Guyanatimes 18 june 2017

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Issue No. 3245

Sunday, June 18, 2017

PRICE

Land CoI

Govt dismisses Amerindians land concerns as “greed” Page 9

…sovereignty now belongs to the State, not the People – Scott

Bandits beat, rob ECD family

…open fire on Police during escape

Page 3

High-level meeting

President insists WPA was consulted Page 12

$120 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Miner P11 nabbed with gun, ammo

GPHC seeking to improve P17 public confidence – Lewis

…before reassigning Dr Roopnaraine

Essequibo Coast 'Superdad' defying the odds

No drugs: Region 2 cancels P7 medical outreaches

Local media benefit from TIP training Amputee single father Richard Moshette displaying his craftiness which he uses as his source of income to provide for his three boys. Richard is an exceptional dad as he serves as father, mother, mentor and teacher to his children (see story in Sunday Times Magazine)

Ministers bypass Education Ministry functions GPHC, local medical facilities to be divided Page 7

…to seek medical treatment in Ireland

– Harmon

Page 2

P5

Overheated generator ignites fire at Buddy’s P10

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NEWS

SUnDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Education Ministry functions to be divided – Harmon W

hile former Minister within the Education Ministry, Nicolette Henry, has been promoted to acting Education Minister, some of her functions will be taken away, as Government intends to create a Department of Education.

This was made known

by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during a recent post-Cabinet press conference. Harmon stressed that President David Granger had confidence in Henry to discharge her duty, but added that Henry’s recent promotion would come with some changes at the ministry.

According to Harmon, a Department of Education will be created, and it will formulate policies to reform and improve education in Guyana. Traditionally considered one of the roles of the Education Minister, this department will be under the supervision of the

Ministry of the Presidency.

“What that does is that it takes away the responsibility for driving innovation and reforms, and puts it under the handling of an expert and technical set of persons who will be identified for that purpose,” Harmon said. “So some of the functions of the Minister of Education would have been removed and will be dealt with by a special group of persons.

“The President has expressed confidence in the Minister to perform in the capacity she has been asked to perform. As it stands, Minister Henry is performing the functions of the Education Minister, and that is the function she will perform until the President, in his deliberate judgement, decides that another arrangement has to be put in place,” Harmon said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Thursday tabled the first

Education Minister (ag) Nicolette Henry

financial paper for 2017, which seeks another $604 billion from the treasury. In Financial Paper No 1/2007, as presented by the Finance Minister, provisions were made for the financing of the new Department of Innovation and Education Reform, housed in the

Ministry of the Presidency.

The Financial Paper outlines the additional spending on this department.

One of the glaring increases for this department is the more-than 700 per cent increase in employment cost for its contracted employees — up from an originally voted provision of $899,000 to more than $6.3M. This department is also slated to receive, under Capital Expenditure, in excess of $3M for the provision of furniture and equipment.

On June 13, the death anniversary of Working People’s Alliance (WPA) founder Dr Walter Rodney, Government had announced that former Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine would be removed and transferred to the Public Service Ministry.

The appointment of Dr Roopnaraine took effect from June 15. A government release had stat-

ters; providing input into legal policy design, and engaging stakeholders with interest in the justice sector, where appropriate.

Blunders

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

ed that Roopnaraine will keep his place as a member of Cabinet and a Member of Parliament.

Speaking on the issue, Harmon had said that President David Granger has full confidence in the ability of ministers and in Roopnaraine. He said that Roopnaraine’s transfer followed a discussion the former Education Minister had with Granger.

This will not be the first time the coalition Government has created systems in order to help ministers who were facing criticism to run their Ministry.

Last month, Harmon had announced that a Ministerial Council of Legal Advisors would assist Attorney General Basil Williams in the discharge of his duties.

Harmon had disclosed that the functions of the Council would include providing legal analysis and advice on the development of the local justice sector, Government’s legislative agenda and litigation mat-

During her stint as Junior Minister, Henry had been involved in a number of blunders. One of the most questionable incidents under her tenure was the Department of Culture’s failure to provide seats for the Parliamentary Opposition during the 2015 Independence celebrations.

As is customary, invitations were extended to the Opposition to take part in the celebrations. When members of the parliamentary opposition arrived, however, it was to find that no seating accommodation had been provided for them.

The PPP had reportedly been assured beforehand that seating would be provided, and as such left after a lengthy wait.

Henry came under renewed scrutiny when, during her department’s March 2017 Phagwah celebrations, she continuously referred to the event as “Diwali” and “the Festival of Lights” while reading from a speech. It was only after prompting from the crowd that the Minister corrected herself, but she then repeated the mistake.

Diwali is celebrated in the Month of October.

It was subsequently reported in sections of the media that two senior officials in the Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture were suspended over the Minister’s slip-up.

Another had reportedly opted to leave the job.

NEWS

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, June 18 – 12:00h-13:30h and Monday, June 19 – 13:00h-14:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, June 18 – 10:50h-12:20h and Monday, June 19 – 12:10h-13:40h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly and North-easterly and South South-Westerly between 1.34 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 11:16h and 23:51h reaching a maximum height of 2.35 metres and 2.41 metres respectively.

B04:45h and 17:16h reaching minimum heights of 0.89 metre and 0.84 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, June 17, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

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16 17 24

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FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 02 07 22 24 26 LUCKY 3 7 5 4 Afternoon Draw

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02 04 06 07 14 15 16 DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

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SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Bandits beat, rob ECD family …open fire on Police during escape

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Triumph, East Coast Demerara family is now traumatised after armed bandits stormed their home on Friday night, robbing them of their valuables, but not before tying them up and terrorising them.

The incident occurred at sometime around 10:15h at the family’s home at Lot 9 Triumph Sideline Dam, Agriculture Road.

The Police reported that three men, two of whom were armed with a handgun and a knife, confronted the family, holding them at gunpoint while ransacking the house in search of “money and gold”.

Harry Ram Bishundat, owner of the home, told Guyana Times that his son-in-law, his daughter, and his two granddaughters were downstairs at the time, while his son was in a room upstairs and he and his wife and grandson were in another room.

The gates were locked, but the bandits gained entry into the yard by removing several pickets from the fence at the front of the yard. A neighbour had seen the men removing the pickets and had thought a drunken relative of the Bishundat family was having difficulty accessing the yard. He was about to help, but when he realised what was transpiring, he retreated into his home and immediately summoned the Police.

In the meanwhile, the bandits pounced on Bishundat’s son-in-law, holding him at gunpoint as they escorted him into the downstairs quarters, which his wife and two daughters were occupying at the time.

One of the gunmen then proceeded into the upper flat, dragged Bishundat’s son out into the hallway, and held him at gunpoint.

Upon hearing the com-

motion, Bishundat’s wife got out of bed to investigate, and as she entered the hallway, she screamed when she say what was happening.

The gunman forced her to lie on the floor, but her scream had alerted her husband to what was happening.

The gunman then hit her son on the head with the firearm. By this time, Bishundat got up and went to the bandit, telling him to take whatever he wanted. The second accomplice then brought up the four other family members and put them to lie on the floor with the other three.

They then cut the telephone and computer cords, using it to tie up the family members. Afterwards, they started to ransack the rooms, confiscating cash, jewellery and a few cellular phones.

The bandits were by this time in the house for about 10 minutes. It is believed that the third accomplice was keeping watch, since Bishundat said he only saw two of them in the house.

Bishundat recalled that about five minutes into the search, one of the perpetrators turned to the other to inform him that Police were outside the building. The men left the home shortly after.

Bishundat said he heard a gunshot and told his family to get back down on the floor, since they were up trying to free themselves from bondage.

The man said that with the Police in front of the yard, the bandits attempted to scale the back fence in their bid to escape, but the fence collapsed with them.

Police have since recovered a hat and a pair of slippers near the fence. The family also recovered one of their stolen cell phones in the yard.

While Bishundat is not certain who had fired the shots, he said that neighbours claim the first shot was fired at the Police from a car in which the bandits arrived on the scene, which was parked nearby.

The neighbours allege that after discharging a round at the Police, the person in the car drove away when the ranks returned fire twice.

However, in a statement, the Police said ranks of a mobile patrol responded to a robbery-in-progress, and upon seeing the police, the armed bandit “discharged several rounds at the lawmen, who returned fire, but unfortunately, the suspects managed to elude the cops by scaling a southern fence and escaping.”

Up to press time, no arrests had been made.

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sunDAY, june 18, 2017

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Editorial

Father’s Day

L

ike most of the “days” that have now become de rigueur for families to commemorate, “Father’s Day” is another American gift to the world. Not surprisingly then, its commemoration was driven by commercial concerns - in this case, the neck-tie industry. This year, in the US spending on “Dad” is expected to reach an alltime high – exceeding US$15 billion – but while “clothing” as a category is just behind greeting cards as a gift for “father”, the figures on ties have not been disaggregated.

In Guyana, while there have not been any surveys done, from anecdotal evidence, Father’s Day is more of a private occasion with, at most, a special meal prepared for “Dad” or adult children possible visiting “the old Man”.

Mother’s Day, of course, is much more widely commemorated, and maybe this tells a story that may be unconnected to the American experience where Mother’s Day official recognition in 1914 preceded calls for Father’s Day to be recognised. It was not until 1972, after all that US President Nixon declared the event an “official day”.

In the Caribbean with our experience of slavery being the foundational fact of our societal creation, the secondary role of fathers in the family might have something to do his historical peripheralisation.

The arrival of the indentured servants after slavery would coincide with the governmental policy to encourage stable families to reduce expenditures on quelling disorders. The nuclear family where “the man was the head of the house” and “father knows best”, was now the official policy even though structural continuities ensured in a wide swathe of African Guyanese families where this was more an ideal than a reality. The father was oftentimes a peripatetic visiting figure, nor very encouraging to acts of filial piety, such as having a special day observed in his honour.

But even in an era in which the “patriarchal oppressive” nature of the “traditional” nuclear family has been sharply criticised by feminists, it is generally acknowledged that single-parent families – which generally means a single mother – is not the ideal institution for raising future generations. And this has remained the major function of mothers and fathers in spite of communal proposals from Plato in the 500BCE to Skinner in the 20th century.

Rather than throwing out the mother and father with the bathwater, the emphasis in the present has to be placed on both of them playing roles in which family responsibilities are equitably shared. Too often, the “father”, even when present in the Guyanese family, sees his role as to bring home a “pay-packet” and leaving all other responsibilities on the mother. Before commemorating Father’s Day, we must be very clear about what a “father” is supposed to be – apart from the very obvious biological procreative role.

He would still remain as a “breadwinner”, even as he accepts that in a supposedly ever-changing world, women are returning to the workplace in as great a percentage as occurred during slavery and indentureship. Many have evidently forgotten that in those historical working relations, very little distinction was made between men and women, save in the type of tasks assigned. The point being that if at one stage of our history we were able to move from equal participation of women in the workforce and then change to the latter’s sequestration in the homes (where their work was given no value), then we can reverse that process. Obviously sufficient thought has to be given so as not to endanger the proper development of the children.

As implied earlier, if there are two “breadwinners” in the new world being created within the home, there will have to be a reassignment of roles away from what is now thought to be “women and men’s work”.

In the wider society, the State will have to make more accommodations for the welfare of the child during the work day – for instance standardising “creches” at workplaces.

Happy Father’s Day!

A traditional Polynesian canoe has returned to Honolulu in Hawaii, completing the first-ever round-the-world voyage by such a vessel.

The boat, the Hokule’a, took three years to journey around the globe. Its crew navigated without modern instruments, using only the stars, wind and ocean swells as guides. They aimed to use the same techniques that brought the first Polynesian settlers to Hawaii hundreds of years ago (BBC News)

US Guyanese plan to snub UG Diaspora conference

Dear Editor, America-based Guyanese are considering a boycott of the “Diaspora Conference on Investment” in July being organised by the University of Guyana Vice Chancellor’s office. The main reasons articulated for the planned snub: racial and political discrimination and victimisation by Government, lack of transparency in governance, wastage of financial resources by UG management, racialised hiring and appointment of staff at UG, neglect and marginalisation at Tain campus, etc. Also, relevant questions are being asked on the true role and objectives of the conference: Whose agenda is being served by UG management? Why isn’t there ethnic equity in representation in the university’s management, hiring of staff, distribution of resources, funding for those attending this and other conferences, etc? Many feel the conference will be another talk shop and that no meaningful action will be taken on recommendations as has been the case over the last two years. Proponents (of boycott) note that blacks successfully used it as a weapon in America and South Africa and Zimbabwe to bring about positive change, and they believe same can be achieved in Guyana.

Guyanese are looking at the Diaspora intellectuals and business folks to provide moral and courageous leadership to rescue Guyana. To attend the conference would be to support wrongs in the country, sending a message of condoning the policy, programme and action of the

Government and UG management. Spurning the conference is seen a form of solidarity for the victims of racism and mis-governance.

It is pointed out that funds at UG are being wasted on trivial matters.

Money has been invested (including on foreign junkets) with promises of huge returns from alumni and the Diaspora; instead there is a negative return of 80 per cent. Expenses (airfare, hotel, and the works) were paid for some attendees (defenders of the regime) who did not reflect the ethnic composition of the population. UG hosted “reach out” (Diaspora) conferences in New York and elsewhere with hardly any Indians, Amerindians, Chinese, Portuguese, and other representation – who together comprise some 55 per cent of population but are marginalised with under-representation of only five per cent. Many who sided with the Alliance For Change and the People’s National Congress (PNC) have realised they were used to remove the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) from office only to install the PNC in Government. They now feel the regime is seeking to re-use them to attract investments and to legitimise the marginalisation of ethnic groups.

It is pointed out that when African leaders were shouting about marginalisation from the rooftops under the PPP Government and were challenged to present evidence, they responded in a huff that ‘Indians cannot speak about the reality of

Africans in Guyana’. Today in every indicator, the numbers keep building up transparently showing Indian and Amerindian marginalisation and exclusion. And now the public doesn’t hear blacks talking about racism when this is pointed out.

The regime is parading token Indians as representing the Indian population. And a few are being recruited from abroad only too willing to sell their souls and their people for crumbs.

Indians and other groups must not allow non-ethnics to define their agenda.

Indians must tell their own narrative.

On hosting conferences, UG management did not see it fit to host a seminar on the 100th anniversary of end of indentureship, but it hosted seminars on emancipation and slavery. The UG management could not find resources to send lecturers to attend conferences on indenture in Trinidad, India, New York, Holland and London but expended millions for a Diaspora meet in NYC and millions more now for a UG Daspora meet.

The Diaspora has complained that the Government does not even bother to engage them, but now wants their investment.

Government has largely ignored most of those who played a significant role lobbying for developmental assistance for the homeland.

And those who constantly write on the Diaspora, particularly the role it can play in development, are not consulted for their ideas.

Those who have consistently sought investment for

Guyana feel they are alienated and no longer welcome.

Critics of the UG conference say organisers are not willing to tolerate discussion on misuse of funds and on the widespread corruption pervading the Administration and or to address racism, intolerance, and victimisation.

They don’t think there will be space for intellectual exchange on governance or a voice to guide the regime to take corrective action on its countless missteps.

At the UG conference, the agenda of victims and non-supporters will not be served. Instead, only the agenda of the Government and the office of the Vice Chancellor will be served.

Should the public respond to the invitation to participate in the conference?

Would Dr Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela have attended this conference?

If these gentlemen had not used boycott or other forms of resistance, would change have come to India, America and South Africa?

The moral weight of those in academia and business expressing their displeasure with the UG conference will hopefully force its management, the Government and its acolytes to rethink their policy of mis-use of funds and glaring racial discrimination. As many say, the “stayaway” gesture from the conference is symbolic as it may not move the Government, but a clear message of needs to be sent.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

NEWS

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SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Local media benefit from TIP training S

everal members of the local media have benefited from training in regard to trafficking in persons (TIP). The training is a collaborative effort between the Public Health Ministry and the Guyana Press Association.

The training was hosted at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Officers’ Training Centre on Saturday.

Co-coordinator of the Counter-TIP Unit, Tanisha Williams-Corbin, enlightened the media workers on definitions and explanations, made effective through a Powerpoint presentation, while highlighting the differences between TIP and other similar offences.

Human trafficking is defined as modern-day slav-

ery involving recruitment, transportation, or harbouring of the victim by means of force, fraud, or coercion, to obtain some type of labour for commercial gain.

Williams-Corbin highlighted the similarities between human smuggling and trafficking. Human smuggling is the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation, or illegal entry of a person(s) across an international border in violation of one or more countries’ laws.

Williams-Corbin explained that while there is a difference between the two offences, there are similarities, as it is also possible that a person being smuggled may at any point become a trafficking victim.

Speaking on victim

Some members of the local media who attended the training on Saturday

identification, the coordinator expounded that victims of TIP are usually isolated and subjected to limited

movement, and may have had their documents confiscated, being subject to little or no pay, among oth-

er maladies.

The media also benefited from presentations from the Battered Woman’s

Division of the Help and Shelter Indigenous People’s Commission (IPC).

Neil Bacchus, head of the 2011-founded Indigenous People’s Commission (IPC), expanded on the fight against TIP, based on his field work spanning indigenous communities across Guyana.

He communicated the difficulties in addressing the issue in vast and diverse areas of the country; language barrier and lack of resources being paramount hindrances.

At the conclusion of the training, the Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Ann Greene, concluded the workshop with a presentation on the responsible reporting of juvenile matters.

Debunking political machination

Dear Editor, Reading the article featuring senior Minister Joseph Harmon’s comment in the media begs the question, why is Harmon attacking the messenger and refusing to deal with the message.

The issue is extremely simple and as a trained lawyer, Harmon should be more enlightened at how to reject the issues I have highlighted. But he cannot competently reject the issues, so instead, Harmon chooses the option of attacking the messenger rather that address the message.

How can a Government in a country with more than 50 per cent of its people be-

ing Amerindians and East Indians appoints one of the 17 Permanent Secretaries from that combined group?

I, therefore, continue to reject Harmon’s assertions that I am trying to create a “boogie” when the real ethnic insecurity imbalance at the top of the public service was created solely by this People’s National Congress (PNC)-led Granger Administration.

Harmon should enlighten himself of our history and properly understand the concept that Guyana was a nation that was not meant to be, being below sea-level and constituted as a mash-up of people from all sorts of ethnic

Traffic chaos to facilitate Parliament Dear Editor, The closure of certain roads to facilitate Parliament sessions and the failure to adequately inform and advise commuters, motorists and generally the public, resulting in traffic chaos, is a matter of grave concern.

Parliament is not held daily or for that matter weekly, in some instances, so the travelling public is not always cognisant or aware of Parliament sessions.

The closure of roads is the responsibility of the Guyana Police Force

(GPF). The onus is therefore on them to ensure information on roads being closed for the purpose of Parliament is fed adequately and timely to the public.

The GPF public relations department can establish a relationship with media houses, for advisories to be made in the form of public service announcements. These announcements/advisories should be made at least three days prior to closure.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

backgrounds in an environment deliberately cultivated for the British to rule, using the model of ethnic division. But our peoples from all six races survived, persevered and rose that Golden Arrowhead in 1966. Thus, what Harmon is doing today to the leadership of the public service is a great disservice to the ancestors of all Guyanese.

Our social strategy, especially in the public service, must reflect the net self-worth of all of our people because all of our people gave their blood for this land called Guyana. When two major segments of the population (Amerindians and East Indians) are dis-

enfranchised (deliberately or accidentally) from Harmon’s Public Sector because they are perceived as not his supporters, then this is a problem.

Why is the Granger-led PNC Administration not leveraging the diversity out of our unique differences to create a village of unity in diversity? How are we going to motivate the majority in the nation when 16 out of the 17 Permanent Secretaries do not represent them?

Harmon is trying his best to wash away my position using the powers of his office under the false pretext that the nation will listen to him because he is

a senior Minister, but he is being iniquitous and this strategy will fail.

The people have eyes and they can see, they can read and they have read my list and they are waiting for Harmon’s list. The longer Minister Harmon takes to publish his list, the greater the damage to his credibility and once that is lost, as a human being, he has a problem.

We cannot mould a nation with such a prejudiced policy as is being practiced by this Granger-led PNC Government. There needs to be more balance at the top of the public service.

That is all I am saying, so I cannot understand why

Harmon is taking this issue so personally. Unless there is something to be guilty about.

A nation is not moulded by speeches, symbols, and subterfuge. A nation is moulded by the systems, programmes, and mechanisms we put in place to achieve the desired outcome. Is Minister Harmon saying that the desired outcome from this Granger-led PNC Administration is ethnic domination of the leadership of the public service by his “kith and kin”?

Sincerely, Sase Singh, MSc – Finance, ACCA

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ways to make Father’s Day special

By Terri Isidro-Cloudas

T

Anu Dev

oday is the third Sunday of June Fathers’ Day! Today is the day set aside to celebrate all of the fatherly figures in our lives. Kids all over the world will try to do whatever they can to make their fathers feel special. In Germany, however, the largest newspaper, “Der Spiegel,” claims fathers make themselves special in their own unique way, which might be attractive to many fathers in Guyana: “In cities across the country, groups of men can be seen pulling wagons packed to the brim with all manner of beer, schnapps, mixers, and anything else that will ensure a messy, drunken afternoon and a head-pounding hangover the next day. By no means limited to fathers, Männertag or Herrentag,

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me.” – Jim Valvano which translates as “men’s day,” is open to any male who wants to demonstrate his loutish caveman side.” * Our dads play a huge part in shaping the type of persons we eventually become.

Apparently my brother and I used to want to drink tea and read the newspapers just like our Dad. Never mind we were so little we’d hold the papers upside down, we were still ‘reading’. * Dad used to read stories to us every night before bed, even doing all of the funny voices for the different characters. So it’s no wonder that my brother and I grew up with a love for reading.

Throughout my school life, whenever I had ques-

tions, I’d ask Dad, and invariably he’d have the answer and was able to explain the concept to me in a way that I’d be able to understand. Even now in Med School, I still ask Dad my questions, whether over Skype or during the holidays.

For kids, dad becomes a Superman-type figure who works, knows everything about anything, can fix our toys when they’re broken, fetch us off to bed when as toddlers we’d fall asleep on the couch, and give us advice from experience at every step of our lives.

But it shouldn’t take Father’s Day to remind you of how important your father is. Showing your dad that you care should be

something that you do every day. It should come to you as naturally as breathing or as eating (after all, in many families, the father is the sole bread-winner of the family, and is the reason that you actually have something to eat in the first place).

So yes of course, you have to do something special for your dad today. But please don’t just post your gift in the mail, or make a quick phone call or send an e-mail to your father; that’s downright lazy! Take the gift in person, say, ‘Happy Father’s Day’ in person.

Or better yet, cook a special meal for your dad, or just spend some quality time catching up with him.

Happy Father’s Day!

F

ather’s Day is traditionally a day of breakfast in bed and carefully selected (but hardly ever worn) ties.

Whether it’s his first or his fifth, what can you do to make this Father’s Day special? We’ve asked dads what would really make Father’s Day great, and here’s what they told us: 1. Eliminate the pressure What Dad wants most is to have a day free from any pressure. Even the pressure of having a “perfect day.” Dad would really appreciate no deadlines, no hassles, no chores, no having to fix anything, and no rushing about on this special day.

Let him really relax so he can enjoy his second wish...

2. Spend time together Enjoying each other’s company as a family in relative harmony seems simple. But it’s so easy to get side-tracked from your time together when you get caught up in cooking, taking a quick run to the store, or the temptation to finish up a project. Get away from the house if you must, but take this day to focus on spending time together as a family. Go for a walk, have a picnic, lie in a hammock together, share stories and dreams together. Now that’s a day Dad will really remember!

3. Make romance Father’s Day is not just a day to celebrate Dad as provider and caregiver for the children. It’s a day to honour your partner as your lover and friend. Make him feel special by telling him how much he means to you – as a partner and as the father to your children. Give him a sexy surprise in the morning or steal a few moments during the day to show him how much you love him.

4. Focus on him Instead of planning everything out for him, give him the gift of freedom and choice. Let him make decisions about what to do and how to spend the day. If he’s a sports fan, accompany him to see a favourite team play. Is fishing his passion? Even if you’re not so keen on bait, go along with him if he wants you to. If he wants a few hours to himself, indulge him. He deserves it!

5. Bring on the praise. Fathers want to be appreciated Tell him how much you need him. Show him how you feel by writing him a thank-you note detailing the ways he contributes to the family, how he gives moral and emotional support, what makes him a great parent and partner. If writing is not your forte, consider making a short family video for him, or making a big banner in his honour. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on extravagant gifts; your gratitude and love are the greatest gifts you can give him this Father’s Day. (www.parents.com)

news

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sunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ministers bypass GPHC, No drugs: Region Two local medical facilities cancels medical outreaches …to seek medical treatment in Ireland

Opposition Councillor Arnold Adams Some Ministers of Government along with President David Granger

W

hen in the Opposition, members of the coalition parties now in Government had criticised members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for seeking medical treatment overseas, instead of utilising the national facilities. However, Government ministers have been flying to Ireland to obtain medical treatment.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, disclosed during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday that “Ministers have sought permission to travel to Ireland for medical treatment; and, so far, those bills are dealt with by the Ministers themselves.”

The Minister of State was at the time responding to

questions by the local media about a situation in which ministers go to Ireland to seek medical attention when the public health system has been touted by Government as better equipped than in previous years.

Harmon affirmed that the ministers were seeking “the best” treatment possible, hence their decision to go to Ireland instead of the Caribbean or North America. He, however, did not give the names of the ministers.

Meanwhile, there are also plans to have a medical insurance policy set up for ministers of Government.

According to Harmon, the coalition Government and an insurance company have

been in negotiation in regard to the establishment of a medical insurance policy that would take care of those matters in the future.

“In the opinion of the ministers who have gone, that is where they can get the best treatment for whatever the ailment,” he said.

“But (these) are expenses borne by them; and later on, when the insurance policy kicks in, then the insurance policy will deal with these matters.”

The idea of having an insurance policy to cater to the medical needs of ministers was initiated by the PPP while in office. It was touted in response to criticisms of the practice that had then obtained.

S

everal medical outreaches that were scheduled for the month of May and June in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) had to be cancelled due to a shortage of drugs within the region.

This was disclosed by People's Progressive Party councillor Arnold Adams at the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC’s) statutory meeting Adams said that as a result of the shortage of drugs, no medical outreach was conducted. This, he said, is creating “great inconvenience” to residents, as many of them cannot afford to access the services offered at the regional hospitals.

According to the coun-

Government Councillor Julian Cummings

cillor, essential drugs at the hospitals are short supplied, and many times residents are forced to purchase their prescriptions at local pharmacies. The issue is said to have been existing for quite some time, and despite representation made on several occasions, remains the same, he said.

Adams also explained that during his recent meeting with staff at the hospital, the pharmacists informed that the situation is worrying, and advised that medications should be purchased to sustain patients’ lives. The staff emphasised that the drug shortages need to be dealt with urgently. A list was, on two occasions, sent by the Medical Superintendent of

the Suddie Hospital to the Director of MMU. Government councillor Julian Cummings also called for the dental boat Janet Jagan (Lady J) to be put into operation to assist residents in the Pomeroon River. Cummings said the boat can provide dental services to residents within the riverine areas, and called for the region to make full use of the boat.

Regional Chairman Davenand Ramdatt said that the dental boat currently requires some maintenance work. As it relates to the drug shortages, Ramdatt said the Ministry of Public Health was written, and to date the region is waiting for a response.

8 news

SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Bus driver freed of narco trafficking charge A

minibus driver of La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara (WBD), was on Friday freed of a trafficking in narcotics charge when Magistrate Leron Daly declared that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, almost 10 months after his sister, Lazena Imrazie of Goed Fortuin (WBD) was freed on a no submission case.

Safaur Ali, 28, and his 23-year-old sister were one year ago remanded to prison after they were hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts following the discovery of over 18 pounds (9.044 kilograms) of cocaine in frozen fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

It was previously reported that the defendants declared 33 boxes of fish to be exported and routine checks done on the cargo by the ranks revealed cocaine concealed inside of the seafood. Ranks of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) then intercepted and seized the shipment.

The minibus driver and his sister

Safaur Ali

were represented by Attorneys Peter Hugh and Bernard DaSilva.

The siblings were released on bail.

In addition, Imrazie’s brother-

in-law, 43-year-old prominent businessman, Tazim Gafoor, of Windsor Forest (WCD) was also charged with perverting the course of justice in connection with the said matter. It is alleged that Gafoor attempted to secure the release of the seized narcotics.

Speaking to this publication, Ali’s trial attorney Bernard Da Silva disclosed that his client was finally released on Friday, as the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the necessary elements of trafficking, thereby attributing to his client’s control and possession of the alleged narcotics.

Meanwhile, Gafoor is currently incarcerated after CANU swooped down on a lumber yard at Zeelugt, where they unearthed some 85 kilos (187 pounds) of cocaine in dressed lumber that was being prepared for export to the United States. Among those remanded are Tazim’s son and race car driver Nazim Gafoor, ace biker Stephen Vieira and Sherwayne DeAbreu.

New World…

Y …in relationships

our Eyewitness’s attention was caught by a report of some fella charged with circulating nude pics of his ex-girlfriend over the internet.

He was charged with “circulating obscene photos” without any reason, and for good measure “tending to corrupt public morals”. Now it wasn’t your upstanding Eyewitness’s prurient interest that was piqued, but rather what has become a very pervasive problem in this brave new world being conjured up by communication technologies.

And it’s not limited to callow youths obsessed with “sneaking a peek”, or spurned love seeking revenge, even though that may very well form the bulk of the “new exposure”. Boys have always boasted to their friends about their ‘conquests”, and show off “trophies” as “proof” of their manhood. The indiscreet pics might be the modern form of showing off purloined undies.

Similarly, those fellas dumped for another suitor -just dumped -- also used to take revenge by exposing indiscreet letters. The female becomes “used goods” to prospective suitors. But the impact is much more damaging to the reputation of the female in the modern incarnation, isn’t it? For all intents and purposes, the internet’s eternal.

The US immigration’s decision to review posts and pics on social media is only the tip of a large iceberg that drifted into the ocean of public information long ago. Most businesses routinely Google the names of job applicants, and while even an indiscreet pic in and of itself might appear harmless…it does suggest that the applicant has poor judgement on private info, especially with the company’s, going forward.

But there’s another habitué of the internet that’s even more dangerous - the perv. Back in the day, these were the weirdos who’d be called “flashers”.

They got their jollies off by flashing their privates at unwary and unsuspecting females in public. With the new technology, they’re in pervert heaven. They can expose themselves to a whole universe of females whom they track down to get their “best” (read “shocked”) reactions.

Over in the US, we had that US Congressman Weiner from NY sending obscene pics of his…well… “weiner” …to a teenaged girl. He was charged, but it had to do more with the recipient being a minor to whom he was transmitting the image. Now if a Congressman - whose wife was a trusted Clinton White House insider - could “electronically “flash” - imagine the demons inside this type.

In Guyana, therefore, we can be certain this phenom of indiscreet internet pics will only increase.

It’s time we have laws on the books that discourage the practice. Who’s to say what is an “obscene” pic?

In the meantime, females have to be more guarded with their intimate images.

…in oil

Well, the FPSO “gone a watah”, and there’s no turning back!! Exxon got their licence, and they’ve made their “final investment decision” (FID) to tap into the 2 billion barrel of oil sloshing off our shores. But unfortunately, Guyanese are no closer to knowing how much Guyana will be getting.

Isn’t this a shame from a government that promised “transparency” when they claimed the terms of, say, the Marriott Hotel weren’t released? But at least we have a world class hotel. All we’re told is we’ll be getting “2% royalty and 50% profits”. But therein lies the greatest danger of Guyanese getting as we say in the local parlance, “cock”.

Your Eyewitness would like to be shown a SINGLE modern oil contract with a 2% royalty. In a market of depressed prices - higher royalty’s the ONLY means to get decent revenues. The 50% of “profits” is risable.

What “profits”, when Exxon can claim up to 75% of revenues as “cost”. And after splitting the remainder with the government - pays Exxon’s taxes!!! Cock!

…Creolese

For more than a hundred years, we’ve been arguing about who exactly is a “creole” in the West Indies.

Somebody just born here? Are the Indigenous Peoples “creole”?

And now they want to teach “Creolese” at UG? Gwan da side!!

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

NEWS

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SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Land CoI

Govt dismisses Amerindians land concerns as “greed” … sovereignty now belongs to the State, not the people – Scott

T

he Amerindians are greedy because they have requested security in the lands they have held since time immemorial; and even more worrying, sovereignty now belongs to the State, governed by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Government (APNU/AFC).

This damning news befell the nation this past week as Amerindians held bated breath to see what the administration would do in response to the Peoples Progressive Party’s (PPP) motion to halt the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the issues surrounding lands belonging to Amerindians and freed African slaves.

Lands row

The ‘lands row’ debate on Friday in the National Assembly descended into a ruckus that enveloped the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly this past week, when legislators met to not only pay homage to fallen comrades, but push through critical legislation needed for the advancement of the Oil and Gas industry, as well as bringing some clarity to the vexed issue of land, land entitlements, and land disputes among Africans and Amerindians in Guyana.

The almost sacrosanct hallowed Chambers of the Parliament of the Cooperative of Guyana was desecrated in a manner that will surely be a marked point in history, and the nation must now truly ponder on what “geriatric children” for the most part make up the 65 members of the National Assembly.

The Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, has since confirmed that proverbial gloves are off, and it’s no more ‘Mister Nice Guys on the part of the government ministers and representatives.’

According to Khan, “The Opposition is waging political warfare and quickly shifted into campaign mode…Being in the political contest, the onus is on us to respond appropriately (and not always nicely), and to defend the people of Guyana from this onslaught.”

But what exactly obtained in the hallowed Chambers this past week?

Amerindian rights

On Friday, the political Opposition was free to press through its motion – a debate weeks in the making – calling for the immediate suspension of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was established by Head of State, President David Granger.

During the course of the debate, which began on Thursday and culminated on Friday evening, Government

Parliament sitting on Friday which eventually turned ruckus after the Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland walked out

Speaker to the motion – specifically Minister Keith Scott – rose and told the National Assembly that Amerindians were avaricious in their request for more lands.

He was peddling the same line as African Cultural Development Association (ACDA) and now Presidential Advisor, Eric Phillips, that Amerindians, while being the smaller population in Guyana, were looking to own 24 per cent of the country, including sub-surface rights.

This position was vehemently argued against by the political opposition.

Scott, in his presentation, also hinted at the fact that sovereignty does not belong to the people, but instead the State – a startling reminder of the party paramountcy philosophy that was the hallmark of the Forbes Burnham Government.

The Government Minister did not make a mistake in his comments, as he supported his Government’s position by pointing to a possible invasion by perhaps the Venezuelans, and essentially said it was not the people that would have to defend themselves and territory, but rather it was the State.

Opposition members quickly took umbrage to this position, pointing to the Supreme Law of Guyana, which says that sovereignty lies in the people of the country, and that the elected leaders are merely representatives of the people.

Catalyst

Nigel Dharamlall is the former Permanent Secretary in the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, now Indigenous Affairs. The PPP backbencher, in his arguments against the motion, and supporting his former Minister, Pauline Sukhai, sought to expand on the Terms of Reference (ToRs) secretly worked out by select members of the Granger Administration.

This attempt, however, was shut down by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton

Scotland, leading to what can only be described as one of the most chaotic moments in the history of the Guyana Parliament – notwithstanding infamous ‘flour throwing’ when flour was banned – by the late Janet Jagan, and the cereal references by the late indomitable Deborah Backer in reference to the ever prevalent drug trade locally.

Irrelevant

Dharamlall was told by the Speaker Dr Barton Scotland to cease his irrelevant references to the sugar industry, as he debated a motion related to lands.

The PPP Member of Parliament insisted his line of questioning was not only relevant but cogent to his line of argument in the debate.

The Speaker was having none of it however, and instructed Dharamlall to take his seat, since he was in contravention of the standing Orders relative to relevance of a presentation.

Experienced Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, however, led the protest by the PPP members of Parliament in support of their colleague’s right to speak.

By this time Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo joined the fray and immediately repudiated the Speaker, Dr Baton Scotland, saying that his partisan behaviour must come to an end.

The Speaker decided, however, that it was best to abandon his post, since by this time the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly had descended into a state worse that the ambience that permeates its environs on a normal day when vagrants adorn its exteriors.

It was about 18:30hrs in the Friday evening of a session that had begun at 14:00hrs – a session that had been preceded by another round of drama the previous night.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo instructed his MP to continue his presentation. The Speaker had vacated the seat, the

Sergeant at Arms had already removed the Mace, it was just the members of the Assembly sitting in the House.

Ruckus

It was not a ruckus, it was a fish market debauchery that followed.

“Disrespect! Disrespect!

Disrespect! This is disre-

spect!” was the chant of the Government members as Opposition members egged their colleague into finishing his presentation.

By the end of the night, few remembered that the President had in fact put the CoI on hold with respect to Amerindian land issues.

Minister of State Joseph

Harmon had earlier in the night assured no sinister motives in the CoI, but this did little to allay the fears of the Opposition.

This, however, paled in comparison to the verbal onslaught that obtained the previous night, when Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman was allowed to unleash an unrestrained, vitriolic attack on the Opposition Leader over his concerns expressed in regard to the Petroleum Bill which was promulgated the previous night.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had attempted to bully the Opposition into submission, and not having a further say on the motion.

He, at this point in time, exacted his powers as PM in order to have the last say, but this did not obtain, as the Speaker of the National Assembly allowed the Opposition Leader to make a contribution to the now historic debate.

10 news Overheated generator ignites fire at Buddy’s T sunDAY, June 18, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

he multimillion-dollar Buddy’s establishment on Sheriff Street in Campbellville, Georgetown would have suffered major losses had it not been for the swift response and actions of the Guyana Fire Service in averting a major fire on Saturday.

Reports are that the fire began after one of the generators overheated and burst into flames.

Businessman Omprakash “Buddy” Shivraj, proprietor of the establishment, disclosed that the entire southern section of the ground floor, which housed the generators, was in

flames. He noted that the building is not powered by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc, but by three generators.

The four-storey concrete building is currently being leased to a number of businesses: and houses a gym, restaurant and medical university, while the ground floor is undergoing renovation.

When this newspaper arrived on the scene, vehicular traffic was diverted from the affected section of Sheriff Street, and fire fighters were seen in full action in successful efforts to extinguish the flames.

Fire Chief Marlon

Creolese

S Fire fighters extinguishing the fire in the affected southern section of the ground floor

Gentle told the media that the emergency call was received at about 10:30h and the GFS immediately responded, successfully containing the blaze.

The Fire Chief opined that the fire may have been caused by an electrical malfunction in one of the

generator sets during operation.

He noted that the structure of the building has undergone significant changes since last year, and said it would have to be inspected to ensure that adequate fire safety measures have been implemented.

atiricus was pleased. He’d just read that some very educated person named “Came Bridge” - who used to write a fancy column in the Kronic - was part of a project to teach Creolese at UG. This was good news for the country, and he couldn’t wait to get over to the Back Street Bar. The fellas were already ensconced at the back table. They had to have been there for a while, since the table was already forested by beer empties.

“How come you fellas started so early?” he asked Bungi - who was signalling furiously at the waitress to bring a beer for Satiricus.

“Early?” slurred Bungi. “Like yuh fuget me get lay aff since de guvment close dung de suga fact’ry!”

“I didn’t forget,” replied Satiricus. “But I didn’t think you and Hari would’ve been here throwing back so early!”

“I took the day off,” reported Hari with a big goofy grin. “Too much rain!!”

“Anyhow, Bungi, I have some good news for you,” said Satiricus as he polished off the beer with one practised long gurgle, and signalled with his left hand to the waitress for another.

“Wah da?” asked Bungi. “Me ole paadna Cappo come back fram New Yaa’k, or dem a open back de fact’ry?

“Better than that, ole friend!” said Satiricus as he picked up his second beer and slapped the table. “I have a job opening for you and your cane cutter friends. You will be working in air conditioning!”

“Really, Sato?” asked Hari. “Janitors at the new Call Centre?

“Naah!” smirked Satiricus. “Teaching at UG!!”

“A wah wrang wid yuh head, Bai?!” exclaimed Bungi. “Wah rass me guh teach? How fuh sha’pen cutlass?”

“You cane-cutters will be teaching the 8000 UG students “Creolese”,” said Satiricus gleefully. “That’s what you speak, and it’s now a compulsory subject!!”

“Jeez!” smiled Bungi bashfully, “An’ me na even bin know me ah talk wan nadda lang-wij name “Creolese” all dis time!!”

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SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Miner nabbed with gun, ammo A A critical review of the State Paper on the future of the sugar industry

I

(GuySuCo PART IV)

n my concluding remarks last week, you would recall that I was very critical in my description of the State Paper on the Future of the Sugar Industry, which was presented to the National Assembly by the Minister of Agriculture about a month or so ago.

First, let me begin by presenting a definition of what a White Paper is, in the interest of the ordinary citizen to comprehend.

The term ‘White Paper’ is an offshoot of the term ‘White Book’. It is an official publication of a national government which typically argues a specific position or solution to a problem. Though white papers originated in governmental policies, they have evolved into becoming a common tool used to introduce technology innovations and products.

Now, you might be wondering: what is the relevance of providing all of this information on the mere definition of a white paper? Here’s the answer: normally, a white paper produced by a firm about their product constitutes, on average, about ten pages and 3,000 words. A white paper, on the other hand, dealing with a very complex and profoundly debatable subject of national importance regarding a governmental policy ought to be a very robust piece of work. Against this background, such a White Paper should at least constitute no less than about 30 pages or 10,000 to 15,000 words. In this way, it would be reflective of the profundity of the issue and the robustness of the workings therein.

That being said, the State Paper in its original form has minimum no table of contents, no introduction or at least an Executive Summary, and it is a mere seven-page document comprising of 2600 words.

Further, if one were to examine it carefully, it would appear as though most of its contents were simply copied and pasted from various already published documents to put together such a supposedly important state paper.

The very first section of the paper carried the caption “The future of the Sugar Industry”. This section comprised only three very short paragraphs. The first paragraph made two statements or highlighted two points that are widely known – it states that “the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. is a wholly owned state enterprise, and instead of being self-sustaining and contribute to the revenues of the state, has encountered severe decline.”

The second paragraph spoke about the declining production of the entity. The third and final paragraph under this section highlighted the amount of subsidy that the government had to provide, and the amount of debt incurred. A careful examination revealed that this is all historic information. So where is the future plan? It is ironic and hilarious that the section of the paper with the bold heading “The future of the industry” has in it not a single word or phrase mention or hint on the future direction of the state owned entity.

The next section that follows in the paper was dedicated to the evolution of the industry. Seven short paragraphs dealt with this, and I would not summarise it here because, again, these are things that were taught in school. In fact, this column presented succinctly the evolution of the industry in the very first article on this subject. So every Guyanese, I am sure, knows of the evolution of the sugar industry in Guyana. The section that follows this is captioned “Economic Challenges”. In this section, again, the known challenges were highlighted, including an acknowledgement of the fact that GuySuCo needed an urgent injection of $12 billion in 2015, and failure to act in this regard would have resulted in disastrous consequences to not only the industry, but the economy at large, since about 16,000 employees and 48,000 dependents would have been adversely affected immediately. Under this section, too, one would realise it simply regurgitated the challenges of GuySuCo. The problem with this section is that in no way was any attempt made at answering these questions: What did the management do over all those years to overcome GuySuCo’s challenges? What measures were undertaken? How and when were they implemented? What were the results? What monitoring and evaluation mechanism, if any, was put in place?

The paper made reference to the fact that the sugar industry operated largely in a protected market from 1959 to 2009.

The European Union market had accounted for 50 per cent of the industry’s sugar output and 70 per cent of its revenue.

Subsequently, a decision was made by the European Agriculture Council to reduce the guaranteed price for sugar by 36 per cent over a four-year period that began in 2006. The logical questions therefore are: since four years’ notice was given within which the protected market price arrangement had virtually come to an end and was gradually phased out over this period, what did policy makers do over this period to now secure new markets, enhance the efficiency of the industry, and reduce production cost through economies of scale and diversify the industry?

These are all pertinent questions that ought to have been addressed in a white paper, but they were obviously omitted. (To

be continued next week).

63-year-old miner was on Saturday nabbed with a gun along with 23 matching rounds of ammunition at Iruna Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

According to Police reports, ranks were at the time of the man’s camp responding to reports made against him but as they approached him, he threw the gun into a box.

Reports are at about 09:30h, the man originally of Duncan Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was seen lying in a hammock.

However, when he noticed the ranks approaching him, he threw the pistol in a nearby carton box.

The ranks then descended on the box and uncovered an unlicensed 9mm pistol along with 23 live rounds and two magazines.

The man was taken into Police custody and is currently being processed for court.

A Police statement on Saturday said that the weapon is being tested to determine if it was used in the commission of a crime.

Investigations are continuing.

12 news

SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

High-level meeting

President insists WPA was consulted … before reassigning Dr Roopnaraine

T

he much anticipated meeting at State House between President David Granger and the Executive of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) concluded with the President standing his ground that consultations were carried out with the junior coalition partner.

The meeting came mere days after the reassignment of former Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine to the Public Service Division, which falls under the Ministry of the Presidency. The WPA had been critical of the lack of consultation that preceded the move.

When contacted about Roopnaraine’s transfer, WPA Executive member, Dr David Hinds had said that the party was not initially consulted. He indicated

however that the President had requested a meeting with the WPA the day before the announcement.

“We sent our Chairperson, Desmond Trotman, to meet with the President. The President, at that meeting, announced the decision,” Hinds had said. “So yes, the WPA officially has some concerns about the way the matter was handled. We were informed about the decision after it was made. And we do have concerns about that.”

Consultations?

But according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who spoke with reporters following the meeting, President Granger had maintained his position during the meet-

ing that there had indeed been consultation with the party before the reassignment of the party’s parliamentary representative, Dr Roopnaraine.

“The President explained that he did, in fact, consult but they felt that the consultation should be wider and deeper,” Harmon said. “The meeting this morning (Saturday) was about dealing with how we will consult and the way forward.”

“The President did, in fact, explain that the way the Coalition Government is structured is that there are representatives of the parties in the Cabinet and in the National Assembly and it is really a responsibility of the representatives of that party in the Cabinet (and Parliament) to ensure that they keep

The meeting with the President and Executive members of the WPA on Saturday at State House

the (party members and) the Executives briefed on what is taking place in the Government,” Harmon said.

Describing the meeting as cordial, the Minister also said that the WPA Executives expressed that they understood that it is within the jurisdiction and authority of the President to assign or reassign Ministers as needed.

“His Excellency was

very clear on the rearrangement, which needs to stay in place so that our coalition Government remains very strong and that is to say that all the parties within the coalition Government; the six parties, that we hold all of them as integral to the formation of our Government and we will continue to communicate with those parties,” Harmon said.

Meanwhile, when con-

tacted on Saturday following the meeting, Hinds said that the meeting was a cordial and fraternal one; with the party representatives addressing the President in as frank a way as possible in raising their concerns.

Declining to go into details, the party announced that it would be holding a press conference, scheduled for June 19. turn to page 14

news

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SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Media plays an integral part in child protection – Ann Greene

Rodney: On Organising

T

hirty-seven years ago, Dr Walter Rodney was assassinated when he was just thirty-eight. While we thought he was too optimistic on the potential of socialism to eradicate racism, and even more so about including Indians in the Caribbean under the banner of “Black Power” in 1969, we still believe the proposal he made the following year on organising Guyanese Indians and Africans was most realistic. We published it several times since 1998, hoping for a positive responsive from African Guyanese activists.

Without success.

Dr. Rodney said: “Let us take the fact that over the last decade, Indians and Africans in Guyana have been at Ravi Dev one another’s throats for a variety of reasons, internal and external, and that there is a tremendous amount of ill-will and suspicion on both sides; let us take that fact. Now some people deny this, and talk about racial harmony, but it is not so. It may be submerged, but it is there; it has to be there: the system ensures that. But what can we do about it? I feel that there are at least two levels at which one must try to organise against the prevailing condition of racial antagonism.

“One must organise within the African community, within the Indian community, too, to build different forms of consciousness, different types of social bases, which will ultimately be the form of a new State; and simultaneously, one must begin to find effective revolutionary integrative mechanisms, both organisational and ideological, in terms of people, purely and simply people, you know, as contributors to the new concept of group consciousness, group power; as, for example, like putting six persons, three Africans, three Indians, not just in form of a symbolic show (they have, of course, to be ideologically consistent and so on), but putting them in a meaningful, nationallypowerful position of leadership, and as a unit.

“Now, you have, at the second level, to begin to indicate what you would like the society to be like, what that unit should be about, because if you organise separately, this may well be construed by each group as something exclusive and hostile. So you have at the same time, while doing that bringing together, which is historically necessary, to produce the integrative mechanisms and act in the kind of fashion and use the kind of language which makes it clear to the other group (let’s say the African and the Indian are the main groups) what the national aims are, what the country’s Socialism wants to achieve in spite of race. We have a number of other people, including the Amerindians, the original inhabitants of the country, who are the most neglected. Our integrative mechanisms must be organised to include that group….(As) we move towards Socialism, we’ll also be, in the process, contributing to the total eradication of racism in its most violent forms, a racism which has arisen through the slave trade, slavery, indenture, class and colonial oppression.

“What we must try to understand (and this is a point I’m always trying to make very clearly) is that there is no contradiction between saying that at this particular point in time a man needs to assert his given identity, so that at another point in time he won’t need to assert it; it would be taken for granted, the whole business of identity, because people will respect that fact in the changed society, where race will have no marks of identification whatsoever on which anybody can (lean) for support or for whatever. But it is a respect which no group has at the moment, at the moment in the present system in Guyana.

“And I think that within our community of Guyana, different ethnic groups need to assert their identity, need to put themselves together, to pull themselves together, and when they have, and when they can operate on the basis of mutual respect, which they are not now doing, then I think the way will be clear for building a new society, a society of a mixed unit through Socialism. But first, the various groups must be built up, made conscious of their own potential, their own dignity, their own power, as Guyanese.”

Rodney was a prophet of emancipation.

D

irector of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA), Ann Greene underscore the importance of the media in the protection of a child’s welfare stating that the media plays an integral part in child protection.

The Director expressed these sentiments as she was speaking at a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) media training seminar held at the Guyana Police Force Training Centre, Georgetown on Saturday.

According to Greene, when the media reports on matter pertaining to children, a number of factors

needs to be considered; as such, it poses a special challenge.

In her presentation, she noted that the dignity and rights of every child needs to always be respected and protected no matter the circumstance.

Greene re-informed the media that when reporting on such matters without being cautious, this can cause further harm to a child.

She highlighted “do not further stigmatise any child. Avoid categorisation or descriptions that expose a child to negative reprisals, including additional physical or psychological harm,

Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency Ann Greene

or to lifelong abuse, discrimination or rejection by their local communities”.

Greene highlighted a

number of guidelines that could assist journalists; she presented “do no harm to any child.

Avoid questions, attitudes or comments that are judgemental, insensitive to cultural values, that places a child in danger or expose a child to humiliation or that reactivate a child’s pain and grief from traumatic events.”

The Director used the opportunity to call for more positive focus to be placed on children, “report on their accomplishments and those children that are doing outstanding things, do not only report the negative.”

14 news

SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Essequibo rice giant sells assets Younge’s Take The rise of under pressure from bank …denies selling Berbice properties

B

eni Sankar, son of late rice magnate Kayman Sankar, has affirmed that certain assets were indeed sold because of pressure from a commercial bank.

According to the rice industrialist, the rice milling and drying facilities at Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast were sold in order to cover debts with a local bank. He disclosed that those were the only properties sold, and affirmed that the property at Blairmont,

Hampton Court

Beni Sankar, CEO of Kayman Sankar and Company Limited

West Bank Berbice and the air strip and aquaculture farms have not been sold.

“We were asset-rich but cash (deficient),” Sankar said. “So we decided to sell

a part of Hampton Court -- which is the milling system and the drying system. We have not sold the Blairmont operation, because it is in litigation.”

Kayman Sankar has been acclaimed as Guyana’s most successful rice farmer/miller. He rose from poverty working as a labourer, and became a millionaire and a household name on the Essequibo Coast and Guyana as a whole. The rice magnate died in 2014, after a prolonged illness.

The downsizing of Sankar’s rice operations and eventual exit from the industry comes on the

heels of reports of other rice farmers and millers exiting the industry. Beni Sankar has stated that selling off some of the family’s assets has nothing to do with the decline in the rice industry.

There has been a general decline in rice prices on the international market over the past few years.

This trend has had more consequences for some rice-producing countries than others.

The implications for the Caribbean and Guyana have already been realised, and have already threatened the comparatively high prices that were en-

joyed in years gone by.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , Agriculture Minister Noel Holder had revealed that rice production was expected to increase by 1.3 per cent in 2017, although there was a decline during 2016 by 12.7 per cent to 600,000 metric tonnes due to El Niño weather conditions.

Holder said that a number of farmers had exited the industry owing to the loss of the high-priced Venezuelan market, but explained that 3311 hectares were lost out of the 76,717 hectares sown.

It was reported that production for 2015 was 1,058,129 tonnes paddy, the equivalent of 687,784 tonnes of rice. That was 80,840 tonnes, or 8.27 per cent, higher than the production for 2014.

President insists... from page 12

In a statement to the media on Saturday afternoon, the WPA said President Granger responded to their concerns and introduced some of his own.

“We are satisfied that there is a commitment on both sides to mutually address areas of concerns and contention and to work to strengthen relations within both the APNU and the wider coalition,” the statement added.

Attending the meeting for the WPA were Dr Clive Thomas, Dr David Hinds, Dr Wazir Mohammed, Dr Rishi Thakur, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Desmond Trotman, Tacuma Ogunseye, Jinnah Rahaman and Mazarool Ekbaal Ali Majeed. Accompanying the President, along with Minister Harmon, were Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams and Social Protection Minister, Amna Ally.

the Phoenix

F

or centuries, political parties across the globe have lived and died natural deaths before making way for newer political units and agents to try their ‘luck’ at reforming and rebuilding the societies that they inhabit, with the hope of achieving higher levels of unity, inclusivity, development and peace.

Others have mastered the art of avoiding political death and irrelevance by constantly recreating and reforming themselves to meet the changing times and demands of the people that they yearn to serve. Most parties have failed in this respect because of their inability to understand that the people cannot be fooled all the time, and after a while, people develop the keen Michael Younge ability to decipher whether the principals at the helm of these political institutions are genuine in their desire to change the type of offensive or partisan politics they have practised in the past, or even some of the politically damaged principals who themselves are being rejected by the electorate for some reason or the other.

In the South American and Caribbean region, few political parties have survived the storm of political change brought on directly by a more informed society that is less tolerant of bureaucratic inertia, the abuse of executive power, the practice of divisive politics, the selective disregard for the rule of law, the wastage of tax payers’ funds, and the practise of dishonestly and political immorality.

The citizens -- as a direct result of the modern highway of information available to them at the click of a finger, and sometimes because of the partisan agenda of the traditional media -- have no appetite or stomach for political parties whom they perceive as interested in governing to enrich themselves and their members whilst every other section of the society is left to fight for the crumbs remaining from an already small pie.

The truth is that some parties that fail to understand the impact of the media and the power of misinformation often find themselves struggling to survive, even though they might have performed well at previous electoral polls, or possess a very impressive track record of running administrations and transforming the socio-economic affairs of a country.

They somehow still end up being defeated by dishonest political rhetoric and media reports, as well as manufactured controversies -- that stick in the minds of the people because they go unchallenged, or are not dealt with properly at the time.

The PPP is such a party; and instead of just dying a natural political death, the party must pursue new life if it ever wants to regain power and the trust of thousands of people, which it once had under the stewardship that obtained in the early 1990s and 2000s.

While the party appears to have commenced the process belatedly, having lost the recent elections, it is still not making the decisions which could see its full-circle transformation, and by extension increase in electoral appeal. Pushing Bharrat Jagdeo to the front is only one tiny step in the process of crafting a majority victory at the next elections. The party must do away with some of the relics that are harming its integrity.

It is still too hesitant to take bold reforms. Freedom House must be shaken up in every region, and people who have the confidence of their peers in the region must be pushed to the front.

Also, the party must restart robust fundraising exercises, to build capital which can and must be invested in a massive media campaign to rebuild its image. This campaign must be focused on further exposing the secrets and shortcomings of the David Granger Administration. Mr Jagdeo and all of his MPs must become more accessible to the partisan or anti-PPP media, as a means of offering balance to the often skewed headlines that adorn their front pages daily.

The party is still shying away from diving into the coalition’s strongholds by holding public meetings and walkabouts, even if its members are embarrassed or rejected by some of the people there. It is not good enough for PPP MPs to take on the Government in Parliament; they must go to every community where residents have been neglected and highlight the woes of the people. The party is still being very selective in this respect, and it is not good strategy for its members to keep on behaving as if the party is still in Government.

Perhaps the most profound weakness of the PPP is its inability to attract, retain, and genuinely trust Afro-Guyanese leaders who are very vocal, aggressive, and passionate about representing their constituencies. This does not mean that any other grouping or ethnic group must be sidelined or marginalized, but there is enough reason to believe that the PPP would command more respect if it had more AfroGuyanese leaders who were not tokens, but people who could easily command the respect of diehard PNC/AFC/APNU supporters. Mr Jagdeo must seek them out, as they may be the key to regaining and retaining power in a new Guyana. The PPP must become the mythological phoenix on a pyre.

news

15

sunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Repair works on Harbour Bridge moving apace A team of engineers on Saturday successfully replaced an-18-year-old pontoon that was on the western retractor span of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

The bridge had to be closed for some six hours to facilitate critical maintenance works.

By the time the media arrived at the worksite, some three hours after closure, steps were already being taken to reassemble the connections on the new pontoon.

General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Company, Rawlston Adams, updated reporters on the works. He explained that DHB personnel actually started work since Wednesday, dismantling the stairs. The follow-

ration for Saturday’s major task.

“This morning’s (Saturday) operation was to remove the old pontoon and install the new pontoon. We got the new pontoon installed (at) about 10:00h, and after (that), we started to reassemble the pipes and wrenches on the new pontoon… But we had some nasty weather.

We tried to work through it, but it was difficult and there was a second round of shower, so we’re persevering,” Adams explained to reporters.

He disclosed that the team, comprising engineers from DHBC and the contracting company, Industrial Fabrications Inc. (INFAB), will return to the site to remove the temporary pontoon.

first time in four days to facilitate marine traffic.

“The hardest part was to get the old pontoon out, and that was done; so we’re now in the reconnecting phase… (But) we’ve learnt a lot from this exercise in terms of planning for the new one, so we’re documenting everything here so that we can go back to the drawing table and review what was done and make plans so that we can reduce the time it takes for some of these works,” he noted.

This, the General Manager added, will be helpful when DHB officials embark on the second phase of the project -- to replace another pontoon on the eastern side of the retractor span.

While Adams commended his team for an excel-

The workers reassembling the connections onto the new pontoon

ing day, they installed a temporary pontoon to hold up the portion of the bridge where the replacement was taking place.

On Friday, they removed the wrenches and other connections on the old pontoon – all in prepa-

Afterwards, the hydraulics will be reinstalled, and then testing will commence to ensure that the bridge can retract for marine traffic. The testing exercise will continue on Monday, and then, on Tuesday, the bridge will retract for the

lent job done, he, at the same time, expressed disappointment with the public for turning up at the bridge during the closure, when several ads and PSAs (public service announcements) were done to inform about Saturday’s closure.

The southern wrench being repositioned on the new pontoon

He further pointed out that they’ve managed to do all the other works without disturbing vehicular traffic on the other days.

Stretching for 1.25 miles, the floating Demerara Harbour Bridge is a strategic link between the eastern and western banks of the Demerara riv-

er. It facilitates the daily movement of large numbers of vehicles, people, and cargo. The structure was built in the 1970s, but was opened in July 1978 with the expectation of lasting for only 10 years. However, some three decades later, it is still floating.

Meanwhile, the pro-

cess is still ongoing for a new Demerara River crossing to be built. A feasibility study was conducted to determine several factors, among which are location and type of bridge. That report was handed over to the Public Infrastructure Ministry, and is now before Cabinet for review.

16 news Region 2 RDC No arrests in auto investigating shop robbery fuel theft A SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Some of the recently flooded rice fields

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he Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is currently investigating the alleged theft of fuel from the Lima pump operation.

Guyana Times was told that after receiving the report, a letter was written to Regional Executive Officer Deryck Persaud on the matter and recommended that clear findings and recommendations be provided.

Head of the RDC, Devanand Ramdatt, commenting on the issue said he heard of the allegation and as such he would like for the matter to be dealt with promptly.

"Making adequate use of available resources of the region to deliver quality service to the people of Region Two is a priority of the RDC," Ramdatt said.

Ramdatt said while

stronger systems are being implemented to address corrupt practices, cooperation from members of the public to tackle and prevent such reported malpractices is needed.

Region Two heavily relies on fuel to assist with drainage due to the effects of climate change since the outfalls are rapidly silting up; as such, pumps and excavators to clear the outfalls have to be put into operation.

Losing fuel through stealing directly affects more quality drainage and at times irrigation works, he added.

The RDC is encouraged by the dedicated efforts of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to tackle corruption and is committed to fostering accountability and transparency as it relates to the matter.

Only recently over 460 acres of rice lands within the Sparta and Hampton Court areas on the Essequibo Coast were inundated and rice farmers are becoming frustrated over the situation.

Farmers reported the issue to the RDC, prompting a field visit. During the visit, farmers expressed dissatisfaction over poor drainage.

Regional Vice Chairperson Nandranie Coonjah recently reported to the RDC that over 160 low lands in the Sparta are and 300 acres in the Windsor Castle and Hampton Court are inundated with flood water due to poor drainage compounded with heavy rainfall.

This, she said, is affecting farmers in those areas as 18,400 acres of rice lands were already sown.

n arrest is yet to be made into the robbery of the Rich Thriving Auto Repair and Servicing Company, located at Industrial Site Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

On Wednesday last, eight armed bandits loaded in two cars, a white Toyota and a silver Allion, stormed the Ruimveldt business.

Since the incident, the company’s owner has indicated that improvements will be made to heighten security at the entity.

According to the business owner, he was told by the investigating Officer that no progress has been made since the robbery.

However, he told Guyana Times that to make the facility safer for customers, management has taken measures to improve security services.

Employees of the facility along with customers were all attacked and beaten about their bodies during the robbery after which several of their belongings including two guns; seven cellphones and over $400,000 in cash were taken by the bandits.

The bandits were all armed and fully clad in black hoodies, long sleeve jerseys and tope headwear,

One of the injured employees of Rich Thriving Auto Repairs

as such, they are unidentifiable.

After the daring attack, the men bolted in the awaiting cars which bore “straight plates” as if they came from an auto sales dealer and made good their escape.

When Guyana Times arrived on the scene of the crime, it was noted that at least nine persons were badly beaten and injured.

According to one victim, the bandits beat the employees and a customer over their heads with guns while demanding that they hand over their valuables.

One employee relayed “they had jersey to cover their nose but they’re eyes and head were showing. I

The injured customer

doing me work and see the two cars pull up and I see this thing long in he bag.

They [were] just arguing with one another and one said, we got to get something before we leff here,” the young man added.

The Police were called and reported promptly to the scene of the crime.

The business currently employs eight workers; five Chinese and three Guyanese.

Investigation into the incident is continuing.

News

17

SunDAY, june 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Anna's

Keith Scott’s mouth, Eric Phillips’s words “

S

overeignty belongs to the State, not to the people”, declared Keith Scott, Labour Minister within the Social Protection Ministry (unless he was demoted or upgraded since), during the 66th Sitting of the 11th Parliament of Guyana, last Friday.

He repeated this statement assertively, in flagrant contradiction of Article 9, Chapter 2, of the Constitution of Guyana, which reads: “Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and the democratic organs established by or under this Constitution”.

Anna Correia Listening to Keith Scott read a speech, which for the sake of his credibility I refuse to believe he wrote, was no different than listening to the racist pandering of Eric Phillips.

In a tone which victimised Afro-Guyanese, Scott declared that “with the passage of the 1976 Amerindian Act, they [the Amerindians] were legally allocated 13.8 per cent of Guyana’s lands.” Again, this is erroneous information, since Amerindian land titling continued well after 1976 with the introduction of the demarcation process under the former administration, to map and physically delineate boundaries. Consequently, at least 24 additional villages received inalienable and irrevocable Absolute Grants, leading to approximately 14 per cent of Guyana being owned by indigenous nations.

In his pursuit of belittling indigenous peoples, Scott attacked the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC), stating: “I am surprised at the position adopted by the NTC, which claims to be the voice of the Amerindians (…)”.

However, the minister must be reminded that the NTC is a legally established body whose mandate directly derives from Section IV of the Amerindian Act 6 – 2006, a semi-political composition of each elected indigenous chief (toshao), which in turn democratically elects an executive committee of twenty members to spearhead the Council. One of the purposes of the NTC is to provide clarity and support to its subject minister.

Subsequently, this incarnates a threat to the NTC’s legal authority on questions of indigenous rights.

Scott pursued his delusional arguments by declaring that the President “does not have to engage in any form of consultation” when establishing a CoI. Yet one of the founding principles of indigenous affairs is the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC[DS1]).

After attacking the legal principles which shape indigenous affairs, Scott proceeded to overtly insult Guyana’s First Peoples by suggesting that the 200+ chiefs who comprise the NTC are simply greedy, and should apologise for wanting to obstruct the CoI. “It is clear to us [presumably the Government] (…) they [the NTC and by extent Guyana’s First Peoples] have manifested an attitude of avarice, which must not be condoned”.

He further suggested that if indigenous peoples lay claims to sub-surface minerals, then any revenue derived from the nascent oil industry must only benefit “coastlanders”.

Here, Scott draws the line between Guyana’s First Nations and other Guyanese, consequently emphasizing the Government’s penchant for ethnic politics.

As he struggled to read through a paper steeped in ethnic bias, Scott took to defending Eric Phillips, whose dangerous and racist discourse was reinvigorated under the Coalition. Scott argued that Phillips’s contributions “cannot be wished away or brushed aside” since his “research has revealed the weakness in the claims of Amerindians for more lands”.

Yet, Eric Phillips’s racist agenda cannot be objectively supported by either the findings of the Walter Roth Museum or the blatant historical fact that the first peoples to be encountered by the Europeans were indigenous to the Americas, and weren’t brought to the continent as slaves or indentured immigrants.

But, more importantly, he confirmed the Government’s position: to marginalize indigenous land rights by stripping this age-old and global cause of credibility.

Still, in a register which appealed to emotions by victimising Afro-Guyanese, Scott concluded: “The only reason why any Guyanese will stand in the path of the CoI (is) to allow the issue of repatriation to remain unresolved, to the detriment and suppression of Africans”.

Little did he know that, by pronouncing these words, he confirmed to the nation that the Coalition is indeed piggy-backing on indigenous land rights to promote a cause which belongs to a different forum and is moulded by a specific historical context.

With the revelation that the Amerindian land-titling project has again been disbanded until the CoI dispute is resolved, one can safely deduct that indigenous land rights are now hijacked and stymied by the African land reparation cause, to the detriment of the world-recognized indigenous minority rights.

Guyana regresses, and Guyanese can thank the PNC-led Coalition and lobbyists such as Eric Phillips.

GPHC seeking to improve public confidence – Lewis

A

cting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), retired Brigadier George Lewis, has announced that the public image of the hospital will soon be improved.

According to Lewis, he has been analysing the needs of the facility.

Speaking recently to the media, the acting CEO noted that it is important for the human relations aspect of the hospital to be improved.

“We need to work on the human relations aspect, they are some rifts between different parties within the organisation including the doctors, nurses and the administration, so we need to look at that and we need to work towards getting all parties here to work together as a whole to make

Retired Brigadier George Lewis

the Georgetown Public Hospital the best primary care hospital within the country,” Lewis said.

He added that he will be working in conjunction with the other heads of departments of the hospital towards this goal.

Nevertheless, the CEO

applauded the efforts of the professionals at GPHC but noted however that their contributions are not known. This, he added, also must be improved.

“My observation during my walk around of the institution was that we have lots of dedicated hard

working professional here and they give their best under trying conditions but their contributions are not known outside there,” Lewis said.

As such, he said that the public image must be improved so that people can see the “good” coming out of the facility.

He added that often times the public is not aware of some of the challenges the medical facility faces.

“The public must not know of the challenges only but also that every single day, the doctors and nurses here are working towards ensuring that people get the best care that we can provide and saving lives.”

Over the years, the public perception of GPHC has reached an all-time low and many have expressed a lack of confidence in the facility.

18 news FACES: Hope for ‘Sickle Cell Warriors’ “ S SunDAY, june 18 , 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

ickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a chronic blood disorder where the red blood cells are mutated and as a result of that, you have so many issues and symptoms… basically sickle cell disease affects your organs and eventually you just have all your organs shut down,” according to sickle cell warrior, Sabrina Kazim.

The Fight Against Sickle Cell Stigma (FACES), a non-profit organisation, was founded by Kazim – a sickle cell warrior in June of 2015 to address the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.

“FACES has been formed because persons with sickle cell disease realised that it’s not just a fight of your life against the disease but it’s a fight of your life for your life,” she said.

Kazim said since its formation, the organisation has been able to host a number of workshops with various Ministries and agencies.

She added that they are also in the process of ascertaining the guidelines and proto-

“Pain is not measurable from just looking at a person, you cannot accurately say if a person is in pain by just looking at them. That is a form of abuse because it directly affects your human rights so hence FACES was formed to make certain we spread awareness to the stigma and discrimination as it relates to the disease sickle cell,” she added.

World Sickle Cell Day

Founder of FACES, Sabrina Kazim along with PRO Michelle “Big Red” King

cols for sickle cell treatment at the medical institutions since quite often sicklers are not taken seriously.

“Because of the involvement of opioids in the treatment for sickle cell persons in the medical field believe that persons with sickle cells are most of the times malingerers and that they are not really in pain, their pains are not authentic,” she said.

Kazim further explained

that because of that discrimination, persons experiencing ‘excruciating’ pain are turned away from the emergency rooms at both private and public hospitals.

Because of the nature of the disease, a sickler would sometimes require treatment more than once per week and according to Kazim, medical workers would question whether the person is faking their pain.

World Sickle Cell Day is observed on June 19 and this year it is being celebrated under the theme ‘Together We Can.’ FACES is calling on the general public to assist in its efforts to ease the burden sicklers face by donating whatever they can.

“A lot of the sicklers are unable to work… because a lot of them are in crisis so often that they are unable to keep a job. They are already fighting to live so they shouldn’t be fighting to eat, for drugs, for clothing, those things should be accessible to you and this is why we went to this venture,”

Michelle “Big Red” King said.

Big Red, a popular Guyanese singer, related that she joined FACES because of the sickle cell trait in her family. “She (Kazim) inspired me, she has been my neighbour for years and I think watching her not being able to live a normal life but fighting, and I am like I want to be a part of this and I feel like I had to do this,” added.

She pleaded with the business community and private citizens to come on board and donate whatever they can afford to as a means of assisting those sicklers who cannot earn because of their disease. She added that the organisation hopes to continue the initiative beyond World Sickle Cell Day.

Psychological effect

Kazim said that due to the stigma attached to living with sickle cell disease, persons are quite often tempted to take their own lives to ease the pain. “Sickle

cell disease has at least a threefold part, the psychological, the socio and economical part. Psychological which does affect persons with sickle cell disease and recently at least one of our members tried to commit suicide because of all the trials and tribulations that is attached to this disease,” she informed.

She added that they are currently engaging the Social Protection Ministry so they would be able to alleviate the psychological pressures of living with the disease through regular counselling sessions.

King said as of now, the organisation offers support to its members through social media and face-to-face interaction. She added that they are working assiduously to ensure none of their members commits suicide and as such, the call for donations was resounded.

To commemorate World Sickle Cell Day, the Public Health Ministry will be hosting a health fair at the Stabroek Market Square.

Portugal forest fire kills Bill Cosby case: Judge declares at least 19 – Govt A

forest fire in central Portugal killed at least 19 people on Saturday, most of them occupants of various vehicles that were on the road and caught in the blaze, an official said in televised remarks.

The fire, which has yet to be controlled, is already one of the deadliest forest fires in Portugal in decades.

Jorge Gomes, the secretary of state for internal affairs, said President

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was en route to the site of the tragedy.

The blaze on Saturday hit the mountainous area of Pedrogao Grande, 200 km South-east of Lisbon, amid an intense heat wave and strong winds that fanned the fire later in the day.

"We have 19 confirmed deaths, all civilians," Gomes said, adding that 20 people have been injured, including six firefighters, and two people were still missing. (Reuters)

mistrial after jury deadlock

Flames raging around a road in Pedrogao Grande

7 missing after USS Fitzgerald collides with merchant ship off Japan

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka on Saturday, June 17, 2017, following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan

A

n air and sea search was under way on Saturday for seven US navy sailors missing after their destroyer collided with a container ship off the east coast of Japan.

The USS Fitzgerald,

with the help of tugboats, arrived back at its home port at Yokosuka naval base, south of Tokyo, by Saturday evening. The other vessel involved in the pre-dawn collision, the Philippine-flagged ACX

Crystal, berthed at Tokyo’s Oi wharf, where its crew was questioned by investigators.

Three people aboard the destroyer were medically evacuated, including Commander Bryce Benson,

who was reportedly in a stable condition after being airlifted to the US naval hospital at the Yokosuka base, the navy said. The other two injured crew members were treated at the hospital for cuts and bruises.

US and Japanese ships and aircraft took part in a search that went into the night at the crash site, 62 miles (100km) south-west of Yokosuka. The crumpled sections of the Fitzgerald, on the forward starboard side and below the water line, were also being searched.

The US 7th Fleet issued a statement saying the collision damaged two berthing spaces, a machinery room and the ship’s radio room. Most of the more than 200 sailors aboard the Fitzgerald would have been asleep at the time of the incident.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Bill Cosby

A

US Judge has declared a mistrial in the Bill Cosby sex assault case after the jury remained deadlocked for days. The seven men and five women were unable to reach a unanimous decision after some 53 hours of deliberations in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Cosby, 79, is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. His lawyers had argued the sex was consensual. The US comedian could now face new proceedings.

He walks away from court a free man, but the prosecution has already said they are pursuing a fresh trial. Dozens of women say he assaulted them, but statutes of limitation rules mean he was allowed to be tried for

Constand's allegation only.

The veteran entertainer could have faced up to a decade in prison if found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault, which allegedly took place at his Philadelphia home 13 years ago.

Announcing the decision, Pennsylvania judge Steven O'Neill reminded Mr Cosby that he remains charged and on bail, despite the mistrial. One of Cosby's lawyers, Brian McMonagle, applauded the decision, saying: "The judge is right: justice is real."

"We came here looking for an acquittal. But like that Rolling Stone song says 'you don't always get what you want'. Sometimes you get what you need."

(Excerpt from BBC News)

sunDAY, june 18, 2017

19

India v Pakistan, Champions Trophy final

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Resurgent Pakistan takes on immense India

ere comes a contest almost as old as partition itself: Pakistani bowling v Indian batting, and still, though we have all tasted this masala and read some version of this script, it doesn't feel even slightly hackneyed, not even a little stale.

And an elemental force has each side been in this tournament.

India, sleeker now than they have been in previous decades, have overpowered oppositions to get to this final. Not since Australia in the last decade, has an ODI team looked quite so clinical, quite so bristling with purpose. They have a formula about their game too: start steady with the bat, surge through the middle, and finish big.

With the ball: strangle up front, make incisions through the middle, and let the opposition innings bleed out. They stand now, muscles rippling, only once - against Sri Lanka - having had to break a sweat.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have been the same old manic vortex: awful sometimes, amazing at oth-

ers, transitioning from one to the other between matches, or within the same over - who knows how the mood will strike? While India are a knowable, quantifiable outfit, Pakistan's strength is their imperviousness to any kind of rational breaking down of their game. How can you plan against that?

Still, it is Pakistan who will have to spring the surprise here.

They are the team that has to make the charge on Minas Tirith. It is up to them to gird up their strike power for the raid on the Death Star.

No one has quite lived out India's dominance in the Champions Trophy, nor their appetite for the big events, like Shikhar Dhawan, whose 317 runs at an average of 79.25 (and a strike rate of 102), places him at the top of the run scorers' list.

And who better embodies the campaign of what was the eighthranked team in the tournament than the man who was thought to be only the fourth-best quick in the squad. Hasan Ali has a hint of the old Pakistan sorcery about his

The captains Virat Kohli and Sarfraz Ahmed pose with the Champions Trophy in front of the famed pavillion at The Oval © Getty Images

bowling: the lachak in his approach, the theatrical celebration, the wisps of reverse swing. With ten victims at an average of 17.20, and a wonderful economy rate of 4.52, he has the potential to be the pebble that jams up India's cogs, and brings the machinery tumbling down.

R Ashwin was seen with a heavily-taped right knee on the eve of the match, and had appeared to pull a muscle. He required the physiotherapist's attention and was then seen doing short run ups followed by stretches later. If he is ruled unfit, Umesh Yadav, who took 3 for 30 in the opening

Bravo blocked by WICB again T

he 50 overs practice match between the Red Force and West Indies is currently in jeopardy after Cricket West Indies (CWI) expressed its displeasure with Darren Bravo’s inclusion in the Trinidad and Tobago team. The Windies, led

by Bajan Jason Holder, are preparing for a one-day series with India scheduled to bowl off at the Queen’s Park Oval next Friday.

Bravo, 28, has not played for the West Indies since November 3, last year. The left-hander had his match contract for a tri-nation series with Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka cancelled after making a disparaging tweet to CWI president Dave Cameron where he called him a “big idiot”.

Newsday understands that CWI has indicated to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TT CB) that Bravo should be prohibited from playing until he removes the tweet and apologises to Cameron.

According to a source who wished to remain anonymous, this has not been well received by some of the national players selected for the practice match.

The Red Force team is captained by Marlon Richards and includes Lendl Simmons, Sunil Narine, Kevon Cooper, Rayad Emrit, Samuel Badree and Imran Khan to name a few.

Newsday has been informed that some players have flatly refused to play if Bravo is not permitted to take part.

They were hoping to match would act as a bridge to mending the relations between the regional body and the exiled player.

Since the infamous tweet, which stemmed from Cameron saying Bravo was not offered an ‘A’ contract (Bravo denied ever receiving an ‘A’ contract) because he was not Darren Bravo performing, Bravo has been banned from regional cricket as well and has not played a match this year, missing the 2017 Regional Super50 and the four-day competition.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Suruj Ragoonath, CEO of the TT CB, acknowledged that Bravo’s participation in the practice match is in doubt.

He also revealed that Cricket West Indies does not want the match to be held at the National Cricket Centre in Couva.

Asked whether Bravo will be playing on Tuesday, he said: “At this point in time, Darren Bravo is in our squad.” Probed as to whether the regional governing body has an issue with Darren’s presence in the squad, he admitted, “They do. I’m working towards resolving that but the bigger issue right now is the venue. The West Indies board has an issue with playing at the NCC, what exactly is the nature of it, I’m not sure.” Ragoonath, who played 66 First Class matches for TT over a decade, said he is trying his best to get the match to be played at the NCC or at another venue.

But he noted his task is challenging as it is currently a long weekend with a public holiday on Monday.

“By tomorrow I will know for sure and only if the game is off I will send out a (press) release,” he said.

The NCC in Couva has hosted Regional Super50 (men and women) matches in the recent past with the full approval of the regional governing body.

The source told Newsday that it is the banning of Bravo and not the venue that is putting the match in doubt. (Newsday)

match against Pakistan, may slot back into the XI. Such is the quality in India's squad, that they can lose a player of Ashwin's stature and still not be too badly dented by it.

A fresh pitch is being used for the match and appears mostly dry, so perhaps the track will favour batsmen and scores in excess of 300 are likely. The forecast is for a slightly cloudy, but mostly dry day, with temperatures reaching the high twenties.

Virat Kohli (capt), R Ashwin, Jasprit, Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Shami Sarfraz Ahmed (Captain, wk), Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Fahim Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafiz, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail

Sculptor finds fake Bolt statue ‘hilarious’

A

maquette of the Usain Bolt Statue set for the National Stadium has been unveiled, but prior to the unveiling, social media was alight with criticisms of another that has since been labelled a fake.

The sculptor charged with creating the statue of the great sprinter, Basil Watson, came in for a lot of that criticism but the artist has taken it on the chin, calling it funny.

"It probably was complimentary that people would try to use fake news or [associate me] with it," said Watson.

"It was more hilarious than anything else," he added, during an interview with The Gleaner newspaper in Jamaica.

Watson is also the man behind the sculpture of the great Herb McKinley, a man whose contribution to track and field in the island of sprinters is undoubtedly one of the greatest.

That kind of experience makes Watson confident that his work is beyond the kind of reproach the 'fake statue' elicited.

Also confident of that fact, is Jamaica's Sports Minister, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange.

"There is no way Basil Watson - who has sculptured Herb McKinley - would have sculptured the statue that has been circulating on social media causing public concern. That is just fake news," she said.

The concern over the 'fake' Bolt statue, was given some impetus by concerns over one of Marcus Garvey, which was unveiled at the University of the West Indies just recently.

That statue, done by Raymond Watson, has not found favour with very many, and there is currently a petition, to remove the bust of the national hero from the Mona Campus in Jamaica. (Sportsmax)

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guyanatimesGY.com

sunDAY, june 18, 2017

GLTA/GBTI Tennis Open…

Fraser, Klautky to battle for Girls’ title Sarah Klautky and Kalyca Fraser will engage for top honours in the Girls final from 22:00h tonight

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for

he Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA)/Guyana Bank Trade and Industry

(GBTI) Open Tennis Tournament enters its final week starting today, with a showdown in the girls fi-

nal between reigning champion Kalyca Fraser and Sarah Klautky.

An exhilarating final is predicted by the pundits in the sport, who have pontificated that Fraser will start as the favourite but Klautky could provide an upset if she endures with tactics and energy throughout the match.

Since late 2016 Fraser

has shown vast improvement, making life difficult for her superiors on the court while convincingly beating her peers and those rated below her.

Most recently, Fraser went down to Afruica Gentle in the final of the Sheltez/Homesafe Security Independence Cup. However that was not without a fight.

Gentle also defeated Klautky in that tournament at the semi-final stage, but since the former opted to

play in the Ladies category, it made the projection of the two finalists quite easier.

The girls got to the ultimate stage after quality matches in the semi-finals of the 18s. The junior ladies stepped up their games, as Alana Chung displayed great improvement in her game. The lefty executed strong backhands which is now a signature of her game but was unable to keep junior star and reigning champion Fraser at bay. Fraser

was able to press on and secure a 6-3, 6-2 win.

On the other side of the draw, the match went to a nail-biter as rising talent, Nathalie Ramdyhan could not be denied as she battled against Sarah Klautky in her first 18s semi-final and held her nerves but Klautky tasted a 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 victory after drawing on her experiences.

The match will get underway at 22:00h at the GBTI Recreational Facility.

Jeffrey tops time trials as GCF National Championships pedals off T

Foreign Affairs Ministry tape ball tournament on today

he Foreign Affairs Ministry Sports Promotion Tape Ball Competition is on today at the National Culture Centre Tarmac, starting from 09:00h.

According to a release, the event is part of the organisers’ “Fathers’ Day” treat and will have the Minister of Social Protection trophy, medals and $75,000 for the winning team.

The runners-up will receive $40,000 and a trophy, while there will be special prizes for the bowler with the most wickets in the final and the batsman with the most runs in the final.

The competition is open to all teams; however, national players cannot participate in this knockout event. The entrance fee per team is 10,000. Registration closes today and interested teams could reach James Lewis on telephone numbers 628-1656 or 666-5857 for more details.

R

aynauth Jeffrey started off the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) National Championships on a high when he topped a field consisting of Guyana’s top cyclists in the time trials on Saturday morning.

The time trial pedaled off from Hairuni on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway to Long Creek Primary School and back to the starting point in an eight mile run.

Jeffrey topped the field in a time of 14:20.25s while Jamal John came in sharply behind in a time of 14:35s with Romello Crawford (14:58s) to close out the top three in the seniors category.

Curtis Dey was first in the Juniors’ category with a time of 14:56s, Briton John 15:29s and Christopher Cornelius third with a time of 15:58s.

Over in the Veterans’ leg, Leer Nunes (16:06s) placed first some distance ahead of Marc Soniram who came in second in 16:50s and Lennox Jackman 17:08s in third.

Claire Fraser Greene was the top Ladies’ rider with a time of 18:54s.

The GCF National Championship will continue today at 8:00hrs with the road race beginning from Home Stretch Avenue with the Veterans, Juniors, Ladies and Juveniles. The Veterans and Juniors will proceed to camp Wesleyana on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and return to the starting point. The Ladies and the Juveniles will make their way up to Timehri and return to Home Stretch Avenue.

2

Inaugural Berbice Basketball Association tournament begins tonight Raynauth Jeffrey took top place in the time trial on Saturday in the GCF National Championship

Digicel’s Schools Football Championships

double-headers on today in Berbice

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Basketball action will begin in Berbice today

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lay in this year’s Digicel nationwide Schools Football Championship will resume today, with four matches at two venues, commencing from 11:00h.

Over at No 5 Ground in West Berbice, No 8 Secondary will tackle Rosignol Secondary from 11:00h and this game will be followed by the clash between Fort Wellington and Fraser Educational Institute at 13:00h.

At Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Canje Secondary takes on New Amsterdam Secondary at 11:00h, before Berbice High School engages Berbice Educational Institute at 13:00h.

Over 120 schools are participating in this year’s event which is scheduled to end on July 31.

The winning school is set to receive $1 million to go towards a project of their choice, while second, third and fourth placed finishers will collect $700,000, $400,000 and $350,000 respectively, also to go towards ventures of the schools choice.

he first edition of the Berbice Basketball Association (BBA) tournament will begin today at the Fyrish Basketball Court. The tournament which will be under the stewardship of Vibert Garrett, President of the BBA will see six teams vying for the Championship trophy and cash prize.

The tournament which is being sponsored by the Nigel Hinds Financial Corporation will begin with the opening game pitting the Canje XI against the New Amsterdam XI at the Fyrish Court at 16:00h.

Initially seven teams were slated to participate in the tournament which will run on a round robin basis in Two Zones; however Smithfield Rockers have indicated that they are unavailable for the tournament.

Zone A will consist of Fyrish Black Shark, Ithaca Hardliners and Canje while Zone B will have the Rose Hall Jammers, N A Warriors and Hopetown Stealers.

The tournament which begins on June 18 will be played on a weekend basis and is expected to conclude on August 13.

sports

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RHTY&SC Patron’s Green Economy Cricket…

KSM Investment, V-Net Communications joins list of sponsors T

he plans of the eight cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) MS to host one of the biggest ever cricket tournaments in Guyana’s history received a major boost on Tuesday last, when KSM of East Coast Demerara and V-Net Communications of Campbellville, Georgetown, came on board as sponsors.

The teams during the month of July would be hosting an eight-team knock out cricket tournament in honour of President David Granger’s 72nd birthday.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster and Vice President Mark Papannah who are spearheading the planning of the tournament both expressed gratitude to Managing Director of KSM Investment, Mahadeo Panchu and V-Net Communications CEO Safraz Sheriffudeen for their contributions towards the tournament.

KSM Investment apart from making a financial donation would also be providing polo T-shirts for four

teams; an investment of close to $160,000. V-Net Communications handed over a donation of five bicycles that would be distributed to less fortunate children during the presentation ceremony of the tournament under the Club Patron’s Fund Programme.

The RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO reassured both sponsors that the tournament would not only be well organised but would achieve all of its objectives.

The future areas of cooperation include a community project for the 175th anniversary celebration of the purchase of Rose Hall village in 1842 by 57 free slaves.

Foster committed the RHTY&SC and its eight cricket teams towards strengthening relationships with both sponsors.

The tournament bowls off on Saturday, July 1 at the Albion Sports Complex while the Ministry of the Presidency has confirmed that President Granger would be available for the finals and presentation ceremony for July 8. The eight

teams that have confirmed their participation for the tournament are Rose Hall Town Bakewell, Albion, Young Warriors, Blairmont, Tuckber Park, Young Achievers, Kildonan and Upper Corentyne. The first round of matches along with the semi-finals on July 1 will be played using the 10/10 format, while the third place play-off and the finals would be played over 20 overs on July 8. Due to reasons beyond the control of organisers, no Guyana contracted cricketers nor CPL player would be allowed to participate while teams would be allowed a maximum of six first division players who have played more than four Berbice or GCB first division matches in 2016 and 2017 combined. Under 19 players would not be considered first division players.

The prize package of $1 million has already been secured and the winning team would take home $500,000 and a trophy; the first runner-up $300,000 and a trophy; second runner-up $100,000 and trophy; while

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Meten-MeerZorg captures inaugural Daniel Classified Richmond Ads Memorial Cup $5+VAT per word

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he Over-40 team of Meten-MeerZorg claimed the inaugural edition of the Daniel Richmond Memorial Cup with an emphatic win against the Guyana Cricket Umpires and Scorers Council (GCUSC) at the Everest Cricket Club Ground on Saturday when they defeated them by 75 runs.

Zaheer Haniff produced a match-winning performance for the Meten-MeerZorg XI, as he was the top scorer with 31 runs while he bagged 2-17 enroute to victory.

Captain of the Meten-Meer-Zorg Masters Troy Khan receives the trophy from Cheryl Richmond, widow of the late Daniel Richmond

Batting first, the Meten-Meer-Zorg Masters amassed 185 runs off of their allotted 20 overs; openers Tariq Khan with 26 (3 fours, 2 sixes) and Munnishar Balgobin (5 fours) getting them off to a flying start.

The first wicket would fall with the score at 46 when Khan was stumped, he was soon followed by Balgobin who was caught at long off to leave the Masters at 65-2, another wicket just two runs later left the Masters reeling when Shaw Persaud was bowled with the score at 67.

However Jetendra Kishore (30) and Zaheer Hanniff (31) would ensure there was smooth sailing as the masters coasted to a final score of 185.

Chasing 185 would always be a tough task for the Umpires XI who were dismal in their chase, Captain Ryan Banwarie was the top scorer with 25, while Shawn Massiah mustered a spirited 20 and Mario Nichols 10 to be the main contributors as they were skittled out for a paltry 115.

The Memorial Cup is to be an annual event held in the honour of local cricket stalwart Daniel Richmond who died in an accident on Durban Street in May. Trophies for the match were sponsored

by Stars Sports and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

Mario Nichols received a trophy for the best player on the losing side, while Zaheer Haniff carted away the man of the match trophy.

Foster receives sponsorship from V-Net CEO Safraz Sheriffudeen

the third runner-up would receive $50,000. The Man of the Finals would collect $50,000 and a trophy while the four teams that did not place in the tournament would receive $15,000 each.

President David Granger during the presentation ceremony would be distributing schoolbags and bicycles to less fortunate children across Berbice under the RHTY&SC Patron’s Fund Programme, while 20 cricket clubs would also be receiving a large donation of cricket balls under the Club’s Cricket Development Programme. Among the

clubs to benefit would be the eight teams participating along with Bush Lot, Fyrish, No 19, Big Star, Whim, Courtland, Skeldon and Chesney.

Kares Engineering Ltd is the main sponsor of the tournament with sponsorship of the prizes, while the RHTY&SC has announced that entry to the venue would be free of cost. The Club at the end of the tournament would be providing a comprehensive financial statement and report to President Granger and all sponsors.

Atkinson Brothers FC donate footballs to Santa Rosa Secondary O

ne of the participating schools in this year’s Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Championship – Santa Rosa Secondary – received a quantity of footballs and cash from the President of Atkinson Brothers Football Club during a simple ceremony that was conducted in Moruca, North West District, Region One recently.

Making the presentation on behalf of the club was President Ingrid Harris, who handed over the items and cash to Teacher and sport representative, Gerard LaRose.

According to Harris, the gift will help the school prepare for its upcoming engagements in the Digicel Championship and expressed on behalf of the club its blessings of success for the school.

GBA referees/judges hosting fundraising barbeque T

he Referee/Judge Commission of the Guyana Boxing Association will hold a fundraising barbecue this afternoon at the Andrew “Six Head” Lewis Gym in Albouystown, Georgetown. The barbecue is the second fundraising activity hosted by the Commission this year following a similar activity on Mashramani Day. Meals will be served from 14:00h and drinks will be on sale.

The event forms part of the group’s aim to form a surplus of funds which will help them travel when overseas assignments arise.

Only recently is was reported that Guyanese Ramona Agard will officiate in the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) South American Youth Championship later this year. Agard, an AIBA certified One Star Referee/judge, was selected recently by AMBC to be in Chile, South America in September to participate in the tournament.

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guyanatimesgy.com

sundAY, June 18, 2017

Trinidad to host

2017 Hero CPL finals

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) announced in a release on Saturday that the finals of the 2017 tournament will take place at the new Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad from September 5 to 9.

The league enters its fifth year which will make this the third hosting of the event in the twin island republic with St Kitts and Nevis has being the other benefactor.

The release added that the four matches will see the exciting conclusion to the Biggest Party in Sport which

will draw in spectators and television viewers from around the world. Trinidad & Tobago is a vibrant hub of Caribbean cricket and will be an ideal host for the finals, that will see the top four teams from the league stage fight it out for the title.

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy is a state-of-the-art 100,000sqft training and competition venue with a capacity of 15,000-seats. This fantastic facility will be hosting its first Hero CPL matches and the teams will be able to make use of the world-class outdoor nets and training

GMR&SC National Race of Champions…

Deokie gearing towards another dominant performance R ace car driver Daniel Deokie has set his sights on another dominant outing, when he competes at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) second National Race of Champions for the year slated for July 2 at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

In April, Deokie was outstanding in the Sport Tuner (1600cc), winning all three races with some commanding and skilful driving.

“Heading into the second leg of the race of champions I'm looking to take over my good form from our last meet where I had a dominating performance. I’m just looking to continue being consistent,” the racer stated.

Given that he is the ‘man to beat’, the driver is confident that he can once again produce the goods despite the stiff competition expected.

“As long as all goes well according to plan, I am definitely confident of doing well. I've always loved having stiff competition which isn't short in Guyana”.

Though his main focus lies in the 1600cc category, he plans on venturing into the Group Two class with the aim of causing some upsets given that he has

Daniel Deokie and his Honda Civic

made some changes to the car, as he still continues to learn its mechanics.

The Team ER-racing driver also thanked his sponsors D&G Foreign Auto, Robbie's jewellery, Toucan Industries, Scott’s jewellery, Payless Variety Store, Emran and Raymond General Auto, along with Super 95 Gas. Meanwhile, the meeting, which will be used as a warm up for drivers and riders for the second round of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) slated for July 30 at Frankie Boodram Wallerfield International Raceway in Trinidad and Tobago, has seen a large registration of competitors to date.

In Group One, 12 persons have registered; 10 persons for Street Tuner (1500cc) along with eight persons in the Starlet Cup who will add to the four in Group Three.

There are also eight bikes confirmed which included the likes of Mathew Vieira, John Bennett and Kevin Persaud.

In this regard, GMR&SC President Ramez Mohamed is calling on the fans to come out in their numbers to give support.

Mohamed acknowledged that numerous persons would attend the November meet, cheering for their Guyanese drivers but is adamant that the same enthusiasm is need at the local meets to encourage more drivers to compete.

Mohamed, who will be competing in Group Two at the meet, explained that when drivers participate at these local meets, it gives them a chance to become privy to any flaws their machines might have ahead of the favoured November CMRC final round.

The July 2 meet is sponsored by ANSA McAL, Prem’s Electrical, BM Soat, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Ready Mix, Special Auto, Japarts, Ticket Master, Palm Court, KGM, MAC batteries, S Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction, L Mahabir and Sons Cambio and Choke Gas Station. (Akeem Greene)

The fans in the twin Island Republic have “adorned the biggest party in sport”

complex. The North Tower at the academy also houses the ultra-modern written press and broadcast areas.

Damien O’Donohoe, Chief Executive Officer of the Hero CPL said: “We are absolutely delighted to be bringing the Hero CPL finals to Trinidad & Tobago. There is nowhere that can host the CPL finals quite like Trinidad & Tobago. We would like to express out thanks to the Trinidad & Tobago government, especially the Prime Minister, Keith Rowley and the Minister for Youth and Sports, Darryl Smith.

“CPL is without doubt the biggest sports event in the Caribbean and has attracted huge international attention so this is a great opportunity for Trinidad & Tobago to showcase everything that makes this country so special to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

Sports tourism is now creating lots of much needed jobs in the region and so Trinidad and Tobago are set to really benefit from hosting these games.

“Trinidad and Tobago were fantastic hosts of the 2015 Hero CPL finals and I am sure that the games at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy will be even better in 2017.”

Minister Smith said: "What better tribute could we ask for the Academy's namesake and the cricket loving citizens of Trinidad & Tobago? The CPL has become a true spectacle for the game and is enjoyed by cricket lovers across the Caribbean and the world. When the CPL officials visited last month and discussions began, I was quietly confident. We will ensure that it will be one of the best finals in the tournament's history."

The 2017 tournament will run from 4 August – 9 September 2017 with Guyana Amazon Warriors hosting four matches from August 17 to 22. (CPLT20)

guyanatimesgy.com

sundAY, june 18, 2017

23

Lucrative tape ball tournament slated for National Park tarmac

– NSC donates trophies – enthused about his tactical improvement

N

ational Youth player Jeremy Garrett will have another tryout stint at Sporting Clube de Portugal beginning on July 15, where he is attempting to sign for one of Europe’s elite professional teams when he becomes the age of 18.

Ahead of the try-out which will be his second, the 17-year-old is more than confident that he will give a good account of himself once again.

“I’m very confident. I have been putting in the effort and I have the hunger and I want to go back and give it my all and hopefully I can get signed in 2018,” he disclosed to Guyana Times Sport following a training session with A kick in the right direction! Garrett is hoping that he can he make another lasting the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) impression when he goes to Portugal given the input by coach Samson Gilbert Academy programme on Friday at the to improve on his technical and tacti- cal and tactical aspect by having greatTucville Ground. cal awareness, areas which he says has er ball control”.

In December 2016, he placed himThe Fruta Conquerors player exdeveloped. self on the pedestal for greatness “When I was at Portugal they com- pressed immense gratitude for the supwhen he had a successful try-out but mented on my speed, agility and fit- port of his coach Samson Gilbert, footcould not sign since the Fédération ness but the aspects I had to develop ball stalwart Alex Bunbury, who made Internationale de Football Association were my technical and tactical skills. the try-out possible, along with his (FIFA) under its Article 19 of rules and The first touch was what they told me family and friends. regulations which relates to ‘Protection The Chase Academic Foundation to improve”. of Minors’, states that “International He further stated, “Preparations Football team captain is also eager to transfers of players are only permitted are going good with both club and coun- play whatever impacting role he can if the player is over the age of 18.” try I must commend the GFF Academy prior to departure in his team’s title Touting the experience as life Programme which has been helping defence of Digicel’s School Football changing, the centre-back was advised my development in terms of the techni- Championship. (Akeem Greene)

Director of Sport Christopher Jones (centre) with organisers of the tournament, Dwight Dodson (left) and Kefa Naughton after Jones presented several trophies for the event

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oday promises to be an exciting day for tape ball players who will compete for glory, cash and other prizes in the inaugural edition of Transcend Entertainment Tape Ball Knockout Tournament at the National Park.

Cricket lovers will be in for a treat as emerging and top local teams clash for over $500,000 in cash and prizes in the event.

Up to press time last night, 30 teams were guaranteed entry and it is not too late for teams to register to play.

However, registration will close at 08:30h today.

The entrance fee is $10,000 and each team will receive a case of drinks upon arrival on game day. The first ball bowls off at 09:00h.

The event has been boosted through the kind compliments of the following business entities: Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies, Banks DIH, Church's Chicken, Star Party Rentals, National Sports Commission, Seepaul's Sports Bar and Seeta's Sports Bar. These businesses are joined by Imperial Trading, Movement Auto Rental, Xavier's Investments, Precision Auto Works, Leading Edge and Squires Realty, all of which have contributed in some department.

Interested persons are asked to contact Kefa Naughton on telephone number 664-5035.

SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Trinidad to host

Pg 22

2017 Hero CPL finals GMR&SC National Race of Champions…

Deokie gearing towards another dominant performance Pg 22

Pg 23

– enthused about his tactical improvement Garrett has been hard at work to ensure he prorforms at his optimum on reurn to Portugal

Waving the chequered flag after a race has become a common sight with the driver at the South Dakota Circuit (Mikey Spice Photo)

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June 18, 2017

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Capturing the Essence of F atherhood

Page 2

2 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 18, 2017

Feature

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hrough their art, Shimuel Jones and Michael Griffith capture the meaning of fatherhood, saying that fathers should not only be financial providers, but also nurturers.

Shimuel Jones is a Guyanese artist noted for possessing immense skill in painting, drawing or sculpting.

His thought-provoking piece “Father and Son” depicts a son embraced by his father.

“What is most significant about this painting is the book that the child is holding. As a father, it is important to not only be a monetary provider, but someone who nurtures the mind of his children. Reading is one of the many ways a father can educate and nurture the minds of his children,” Joel explained in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Being the third of his siblings, he described his childhood as “pretty interesting” since he safely enjoyed it.

Jones’ father is an artist, so one can say he was born with this special talent, which was also nurtured by his father.

Griffith's drawing showing the bond between a father and daughter

A heart-warming painting by Griffith

This ‘nurturing’ eventually helped Jones become a notable artist. His accomplishments

include working for a number of charities in Guyana and showcasing his works at many

art shows, including performing art shows.

Jones’ exhibitions and awards include Marriott Hotel Guyana exhibition (2016); Inter- Guiana Cultural Festival (IGCF) Georgetown, Guyana Competitions 2016; Wine and Art Competition 2015; Jazz and Art Exhibition 2013 - Carifesta XI Paramaribo, Suriname; Nola Hatterman Art Exhibition Paramaribo, Suriname 2013; Tenth Biennial Republic Bank Drawing Competition 2013; Guyana Visual Arts Competition, receiving the Promising Artist Award 2013; Inter- Guiana Cultural Festival (IGCF) Cayenne French Guiana; University of Guyana Graduating Class Exhibition 2012; Ninth Biennial Republic Bank Drawing Competition receiving the Bronze Medal and Honourable Award 2012; Folklore Exhibition - In commemoration of African Heritage Month in Guyana 2011; Guyana Visual Arts Competition - shortlisted 2009;

Seventh Biennial Republic Bank Sponsored Drawing Competition receiving first prize.

Explaining his artworks capturing the essence of fatherhood, Michael Griffith said: “My piece with the family more or less depicts the father’s willingness to care for his family. The gentle kiss on the forehead is a sign of respect and patience. His outstretched arms enclosing them signify him being a protector. This union between mom and dad serves as an example to the observing child. My other drawing with the father and daughter captures the bond between a young girl and her dad. Her adoration for him is mirrored in the way she kisses him, as if she’s saying, ‘Thank you for being my dad.”

In an interview with this publication, Griffith mentioned that he grew up in a humble home in South Georgetown.

He revealed that he had to drop out of school at 16 to contribute to his family.

“In order to accommodate my desire to draw I had to find a flexible job without supervision so I sold watches on the pave. I practiced my art, improving my skills with experience alone. In September 2009, I joined the Burrowes’ School of Art’s evening oneyear certificate programme.

This was significant in polishing my drawing skills. After that my life changed and I took art as a profession more seriously,” he recalled.

Knowing the importance of a father figure, due to his personal experiences, Griffith dedicatedly cares for his own family, especially his two daughters.

His dedication to his work, in order to provide for his family, has helped him to receive many accolades. For his outstanding portraits, the artist copped first prize in the Guyana Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition 2012 and first prize in the Guyana Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition 2014.

"Father and Child" (2016) by Shimuel Jones

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 18, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Feature

The ‘Superdad’ from Essequibo A single-parent, amputee and toy maker, Richard Moshette is defying all odds to care for his three children

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Crafting his toys

wo years ago, Richard Moshette made a lifechanging decision to amputate his right leg, due to diabetes. This “difficult decision” was made to ensure he would live to care for his three sons, but losing his leg was not Richard’s only heartrending loss.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Richard disclosed that after he was diagnosed with diabetes, and had to later amputate his leg, his wife left him after 13 years together.

“She left me and our three sons. It was the saddest moment. Living without a wife is one of the most difficult experiences. There

sons (Tariq, Kevin and Eric) is the sole breadwinner of his family. Richard said he not only fulfils his responsibilities as a father, but tries to “fill the gap” as a result of his wife’s absence, “providing the love and attention” his sons need.

The doting father also mentioned that although he struggles with just one leg, he ensures his children’s breakfast and lunch are prepared before they go off to school.

“Getting around on one leg is difficult and tiring, but I am determined to earn so that I can send my boys to school. I only had primary education, but I want

tors during his childhood.

He then visited a nearby sawmill and requested “scrap” wood, which he crafted into a fun toy tractor. Subsequently, he made a toy Hymac, a truck and an entire house. Richard’s wooden toys were applauded by fellow villagers, which motivated him to continue his craft.

The crafter said one of his toy tractors would take almost one week to build, as he spends time “neatly chiselling” them. Toys range from GYD$3,000 to GYD$12,000 – depending on what is requested.

“I spend sleepless nights trying to earn an extra dolRichard's sons

is no one to advise you when life gets complicated. But, I am determined to continue caring for my children, and to exercise faith,” Richard declared.

A resident of Anna Regina New Housing Scheme, in Region Two, the 42-year-old father of three

my boys to be educated and have a bright future,” the devoted father expressed.

Before his amputation, Richard worked as carpenter; however, he had to search for another source of income after losing his leg. That was when he remembered making toy trac-

Note to Readers

As you peruse this week’s Sunday Times Magazine, you will notice that the publication is now 16 pages, with additional changes in content. These pertinent adjustments were made in an effort to produce a comprehensive publication focused on promoting more local content. Your feedback is valuable to us, hence we invite your comments/suggestions, which you can send to guyanatimes@gmail.com or call us on 223-7230/31.

We thank you for your continued support.

lar for my children. I will never give up as a father.

Though the money isn’t a lot, as I don’t get much orders, I still try to make ends meet. I am determined to make my children happy,” Richard conveyed.

The toy maker said he is grateful to God and his mother, Rosie Moshette, for giving him faith and support.

His advice to his fellow single fathers is “to have patience and always think positively; only then will things work out”.

This publication also interviewed Richard’s 15-year-old son, Kevin, who communicated that he truly admires the determination

Richard displays his handcrafted toys

of his “superdad”.

“I won't trade him for anyone else,” Kevin said staunchly.

Kevin stated that on Father's Day, he and his brothers make a card for their father, recognising his invaluable efforts. During the interview, Kevin expressed his gratitude for his father by hugging and kissing him.

Richard’s mother also expressed admiration for her son’s efforts in caring for his children. She said Richard aptly takes care of his household without seeking her help, and for that she is proud.

Outlining the benefits of getting a prosthetic leg, Richard said it will aid in him being more mobile and be better able to provide for

his sons. He also hopes to get more orders for his toys.

To contact Richard, please call 592-612-8612.

(Indrawattie Natram) Kevin lovingly hugs his father

4

Sunday Times Magazine

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Feature

By Utamu Belle

O

ne of my fondest childhood memories of my father, which will remain with me forever, is him carrying me on his shoulders to watch the fireworks display to ring in the new year. I am usually overwhelmed when I get nostalgic about my father, because I realised that spending quality time with him was one of the things that brought joy to my little heart.

Today, we celebrate the unconditional love of all fathers, whether biological or adoptive.

Sunday Times Magazine interviewed two hardworking fathers in Linden for this special Father’s Day feature. They recalled their experiences as fathers and the importance of “being there” for their children.

Joel Gonsalves is a young father of a five-year-old daughter. He admitted that having a daughter has been a bit of a challenge, as he believes “extra care is needed when raising girls”. However, he enjoys every bit of his role as a father.

“Seeing a smile on her face is what brings me happiness. Once she looks through the window and sees me, she would run down the steps and jump up on me. That is what brings me joy; to know that every day I can put a smile on her face. I would give her the world; I would give her everything,” the father declared.

Victor Fernandes

Joel described a “good father as one which sets the right example” and “teaching children that sometimes they may not get everything they want”, a

lesson he teaches his daughter.

What irks Joel are fathers who neglect and abuse their children. “I can’t see how anyone can abuse their own blood. I'm very peculiar with my daughter. I'm very protective of her,” he declared.

Joel quipped that his only impediment as a father is that he spoils his daughter.

“What I find is that some parents don't really have plans for their children’s future. So I would advise them to ensure they do. When you invest in their future and they’re successful, then you have had your reward as a parent,” he urged.

This publication also interviewed Victor Fernandes, father of a 28-yearold daughter. He explained that fatherhood comes with “numerous responsibilities and commitment”.

“As a father, you have a responsibility to nurture and mould the family, give guidance, ensure security in every respect, ensure that financial needs are met and everything is provided for,” the doting father expressed.

Victor said he and his daughter have “always been friends”, because he wants her to feel free to approach him anytime.

He gives her advice as a father and also as a friend.

Expressing disappointment in those fathers who have neglected their roles, Victor said: “There are fathers who

Joel Gonsalves

are not respected because they are absent from their children’s lives. Being a father is a sacred and serious role; it should not be taken lightly.”

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Sunday Times Magazine

Times Women

A

positive father-daughter relationship can have a huge impact on a young girl's life. A father's influence in his daughter's life shapes her self-esteem, self-image and confidence. This is solidified by the Miss World Guyana 2017 contestants.

Sunday Times Magazine interviewed a few of the contestants who spoke about the bond with their fathers.

Nitifah Thompson sends out Father's Day greeting to all fathers. She especially mentioned her stepfather, who she said “has been a father to me for so many years and I'm grateful for it”.

Hemwantie Seodat noted that “a father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light to show us the way”. She described her father as her “hero” and expressed her love and gratitude for him.

Ariell Ghanie: “Fathers were meant to love, protect, nurture and comfort their families from the challenges of life. Thank you, dad, for being there when I needed a shoulder to cry on. Also, for helping me to be a strong and confident woman!”

Vena Mookram expressed: “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me. I am truly grateful and blessed for my dad.”

Crystal Wills poetically said: “The man I call my father, he is a giant with big strong hands that hold my heart in his own. The words he speaks are apples of gold that can melt a heart of stone. His laugh is contagious; his smile sincere; his life is a book read far and near. His love gives generous helpings to all; for a father, you see, is always on call. His thoughts are old-fashioned, and sometimes his clothes; but godliness clothes him from his head to his toes. He has numerous flaws, which he often speaks of, but our family is blind and covers in love. Long after he’s gone, a sweet legacy stays filling the hearts of our family with praise.”

Thamesha Watson, in describing her father, stated: “Dad, you are the best man in my life and the greatest hero to me. Your words and actions are those of love, understanding, tolerance and kindness. Sometimes you’re taken for granted and not always cherished. Sometimes I hurt you without even realising the pain I caused. On this day, I dedicate this expression of love and appreciation for everything you have done for me, continue to do and will always do.”

Manisha Wong said that “from a daughter’s point-of-view, it is not a father’s job to teach his daughter how to be a lady, but to teach her how a lady should be treated. As such, I want to thank my dad for all he has done to empower me”.

Sharda Pramdeo said: “This Father’s Day, let us give thanks for the innumerable blessings we’ve received from both our earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father. To all those special people in our lives we call daddy, dad, baba, papa or father; we honour you with all the love and respect you deserve, especially for the efforts you have made to make our lives so fruitful!”

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JUNE 18, 2017

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Literary Corner

By Petamber Persaud

F

rank Birbalsingh is not contented to rest on his laurels in any area of his expertise, including deserved labels/titles such as ‘literary critic’, ‘prolific book reviewer’, ‘exceptional anthologist’, ‘cricket historian’, ‘oral historian’, ‘specialist of West Indian and Indo-Caribbean literature’ and ‘author’.

His achievements include massive, and oftentimes, ground-breaking scholarly works like “Jahaji Bhai: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Literature” (1988); “Indenture and Exile: The Indo-Caribbean Experience” (1989); “Indo-Caribbean Resistance” (1993); “Jahaji: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Fiction” (2002); “Passion and Exile: Essays in Caribbean Literature” (1988); “Frontiers of Caribbean Literature” (1996); “Novels and the Nation: Essays in Canadian Literature” (1995); “Neil Bissoondath: The Indo-Caribbean-Canadian Diaspora” (2005); “Guyana and Caribbean: Reviews, Essays and Interviews - The Rise of West Indian Cricket” (1996); “The People's Progressive Party of Guyana, 1950-1992: An Oral History” (2007); “Indo-Caribbean Test Crickets and the Quest for Identity” (2014); and “Guyana: History and Literature” (2016).

Resting on his laurels is not an option for Birbalsingh; rather, he now sits back and rearranges the feathers in his cap, shaping and designing them into monumental literary works. He aims at additional targets in his lifelong quest to share knowledge, correct falsification of our literary heritage and to bring elucidation. This is what he does in his two most recent publications: “Guyana: History and Literature” (2016) and “West Indian History and Literature” (2016).

The comprehensiveness achieved in “Guyana: History and Literature”, Birbalsingh tries to replicate in “West Indian History and Literature”, with slightly less success. With “Guyana: History and Literature”, he was dealing with the history and literature of one country – a place close to his heart, a place on which he was writing since his first major publication. With “West Indian History and Literature”, the scope of coverage/scholarship extends to numerous countries - all with varying cultural, social issues and political backgrounds - even though all of these countries share a commonality in sugar, slavery, indentureship, colonialism and Anglo-centric economic model, which had ‘psycho-sociological effects that instilled and codified cultural imitativeness, subservience and habits of dependence’.

Birbalsingh, a master anthologist and oral historian, was up to the challenge, producing yet another document of immense value.

Frank Birbalsingh

“West Indian History and Literature” covers the history and literature of the Anglophone Caribbean, the West Indies - a region that was Columbus’ mistake - a mistake of a name that has come into common usage.

Basically, this significant document contains 88 reviews of books by 81 authors, of which more than one third are women writers. The themes explored are wide-ranging with far-reaching effects, coming from way in the past and reaching into the present, including exploitation, healing, innovation, psychological mimicry, identity, universal transience, emigration and the diaspora, divisions in race, colour and class, independence and its aftermath.

The most formidable element of this book is that its author relies heavily on works of fiction and poetry, staking his reputation of sound scholarship. But Birbalsingh knows the landscape too well to falter in his quest, as he states, “writers of historical fiction” … steer... “dexterously… between history and fiction, without slipping completely into either”. He is circumspect and his reputation is intact, in

fact, his reputation has grown.

And Birbalsingh supports his claims with samples of literature from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, bringing to the fore rare and out-of-print texts.

For instance, to kick-start his history of the region, Birbalsingh uses texts like “The Discovery of Guiana” (1596) and “Creoleana” (1842), the first novel by a nativeborn author.

To mark the end of slavery and the beginning of the Indian experience in the Caribbean, he cites “Busha’s Mistress” (1855); “Corentyne Thunder” (1941); and “The Cup and the Lip” (1953).

Fast forward to independence, which did not bring the promised changes, he turns to the pages of “Independence” (2014), and other works.

Then there was the creation of the diaspora and the pains of homelessness in the pages of “A Distant Shore” and “The Small fortune of Dorothea Q”.

Along with the history of the region, Birbalsingh matches the history of the region with the history of its literature in a seemingly seamless manner.

In the end, it is “all’s well that ends well” or so we hope as addressed in the closing paragraphs of both the preface and introduction in the book. In the preface, it states that “‘West Indian History and Literature’ offers observations, opinions and reactions that prove defiant, sustaining, enduring” and “a human capacity to endure trial and tribulation until evil exhaust itself”. And the introduction concludes with the moot that Caribbean experience is a collection of remnants and bits and pieces coming from our varies ancestries and “that daily, human transactions are largely a matter of mixing memories and matching fragments, improving, devising and creating in a continuing, daily, Caribbean effort to survive and endure”.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

Footprints “Walk a little slower daddy,” said a child so small.

“I'm following in your footsteps and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast, Sometimes they're hard to see; So walk a little slower, daddy, For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up, You're what I want to be; Then I will have a little child Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right, And know that I was true; So, walk a little slower, daddy, For I must follow you.”

- Anonymous

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JUNE 18, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Times Heritage

‘The Father of Trade Unionism’

H

ubert Nathaniel Critchlow [often referred to as the “Father of Trade Unionism”] was born in Georgetown on December 18, 1884. His father, James Nathaniel Critchlow, had emigrated from Barbados and was employed as a wharf foreman by the Booker Group of Companies, while his mother Julia Elizabeth Critchlow, née Daniels, was originally from the Essequibo coast.

Young Hubert Critchlow attended the Bedford Wesleyan Primary School, but left when he was 13 years old, after his father died. He had reached up to Standard 4 (equivalent to Grade 6 in [today’s] schools), but he felt that he had to find a job to help maintain his home.

While attending school, Critchlow excelled in sports and continued to do so as a young man. He soon became a popular sports figure, and during the period 1905-1914 he was the country's mid-

workers' rights, and was always called upon to represent their case to employers in the years that followed.

During the strikes in 1917, he represented the interest of waterfront workers in collective bargaining, and by then was regarded as the leader of all waterfront workers. He became even more popular when he helped to secure increase wages for them.

Governor, Sir Wilfred Colet. It was after this meeting that Critchlow developed the idea of forming a trade union, and he immediately began making the arrangements for its formation. The union, the British Guiana Labour Union (BGLU), was eventually established on January 11, 1919.

The union experienced numerous problems on its establishment. The employers saw it as a

he never stopped being a spokesman for the workers, and publicised their grievances and demanded improved working conditions and better wages for them.

But he faced opposition from the more educated members of the union who felt that his limited education should not allow him to have such high responsibilities. These members, who were in the minority, wanted a doctor or a

Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow

dle-distance athletic champion. He was also a good footballer and cricketer.

Soon after Critchlow left school, he worked as an apprentice at the Demerara Foundry, and at the turn of the centu-

ry, he obtained employment as a dock labourer on the waterfront. Due to his active representation of his fellow workers during the 1905 strike in Georgetown, his popularity grew. He continued to champion

Statue of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow on the lawns of the Parliament Building (Photo by Amanda Richards)

New Amsterdam prison, Berbice, British Guiana n.d.

Rainy day on Water Street, Georgetown (1935)

In the period of 191718, Critchlow led a petition for an 8-hour day.

He was pressured by the Chamber of Commerce to withdraw his name from the petition, after all the other petitioners were forced to do so, but he obstinately refused.

He was immediately fired from his job and blacklisted from obtaining employment, and he had to depend on assistance from close friends for sustenance.

Being unemployed, he devoted all his time to the campaign for the 8-hour work day. In December 1918, he and a small delegation of workers met with the

force aimed at fomenting industrial unrest, and issued open threats to workers who were union members. Despite this, membership grew and by the end of its first year, it had more than 7,000 financial members comprising waterfront workers, tradesmen, sea defence and road workers, railroad workers, balata bleeders and miners, some Government employees and hundreds of sugar estate labourers.

Branches of the union were also set up in various parts of the country.

Critchlow was employed on a full-time basis by the union, and

lawyer to lead the union.

In January 1920, at a meeting of the union, a motion was introduced requesting Critchlow to hand over all the union's funds to Dr. T. T. Nichols, and two lawyers, J. S. Johnson and McClean Ogle.

But the motion was rejected by a huge majority and a vote of confidence in Critchlow was passed. Today, a statue of Critchlow stands on the lawns of the Parliament Building.

(Information from “The Guyana Story From Earliest Times to Independence” by Dr. Odeen Ishmael)

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JUNE 18, 2017

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Travel & Tourism

A section of the village

P

arabara is a small indigenous community located in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), along the scenic Kuyuwini River.

The village was founded in 1969 and was occupied by six households. Now, the village is populated by persons who have migrated from different communities, amounting to about 23 households. The residents’ first language is Wai-Wai; second, Wapishana;

and third, English.

Major economic activities in this quiet and scenic village are farming, fishing and hunting.

A primary school, ‘health hut’, church, ‘rest house’ and village office are Parabara’s main buildings.

(Village information from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs website, http://moipa.gov.gy.

Photos from http:// mykenlara-guyana. blogspot.com)

Canoe moored at Parabara landing

Scenic mountain and savannah on the way to Parabara

Loaded canoe arrives at Parabara landing on the Kuyuwini River

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Sunday Times Magazine 9

Healthy Living

Foods for Lower

D

espite its prevalence, heart failure symptoms are largely underrecognized, in part because people don’t understand the condition. Find out more about heart failure, and the warnings signs you should be mindful of below.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a serious, chronic condition in which the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop working. It means that your heart is not able to pump blood the way it should. Heart failure is sometimes described as having a weak heart.

H e a r t failure is also associated with a lower fiveyear survival rate following h o s p i t a l discharge than some cancers (e.g., breast cancer in women and bowel cancer in men).

Is heart failure different than having a heart attack?

Heart failure and heart attack are both serious conditions under the umbrella term of cardiovascular disease, but are very different from each other. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, starving part of the heart from oxygen. Heart failure on the other hand, is a slower, more progressive condition that can be silent as the heart muscle is gradually weakened, until the point where it can no longer pump blood around the body, as it should. Heart failure can be managed with a low-salt diet, regular physical activity, and medication.

The risk of developing heart failure increases with age. But anyone can develop the condition, which is serious and chronic.

Heart failure is more common in: People who are 65 or older. Individuals also may have had conditions for many years that led to heart failure, such as high blood pressure and obesity.

African-Americans are at increased risk of heart failure and may develop the condition at a younger age.

People who have certain behaviors

F

ood poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. Below are some pertinent practices you must adhere to when pregnant in order to avoid food poisoning.

You can avoid food poisoning during pregnancy by not eating some foods; washing your hands before handling food; thoroughly washing all fruit and vegetables, including prepared salads, before eating; washing your hands, all surfaces and utensils after preparing raw meat; thoroughly cooking raw meat so there is no trace of pink or blood; heating ready meals until they are piping hot all the way through – this is especially important for meals containing poultry; keeping leftovers covered in the fridge and using them within two days; eating food before it has passed its “use by” date; crosscontamination (when harmful bacteria is spread between food, surfaces and equipment).

There are several types of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. These include: salmonella, campylobacter, listeria, and E. coli

Salmonella

Salmonella is found in raw meat and poultry; unpasteurised milk; raw eggs and

including smoking, eating foods high in salt, fat and cholesterol, not getting enough physical activity, or being overweight.

People who have had coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and/or have had heart attacks.

If you relate with any of the above risk factors, it is critical that you adjust your lifestyle to help prevent or manage heart failure. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about your risk of heart failure.

How can I recognize the symptoms of heart failure?

The warning signs and symptoms of heart failure can be obvious, such as sudden weight gain. But oftentimes they can be subtle and under recognized.

Signs and symptoms include: Shortness of breath with everyday activities, like walking the dog or climbing a flight of stairs. Sometimes people purposely avoid taking the stairs so they don’t have to feel this symptom.

Swelling in legs, feet and ankles, which can feel like your shoes or socks are too tight.

Trouble sleeping when lying flat, such as needing to sleep with more than one pillow.

Feeling tired from simple activities, such as exhaustion from making the bed or getting the mail.

Rapid weight gain, such as 3 or more pounds in a day or 5 pounds or more in a week.

You need to speak with your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms.

What lifestyle changes may help me manage heart failure?

Heart failure can be managed through proper lifestyle changes, including an eating low salt diet and getting in regular physical activities as well as taking medication. The good news is guideline-recommended treatment options have been updated, and patients should speak with their doctor to determine whether their current regimen is still right for them. (www.doctoroz.com)

raw egg products.

Although salmonella food poisoning is unlikely to harm your baby, it can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting.

To reduce your risk of salmonella infection avoid raw or partially cooked eggs and food that may contain them, such as homemade mayonnaise – cook eggs until the whites and yolks are solid; and avoid raw or partially cooked meat, especially poultry

Campylobacter

Campylobacter is found in raw and undercooked meat, especially poultry; unpasteurised milk; and untreated water.

You can reduce your risk of campylobacter infection by washing your hands thoroughly before preparing and eating food, and after handling raw food; not washing raw poultry (The United States Department of Agriculture reports: “Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe. However, some of the bacteria are so tightly attached that you could not remove them no matter how many times you washed. But there are other types of bacteria that can be easily washed off and splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen. Failure to clean these contam-

C

holesterol levels matter, regardless of how young you are. A 35-yearold who lives with high cholesterol for two decades could see her risk for heart disease increase by 93 percent. To avoid that fate, cut out trans fats and cigarettes, limit saturated fats, and pick up these heart-happy foods.

analysis. Results were even greater in those who were diabetic or obese. Soy may reduce the body’s ability to produce cholesterol and increase its rate of deterioration, says lead study author Oluwabunmi Tokede.

Oats

We know oats can lower overall cholesterol, but a meta-analysis recently found that they can also reduce two lesstalked-about measurements of bad cholesterol: non-HDL cholesterol and apoB. “Mounting evidence indicates that high levels of these can lead to increased risk of heart attack or stroke,” says lead study author Vladimir Vuksan, PhD.

Avocado

When overweight people had an avocado a day as part of a moderatefat diet, they lowered bad (LDL) cholesterol by 10 percent and total cholesterol by 8 percent compared with when they ate an average American diet, according to research. “Avocados contain fiber and other nutrients that help block the body’s absorption of cholesterol,” says lead study author Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD.

Beans

Consuming 130 grams (between a half and one cup) of legumes every day may lower LDL by roughly 5 percent, according to a 2014 meta-analysis. “That correlates to roughly a 5 percent reduction in risk for heart attack and stroke,” says study coauthor John L. Sievenpiper, MD, PhD. (www.oprah.com)

Soy

Eating 14 to 50 grams of soy foods (e.g., edamame, tofu) daily for one to four months lowered total cholesterol by 2 percent, LDL by 3 percent, and triglycerides (the fat associated with heart disease) by 4 percent, according to a 2015 meta-

inated areas can lead to foodborne illness.

Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, and grilling) to the right temperature kills the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary”); keeping cooked food away from raw food; cooking food thoroughly, especially meat and poultry, so that it’s piping hot; keeping all kitchen surfaces and equipment clean, such as chopping boards and dish cloths; not drinking untreated water from lakes, rivers or streams.

Roquefort; not eating pâté of any kind, including vegetable pâté; not drinking unpasteurised milk – only drink pasteurised or UHT milk; heating ready meals or reheated food until they’re piping hot all the way through; making sure your fridge is set at 5C or below and working correctly; not using food after its “use by” date; eating food taken out of the fridge within four hours – after this time, it should be thrown away.

Listeria

Escherichia coli, often known as E. coli, are bacteria found in the digestive systems of many animals, including humans. Most strains are harmless but some can cause serious illness.

Most cases of E. coli food poisoning occur after eating undercooked beef (particularly mince, burgers and meatballs) or drinking unpasteurised milk.

The incubation period for food poisoning caused by E. coli is typically one to eight days. The symptoms usually last for a few days or weeks.

Of course, if you suspect you have food poisoning do not hesitate to contact your doctor. And as always, “prevention is better than cure”. (www.nhs.uk)

Listeria can cause an infection called listeriosis. Although the infection is rare, even a mild form of listeriosis in a pregnant woman can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or severe illness in newborn babies.

Listeria can be found in unpasteurised milk and in many chilled foods, including: pâté, mould-ripened soft cheeses and soft blue-veined cheeses; cooked sliced meats; and smoked salmon You can reduce your risk of listeriosis by not eating mould-ripened soft cheeses – such as brie, camembert, chèvre (a type of goats’ cheese) and others with a similar rind; not eating soft blue-veined cheeses – such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

10 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 18, 2017

Fashion Trends

B

neckwear

ow ties are classic neckwear pieces that easily add singular personality to your everyday rigs.

Recently, Guyanese designer Andy Cummings launched a fashionable collection of bow ties, showcasing his designing talents in creating applauded pieces for the gentleman who prefers a distinct look.

“My new breed of bow ties is for the new-age, high fashion men who are tired of plain ties. The Caribbean is known for a lot of tie-dye and discharge, so I introduce my new tie-dye and discharge bow ties. Because I cannot forget my African heritage, I use bold African prints with bright colours, which always stands out from ‘normal’ ties,” the designer explained in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.

Tip: There is no way to subtly wear a bow tie, as they are statement pieces. Bow ties can become a conversation piece or the centre of attention, which makes choices about pattern and shape more important. The bow tie you choose will end up saying a lot about your personality and your character – so choose wisely.

To contact the designer, email a.acummings68@yahoo.com.

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JUNE 18, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

Saltfish Patties Ingredients

8 oz saltfish, soaked overnight and flaked 1/2 cup sweet peppers, chopped 1/3 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1 tbsp crushed garlic 2 tsp thyme 2 tsp oregano 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp oil 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp ketchup 1/2 tsp finely chopped hot pepper (optional) 3 cup flour 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar

Menswear patterns are classics that are meant to stand the test of time. So, naturally, you should be decorating with them, too.

The pinstripe may be the most quintessential and sophisticated fabric that menswear has ever known. It also happens to be the most decorfriendly, as it can be used in a variety of ways and is easy on the eyes. Case in point: this wallpaper in a cozy reading corner. The addition of modern furniture pieces gives it masculine appeal.

3/4 cup margarine 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water

Method

Add water, ketchup and hot pepper and cook on low for an additional To make the dough - Mix flour, 10 minutes until the water has baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add margarine and rub in evaporated.

To make the patty - Divide the using your hands until it resembles a dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll into an crumble. Add water and mix to form a oblong shape and fill with a spoonful dough, then set aside.

To make the filling - Add oil to a pan of saltfish filling leaving an inch border and cook peppers, celery and onion around the edges. Fold dough over and cook until softened, about five filling to form an oblong shape and press the ends close with a fork. minutes.

Fry in hot oil until golden brown on Add garlic, thyme, oregano and tomato paste and cook for an additional both sides. Serve warm. (Recipe and minute or two. Add flaked salt fish and photo from www.jehancancook.com) cook for about five minutes.

Plaid instantly defines this bedroom. The key here is not to overdo the pattern. Be sure to keep colours light and neutral and lines nice and clean.

Greatest Cooking Tips

Vinegar may help remove bacteria and pesticide residues from fruits and veggies. Mix three parts water to one part white vinegar, and dispense in a spray bottle. Then rinse with water.

Store fresh herbs as you would fresh flowers: in a jar of water on your countertop. Pluck off what you need, change the water daily, and they'll last two to three times longer than they would in the fridge.

You'll get the most extra mileage from flat-leaf parsley.

Replace the bread crumbs in pasta dishes with finely chopped nuts for extra flavour and a shot of protein.

When adding ground spices to bread or cake batter, cream the spices with the butter and sugar instead of adding them with the other dry ingredients. The fat in the butter helps disperse the flavours of the spices for a much more intense taste.

Home Help Got grass stains? No problem. Make a mixture of one-third cup white vinegar and two-thirds cup water. Apply the solution to the stain and blot with a clean cloth. Repeat this process until you've removed as much green as possible, and then launder as usual.

Battle some carpet stains (like wine) with a mix of vinegar and warm water.

Having trouble getting that annoying sticky label residue off a product? Or accidentally glue something together? Try using vinegar as a solvent to dissolve many common adhesives. Vinegar is also good at cutting grease.

Tableware in plaid, napkins in herringbone and a tablecloth in pinstripes create a warm, classic look for a special meal.

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Fun Facts/Puzzles

Fun Facts

There are so many things out there that we deal with or see every day, but have no idea what they are called. Here are a few: 1. Tines - The prongs on a fork.

2. Box tent - The table in the middle of a pizza box.

3. Barm - The foam on a beer.

4. Overmorrow - The day after tomorrow.

5. Rasceta - The lines on the inside of your wrist.

6. Minimus - Your little toe or finger.

7. Agraffe - The wired cage that holds the cork in a bottle of champagne.

8. Snellen chart - The chart you look at when you take an eye exam.

9. Obelus - The division sign (รท).

10. Phloem bundles - Those long stringy things you see when peeling a banana.

Creature Corner

Geoffroy's Marmosets

Spot the Difference

M

armosets are small, squirrellike monkeys that have many features that are unusual among

primates.

Geoffroy's marmosets are omnivores native to the lowland rainforests of Brazil.

Males and females

look similar; Geoffroy's marmosets have a blackishbrown coat with elongated black ear tufts. They have a white forehead, cheeks and throat, with dark brown under parts and a black tail that is lightly ringed.

They are about 8 inches in length plus a tail of about 11 inches and weigh between 9 to 13 ounces.

Marmosets eat fruits, flowers, and nectar, as well as animal prey including frogs, snails, lizards, spiders and insects. They also eat the gum of trees, produced by trees' defense system against damage to its bark. These monkeys are the only primates that regularly gouge their own holes to tap this gum (often gum is produced as a response to insect boring).

Marmosets have relatively large incisors that they use as a chisel to collect the gum. The marmosets anchor their upper incisors in the bark and gouge upwards with the lower incisors. The amount of gum recovered is usually quite small and marmosets only spend about two minutes at any one hole.

Geoffroy's marmosets live in large social groups that can include as many as 20 individuals (more commonly groups of eight to 10) in which fathers, as well as other group members, provide extensive care for the young. Adult offspring may remain in the group and help care for their younger siblings.

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Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

A

pple is introducing a convenient new WiFi password-sharing feature in iOS 11.

The next time somebody wants to connect to your home network, you won’t need to go through the hassle of rummaging around for your password card and, once you’ve found it, desperately hoping they type out the complex string of characters correctly.

Instead, you’ll be able to get them connected with a single tap of a button.

When an Apple device running iOS 11 tries to connect to your Wi-Fi network for the first time, your Apple device - as long as it is also running iOS 11 - will display a prompt saying ‘Share Your Wi-Fi’.

If you’re happy to proceed, simply hit the ‘Send Password’ button, and the other per-

Tech BYTE

Y

instant hit. iOS 11 will arrive as a free update later this year, but not all Apple customers will be

son’s handset will connect to the network automatically.

The new feature was spotted by 9to5Mac, which says that the devices need to be close to each other and unlocked for the feature to work.

It’s a slick solution to an annoying, everyday issue, and should therefore prove an

Fidget Spinners – Why are they so addictive?

ou may have noticed a recent craze for fidget spinners, mostly popular with youths and professionals.

The toy has been lauded as a way for young people to manage anxiety and Attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD (although this has been disputed by experts).

The fidget-spinner craze has taken off due to the toy’s immediately addictive nature. The sensation that comes from holding a fast-spinning contraption is a large part of its appeal.

As you tilt it back and forth while it whirrs, you can feel the various spinning forces roll in your hand.

The fidget spinner is a small device that fits in your hand. It is usually made up of two parts – a central bearing that you grip with your index finger and thumb, and a threepronged rotational blade that spins around it once you give it a flick with your free hand.

The real fun comes from trying to pull off various tricks and stunts with a spinner as these forces take hold. As it spins, it can be balanced on top of fingers, toes, and if you’re really daring, your nose or forehead. If you have more than one you can stack them on top of one another, and create a spinning tower that plays with your eyes. Perhaps the biggest challenge is throwing a spinner to your friend and trying to catch it.

However, users be cautioned. While these eclectic spinners are addictive, they pose a hazard to young children. Recently, hundreds of fidget spinners have been taken out of supermarkets and off market stalls due to warnings that their batteries could cause choking and internal bleeding if swallowed by young children.

Make sure you check for safety precautions before buying one for your child and ensure they know how to play with it safely. Purchase them from a reputable trader and ensure the safety warnings can be clearly seen on the packaging. (Independent)

What is the fidget spinner?

Why is it so addictive?

Tech news

F

Tech BYTE

Apple is making self-driving cars

What do people do with them?

Usain Bolt will star in Pro Evolution Soccer 2018

or all video games enthusiasts, it was recently announced that Usain Bolt will star in Pro Evolution Soccer later this year exclusively to those who pre-order the game.

Regularly referred to as "the greatest athlete of all time", the 30-year-old tweeted he's happy to be making his debut as a footballer.

The Jamaican sprinter is a massive Manchester United fan and has spoken of his desire to play professionally.

PES 2018 is released in the UK on 14 September, a month after Bolt retires from athletics. An eight-time Olympic gold medallist, Bolt has won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at past three Olympic Games - Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

able to use the software. It will not support the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C or fourth-generation iPad. (Independent)

Bolt wrote: "I love football and have played PES for as long as I can remember. It's the best football game there is and it's a great honour to be a part of it and its success. "Having my face and movements scanned for use in the game was a fascinating process." PES 2018 will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. (BBC)

A

pple has spoken about its plans for self-driving cars for the first time.

The company won't be building its own vehicle, CEO Tim Cook said. But it's doing something that might be even more important: building technology that can be put into a car to make it able to drive itself.

He said that the company was excited about such developments, including electric cars. For the moment however it is focusing on "autonomous systems", something that Mr Cook said could be used to power selfdriving vehicles in the future but a range of different products too.

Asked whether he was worried that Apple was being left behind by more vocal self-driving car companies like Google and Tesla, Mr Cook said that he recognised that disruption was coming – but that Apple was working to deal with it.

"I think there is a major disruption loom-

ing there," he told Bloomberg TV. "Not only for self-driving cars, but also the electrification piece. If you've driven an all electric car, it's actually a marvelous experience. And it's a marvelous experience not to stop at the filling station or gas station, whatever you want to call it.

Plus you have ride sharing on top of this.

So you have got three vectors of change happening generally in the same timeframe. "So as we look at it, what we're focusing on – what we've talked about focusing on publicly – is we're focusing on autonomous systems. Clearly one purpose of autonomous systems is self-driving cars – there are others.

"We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It's probably one of the most difficult AI projects to work on. Autonomy is something that's incredibly exciting for us."

Mr Cook wasn't clear what form the company's self-driving projects would take. But he made reference to developing the "core technology" needed – Apple tends to use the word "core" for technologies that are integrated into its products but that can be used by other developers in their own projects.

As such, it may be that the company would allow car companies to buy either the software or an entire piece of hardware to go into their cars. But Mr Cook wouldn't say what would actually be available for people to purchase. "We're really not saying from a product point of view what we'll do," he said.

"But we are saying it will be a core technology that we view as important."

The most polite car horn you've ever heard

I

n a world plagued with road rage, YouTube user and former NASA engineer Mark Rober has created a way to make horn-honking less confrontational.

Rober posted a video titled "NICEST Car Horn Ever - DIY" on Wednesday detailing the custom horn setup in his Volkswagen Jetta.

Rober added three new horn sounds to his car. He calls the first sound a "courtesy honk." It's a quick, friendly, two-honk chirp designed to nudge texting drivers to move forward at a green light, ask someone to pay attention, or signal a "thank you" while on the road. "I kind of feel like this should be a standard feature on all cars," Rober says.

Rober built the system himself using a

sound board with custom sound effects, a set of horn buttons, an amplifier, a speaker and his wiring skills. Rober's friend over at YouTube channel, I Like To Make Stuff, posted a companion video giving detailed instructions on how to build this system for your own car.

As for the other two horn buttons, the red one triggers a train horn, which is maddeningly loud and should be used sparingly.

The third button makes a Star Wars R2-D2like noise that's extremely chill.

"So that's my pitch: to make our roads more pleasant by increasing the vocabulary of the standard car horn," Rober says. If everybody builds a similar system, it might help reduce road rage. (CNET)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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Bollywood/Hollywood

Saqib Saleem learns Kim Kardashian is launching her own cosmetic line Kathak for Fathers’ K Day special short film B

ollywood actor Saqib Saleem, who was recently seen alongside Huma Qureshi in “Dobaara: See Your Evil”, is now learning Kathak, a classical Indian dance form for his next project.

Saqib is working on a short film titled “Aamad”, where he plays the character of a Kathak dancer.

Though it was very challenging for him, the actor took it in his own stride and put together a genuine effort to learn the dance form from professional Kathak guru and actress Ishita Sharma.

“Aamad” is about a father who is a Kathak dancer and how his son is embarrassed of his father’s art. The plot explores how they build their relation over a period

ylie Jenner is no longer the only beauty mogul in the KardashianJenner family. Kim Kardashian is launching her own beauty line. The 36-year-old reality star took to Instagram on June 13 to announce the release date of KKW Beauty.

Kim shared a post that flashed the numbers 6,21,17, and links to a new Instagram account @kkwbeauty along with a website kkwbeauty.com.

Kim later shared on Instagram Story a video of her explaining KKW Beauty's first product. "Hey guys, I'm so excited to announce to you guys that I'm launching KKW Beauty," she said in the video, "I really think you guys are gonna love it. I worked so hard on this, and we're launching first with a contour product. It's like a

of time a n d overcome

their personal apprehensions and start a new friendship.

Saqib said in a press statement, “When I read the story, I instantly fell in love

with it. It’s such a simple yet complex film as it speaks about the unsaid things in a father-son relationship.”

(Hindustan Times)

Ed Sheeran on feud songs: ‘Taylor Swift doesn’t need to be defended’

Saif Ali Khan unhappy about daughter’s Bollywood dreams

S

aif Ali Khan is not happy with his daughter Sara Ali Khan’s acting aspirations. The 46-year-old feels the profession is too “risky” and doesn’t want her to enter an “unstable profession” as a parent.

“Why would she want that for herself? Look at where she studied. After having done that, why

wouldn’t she want to live and work in New York, rather than do this?” Saif said in an interview with DNA. He further added he is nervous about his 23-yearold daughter’s Bollywood career. “(I am) A little nervous.

Fear is the most driving factor in the industry. I am not looking down on acting, it’s just it is not the most stable

profession. And everyone lives in constant fear. And there is no guarantee that despite doing your best, you will succeed. This is not the life, any parent would want for their children,” he added.

Recently it was confirmed that Sara will be making her debut opposite Sushant Singh Rajput, in Abhishek Kapoor’s film “Kedarnath”. However, Saif said he did not play any role in helping Sara decide her Bollywood debut.

“No, I wasn’t involved in it. Look, I am there if she needs to ask or talk to me about anything. I know what she is doing and we talk about films just like we do about everything else,” he was quoted as saying.

(Hindustan Times)

collection of cream contours. So get ready to be contoured."

Kim is also busy working on her new Lifetime reality show, "Glam Masters", which will begin production in the summer. (AceShowbiz)

E

d Sheeran won’t be wading into the Taylor Swift/Katy Perry feud anytime soon.

Perry recently made waves recently for

appearing to take aim at Swift in her song “Swish Swish,” apparent retaliation for Swift’s 2014 track, “Bad Blood.”

Though close with Swift, Sheeran says he feels no need to defend his friend in song. “I don’t think she needs that at all,” the “Shape of You” singer, 26, told PEOPLE at the 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame 48th Annual Induction and Awards Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Thursday night.

What does the honoree of the Hal David Starlight Award think about the current trend of diss tracks? “I don’t think feud songs are a hot thing—there’s always been beef songs.” A famous example? “It’s mainly been like Carly Simon,” the British singer-songwriter said. In 2015, Simon revealed that the second verse of her legendary revenge track “You’re So Vain” is about Warren Beatty.

Sheeran’s extra fire power might not even be necessary, because Perry, 32, has apparently squashed her beef with Swift, 27, once and for all. “I forgive her and I’m sorry for anything I ever did, and I hope the same from her,” she told Thrive CEO Arianna Huffington last week. “I love her, and I want the best for her. And I think she’s a fantastic songwriter.” (People)

Zoe Kravitz addresses Drake dating rumours Z ‘Sultan’ to be screened at Shanghai film fest S alman Khan’s “Sultan” has been lined up for a showcase at the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The gala would be held from June 17-26.

Director Ali Abbas Zafar tweeted on Thursday, “‘Sultan’ will be showcased at 20th Shanghai International Film Festival.”

A sports drama, the movie features Salman in the role of a wrestler and is he paired with Anushka Sharma. For now, Zafar is busy working on his new film “Tiger Zinda Hai”, which also features S a l m a n K h a n .

(IANS)

oe Kravitz d o d g e d questions about her rumoured romance with Drake on the Thursday, June 15, episode of “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen.

Kravitz, 28 — who was linked to the “Views" rapper, 30, in 2013 when they were spotted getting cozy at a Beyoncé concert — offered a vague answer when asked if they were ever more than platonic.

"We hung out for a minute," the Rough Night star coyly explained.

"But we are very good friends. You know."

Not satisfied, host Andy Cohen pressed Kravitz

about whether she and Drake were intimate with one another. “We hung out a little bit,” she said with a

laugh. "You know, it's like how I hang out, I don't know how you hang out.” (US Magazine)

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Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

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Fun Times

Archie

You'll find it difficult to keep the peace or to remain (March 21calm. Your tendency to overApril 19) react or make assumptions will cause a ruckus with someone you love. Be nice.

ARIES

Control your temper. Put

TAURUS your energy into romance or a (April 20- competitive challenge. If you May 20) want to make changes, work on self-improvement, not on trying to transform others. Offer encouragement over criticism.

Don't sit idle when you GEMINI should be moving forward.

(MAY 28- Added discipline will help you June 20) with your charitable works.

Dealing with youngsters and seniors will be rewarding.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

Problems at home will escalate if you let them. It's important to address what's going on around you instead of making assumptions.

Consider your motive before you make a change or move.

Get in the game. Taking on a competitive challenge will do you good and help you counter anxiety and pent-up energy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

-- Negotiate on your own behalf. Find out what others want from you and prepare a counteroffer that you find reasonable. Don't give in to pressure or manipulative tactics.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Get out and do something with people you find engaging. Mental stimulation will spark an interest in a new pursuit. Follow your heart, but avoid overspending or indulgent tendencies.

If you get a head start on SCORPIO what needs to be taken care (Oct. 24of this week, you'll feel enerNov. 22) gized and motivated to take on something new. Keeping busy will help prevent emotional situations.

Spend time with the peoSAGITTARIUS ple you love. Host an event (Nov. 23at your place and share your Dec. 21) feelings and plans. The input offered will help you make your dreams come true.

Stick close to home.

CAPRICORN Venturing out will result (Dec. 22- in delays or problems dealJan. 19) ing with rules or regulations. Living moderately and weeding out what's unnecessary will pay off.

Touch

base

with

old

AQUARIUS friends and make plans to get (Jan. 20- together. The information you Feb. 19) share will spark an interest in starting something new. Your children or parents will offer insight.

Do your best to get along PISCES (Feb. 20- and contribute to beneficial Mar. 20) changes being made at home.

End your day on a high note and tell someone how much you care.