miles away from his home, lost at a train station in Kolkata. (Indian express)

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USA All Stars bag UST20 title A

number of West Indies T20 stars visited Fort Lauderdale, Miami, USA, on the weekend but all ended up on the losing side, as the USA All Stars took the 2016 US Open T20 Cricket title with a narrow tworun victory over Al Masafi of Afghanistan at the Central Broward Regional Park.

World T20 stars Lendl Simmons and Denesh Ramdin both lined up with the Indian Lions but they were defeated in the semifinals by the USA All Stars.

Samuel Badree played for the Houston Lions but they could not get past the Al Masafi in the other semis.

Other Caribbean players taking part in the tournament were Mervyn Dillon, Ricardo Powell, Navin Stewart, William Perkins and Ganganand Singh.

In the finals, the USA All Stars batted first scoring 181/3 of their 20 overs with Singh getting 15, Jashkaran Malothra 37, Hassan Raza the former Pakistani batting star 37 not out and Sri Lanka all rounder Dilhara Lokuhettige 54 not out.

The right-hander scored

President of the WICB, Dave Cameron presents the US Open T20 Cup to US All Stars captain Hassan Raza, watched by president of the CCUSA, Mahammad Qureshi. (Photo: Narine Armoogam/TT Guardian)

his runs of 26 balls with six fours and three sixes.

Al Masafi, with nine of the Afghanistan national players on board, lost wickets at regular intervals in the chase but skipper Javed Ahmadi kept them in the hunt with a 31-ball 53.

He struck nine fours and a six. After his dismissal, the USA All Stars looked set for a comfortable win but Gul Badin Naib 23 and Najibullah Zadran 25 not out brought them right back into the contest. They took it down to the last over with 16 runs needed

and USA All Stars bowler Herlando Johnson held his nerves to give his team the victory and US$50,000 first prize. Al Masafi reached 179/9.

President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Dave Cameron was on hand for the tournament and said it showed just how well T20 cricket has caught on in America.

He said: “This was a wonderful tournament staged here and I was really impressed with the quality of cricket played.

The organisation of the tournament was excel-

lent and Cricket Council USA did a great job in showcasing cricket, which is on the way up in these parts.”

SCORES

USA All Stars 181/3 (Jashkaran Malothra 37, Hassan Raza 37 not out, Dilhara Lokuhettige 54 not out) vs Al Masafi 179/9 (20)(Javed Ahmadi 53, Hashmatullah Shaidi 30, Gul Badin Naib 23, Najibullah Zadran 25 not out, Herlando Johnson 3/35, Junaid Sidique 2/31)—USA All Stars won by 2 runs. (Taken from TT Guardian)

Mathews, Chandimal declare fitness for South Africa tour

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ri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal have declared they are fit to go on the tour of South Africa that begins in mid-December.

They made the announcements during SLC's Dialog Cricketer of the Year award ceremony held in Colombo on Wednesday night.

Both Mathews and Chandimal missed Sri Lanka's recent tour of Zimbabwe, where Rangana Herath and Upul Tharanga led the Test and ODI sides respectively. Mathews was recovering from multiple leg injuries including a torn calf, while Chandimal had undergone surgery on his right hand after suffering "multiple dislocations around the thumb area" while playing a domestic match.

When he accepted one of his three awards, the compere asked Mathews whether he was fit for the South Africa tour. He replied, "Yes, I have recovered from my injury completely and I am fit to tour South Africa."

The same question was posed to Chandimal when he received his award, and he said, "My recovery process has been really good and I am feeling fit to make the tour to South Africa."

Mathews won the Cricketer-of-the-Year

award for his performances across formats in 2015, and also bagged the Allrounder-of-the-Year award for both Tests and ODIs. Chandimal, meanwhile, was adjudged Test Batsman-of-the-Year.

Dialog Cricketer of the Year awards for 2015: Cricketer of the Year: Angelo Mathews, People's Player of the Year: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Future Cricketer of the Year: Kusal Mendis, Test Batsman of the Year: Dinesh Chandimal, Test Bowler of the Year: Rangana Herath, Test Allrounder of the Year: Angelo Mathews, ODI Batsman of the Year: Kumar Sangakkara, ODI Bowler of the Year: Lasith Malinga, ODI Allrounder of the Year: Angelo Mathews, T20I Batsman of the Year: Tillakaratne Dilshan, T20I Bowler of the Year: Lasith Malinga, ODI Batsman of the Year (Women): Chamari Atapattu, ODI Bowler of the Year (Women): Inoka Ranaweera, ODI Allrounder of the Year (Women): Shashikala Siriwardene, International Commentator of the Year: Russel Arnold, International Journalist of the Year: Rex Clementine, International Umpire of the Year: Ruchira Palliyaguruge.

(ESPNcricinfo)

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Sunshine Girls take lead with dominant opening victory

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amaica’s Sunshine Girls overcame a sluggish opening quarter to draw first blood in their threematch series against England by cruising to a 66-49 victory in the opening contest at the Copper Box on Tuesday.

The Caribbean side trailed 12-16 at the end of the first quarter but produced a strong surge to lead 31-27 at halftime, before dominating down the stretch to come away easy winners.

Goal shoot Jhaniele Fowler-Reid made an emphatic return to national colours, scoring 49 goals from 56 attempts, while goal attack Eboni Beckford-Chambers supported with 17 from 20.

(File photo/ Jamaica Observer)

For the hosts, Jo Harten led with 33 from 36 attempts, while Kadeen Corbin chipped in with 14 from 19.

England captain Ama Agbeze afterwards bemoaned the inability of her side to sustain their early momentum.

“The energy and the link we had to a home venue and crowd, we just didn’t carry that on which isn’t really great,” Agbeze said.

Harten combined with Corbin to provide the early energy as England caught the Sunshine Girls napping with their strong start.

However, Jamaica rebounded in the second quarter with Vangelee Williams stealing possession on one play for

Fowler-Reid to convert.

Halfway through the quarter Jamaica drew level and it was FowlerReid who put her side ahead from long range, as the half approached.

England produced a surge in the third quarter, but Jamaica kept their wits about them to maintain their advantage.

The high ball into Fowler-Reid was particularly effective and she kept Jamaica in the lead at 49-42 at the start of the final quarter, with accurate shooting.

In a frantic final stanza, England made several key mistakes while the Jamaicans were clinical, out-scoring their opponents 17-7.(CMC)

Records tumble in senior powerlifting finale

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Lewis, Samuels halfcenturies clinch wins for Dynamites, Victorians

he end of the powerlifting season could not have ended in a brighter fashion as fans witnessed record breaking performances at the Guyana Amateur Power lifting Federations’ (GAPF) third and final event of the season, when the 32 athletes went head to head in the Seniors National at the St. Stanislaus Auditorium on Sunday.

As the athletes competed across the three disciplines of power lifting (squat, dead lift and bench press), Carlos Peterson, who powered his way to the male overall unequipped winner, was outstanding after he dominated his opponents on his way to a new 93KG (Junior) class dead lift record of 300kg.

In the day dedicated to muscles, Peterson also went on to add a squatting total of 250kg and bench pressing 140 kg, all of which tallied to 433.527 wilks points.

While Peterson dominated the unequipped category, Vijai Rahim demolished the other contenders and was crowned the male overall equipped winner with a total of 545.158 wilks points after squatting 250kg, bench pressing 160kg and dead lifting 285kg in the 74kg class.

However, notable is the heroics of Colin ‘Mr. Clean’ Chesney who was also amongst the record breakers when he shattered the national bench press record of 230kg, held by John ‘Big John’ Edwards in the 120+ class as he added 10 kg more on his way to recording 499.507 wilks points which also in-

cludes a squat of 355kg and a dead lift of 272.5kg but was not enough to win the title as he competed in the same division as Rahim.

In the male 59kg, Romario Gonsalves squatted 220kg, Bench Pressed 100 and Dead Lifted 227.5kg to win his class with a total of 481.088 wilks points while Arif Immamdeen amassed 430.636 wilks points from a 210kg squat, 107.5 Bench Press and 225 dead lift.

Meanwhile in the female divisions, Nadina Taharally was adjudged the overall female unequipped winner and young powerhouse, Tinesha Toney capped off an excellent season of powerlifting when she was named the overall female equipped winner.

Toney totaled 365kg, giving her 427.086 wilks points after squatting 160 kg, bench pressing 55kg and dead lifting 150kg while Taharally earned 347.5 wilks points for her total of 332.5 kg following a 122.5 kg best squat, 67.5 kg bench press and 142.5 kg dead lift.

The GAPF will kick start next season’s local calendar with the traditional novice competition in March. The competition which was run by the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) in combination with Fitness Express and Ticket Master Travel Agency, was used a yardstick to select athletes for international competitions next year.

The GAPF will kick start next season’s local calendar with the traditional novice competition in March.

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Batsman Evin Lewis

est Indies players Evin Lewis and Marlon Samuels both stroked half-centuries to power their respective franchises to victories in the Bangladesh Premier League on Wednesday.

In the first game of a doubleheader at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, the left-handed Lewis carved out a typically stroke-filled 75 as Dhaka Dynamites defeated Rangpur Riders by 42 runs.

And in the nightcap encounter, Samuels hit a controlled unbeaten 55 to lead a success-

ful Comilla Victorians run chase as they beat Darren Sammy’s Rajshahi Kings by eight wickets.

However, while the victory put Dynamites top of the standings with 14 points, Victorians moved off the bottom of the tables with only their third win of the campaign. They have six points.

Lewis took centre stage, hammering three fours and eight sixes off just 34 balls as Dynamites, opting to bat first, rallied to 188 for seven off their 20 overs.

The 24-year-old, who reached his half-century off 21 balls with a straight six off leg-spinner Shahid Afridi in the seventh over which cost 21 runs, put on 103 for the first wicket with Mehedi Maruf who made 44 from 31 deliveries.

Lewis was eventually third out at 122 in the 12th over, holing out in the deep off seamer Soumya Sarkar.

All-rounder Andre Russell, in his second game of the tournament, made just eight while Dwayne Bravo got 16.

In reply, Riders were limited to 146 for eight off their allotted overs, despite Ziaur Rahman’s 60 off 43 balls.

Samuels then followed Lewis’s cue, stroking two fours and four sixes in a 41-ball innings as Victorians, set a paltry 125 for victory, coasted to victory with eight balls remaining.

Imrul Kayes fell cheaply for nine but Samuels put on 90 for the second wicket with Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad (46) to pull the innings around.

Earlier, Sammy suffered the indignity of a one-ball ‘duck’ as Kings, choosing to bat, could only muster 124 for seven. (CMC)

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Hafeez allowed to resume bowling

Blyden awarded for professional seasons in T&T, USA

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o h a m m a d Hafeez, the Pakistan allrounder, can resume bowling in international cricket after his action was found to be legal.

Hafeez, an offspinner, had been suspended from bowling for 12 months in July 2015 after he was reported during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka, the second time within 24 months he had been reported. Although he was eligible for a re-test during the tour of England a knee injury had hampered his chances to prepare so it was delayed.

He spent over a month undergoing rehabilitation before deciding to take the official ICC assessment. Beforehand he underwent informal testing in PCB's biomechanics lab at LUMS University in Lahore to make sure his flex was within allowable 15-degree limit.

On November 17, Hafeez underwent the reassessment at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane where it was revealed that the amount

Mohammad Hafeez will continue to be monitored by the umpires (AP photo)

of elbow extension for all his offspin deliveries was within the level of tolerance.

Hafeez has always believed that his bowling is an integral part to what he can bring to a team, although the Pakistan selectors have continued to consider him a batsman first with the offspin as a useful addition.

He was dropped after the third Test against England, at Edgbaston, and has not featured in the recent series against West Indies and New Zealand. He is not part of the Test squad for

Australia but now that his bowling has been cleared he could come into contention for the limited-overs leg in January.

The umpires are still able to report Hafeez if they believe he is displaying a suspect action and not reproducing the legal action from the reassessment. To assist the umpires, they will be provided with images and video footage of the bowler's remodelled legal bowling action.

(ESPNcricinfo)

Veterans believe Guyana's Hockey standard has improved

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udging from the last three major indoor hockey festivals in Guyana, President of the Guyana Hockey Board, Philip Fernandes and National Coach Robert Fernandes have both agreed that the quality of the Indoor game has been lifted.

Both of the hockey stalwarts have agreed that 2016 has probably been the most successful year for hockey in the country.

Guyana would have won bronze in the last Pan American games as well as defeat a Canadian side packed with a number of top quality players who have represented the country at the highest level.

Following Pepsi Hikers’ victory over Trinidadian side, Queen’s Park in the final of the Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival, which makes them (Pepsi Hikers) the most successful team in the tournament as well as their victory over a Canadian side for the first time ever, Robert Fernandes has said that the quality has been raised, “I mean it is not just Hikers, it was Old fort, GCC and every team have all been very competitive and

Travis Blyden

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ormer junior inter-county player and all-rounder Travis Blyden was recently rewarded for his performance as a professional in Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of America.

On Sunday evening in the twin

island republic, Blyden won three awards for his outstanding season at his club, Rahamut’s Evergreen, end of season awards.

The industrious player received accolades for most runs in the 50 overs and T20 competitions. While he picked up his third award for his nomination as one of the five cricketers of the year.

Two weeks prior to him being honoured at his T&T club, he received two awards at the New York metropolitan cricket League awards ceremony. He was named the cricketer with the second best bowling average of the league and was also awarded for his unbeaten 127. In the USA, Blyden played for Pioneers.

The right handed batsman and leg spin bowler who is currently in Guyana after the successful stints overseas is seeking to represent a team in the upcoming 50 overs franchise League which is scheduled to start on December 22 as he looks to pick up a wild card selection in the Regional Super 50 Tournament.

Bravo taking legal action against WICB after sacking Darren Bravo (Photo: AP)

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est Indies batsman Darren Bravo is taking legal action against the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) after he was dropped from the squad before the recently concluded Trination One-Day series in Zimbabwe.

Bravo is claiming unlawful dismissal after he

was sent home by the ontour management committee for blasting WICB President Dave Cameron in a row over contracts.

The Guardian newspaper is reporting that Bravo’s lawyer has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the WICB last week which has been received by the board.

Bravo, the most con-

sistent batsman for the Caribbean side in the longest format, was overlooked for the top tier and offered a Grade C contract.

The row between the stylish Trinidadian batsman and Cameron erupted after Cameron gave an explanation for their offer, stating that Bravo’s performances were not consistent enough to merit a higher grade of pay.

Bravo lashed out at Cameron on Twitter, accusing him and the board officials of never offering him a Grade A contract in the first place, despite his consistency.

In the tweet, Bravo was alleged to have referred to the WICB President as “a big idiot”.

(CMC)

Usain Bolt was on centre stage in London once again Robert Fernandes

the quality of the tournament is probably the highest it’s ever been, GCC Drew with Toronto Lions in the round robin and the semi was a high quality contest”. The coach elaborated that this could have been any of the four solid teams’ game.

Similarly, the president of the hockey board also praised the efforts of the players who have all contributed and shown their maturity to challenge the more experienced teams.

“I think this year is a fantastic year, we have had international competition Canada, USA and Trinidad and I

think when we get North American participation, the quality of hockey always rises to a higher level and the local teams really aspire to do well against the international powerhouses.”

With Hikers remaining undefeated in the last three tournaments, Coach Fernandes went on to say that the team is already in training and this latest title is preparation for the Pan American games which is scheduled for next year and having already won bronze, there is every chance the national team can better their performance.

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Sprint legend Usain Bolt (Photo: Caribbean360)

he Jamaican track superstar returned to the city he won three Olympic gold medals in 2012, but this time it was for the launch of his biopic I Am Bolt.

Bolt’s larger-than-life figure brought out some of the biggest names in British sports, television and music as the isle’s A-listers shone bright under the lights during a nearly two-

hour, pre-movie set, which took place in freezing conditions at the West End’s Odeon Leicester Square cinema.

Hundreds of fans took up every available inch of space, while the world’s media placed sharp focus on the Jamaican superstar and his almost-as-super friends, which included movie-making heavyweight Leo Pearlman, footballing stars Raheem Sterling, Cesc Fabregas, Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and Robert Pires, One Direction’s Liam Payne, tennis great Boris Becker, pop stars Geri Horner from the Spice Girls and Olly Murs, along with track standouts, Merlene Ottey, the former Jamaican sprinting great, Mo Farah, Jonathan Edwards, Linford Christie, boxer Tyson Fury and dancehall star Sean Paul.

The documentary I am Bolt, which was co-directed by brothers Gabe and Benjamin Turner, takes viewers behind the scenes of Bolt’s journey to nine Olympic gold medals and is now available on digital download, Blu-ray and DVD.(Taken from Caribbean360)

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GASA concludes 2016 Nationals Swim Championship

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amiliar faces once again dominated at the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Nationals Swim Championship.

The three day event concluded with the regular names dominating most of the 86 events at the National Aquatic Center.

Those names included Olympians Hannibal Gaskin and Jamila Sanmoogan among others who were outstanding throughout the final day.

As expected Gaskin emerged as winner in all of his events without much of a challenge, while Sanmoogan featured in one event on the day.

Swimming in the boys’ 9-10 category out of the Silver Shark club, Raekwon Noel was unmatched for the entire day

Aleka Persaud heading for the win in the 9-10 girls freestyle

as he triumphed in all of his events. So did his club mate Leon Seaton who was spectacular in the boys’ 11-12 category.

In the girls’ 9-10 division Aleka Persaud was on a higher level than the rest of her peers as she dominated her events.

Kenita Mahaica, Phillip Denobrega, Nathon Hackett, Tsedeq Sekhel, Jadyn George, Tiffany DeMoura and Soroya Simmons also had a superb day.

In the girls eight and under segment, Ariel Rodriques dominated most events in that category but had to deal with stiff competition from rivals and twins Kayla and Kayle Hardy.

Kayla managed a win in the 100m breaststroke while her sister Kayle won in the 50m freestyle.

Organisers hail unprecedented viewership for CPL T20

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aribbean Premier League organisers announced today that the Twenty20 showpiece had once again exceeded global viewership figures for the just concluded season, with a nearly 44 percent increase over the previous year.

According to figures, this year’s tournament enjoyed an audience of 134 million, a significant rise over the 93 million viewers that tuned in for the 2015 edition.

Viewing numbers have steadily risen from 36 million in the inaugural year in 2013 and the 66 million recorded for the 2014 event.

“Today is a proud day and further evidence of the rising international stature of the Hero CPL not just in the Americas, but across the UK, India, Middle East and beyond,” said CPL’s chief executive, Damien O’Donohoe.

“The release of these global viewership figures are a tremendous boost, not just for the game of cricket in the Caribbean, but for each of the local tourism boards and our loyal sponsors who invest so much in the de-

Record numbers tuned in to the 2016 Caribbean Premier League.

velopment and marketing of the game.”

Several broadcast markets also enjoyed a significant boost in viewing numbers. In India, there was a doubling of viewership from 44 million to 82 million while in the United Kingdom, numbers grew from 548 000 in 2015 to 2.5 million.

In the United States where matches were played for the first time in Florida, there was an increase from 694 000 to 743 000.

O’Donohoe pointed out that the figures were also a reflection of a successful year for West Indies cricket and said

organisers would continue to build on the quality product for 2017.

“The profile of West Indies cricket has never been higher and 2016 was a memorable year with the men’s senior and Under-19 sides, as well as the women’s team, enjoying international success in the first half of the year,” he noted.

“From the tournament’s inception back in 2013, we were determined to showcase the very best of what the Caribbean has to offer, both on and off the field, and we believe that the growth of the biggest party in sport in 2016

has further enhanced this reputation.

“We are immensely proud of the huge steps that the tournament has made in just four short years. Furthermore, we believe that there is even more to come in 2017 as we continue to attract the biggest names to the Caribbean and shine a spotlight on the incredible and unique culture that continues to thrive across the region.”

Jamaica Tallawahs are the reigning CPL champions after defeating Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets in the August final in St Kitts.

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Hinds, Leung, Niles top Guyana’s 2016 cycling season

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he 2016 cycling season is done and dusted with the conclusion of the Diamond Mineral Water Road Race and leading the divisions in terms of wins are Team Cocos who dominated the Masters’ class, Team Gillette Evolution’s Orville Hinds who excelled in the Open division and We Stand United rider, young Raphael Leung in the juniors group.

Hinds, who amassed a total of 198 points during the season ruled the year after taking home 11 wins, but it was not Hinds alone who dominated, rather his team, Evolution with four riders in the top five. Michael Anthony is second with 169 points and seven wins. Raul Leal is also among his team mates, equaling Anthony’s win tally and 154 points as Marlon Williams with three

Junior Niles

Raphael Leung

wins and 132 points complete the domination of Evolution.

Only National Three-Stage winner, 20 year old Linden’s, Shaquel Agard (Linden Bauxite Flyer) with three wins and 160 points is in the mix with the Evolution men. Meanwhile, Team Cocos ended the season with a lengthy winning streak of seven with rising star Hamza Eastman (100 points), Junior Niles (84 points), and Jamaul John (50 points) all taking two wins while Stephano ‘Sunny’ Husbands ( 35 points) and Raynauth Jeffrey (42 points) have one win a piece.

Returning after a one year ban, Roraima rider, Alanzo Greaves immediately made an impact with two wins and 42 points.

One the other hand, as Niles raked in two wins for the Open class, the veteran decimated his opponents in the Masters class, blazing away with 17 wins and 142 points, miles ahead of Jaikarran Sukhai of Carlton Wheelers (51 points) and Roraima’s Warren

McKay (41 points) who both have three wins to their name.

Team Evolution’s Stephen Fernandes (40 points), Team Alanis’ Paul Choweenam (38 points), Flying Stars’ Ian Jackson (33 points) and Carlton Wheelers’ Robin Persaud (10 points) all have two wins. In the Junior’s Division We Stand United promised a bright future for cycling in Guyana with the prospects of Raphael Leung and Andrew Hicks. Leung with 11 wins and 118 points lead the pack and was trailed by Berbician Andrew Hicks with eight wins and 107 points. Team Evolution’s Christopher Cornelius (84 points) and Trojan’s Romello Crawford (32 points) tie with five wins each while Team Alanis’ Deeraj Garbarran (44 points) has three wins.

With a good cycling season, one can only expect the competition to be taken to a next level and athletes enhance their game, hopefully all in the spirit of good sportsmanship.

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, 2016| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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