Guyanatimes international may 18 2018

Windies, Bangladesh to face off in Florida T20s

INTERNATIONAL

Page 51

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You can also read Guyana Times daily edition online at www.guyanatimesgy.com

Legal battle continues WEEK ENDING May 20, 2018

ISSUE NO. 397

…High Court to rule next week on validity of charges filed against Singh, Brassington

See story on page 3

The Guyanese of Indian Ancestry Association (GIAA) on Wednesday evening launched the Indian Heritage Expo 2018 at the Indian Monument Gardens in Georgetown, under the theme “Embracing Our History-Regaining Our Cultural Identity”. The event was held in the company of members of the varying organisations who have planned, and who will participate in the exhibition along with the keynote speaker, Dr Seeta Shah Roath. Speaking at the ceremony, Roath noted that this is a celebration of the many ancestors from which our unique culture was birthed, and furthermore a reflection of what has been accomplished over the years in every sector. The expo will feature a variety of Indian foods, fashion, dances, art and craft and music. The popular Guyanese cricketer, Veerasammy Permaul will also be in attendance. While the organisers have promised to have an entertaining exhibition, they have expressed the need for further sponsorship. The exhibition will be held at the Leonora Track and Field Centre on May, 26.

NY Mayor’s Office unveils new women’s initiative Page 5

First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray

Controversial Cybercrimes Bill sent back to Cabinet Page 8

…following civil society uproar over sedition clause

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

NEWS 3

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Legal battle continues …High Court to rule next week on validity of charges filed against Singh, Brassington

H

igh Court Judge, Franklin Holder has set May 21 as the date when he will rule on the challenge being pursued by former finance minister under the People’s Progressive Civic (PPP/C) government, Dr Ashni Singh and former National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) CEO, Winston Brassington that the ‘misconduct in public office’ charges against them are illegal.

On April 12, 2018, SOCU instituted legal proceedings against Singh and Brassington for what it says is “misconduct in public office: contrary to common law” as it pertains to the sale of three plots of State land.

However, former Attorney General under the PPP/C Administration, Anil Nandlall is challenging these matters for what the defence contends are frivolous charges.

Nandlall filed the two High Court actions seeking to have an interim stay of proceedings in the Magistrates’ Courts and to have the charges against Singh and Brassington quashed.

On May 2 2018, Justice Franklyn Holder heard the challenge for an interim stay of proceedings in the Magistrates’ Courts.

Having heard both sides, the Judge then gave SOCU’s lawyers one week to show why he should not grant Nandlall’s application.

Singh Brassington’s

and legal

team included Senior Counsel Stanley Moore,

Sase Gunraj, Ronald Burch-Smith and Mark

Waldron.

Following the in-chambers hearing, Nandlall, along with his legal team, told reporters that the hearing for the application for the interim order has commenced before Justice Holder, adding that time was of the essence.

“We are challenging the legality and validity of the charges and that will take some time to determine; in the meantime, we want an interim order staying the hands of the Magistrate from going forward, so the hearing for that has commenced [but] the other side wants leave to file and answer,” he observed.

Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran is continued on page 8

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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EDITORIAL

Waiting for the ‘good life’ I

n the 1995 movie “Waiting to exhale”, four women are waiting to “breathe easy” after they find a “good man” to share the “good life”. Guyanese have been “waiting to exhale” since 2015, when the PNC-led APNU/AFC government took office and promised them the “good life”.

After three years, it is certainly time to decide, since the AFC made the task easier by offering their conclusions, which we can then evaluate from a citizen’s perspective. However, being an “interested party”, maybe they should have announced that fact in the interest of full disclosure. The quotes below are from the AFC’s statement.

“A better, prosperous and glorious Guyana lies in wait for us.”

It has become obvious by now that this is a fundamental fallacy from which the coalition suffers. There is nothing “lying in wait” for Guyana, but what the Government will facilitate to develop with the funds from our taxes that have been entrusted to it. The statement is redolent of the perennial promise of the “potential” inherent in our natural resources. We have been consistently asking this Government to outline its strategy for development, and a plan for its implementation, without any success. The creation of a “green economy” is merely an aspiration, made rather hollow by the Government’s obdurate refusal to commission the Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project, or another comparable means of generating electricity that literally drives a modern economy. In the meantime, blackouts have once again become endemic.

After 2015, there is now “a true government of national unity under the Presidency of His Excellency David Granger and Prime Ministership of the Honourable Moses Nagamootoo.” This is the single most debilitating statement that destroys whatever hope of real change citizens might have retained after 2015. How can a coalition that wrested the Government from the PPP with a mere 4545 votes – amounting to 1.11% and a 1 seat difference — constitute a “true government of national unity”? In fact, the AFC’s statement confirms the PPP’s suspicions of the cynicism behind the Government giving Moses Nagamootoo the authority to conduct negotiations with the PPP to create a more “inclusive” Government.

How can Nagamootoo negotiate for that which his party affirms is already in place? Any effort to bring in the PPP would be tantamount to gilding the lily.

“The epidemic of piracy in Guyana’s waters has been eliminated.”

While the statement might have been crafted before the latest and worst piracy attack in the history of Guyana – with 16 fishermen massacred – it is indicative of the AFC’s and the coalition’s overall position on crime. Citizens’ fears on crime was one of the major issues in the campaign, and the AFC and APNU leveraged their leadership, made top-heavy by members of the Disciplined Forces, to assure citizens they would address those concerns. Unfortunately, they have depended more on manipulating statistics than actually reducing crime to convince citizens of their security bona fides.

“The lot of our long-maligned indigenous peoples has improved ten-fold.” Being so precise with its declaration of the factor by which the lives of Indigenous Peoples have improved, it would appear the AFC has conducted a comprehensive study on the condition of Indigenous Peoples. The AFC should share it with UNICEF, because when that organisation launched such a study last year, in collaboration with the APNU/AFC’s Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, it could not find any data after 2006 which was analysed in 2015.

UNICEF’s final report towards the end of the year stated that the Indigenous population continued to exhibit the highest level of poverty in Guyana. This confirmed Guyana’s Situation Analysis of Children (SitAn) 2016, which found that the health, education and socio-economic indicators for the Indigenous population were among the worst in Guyana.

The movie “Waiting to exhale” begins with one of the women burning the clothes of her “significant other”, who had cheated on her. Guyanese will have the opportunity to express themselves to the APNU/AFC coalition in 2020.

A view from Karasabai Village, South Rupununi, Guyana. (DPI photo)

The impact of piracy in Guyana

By J ainarine D eonauth

L

aw enforcement authorities in Guyana and Suriname are busy trying to get to the bottom of the recent heinous piracy attacks, so as to ensure that the families of the victims receive the justice they deserve. Currently, security officials in Suriname have a total of 15 persons in custody, among whom are two alleged suspects who were identified by survivors as two of the sea bandits. Investigators believe that they were among a group of men who attacked the fishermen in Surinamese waters on April 27 last, during which 20 crew members were chopped and thrown overboard. Thus far, there have been five survivors and three bodies recovered, while about a dozen fishermen are still missing.

As the investigations continue, though, there is now an interesting twist which is being un-

and a further 6000 in processing and marketing. Thousands more depend directly or indirectly from fishing-related occupations such as boat building, accessories supply, and maintenance services etc.

Even though the then PPP government had toughened the anti-piracy law and had taken a number of steps to assist victims of piracy, enforcement and patrol continue to pose a challenge to the authorities. To begin with, the marine Police seem incapable of dealing with the problem. There is need for sufficient vessels and skilled personnel to conduct maritime patrols along the coastland and in the estuaries of the numerous creeks and rivers, especially in hotspots such as Berbice areas, where piracy seems to be more prevalent.

There is also need for more coordination

folded; that is: investigators believe that the basis for this act, which the Opposition Leader described as an act of terror, had to do with some form of revenge for one of the persons in custody, whose brother was allegedly gun down in a drive-by shooting some time ago in Suriname.

It was also confirmed that the second attack, just days later, which saw a boat captain killed and his crew missing, is also believed to be linked to the first incident.

Whatever might be the reason for these gruesome attacks, it is incumbent on the authorities in Guyana to revise the current systems in place to address piracy. There is a dire need to restore some sense of comfort to fisher folks, who ply their trade to support themselves and families.

Over the past couple of years, Guyanese fishermen have faced several tragedies while at sea.

Several of them have endured brazen attacks by gangs of criminals with fast boats and assault rifles. In addition to being robbed of their valuable possessions, quite a few of them have been killed by their captors. What is even more worrying is that some of the persons carrying out these crimes are themselves fishermen.

Certainly, piracy has had, and is having, a very negative impact on the fisheries sector in Guyana. The fear alone for fisher folks of being attacked at sea is enough reason to prevent persons from getting involved in the field. The economic reality is that the fisheries sector employs over 16,000 fishermen and fish farmers,

among public and private agencies, to exercise efficient control over the country’s ports, harbours and coastlines. The Coast Guards should intensify their patrols, especially during certain periods of the year, when there is an increase in piracy. Also the GPF, Customs & Trade Administration, Fisheries Department, Shipping Association, Transport & Harbours Department, and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) need to be brought together to plan for the long-term safety of persons legitimately using our rivers and coast, and for the security of commercial and other activities.

Even more importantly, based on what occurred in the most recent incidents, there is clearly a need for closer collaboration with neighbouring countries, especially as it relates to establishing effective warning systems and information sharing. There is need for an effective communication network to be developed, so that in the event of a piracy attack, that mechanism would lead to more patrols being activated etc. From what we gathered recently, there was a lack of collaboration and effective communication mechanism between Surinamese and Guyanese officials prior to the most recent cases of piracy.

These are measures which could be taken to lessen the frequency of these attacks, thus reducing the risk of losses of equipment; catch; and, more importantly, preventing the loss of lives.

NEWS 5

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

NY Mayor’s Office unveils new initiative to help women succeed F

irst Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray and Deputy Mayor of Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen on Wednesday unveiled Women.NYC, a new initiative to support the advancement of women in their careers and help make New York City fairer for working women.

According to the Mayor’s Office, the website and citywide marketing campaign will provide access to key resources and tools that will help advance women in the workplace.

The launch of Women.NYC is in response to known gender disparities in the workplace and seeks to motivate other women to make “power moves” to further their careers and get equal pay for equal work. “ T h i s Administration has taken bold steps to fight the forces of inequality that are holding society back, and this new initiative will give women the tools they need to succeed in one, easy to access place. I thank the First Lady and Deputy Mayor Glen for spearheading this effort that will help make New York City fairer for women,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"New York City cannot continue as a successful city if women cannot succeed too.

And now, for the first time in history, the women of New York City have all the tools they need to succeed in one place with Women.

NYC," said First Lady Chirlane McCray, co-chair for the Commission on Gender Equity. "Power means something different for every woman, but we are all better off when every woman can tap into her power."

"Women have waited long enough for equal pay, power and respect. In New York City, we aren’t going to wait any longer. That's why we are launching Women.

NYC," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen. "We know women can do it alone.

But we don't have to.

Women now have concrete tools for concrete success, all in one, easy-to-navigate place.

New York City is already the best city in the world for women.

Today, we're making it

even better."

The Women.NYC website will function as a one-stop-shop that will provide information, resources, and tools on key topics such as finding a job, starting and running a business, getting legal help, accessing health services, raising a child/family, money management and more.

The initiative is backed by a citywide marketing campaign comprised of traditional and digital media that will be located at various, highly trafficked and visible locations throughout the five boroughs and online. The thought-provoking ads are meant to encourage women across the city to share the story of their career journey and inspire other women using the hashtag #NYCPowerMove.

According to the Mayor’s Office, despite significant progress made under the de Blasio Administration to date, such as establishing Pre-K For All, instituting paid sick and family leave, and banning questions about salary history to prevent pay discrimination, many women continue to face barriers to success due to a number of factors like inflexible family leave policies and societal reinforcement of gender-normative career tracks.

The Stats

In New York City, women earn about 89 cents on the dollar compared to men, and out of the 55 Fortune 500 companies in New York City, only one has a female CEO. The numbers are staggering for women-owned businesses too. On average, female-owned businesses generate 61 percent less revenue than male-owned businesses. In NYC, there are 360,000 women entrepreneurs, yet men own 1.5 times the number of businesses, have 3.5 times the number of employees, and generate 4.5 times the amount of revenue.

Women own 30 percent of small businesses in the country, but only 4.4 percent of small business loans are allocated to women.

What Women.

NYC Can Do

The Women.NYC site will function as

a unified platform that will foster an online community of change-makers, local leaders and more.

Women are encouraged make their voices heard, get engaged, use their agency to create new partnerships, develop programming and introduce policy ideas that support the advancement of women professionally and personally.

In addition to positioning NYC as the leading city in the world for women, the initiative is specifically calling on the private sector to do their part to close the pay gap by 2028, achieve

First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray

gender parity on corporate boards and senior leadership teams

by 2025, and offer at least six weeks of paid parental leave for new

parents.

Following the initial campaign launch, there will be a series of workshops, forums and new programs designed to help women and promote the initiative.

New Yorkers can get involved with Women.NYC by following @Women_NYC on Instagram, sharing power move stories using the hashtag #NYCPowerMove, and logging on to Women.

NYC to learn how the city can help you and your sisters, friends, mothers, and daughters achieve more, the Mayor’s Office said.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Arrest of Singh, Brassington a clear Any government that sign of desperation by APNU/AFC wants to block criticisms must be questioned Dear Editor, The Cyber Crimes Bill with its obnoxious and evil “sedition clause” will unleash a sledgehammer blow to free speech and deny citizens their God-given right to criticise the Government of the day and demand accountability in public office.

The sedition clause criminalises statements or words “either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing, that brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana.” This looks very strange to me.

Who decides what words or statements evoke “hatred or contempt” against the Government? Who decides what words or statements “excite disaffection” against the Government? By what criteria will this be decided? Will the very same Government being criticised define what constitutes seditious words or statements?

Honourable Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan contended that the Bill allows for criticisms of the Government and its Ministers, but sedition will apply for words or actions that cause civil strife, disorder and violence. Tell me, brother Ramjattan, is it sedition if legitimate criticism or exposure of gross Government crimes or misconduct provokes public anger and civil unrest?

Also, when the sedition clause refers to “the Government established by law in Guyana” my alarm bells go off. Every election in Guyana from the 1950s up to now, even the last one in 2015, was tainted by public allegations of fraud. But whether or not there really was fraud, the winners of elections always became “the Government established by law”.

My point is: Suppose there is a rigged election and this fraud creates public outrage with citizens calling, online and elsewhere, for the vagabonds to be resisted and kicked out. What is

to stop that criminal regime from claiming to be “the Government established by law” and using the sedition clause to get rid of citizens who legitimately condemn and resist them?

I do not know if it is by design or by accident, but I can see clearly that the proposed Cyber Crimes Bill and controversial sedition clause can be abused by corrupt politicians to suppress criticism of any sitting Government. As a longtime fighter to make Guyana a peaceful, democratic, free and open society, this is totally repugnant to me.

I noticed that Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes said persons raising concerns had two years to do so before the Parliamentary SubCommittee submitted its proposal. This delay does not matter to me; better late than never. We were very fortunate to find out about the controversial sedition clause in time to oppose it before it became law.

I expected the sub-committee that crafted the Bill to focus on protecting the public from serious dangers on the Internet such as terrorist recruitment, extreme violence, pornography, paedophilia, gambling and online scams aimed at stealing people’s hard-earned dollars. I did not expect to see a sedition clause to suppress persons’ right to criticise and oppose governments that they have hired and they have a right to fire and criticise.

Any Government that wants to shut down criticism and opposition on the Internet is a Government that needs to be questioned. Trying to block public discourse and journalism because of politics will only bring a backlash of international ridicule on our beloved nation from lovers of democracy worldwide.

I call on the coalition Government to scrap the entire Bill and replace it with a better plan to deal with cybercrime and promote the peaceful and democratic development of Guyana.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan Sr

Dear Editor, The present situation in Guyana is of much concern to Guyanese, more so to the PPP/C former government officials, the party support base, and respected persons who criticised the APNU/AFC coalition government. The disrespecting and humiliation of two distinguish gentlemen, Dr Ashni Singh and Mr Winston Brassington, who served their country with distinction, is clear evidence that the Government is losing support, and as such is showing signs of desperation by using methods to appease and cling on to its supporters, who are very much upset about its FAILURE in Government after three years. This situation reminds me of an article

in the Washington Post News by Lewis Simons, dated October 4th 1977, title, “Indira Gandhi arrested in India”.

It is a true reflection of what is transpiring presently in Guyana.

The arrest was described as a political one by Indira Gandhi because trips and political meetings

by Gandhi were receiving enthusiastic turnouts in various parts of India. The Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, ordered her arrest, thinking that he would have satisfied widespread plaudits. But unfortunately, Prime Minister Desai lost the next elections to Indira Gandhi. This is actually happening presently.

Cde Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP are getting favourable respons-

es in every corner of Guyana, and as such, can be faced with more victimisation to create fear among supporters as efforts are made to try to derail a sure victory for the PPP. These incidents are not about corruption, they are a clear sign of political discrimination against the PPP, hoping that this will enable APNU/AFC to win the majority in the General Election in 2020.

The PPP is strong enough to withstand any amount of political pressure and fear from APNU/AFC. Don’t allow this disease of political victimisation to silence us, because democracy will surely die in this darkness.

Yours sincerely, Zamal Hussain

Why the silence of the ABC countries on the Cybercrimes bill?

Dear Editor, With each passing day, APNU/ AFC’s arrogance and contempt for the people of this country become more apparent. The latest assault on our dignity and fundamental rights by these neo-colonial political elites is their Cybercrime Bill and its obnoxious “law of sedition” clause.

The law of sedition clause states that “a person can commit an offence of sedition if the person, whether in or out of Guyana, intentionally publishes, transmits or circulates by use of a computer system, a statement or words, either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing that – brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana”. The penalty for persons charged under this law ranges from 4 months to a life sentence.

This is nothing short of a fascist piece of legislation. It is a clear attempt by the Granger Administration to effectively shut down all criticism of the regime and its policies. It begs the question: What exactly do they have in store for this country that would require them to have such a draconian piece of legislation in place to control us when we oppose them?

Granger had, from day one, demonstrated a tendency towards zero tolerance for criticism and opposition. However, it has intensified during APNU/AFC’s time in office.

Recently, we witnessed the shocking dismissal of columnists Lincoln Lewis and David Hinds from the Chronicle, and now this “law of sedition” clause takes us to a whole new level by equating any expression of ideas, including by email or even a conversation, with exciting or attempting to excite ‘disaffection to-

wards the Government’ for the purpose of sedition. According to this piece of legislation, this letter could be seen as sedition.

It is interesting that the representatives of the ABC countries, who never miss an opportunity to bleat on about their love for freedom of speech — despite the fact that in reality they oppose it at every turn in both their respective countries and internationally — are silent on this bill.

Beware of what our Government and their Imperial Masters have in store for Guyana. The signs are ominous. This legislation represents a very worrying and repressive trend.

History has taught us that fascism is something that creeps up on you, until one day you wake up and it is too late.

Sincerely, Gerald A. Perreira

The Georgetown City Council should take responsibility for mistakes Dear Editor, Is it not yet time for the policymakers and administrators at the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) to own up to their mistakes, and to take responsibility for the beleaguered state of our capital city rather than attempting to chastise and penalize everyone else?

Quite recently, a major revenue scam was uncovered, whereby it was discovered that a large number of vendors were issued fake receipts by revenue staff for vending fees and rents paid. One would have thought that the Police would have been called in; that a comprehensive audit of the market revenue system would have been undertaken; and that the Councillors and citizens would have been formally notified.

Of course none of this was done, because the M&CC do not conform to the norms of good governance, transparency and accountability.

So everything was quietly swept under the carpet, and ironically, it was the vendors from Alexander Street who were harassed instead.

Then we had the bizarre discov-

ery of a farmer who was accused of rearing and slaughtering pigs inside of Le Repentir Cemetery, at the southern section, for more than 15 years now. The slaughtered pigs were then sold at the Bourda Market. Are pigs no longer slaughtered at the City’s abattoir?

Now, certainly, the public health risk cannot be overemphasized, and the urgent need to remove this farmer cannot be overstated.

Instead, however, one elder Councillor opined that the Council had to consider the livelihood of the farmer, whilst a leading municipal official said she had compassion on farmers because she does not want to take bread out of the mouths of people. Unbelievable!

Clearly, these Councillors believe that it is more important to keep bread in the mouths of the farmer and her children than to prevent the citizenry from being exposed to all of the bacteria and pathogens that can be transmitted from the graveyard to buyers at the Bourda Market via the pigs (pork).

But do you think the farmer has since been removed? Of course

not! Instead, she now has more than half a dozen sows and scores of piglets wallowing in, and drinking, the cemetery’s groundwater.

Simply preposterous!

Another example of the twisted thinking of City Hall is their predisposition to not pay over NIS deductions to the National Insurance Scheme, and pay-as-you-earn taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority, which are taken out of the employees’ salaries, and other deductions, such as credit union dues etc; and then, when questioned about it, turn around and say, ‘So what? It is not the Council alone that owes these entities’, as if to say that it is okay to break the law if others are doing same.

But who really is being penalized? Not the Council, but rather the poor employees, who cannot enjoy medical benefits or acquire loans from their Credit Union etc.

The Georgetown Municipality is very much out of control. It is very bloated, and is infested with fraud and deceit and corruption and abuse of power.

Sincerely Anu Bihari

news 7

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

President says will engage Opposition Expanding the Guyana market for Leader ‘soon’ over judicial, timber products - service commissions nominees GFC hosts timber G expo this weekend

Exhibitors preparing for the Guyana Timber Expo to be hosted at the National Stadium Tarmac, Providence, EBD from May 18-20.

G

uyana’s timber products will be showcased this weekend, at a Timber Expo hosted by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).

The public-private venture aims to expand the market for Guyanese timber products through public education, awareness and sensitisation to promote a ‘Greener Guyana’.

The GFC hosted a press conference on Wednesday at the National Stadium Tarmac, the venue for the expo. Some 30 exhibitors from the forestry sector will be participating in the three-day exposition beginning on Friday, May 18-20.

“We strongly believe that Guyana has a product to offer. One of the things we want to achieve is to let us here in Guyana…be able to have exposure to what we have in the country”, Manager of the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council for Guyana (FPDMC) Kenny David noted.

Exhibitors will include sawmillers, lumber yard dealers, value-added producers and exporters. Managing Director of Bulkan Timberworks and Superior Shingles Howard Bulkan, viewed the expo as an opportunity to market the company to Guyanese.

“We keep a high profile abroad but a very low profile here. We’re now making an effort to target the local market … and we’re hoping that Guyanese can see we can do”, Bulkan said.

Furniture manufacturer, NDS Furniture Establishment is also

participating in the exhibition. Director Sham Mahadeo, no stranger to expos, said this one provides the opportunity to showcase timber species.

“We have some good timber here, beautiful furniture. I think some of our timber is shipped all the way to Japan and we don’t use it here. I think the expo is very good and I have to congratulate the commissioner”, Mahadeo noted.

Echoing Mahadeo’s sentiments was exhibitor and CEO of Floor It and Cummings Wood Products, Andre Cummings. “This exhibition is fantastic for the stakeholders, homeowners, architects and the value-added producers because it bridges the gap in proving what Guyana has to offer in terms of quality and for the export market as well,” Cummings said.

Acting Commissioner of the GFC, James Singh, said there will be live demonstrations of log preparation, timber grading, training in GIS and other best practices in timber production.

“It’s a very hand on experience as well,” Singh said.

There will also be seminars on May 1820 at the exposition on sustainable forestry mining. Facilitators include Conservation International Guyana, World Wild Life Fund and Iwokarama. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) will also be participating in the expo to demonstrate how they use lesser known timber species in their housing drive.

overnment is optimistic that the agenda for an upcoming meeting between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo will include getting persons for a number of key commissions and judicial posts, appointed.

President Granger on Wednesday revealed plans to meet with the Opposition Leader as soon as possible. He made the comments on the sidelines of a State House event on Wednesday. Among the topics to be discussed, he said, will be filling vacancies on the Police and Public Service Commissions.

“I expect that we will be meeting the Leader of the Opposition very soon to deal with a range of appointments and that is one of them. The Public Service Commission and the Police Service Commission,” Granger said.

Asked how soon the meeting would take place, Granger noted that he could not definitively say since they are awaiting the National Assembly’s Committee of Appointments to make nominations for at least one of these commissions.

“I cannot say. I have to wait on Parliament for the nominations. We already have the nominations for the Police Service Commission.

(They) have not nominated a Public Service Commission. But as soon as the Parliament completes its work, I will ask the Leader of the

Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and President David Granger during a previous engagement

Opposition.”

Granger was also asked for an update on the status of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), headless since the resignation of retired Justice Cecil Kennard.

He noted that there is a nominee.

Chancellor and CJ

He also commented on the current impasse between himself and the Opposition Leader, as it pertains to the appointments of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice. While Granger noted that he had expected Jagdeo to submit a counter proposal, he conceded that this would form one of his topics with the Opposition Leader.

“Well you know where we stood. I went through every possible legitimate means. I got the best advice. I had offered him my advice and he has rejected it. He has not come up with an alternative. So when we meet, I will raise the matter with him.”

Granger admitted that he did not ask Jagdeo

to make counter proposals, but he noted that everyone knows, who his nominees are and he reiterated his desire to see the duo, Justice Kenneth Benjamin and Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, confirmed.

“I would like to ensure that the two names to the top posts, Chancellor and Chief Justice, are confirmed to the positions. It is very unhealthy to have a Chancellor and Chief Justice who are acting and I would like to have them confirmed.”

“The public knows my nominees and they are persons who have come through a process. And the advice I’ve received is that they’re fit and proper to be appointed,” the President insisted.

However, only recently, the President had said that there was nothing left to discuss on the matter.

Justice Kenneth Benjamin was nominated for the position of Chancellor of the Judiciary, while Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, the current

acting Chancellor, has been nominated for the position of Chief Justice.

Concerns had been raised by the Bar Association in Belize about Benjamin’s failure, up to recently, to clear a backlog of cases by writing his decisions.

Jagdeo, in a letter addressed to the President, had said after having duly considered the nominations of Justice Benjamin and Justice Cummings-Edwards under Article 127 (2) of the Constitution, he is unable to offer his agreement for their appointments.

However, the Opposition Leader has since indicated his willingness to further engage the President on substantive appointments to the top judicial positions.

To this end, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, subsequently said Government will be going ahead with “meaningful consultations” between the two sides, as provided for in the Constitution.

8 news

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Controversial Cybercrimes Bill sent back to Cabinet

…following civil society uproar over sedition clause

F

ollowing much controversy, the contentious proposed cybercrime legislation was sent back to Cabinet for Government to relook at the sedition clause, according to Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.

Attorney General Williams on Wednesday said that after there has been much controversy in relation to Section 18 (1) of the Cyber Crimes Bill of 2016, the Bill will be returned to Cabinet for it to decide the way forward. Section 18 (1) speaks to charging persons utilising cyberspace to register their dissatisfaction with the Government of the day.

Section 18 (1) states: “A person commits an offence of sedition if the person, whether in or out of Guyana, intentionally publishes, transmits or circulates by use of a

AFC Leader Raphael Trotman

computer system or any other means, a statement or words, either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing that brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana;

advocates the use, without authority of law, of force as a means of accomplishing a governmental change within Guyana,” among other things.

Williams first read the Bill on August 4, 2016, and it was sent to a Special Select Committee, where it stayed for two years and came back to the National Assembly unchanged. After it came back to the National Assembly, the contents created quite an uproar, since it was perceived that freedom of expression was being stifled by the legislation.

Since the controversy, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Williams both signalled their support for the clause saying it aimed to protect the State.

“I support the con-

tentions of the Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan that the State has to protect itself…the law exists already and look at Clause 23 (of the Cyber Crimes Bill) it is a sweep-all clause; what it says is that all offences are offences if occasioned in cyber[space],” Williams said.

Meanwhile, President David Granger said he would adopt the position of Cabinet, but Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Raphael Trotman outright declined to support the legislation in its current form. He stated that many within the party share his view, and revealed that if the section is not amended, then he, along with other AFC parliamentarians, would have to vote against it.

Speaking to this, Williams said Trotman

Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams

was entitled to his opinion, but whatever Cabinet decided, they would have to abide by.

“I will take it to Cabinet and they will have a look at it. The matter was in the Special Select Committee and I think what happened is that Jagdeo is the only one in his party who is against that provision,” he said.

“We are in a coalition and we work out our difficulties and when you go into Cabinet whatever decision [it] takes will have to suffice…Cabinet is Cabinet; it’s collective responsibility unless you want to leave the Cabinet; you can have your own opinion, you can say you are going against the Cabinet…is going all the time you going,” Williams added.

His colleague Ramjattan, who is also the Chairman of the

AFC, last week told a news conference that, despite concerns raised by some members of the party’s leadership and the public uproar regarding Section 18 (1) of the Cyber Crimes Bill of 2016, he is leading the charge to keep the offence of sedition on the books.

“Unless we want to do a major overhaul of your Criminal Offences Act and abolish sedition, then that’s fine; but as I am advised, and I am leading the charge for maintaining it in our books for very good reasons,” Ramjattan said.

M e a n w h i l e , Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that Clause 18 was reminiscent of the old National Security Act, which was upheld during the Burnham era, but was repealed in the late 90s. “The insertion by the Government of Guyana of (this) provision in the cybercrime bill could mean or could have grave implications for freedom of speech in Guyana. In fact, looking at the provision or that specific provision of the Bill, which was inserted in the Special Select Committee, is reminiscent of the old National Security Act that obtained in the period of undemocratic rule,” the Opposition Leader said.

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Legal battle... of the view that the charges may be unconstitutional on the basis that Singh and Brassington were not “public officers” in accordance with the Constitution.

Various lawyers have also recently pointed out that using the definitions of “public officer”, “public office” and “public service” as defined in Article 232 of the Guyana Constitution would exclude both Singh and Brassington, from the charges of “Misconduct in Public Office: Contrary to the Common Law.” It was posited that this was “an open-andshut case”, as neither Singh nor Brassington are “public officers” and as such, the law under which they are charged (based on both the Constitution and legal precedents all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) cannot be applied to them.

Singh and

Brassington have maintained that they have always acted within the law and with the full backing of the Cabinet and the actions being taken by the SOCU and SARA are meant to target officials of the past administration with the aim of appeasing APNU/AFC supporters.

After the charges were filed, Nandlall on behalf of PPP/C Members of Parliament (MPs) took to the court to have Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence and former Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton charged with the same offence.

In addition, Government Ministers David Patterson, Winston Jordan and Dr Rupert Roopnaraine were also charged.

However, all of those charges were discontinued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), a move which Nandlall contends is unfair as he continues to oppose the decision.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Complaint made against ranks at Timehri Police Station over return of bail money

O

n the heels of concerns raised by residents of Linden and other parts of Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) over difficulties they are facing in having bail money returned to them from the Timehri Police Station, the Region’s Chairman, Renis Morian said he has engaged the attention of the acting Police Commissioner on the matter.

The Chairman said affected residents have been complaining to him for a long time over the issue, as he called on Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to get involved.

“Residents in Region 10 have been complaining for a long time, that whenever they’re stopped by the Police at Timehri (and) they have to pay bail, there’s a difficulty getting (back) the bail money.”

He added that based on complaints, he was forced to visit the station himself and he was told that the officer-in-charge was not available. According to the Regional Chairman, this is the exact situa-

Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian

tion residents of Region 10 have been complaining about. He noted that residents are claiming that every time they go to have the money returned to them, they are told that the officer-in-charge is not available.

He added that in one case, he made inquiry for a resident but three weeks later, the resident was still unsuccessful in receiving the bail money.

The Regional Chairman said he subsequently made contact with the acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine, re-

garding the issue.

“Now I’ve sent an email to the acting [Police] Commissioner, he asked me to send him an email and outline the issue. I did send an email to him outlining the issue…the RDC in Region 10 wants this matter to be addressed. Too many residents aren’t getting back their bail money from the Timehri Police Station,” the Regional Chairman further stated. He claims that residents are being “pushed around” by the Police, whom he alleges give them lengthy dates to return.

“Then you’re hearing now, they got to go to Eve Leary. When they go to Eve Leary, Eve Leary telling them they got to wait…”, he said.

Morian also threatened to picket the Police Commissioner’s Office if the matter is not addressed.

“Residents here need back their money. Or the next step we going to tek, we gonna picket the Commissioner of Police for the residents.

That is what the people say,” he stated. (Utamu Belle)

Guyana’s crime rate “above the US national average” – US report

…Govt agencies, Police are reportedly “paid off” by criminal elements

T

he US State Department has assessed the crime threat in the capital of Guyana as being “critical.”

The assessment comes in the latest 2018 OSAC Guyana 2018 Crime and Safety Report, released by the Department on May 15.

The report’s authors say Guyana, with a population of just 750,000, has a general crime rate that “is above the US national average.”

It said criminal activity continues to be a major issue, with serious crimes, such as murder and armed robbery, being common.

The report added that “criminals regularly use weapons, despite a rigorous licensing requirement to own firearms.”

Handguns, knives, machetes, or cutlasses tend to be the weapons of choice, the report stated, adding that Police Officers have also been both victims and perpetrators of as-

saults and shootings.

Focusing on travel to Guyana, the US Government warned that hotel room breakins were reported to the US Embassy by American citizens and warned travellers to use caution when opening their hotel room doors in Georgetown and to safeguard valuables left there.

The US State Department is also advising travellers against walking alone outside after dark in the city, even in the immediate vicinity of their hotels, and advised visitors to exchange currency only at legitimate exchanges at hotels or airports.

However, travellers are still only directed to “exercise normal precautions” when travelling to Guyana.

Drug trafficking

The US, meanwhile, also identified drug trafficking as “a serious concern” and “the biggest challenge

to law enforcement in Guyana.” The report stated that the Guyana Police Force, (GPF), has limited resource and manpower to deter or respond to criminal activity.

Focusing on the judicial system, the report said the court is strained by limited resources and often influenced by threats/bribes while defendants linked to drug organisation often use attorneys who are effective in getting cases dismissed or postponed and as a result, criminals go free on a regular basis.

Corruption

The OSAC report added that corruption is widely perceived to be commonplace within many Government agencies and Police Officers often are reportedly paid off by criminal elements and are alleged to work with criminals by either assisting or protecting them. (newsamericasnow)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

ECD man stabbed to death during Embattled teacher to face High Court trial for confrontation with intruder alleged rape of students T

E

Coen Jackson

mbattled former teacher of The Bishops’ High School, Coen Jackson, will now answer to a Judge and jury on a rape charge after he was on Tuesday committed by City Magistrate Judy Latchman to stand trial in the High Court.

M a g i s t r a t e Latchman handed down the decision to a sober looking Jackson following a paper committal.

Thirty-nine-year-

old, Jackson, who has been a teacher for the past 15 years, is being accused of abusing his position of trust as a teacher after he began grooming female students for sexual activity.

He has vehemently denied the accusations but did admit to having sexual relations with two former students who are now both in their early 20s.

The embattled teach-

er recently got married to one of his former students who is said to be in her early 20s.

According to him, their relationship has been ongoing for a number of years.

The prosecution case stated that between December 2010 and May 2011 at D’Urban Street, Lodge, Jackson raped one of his students. The Education Ministry had launched an investigation into the allegations and upon completion, authorised the Police to begin conducting a criminal investigation.

After the charge was instituted, Jackson was released on G$300,000 bail. On Tuesday, after the committal, Jackson was informed that he will remain on the same bail.

The Bishops’ High school’s administration was also accused of covering previous complaints made against the former economics teacher.

hirty-four-year-old Fareez Yaseem of Lot 25 Belmonte, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was on Monday morning stabbed at least 12 times during a confrontation with an intruder who was attempting to break into a storage bond at his home.

Reports are that the now dead father of three was awakened by a sound emanating from the lower flat of the house, and he went to enquire. As he walked down the flight of stairs, he reportedly saw the suspect trying to gain access to the bond, and a confrontation and ultimately a scuffle ensued between the two men, during which the suspect whipped out a knife and dealt Yasseem several stabs to his body.

The injured Yaseem fell into a drain and died almost immediately, while the perpetrator made good his escape, but reportedly left his pedal cycle and a slipper behind.

When Guyana Times International visited the scene, Yaseem’s house was locked and no one was at home. The gate was also locked, and a car he had recently bought was parked in the garage.

A few houses away, a relative, Jason (only name given), who lives a few villages away, was preparing to hold a wake at the home of Yaseem’s motherin-law.

He told this newspaper that Yaseem had left his (Jason’s) business place in Mahaicony, ECD at about 17:00h on Sunday to head home after a day’s work.

However, at about 02:00h on Monday, he received a telephone call informing him that Yassen had been stabbed dead.

To confirm the news, he telephoned another relative, who without hesitation rushed to the scene, only to see Yaseem’s bloodied body lying in a small drain in the yard.

“I can’t say how much time he get stab, and I couldn’t go close to see, because the Police been at the scene carrying out their investigations…,” that distraught relative explained.

He also explained that after speaking to the late Yaseem’s wife, he was made to understand that the deceased was only trying to protect his property.

“He wake up after he heard the sound, and went downstairs without waking up he wife… When he reach downstairs he see the man, and then is when he get stab,” the relative detailed.

At the time of Yaseem’s demise, he

Dead: Fareez Yaseem

was wearing his jewellery, but all were found intact.

The relative also confirmed that a one-side slipper and a bicycle were found in front of the dead man’s yard.

These items have been taken into custody by the Police as evidence as investigations continue.

Jason also told this publication that he too, resided in the village for 15 years, but made a decision to leave following an upsurge in criminal activities.

He recalled that his mother-in-law’s premises had been broken into, as well as his home. In both incidents, the bandits carted off millions in cash and jewellery.

To date, he stated, no arrest has been made although detectives had dusted the respective crime scenes for finger prints.

“I can’t raise my children in this village. Too much happening…thief here and there, and the Police doing nothing,” he stated.

He is calling on the relevant authorities to solve this recent murder, and not let it be considered another unsolved mystery.

The late Yaseem has been described as a hardworking individual who used to “hustle” to making sure his family is taken care of.

He leaves to mourn his wife, Devi, who was at home when he was killed.

She reportedly hid in the upper flat of the house with her three children during the incident. After realizing that her husband was stabbed, she raised an alarm and neighbours rushed to the scene.

The man’s body was removed hours after, and taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home to await a post mortem examination. Up to late Monday evening, no arrests were made. (Bhisham Mohamed)

Joiner remanded to prison for allegedly stealing gold chain

T

wenty-eight-year-old Peter Waldron was on Monday remanded to prison after he was accused of stealing a G$71,000 gold chain.

The joiner and father of one, who resides at Lot 6 Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The charge against him alleged that he, on May 8, 2018, at Cornhill Street, Georgetown, stole the chain from Deon Persaud.

The man denied that he was in the area at the time of the offence, telling the court that he was at home.

He told the court that he was taken out of his home by ranks, and was not even placed in an identification parade before the charge was instituted against him.

However, Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore told the court that the virtual complainant (VC) was standing on the roadway awaiting transportation on

Peter Waldron hiding his face as he exited the court on Monday

the day in question when Waldron attacked him and removed the gold chain from his neck before escaping.

Moore objected to Waldron being placed on bail based on the prevalence of the offence. As such, bail was denied and the defendant was remanded to prison.

He is expected to make his second Court appearance on June 11.

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Family recalls horror at hands of bandits …during home invasion

A

family of four is now counting their blessings for being alive after three armed bandits invaded their La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank of Demerara home during the week hours of Wednesday morning.

Reports are at about 02:00h, the Persaud family of Lot 546 Recht Door Zee, Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme, WBD, was awakened by three armed men who began demanding cash and valuables while beating them.

Naresh Persaud, 43, and his wife Samantha Thakurdeen, 38, operate a general store in the housing scheme.

Persaud reported that while sleeping he felt a hand around his throat and when he opened his eyes he was confronted by two men in his room.

He was gun butted to his head several times while his wife watched on and screamed in horror, resulting in one of the men hitting her to the face. The men then began demanding cash and jewellery, but the family had very little valuables in the home.

Persaud’s son,

The home that was attacked

Naresh Persaud

19-year-old Sachin, told Guyana Times International that the entire ordeal lasted over one hour. The University of Guyana student related that one of the bandits went into his room, woke him and started demanding money and jewellery.

He related that when he told them that there was not much valuables in the house, the gun-

men became enraged.

“They ushered me to the room where my parents were and my father was lying on the ground, covered, like he was, I don’t know if they were beating him. My sister was on the bed looking on and my mother was on her knees with a big swell on her cheek,” Persaud recounted.

The teenager was

then thrown to the ground and ordered to huddle near his family. Persaud said the gunmen then began to ransack the house and collected what little money they could find.

“They said you guys don’t have any money. That’s all the money you have? Let’s beat them. Let’s torture them,” the young man narrated.

The men then proceeded to ransack the house and got away with a minimal amount of cash, cellphones, some jewellery, a laptop, colognes and other items from the shop.

It is suspected that the men gained entry by cutting a hole in the roof of the shop and

then prised open a grill door to gain access to the house.

“They told us to close our eyes because they don’t want us to see them…and we didn’t have any money, that’s why my dad was being harassed…they wore my clothes from the closet. They said ‘wow, you have nice clothes’.

The guy [bandit] pull a shirt and pants on.

He took all of my colognes because I had a wide variety of perfume on my vanity and he was like ‘wow, do you have people overseas or something?” Sachin related.

The bandits then began to hurry each other up as they were all scattered in the house

hunting for items of value.

The family called on the authorities to seriously consider establishing a Police Outpost in the large housing scheme as they await the construction of a Police station. They reported that numerous robberies are being committed on residents with very little action from the Police.

Following the robbery, the family called 911 but the phone rang out twice forcing them to look for a number for the La Grange Police Station and making subsequent contact. No arrests have been made so far and the Police investigation is still ongoing.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

‘Nice time in jail’ 6-yr-old dies hours after

…New video shows prisoners doing drugs, gambling …calls made for Ramjattan, Samuels to go

One of the photos that were posted on Facebook showing prisoners posing and consuming alcohol while being detained at New Amsterdam penitentiary

N

ew video evidence of prisoners at the New Amsterdam Prison, who are on remanded for serious offences surfaced on Wednesday, raising new concerns about the quality of supervision and security within the facility.

On Wednesday, Head of State David Granger expressed worry about the recent Mother’s Day ‘bash’ that featured prisoners sporting highpriced liquor and narcotics.

The video, which was secured and seen by Guyana Times International, shows some of the same prisoners featured in photos shared on social media not only drinking alcoholic beverages but smoking marijuana and costing a significant amount of cash.

In one clip, a prisoner is filmed counting at least 12 single G$5000 bills as he places them on a plate that was filled with what appeared to be cannabis and other prohibited substances.

Another clip showed the prisoners boasting about the “sweet life” that they are enjoying despite the fact that many of these very men were awaiting trial for grave breaches of the law, including rape, murder, robbery under arms, simply larceny and gun-related offences.

When contacted on Wednesday, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels denied any knowledge of the new video, stating expressly that he was only aware of the photos which had surfaced via Facebook.

He said he was at the time on a visit to the Mazaruni Prison but ex-

plained that contact could be made with the Public Security Ministry and its Public Relations Department for any update on the ongoing probe.

Despite this, Samuels told this newspaper that he had already submitted an updated report to the Ministry based upon preliminary investigations, following the most recent prison fiasco. He said the probe was ongoing but so far no “substantial or sufficient evidence” to implicate other persons in the controversy which occurred over the Mother’s Day weekend was found.

He said no arrests were made to date but anyone found culpable would be disciplined accordingly before requesting that if this newspaper was inclined it could share the videos with him so that an assessment could be made and action taken.

Guyana Times International also managed to confirm that at least one prisoner who owned the cellphone that took the first set of photographs featured on social media has accepted responsibility for his actions. His phone was seized.

Resignation

Prisoners displaying drugs, money and cellphones

This newspaper was told that the alcohol and other illicit substances as well as the drugs were smuggled into the prison via a tractor owned by the Town Council.

Meanwhile, President David Granger would only say that he is concerned over the security situation at the facility and the state of security in the country, given a number of other matters that would have been reported to him with respect to the conduct on law enforcement officials.

But the Indian Action Arrival Committee demanded much more from the President than just him expressing worry and concern.

The IAC said it is of the strongest opinion that this lawlessness must be brought to an end immediately as it called on President David Granger to ensure that all those persons responsible for permitting this egregious lawlessness must either be called upon to resign or be dismissed. “…Minister of Public Security and Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan has proved himself to be incapable, inept and incompetent to carry out the political responsibility for the prison service given the spate of unfortunate events which have taken place under his leadership of the sector,” the IAC stated.

The IAC also called on President David Granger to immediately request Minister Ramjattan’s resignation, failing which he should be dismissed.

“The IAC is also is of the belief that the Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels is also incapable, inept and incompetent to administer the prison system of Guyana and the organisation is calling on President Granger to request his resignation or failing which to dismiss him.” (Michael Younge)

Highway smash-up H ours after a horrific smash-up involving a motor car and a minibus on Sunday, six-year-old Arianna Hughes of Lot 23-44 Rohan Housing Scheme, Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) succumbed while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The young girl sustained severe internal and head injuries as a result of the head-on collision. She reportedly took her last breath about 03:45h on Monday.

Her mother, 31-yearold Shennelle Hughes along with Jada Enmore, 9; Tyrese Arthur, 4; Prem Persaud, 46; Lakeram Persaud, 21, and Rookmine Persaud all remain patients at the medical facility nursing head injuries and broken bones.

The victims were occupants of minibus BHH 8451 and motor car PMM 548, which collided head on while travelling along the Soesdyke-Linden

The motor car which was driven by Shenelle Hughes

Highway on Sunday.

Initial investigations revealed that the driver of the motor car, Shennelle Hughes, drove into a pool of water thus causing her to lose control of the vehicle and swerve into the path of the minibus resulting in a collision.

Several persons from both vehicles sustained injuries and were rushed to the Diamond hospital where they were treated,

but those persons with the more serious injuries were transferred to the GPHC. When Guyana Times International contacted the relatives of the dead child, they refused to comment on the matter. However, according to reports, the child’s mother remains in critical condition at the medical facility.

Investigations into the accident are ongoing.

Three face assault charges after affair accusation ends in seawall confrontation

A

man who told Magistrate Judy Latchman that he caught his partner cheating on him, “which is why us men does murder them,” was on Monday released on G$120,000.

Forty-seven-year-old Laurel Gill of Lot 61 Cummings Street, North Cummingsburg initially admitted to unlawfully assaulting Seon Meredith at the seawall at Kingston, Georgetown.

Gill told the court that he caught the woman whom he was about to marry in a compromising position with Meredith in a car at the Kingston seawall. He claimed that when he caught the two he almost “fall unconscious”. According to the man, he did attack them, but not with a knife. He said he left the scene in a shocked and stunned state.

After hearing his story, Magistrate Latchman entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore, however, told the court that upon see-

ing the two, Gill pulled out a knife, which is in evidence, and attacked them, causing both to receive injuries.

He was nonetheless released on bail and expected to reappear in court on May 21.

Meanwhile, the woman, 30-yearold Telesha Dazzle, and Meredith were also crossed charged for assaulting Gill, and were each placed on G$30,000 bail.

Meredith told the court he is the son of the owner of a property where Dazzle houses her business.

He noted that her husband constantly accuses him of having an affair with the woman, but he denied this accusation.

The man told the court that on the day in question, he and Dazzle went shopping when she started complaining of headaches. As such, they went to the seawall to “get some breeze.” That case will also continue on May 21.

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana to access US$1.7M advance from World Bank …to help build capacity in oil and gas sector

G

uyana is expected to access an advance to a US$20 million World Bank loan to build capacity in the oil and gas industry by June.

Natural Resources Minster Raphael Trotman said Government would like to access an advance of US$1.7 million but needed to “urgently” establish a Project Implementation Unit (PIU).

The PIU, spearheaded by the Natural Resources Ministry, must include a coordinator, financial director and have procurement capacities among other requirements. “Once those are in place we can receive the advance, and the larger tranche [portion] will be forthcoming towards the end of the year,” Minister Trotman is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

Ministers Raphael Trotman and Simona Broomes meeting with technical experts from the World Bank

The loan will be used to build oil and gas capacity in three important areas.

“Strengthening the regulatory framework, working with the Government on the is-

sues of bringing the gas to shore and the other one is just general capacity building,” he further explained.

Funds will also be used to build the ca-

pacity of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and other institutions that will monitor cost recovery and similar measures in the oil and gas industry.

Guyana’s high unemployment rate due to fall of ‘underground’ economy – SARA

W

ith the unemployment rate of persons over 15 years lingering at 12 per cent and youth unemployment at 21.6 per cent, Guyana’s woeful joblessness rate has been linked to the Government’s fight against financial crimes and the so called ‘underground’ economy.

In an interview with the media on the sidelines of a training exercise on Monday, State Assets Recovery Agency (SARU) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aubrey Retmyer spoke about the entity’s fight against capital flight. He noted that policy analysts are still trying to quantify the Government’s impact on problems like capital flight and procurement fraud.

“That’s something that we’re working on to determine after 2015, what difference has occurred. And it’s an exercise we do have some people in the agency, the policy analysts, are working on to determine by how much have we reduced procurement fraud and capital flight.”

“People for example complain that when the drug money was here, they use to get jobs.

That’s evidence that we’ve impacted the underground economy,” Retmyer claimed. “But by how much I can’t say.

We have to find a way to quantify that.”

A quarterly Labour Force Survey done

…but experts say it is due to Govt’s lack of job creation initiatives, firing of thousands

Chief Statistician Ian Manifold handling over a copy of the quarterly Guyana Labour Force Survey to Finance Secretary Hector Butts in March at the Marriott Hotel

during the period July to September 2017 had revealed that the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above was 12 per cent, with the situation for women being substantially worse than that for men.

The survey was done from a total population of 550,831 persons 15 years and above, with some 72.2 per cent living in urban areas. From this figure, only 271,068 comprised the total employed population during the time of the quarterly survey.

Males accounted for 166,873 and females 104,195. Urban workers totalled 188,774, while the rural area had 82,294 workers. The labour force participation rate for all persons aged 15 and above is 56 per cent, roughly equal to the corresponding 2012

value of 55.7 per cent.

All other data gathered were compared to information continued in the 2012 census.

According to the findings of the survey, unemployment among women was 15.3 per cent and among men 9.9 per cent.

The youth unemployment rate among 15 to 24-year-olds was almost twice that of adults, with 21.6 per cent. Young women were found to continue facing severe hardship, with 28 per cent of them being unemployed.

Anti-corruption policy

Retmyer also noted that SARA would have to work with other Government agencies that have lost due to financial crimes; in order to get this data. In the case of gold smuggling, Retmyer spoke of Memorandum of

On Tuesday, Minister Trotman and Minister within the Natural Resources Ministry Simona Broomes met with the World Bank’s Country Director for

Caribbean Countries and Latin America, Tahseen Sayed, along with other technical experts to discuss the loan which was secured by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

Sayed noted that the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) has “significantly increased more than three folds the allocation for Guyana” from mid2018. IDA is the concessional financing window of the World Bank.

Guyana’s allocations now stand at US$85 million over a three-year period, Sayed explained.

The US$20 million loan is part of this allocation, she added.

Minister Trotman stated that the World Bank will be the country’s primary financial institution in the development of the oil and gas industry.

Understandings (MoU) that will be inked to increase collaboration between agencies. In addition, Retmyer said that an anti-corruption policy is being developed.

“In terms of the gold, we’ve begun to draw a Memorandum of Understanding with agencies in the country. The United Nations sent a long list and we’ve been working with the anti-corruption representative to this country to answer those questions and to begin to formulate an anti-corruption policy.”

“We have the AML (Anti Money Laundering) people; they’ve been here and will be returning to deal with money laundering.

And various other agencies, they’re overlapping, but we will have to respond to each and we are

working to ensure that we have a common position on each.”

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between SARA and the Financial Intelligence Unit on Monday. It is understood that at this signing, SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas announced that persons who stole and want to voluntarily return State assets could strike a deal.

The MoU in question addresses issues relating to the sharing of information between the two agencies in the fight against financial crimes. Interagency collaboration is an important part of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism fight.

However, when contacted by this publication, several local economic commentators disagreed with Retmyer’s statement.

According to one economist, continued growth and improvement in Guyana cannot continue if investors’ confidence continues to be eroded. He noted that the high unemployment rate is as a result of the more than 10,000 Guyanese, who have lost their jobs since the present Administration took office.

The economist pointed to the 2000 Amerindian Community Support Officers (CSO)

who were the first on the breadline, then thousands of sugar workers, who were fired from Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Additionally, Barama Company Limited was forced to close its operations after several of its concessions were taken back by Government.

The booming construction sector has since faded, the expert noted, causing a lot of labourers and ordinary tradesmen to lose their jobs.

According to another economist, there has been lack of significant new investments in the last three years since investors and the business sector has lost confidence in the Government’s ability to honour agreements that were made by the past Administration.

Added to this, the economist said, is the agenda and unchecked power of Special Orgainsed Crime Unit (SOCU) and State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA). The economist noted that investors and the business community will look at the charges against former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and former head of NICIL, Winston Brassington, and may be intimidated into entering contracts since they will be unsure if these will be honoured in the future.

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Double standards? …NICIL under APNU/ AFC Govt still retains billions in dividends …despite criticising former administration of doing same

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rior to the change in administration in 2015, the then parliamentary Opposition parties, APNU and AFC, had been heavily critical of the powers wielded by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). There had specifically been much criticism of NICIL retaining dividends from several state-owned entities.

However, now that the coalesced APNU+AFC are in Government, nothing about the operation of NICIL has changed, in spite of a forensic audit having been conducted by former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, According to a closely placed source, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to run NICIL the very same way it used to be run when they were heavily critical of its operation.

“APNU+AFC continues to use NICIL in the same way. In fact, they’ve taken all of GuySuCo’s (Guyana

Headquarters of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)

Sugar Corporation’s) shares and transferred (them) to NICIL,” the source said. “And they’ve taken all of the assets of GuySuCo and invested (them) in NICIL. They continue to run NICIL along the same lines (they previously criticised).”

According to the source, the Government

has taken one of Guyana’s largest entities and placed it under the control of NICIL. “They took the biggest entity in the country and they transferred it to NICIL…the shares and all of the assets. They created the Special Purpose Unit.

They bought the shares in the Berbice Bridge,”

25-yr-old charged for attempting to murder Cop

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Maryanne Daby

financial officer was on Tuesday remanded to prison when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for attempting to murder a Police Constable.

Twenty-five-yearold Maryanne Daby of Lot 127 D’Aguiar Park, Houston, Greater Georgetown, was also slapped with two possession charges.

She was not allowed to plead to the first charge read to her

by City Magistrate Judy Latchman. The charge alleged that on May 13, 2018, at Albert Street

and Thomas Lands, Georgetown, Daby attempted to murder Police Constable Christopher Kissoon.

However, the financial officer denied having a .32 pistol along with five live .32 rounds of ammunition in her possession while being an unlicensed firearm holder.

The court heard from Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore that the 25-yearold was seen firing shots in the air while partying at a racing club when she was approached by Kissoon and commanded to stop.

However, according to

the Prosecutor, the irritated young woman took the said pistol and pointed it to the officer’s head and pulled the trigger.

The prosecutor informed the court that the gun jammed and did not discharge.

Attorney for Daby, Mark Waldron, in his bail application told the court that his client was unlawfully detained by ranks as there is no evidence to support the claims of the Virtual Complainant (VC).

He argued that no spent shells were acquired by the Police to date, which shows that they would be unable to prove that a gun was indeed discharged.

Addressing the possession charges, Waldron noted that his client was a licenced firearm holder; however, said licence expired and Daby is still within the grace period to have it renewed.

Waldron questioned why no efforts were made to solicit the Department of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) advice in the matter.

Magistrate Latchman however remanded the woman to prison. The case will continue on May 23.

the source said, adding that a change was expected when the new Government took over, but nothing has changed.

F o l l o w i n g Government’s decision to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Sugar Estates, and sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, a Special Purpose Unit (SPU) operating out of NICIL has

been leading the divestment process. Run by Colvin Heath-London, the SPU has contracted an overseas firm to do the valuation of assets, while advertising for various bidders who would tender for parts of the estate — from land to scrap metal.

On the other hand, Government, in 2016, purchased the 40 million shares Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) had in the Berbice Bridge. NICIL had previously held shares in the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated, but these were sold to the National Insurance Scheme.

The 2015 forensic audit of NICIL was one of 50 such audits the Government had launched after it entered office. Goolsarran, who handled that audit, had noted that from 2002 to 2014, NICIL retained G$26.8 billion in dividends and divestment proceeds.

Back then, Goolsarran had called this a breach of Article

216 of the Constitution.

However, the then NICIL Executive Director, Winston Brassington, had sought and received legal advice from London House Chambers, an international law firm that directly contested Goolsarran’s finding.

According to advice from London House Chambers attorney Devindra Kissoon, “Section 216 applies specifically to revenues raised by the State.

NICIL is not the State, but rather has a separate legal personality.

The fact that the State is the sole shareholder of NICIL does not render its corporate form defunct; and accordingly, the automatic transfer provision contained in 216 does not apply.”

“These forensic audits have become tools for witch-hunting. And some of the other auditors have come to the table with their hands not clean. They’ve come with prejudices and biases,” the source noted, in commenting on the audits.

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Surinamese cop brutally murdered …incident reportedly linked to drive-by shooting in March

Dead Police rank: Premcharan Ravikan

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r e m c h a r a n Ravikan, a Surinamese Police Auxiliary Agent, who was found dead hours after he was allegedly kidnapped by Guyanese was reportedly stabbed five times and shot once.

A source in the Dutch-speaking country told Guyana Times International that the man’s throat was also slit, and a single bullet wound was evident on his abdomen.

The body of the 23-year-old was discovered in his Toyota Prado luxury vehicle in the wee hours of Sunday at Passiebloemstraat, Paramaribo. The now dead Policeman’s pistol

was not found in his vehicle and as such, it is suspected to have been taken by his abductors.

Hours after the discovery, a man claiming to be the murderer surrendered to the Police, but the lawmen are yet to ascertain the motive behind the killing although they suspected it was connected to the shooting to death of boat captain Somnath Manohar, which occurred on March 30. The Surinamese lawmen are tight-lipped about the suspect in custody.

The dead boat captain was the brother of Nakool Manohar of Number 43 Village, Corentyne, Berbice who was last week arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on two counts of robbery at sea.

This publication was told that the gun that was used in the driveby shooting was reportedly given to the perpetrators by the now dead Police rank. After the young Police rank was abducted, a text message was reportedly sent to his family stating that Ravikan had sold a gun to someone and it was “payback time”. continued on page 21

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Joint Services ranks responsible SARA’s boss claims political for Lindo Creek massacre …mining camp owner tells CoI ties to PNC would not affect work L eonard George Arokium, co-owner of the mining camp at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River where, in 2008, eight employees were killed and their bodies burnt, remains convinced that notorious criminal Rondel “Fine Man” Rawlins and his gang did not commit that horrendous crime.

Rather, he remains convinced that Joint Services ranks were responsible.

Arokium lost a son and brother when armed men invaded his mining camp at Lindo Creek, shot and killed, then burned the bodies of miners Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres sometime between June 12, 2008 and June 24, 2008.

Since the issue came to the fore, Leonard Arokium has repeatedly stated that he was reliably informed that members of the Joint Services were responsible for the men’s deaths.

When he took to the stand before the Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, it was revealed that in the interest of closure, he chose to appear as the Commission’s last witness at the public hearings regarding the 2008 horrendous happenings at Lindo Creek.

Leonard Arokium testified that he has no evidence to prove who had killed his workers, but he said that while there was a heavy Joint Services’ presence in the area, it was “impossible” for the Fine Man gang to have ventured to the location, killed the men, burnt their bodies, and then go along their way.

He further related that because of the tight security at the Unamco checkpoint, and the distance between Lindo Creek and Christmas Falls – where the criminal gang had last encoun-

Deputy Superintendent, Gary McAllister reading from the Ituni Police Station Diary

tered Police — it was highly “impossible” for the gang to have ventured to the area without being seen.

Recollecting when he had initially received information of the incident, Arokium said the mother of one of the miners, Yonette Torres, had, on June 18, 2008, contacted him about the incident.

He further related that he had received an anonymous call from someone, informing that Joint Services ranks had killed the workers.

He said that after he had received the information, he called a fellow miner who had been expected to visit the area and arranged a ride up to the site. He said they reached the Lindo Creek area sometime during June 21, 2008, and when he got to the site of his mining camp, he was confronted by the horrendous scene.

The CoI heard that the miner had seen the burnt remains of his workers stacked one on the other, and that the tarpaulin on one of the camps was missing. Further, while on his way to the camp, Arokium had had a conversation with a man named

“Anthony,” who related to him that two of his workers would venture to the Unamco Trail and interact with the Joint Services ranks. He said “Anthony” told him that the ranks had been inquiring when the miners were “washing down”.

However, Arokium’s credibility was questioned when Counsel for the GDF, Leslie Sobers, put it to him that all his evidence was hearsay, and that “Anthony” had given the Police a statement refuting all the information he had allegedly given.

Sobers caused Commission Counsel Patrice Henry to comb through the report compiled by Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo and find three statements made in the name of Anthony Herber, one with the sole purpose of denying the information produced

by Arokium.

Further pressed, Arokium said he remains convinced that Joint Services ranks were responsible for the men’s deaths, since, in his opinion, the “Fine Man” gang had no motive to kill the men and then burn their bodies.

Sam Hinds to be interviewed

Following discovery of the bodies, a high-level team comprising acting President Sam Hinds, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, late Police Commissioner Henry Greene, and other senior Police officers had visited the affected families.

Arokium testified that Hinds had tried to convince him that “Fine Man” was responsible for the killings, but he had refuted those statements. In light of that revelation, CoI Commissioner Donald Trotman, through his counsel, related that, during the upcoming days, the Commission would interview Hinds, since the public hearings had come to an end on Tuesday.

Surinamese cop brutally ...

Ravikan’s car being searched following the discovery of his body

It was reported that Manohar and a 45-year-old worker were shot at by unknown suspects in two motor vehicles. The businessman was shot several times and was taken to a medical facility where he succumbed while receiving medical attention. The co-worker survived the attack, but it is not clear if he saw the occupants of the vehicle during the ordeal.

However, the lawmen are yet to release any informa-

tion with respect to the recent killing of the Policeman.

The dead Policeman left home on Saturday at about 13:00h without informing his relatives about his destination.

However, after some time elapsed, his parents attempted to contact his mobile phone, but the calls went unanswered.

Soon after, his family received a text message, and it was then they suspected that the Police Constable had been kidnapped by Guyanese.

from page 20

It was reported that the text message indicated that the man would have provided a firearm that was used in one of the recent pirate attacks that left four men dead and 11 still missing.

However, the family without hesitation immediately contacted the Police and handed over the critical information. In addition, it was reported that the Officer joined the Police force less than a year ago, but lived a lavish lifestyle.

It is also believed that the dead Policeman might have been working for the “Crackhead” gang, whose leader was arrested in Suriname on Wednesday last. Upon his arrest, he reportedly confessed to killing five fishermen in the recent attacks.

He claimed that he was following orders, which were to attack the boat and “get rid” of the occupants. Five of the men survived the attack while four bodies were recovered; to date, 11 persons are still missing.

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top official from the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) was put in the hot seat on Monday, and was forced to defend the Agency in the face of perceived bias even as members of the former Administration are being brought before the courts to answer to various charges.

SARA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aubrey Retmyer was asked about this perceived bias on the sidelines of a training seminar. Reference was made to Retmyer’s perceived affiliation with the People’s National Congress (PNC).

However, noting that Guyana is a small country, he claimed not to know many people without political allegiances.

“I believe I can have a preference for a political party, but I can be unbiased in a professional sense.

And I don’t think that is too much to ask a Guyanese, even if you’re a member or a follower of a political party, to operate professionally.

“It’s when you don’t operate professionally, and I’ve said that before that I have no qualms dealing with people that the evidence leads to. And in whatever environment, we’re not going after people because of their political alliance. We’re going after people because of where the evidence leads to.”

He was also asked whether SARA has investigated anyone from the current Administration. According to Retmyer, however, a procedure has to be followed, one that involves the provision of information.

“No. I remember the PPP, in replying to an invitation they had when we asked them to participate in the anti-corruption walk, they did raise some questions. But we just don’t go after cases. There’s a procedure we use to go after cases. We will stick to that procedure. If we have evidence or information that requires us to investigate something current, we will do it.

“What we started off with was the audit reports. Those reports went first to [Special Organised Crime Unit] SOCU; SOCU decided they would take it to PLA (Police Legal Adviser); the PLA took it to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions). We didn’t just jump off and start investigating because people said this or that individual was corrupt.”

In April, SARA had invited Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to an anti-corruption walk.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic

SARA CEO Aubrey Retmyer

(PPP/C) had declined this invitation, citing several cases which SARA had failed to investigate. The Party had noted that in the meantime, fabricated charges had been instituted against former Government officials.

In declining the invitation, the Opposition Leader said that he viewed the walk as it was – a mere “smokescreen” to detract from the grossest violations of the constitutional and statutory provisions regarding financial probity, transparency, and accountability ever witnessed since independence.

Further, he added that he would not participate in such a walk while members of successive PPP/C Governments and other public officials have been discriminated against, victimised, and targeted by a State-sponsored witch-hunt on frivolous, manufactured charges.

In a letter sent to SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas, Jagdeo stated that the parliamentary Opposition held firmly to this position, which was reflected in the PPP press release of April 14, 2018 that stated, among other things, “after being in office for only three years, the APNU/ AFC Government can easily be classified as the most corrupt Government in the post-independent Englishspeaking Caribbean.

Indeed, its corruption is only surpassed by its incompetence.”

The letter to Dr Thomas added that “the passage of the SARA Act has given you, sir, enormous, in fact, super powers – something we abhor as it is in total contravention to human rights and due process – but sir, you have those powers, so why have you taken no action as a so-called anti-corruption champion to bring members of the present Government to book? As they say, clean your own house so that others can see the light and know you are serious about fighting corruption.”

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2015 Elections Petition case being stalled unnecessarily - Nandlall

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he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) on Saturday said it was concerned over the continued and prolonged delays that have stalled the hearing of the Elections Petition case filed in the High Court, challenging aspects of the results declared following the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections.

The Party’s legal representative and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall confirmed that much progress has not been made in determining several matters related to the petition, which is before the High Court.

He recalled that after the PPP filed its case in the High Court, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield moved to the court to block the hearing of the petition.

After the High Court heard and determined Lowenfield’s summons, it was dismissed but soon after the GECOM CEO appealed the decision of the High Court.

Nandlall said the matter took about one year or more to be heard by the Full Court and

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

that same court is taking approximately more than six months to deliver its judgement.

The PPP member added that he is very concerned because election petitions by law, and by their very nature, are expected to be heard and determined speedily.

“In fact, the law expressly provides that once the hearing begins, it should continue on a day-to-day basis by the Judge assigned to hear it… the rationale is obvious. A nation must not be in doubt about who its representatives are in the National Assembly nor who should form the Government. Delays in

the hearing and determination of election petitions therefore can easily lead to chaos, civil unrest and a complete breakdown of democracy in a society,” he reiterated.

Nandlall said it was against that backdrop that it is deeply regretful that after three years, the election petition filed challenging the 2015 General and Regional Elections is yet to get off the ground.

“It is even more unfortunate that the party that is frustrating the hearing of the elections petition is the CEO whose role in an election is an impartial one and

whose responsibility it is to ensure that there is fairness and compliance with the laws in relation to elections. This official, therefore, ought to be accommodating and encouraging in any process which seeks to examine the legality and propriety of elections because it is in the interest of the integrity of this officer to ensure that the integrity of the electoral process is vindicated and validated,” he remarked.

He said on the contrary, this officer attempted to strike the petition out in order to prevent legal scrutiny of the elections and then when his application is dismissed, appeals the decision further stalling the process.

“The Judiciary is not without blame in taking so long to dispose of the legal challenge and to ensure that the petition is heard with the speed contemplated by the letter and spirit of the law,” he explained.

He reminded of a situation in Trinidad in 2016 where an election petition was filed – after the PPP’s 2015 petition in Guyana – and that petition had already been determined in the High

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Court and in the Appeals Court.

He declined to say whether he felt the petition was deliberately being stalled by the GECOM CEO and others within the Executive branch who may have some sort of influence over the process.

It was expected since November 2017 that a speedy ruling would have been handed after the CEO’s appeal was heard by the Full Court presided over by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George and Justice Franklin Holder, who reviewed written submissions.

At that time, the

Chief Justice announced that the court needed no clarification after reviewing the submissions laid over by the parties – Attorney Judy Stuart-Adonis for Attorney General Basil Williams SC; Attorney Roysdale Forde for Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; and Attorney Rajendra Jaigobin for Opposition parliamentarian Ganga Persaud.

The petition filed on behalf of the PPP/C seeks to challenge the validity of the outcome of the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

(Michael Younge)

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Minister Cummings underscores important role played by nurses in health care delivery

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings

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inister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings described nurses as the “heart” of the public healthcare system and said they should be shown more appreciation for their priceless contribution.

“The hardworking men and women who are responsible for the treatment, safety, and recovery of acutely or chronically ill or injured persons must be profoundly recognised for their unrivalled commitment and dedication.

We must also celebrate the work that nurses do in maintenance of the healthy and the treatment of life-threatening emergencies in a wide ranged healthcare setting,” the Minister is quoted by the Department of Public Information

(DPI) as saying. This was highlighted on Saturday during an International Nurses Day ceremony at the Woodlands Hospital.

Minister Cummings noted that though many may overlook the hard work and devotion demonstrated by nurses, the Ministry commended them for their priceless contribution.

“While nursing is a tough, challenging profession, it is also a noble one and while it could be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding at times, it can also be rewarding. We, at the Ministry, salute you all for hard work and hope that you continue to help those in need to assist in achieving the Health Vision 2020,” the Minister noted.

She reiterated that the Ministry also recognised the critical importance of investing in human capital which is necessary to enable nurses to strive prosperously in a dynamic healthcare environment.

She further thanked the nurses for performing their tasks with the utmost respect, professionalism, dedication, and commitment.

O b s t e t r i c s / Gynaecology Managing Director, Dr Neville Gobin also lauded the nursing staff for their hard work over the years.

Three years on; AFC yet to deliver on promise of campaign financing legislation

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n 2011, the Carter Center recommended the implementation of campaign financing laws and even prior to that, the Alliance For Change (AFC) was pushing for the implementation of the laws; however, after three years in Government, the party and its coalition partner are yet to make a step in that direction.

At a press conference to reflect on its third election victory anniversary on Friday, party Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan made another promise to deliver the much-touted piece of legislation.

He noted that they have begun the campaign to draft the legislation referencing a recent visit by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s General Secretary, Akbar Khan, during which they requested assistance in doing so.

“We have started that campaign and I know prior to her passing, Sheila Holder had done a lot of work on that aspect, all that work still remains and we support campaign finance legislation. As again, we have a number of other things and we have to present the legislation now and we have to get the more advanced one from the Commonwealth,” he said.

“I have asked for a draft campaign finance legislation (from the Commonwealth). The CPA Secretary General Akbar Khan … met us and indicated where we can get these things, along with source materials for the Consolidated Fund and so on. So, we are going to

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

tap into those resources to come up with a campaign legislation that is modern enough to take care of all the concerns,” Ramjattan added.

He reiterated that the party would honour the legacy of Holder.

While in Opposition, the AFC had moved a motion in Parliament to set up political financing legislation in 2011.

In its final report on the 2011 General Election, the Carter Center said the need to create legislation to cater for campaign financing was important and even reiterated that in its 2015 report.

“To ensure realisation of the right and opportunity to be elected, legal reform is necessary to improve campaign finance laws. Legislation should be strengthened to routinely require disclosure of contributions and expenditures. Consideration also should be given to establishing

reasonable limits on donations and expenditures to ensure that the free choice of voters is not undermined or the democratic process distorted by disproportionate expenditures on behalf of any candidate or party.

A monitoring and enforcement body with oversight authority of compliance with campaign finance regulations would also be a positive contribution to Guyanese politics,” the report stated.

Additionally, the report stated that Guyana’s legal framework for elections was silent in the area of registration and operation of political parties; hence, the reason why legislation is needed to establish clear requirements for the registration and operation of political parties that would support the freedom of association and promote broad multi-ethnic parties that could represent citizens’ interests in governance.

Now that the 2018 Local Government Elections are in sight, it is timely to highlight that the Carter Center had recommended in 2015 that the code of conduct for politicians be signed much earlier to include a clear and strong enforcement mechanism.

According to the Transparency Institute of Guyana, political financing laws are about protecting the State from corporate and other interests, and ensuring that incumbents avoid corrupt use of State resources and ensure access to resources for all recognised political parties among other issues.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Current political deadlock No laws provide for sexual on judicial appointments harassment in beauty pageants – Chief Justice (ag) could lead to negative outcome – Ram S

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iven President David Granger’s decision to unilaterally appoint a chairman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) earlier this year, Social Commentator and Attorney, Christopher Ram, has said Guyanese should not be surprised if that scenario repeats itself with the vacant judicial posts.

Ram described the current impasse regarding these delayed appointments as unfortunate, and one that could have a negative outcome.

“President Granger has shown that he is not averse to taking action in an autocratic, unilateral style, so nothing should be surprising anymore,” he added.

But the attorney stressed that instead of accepting these decisions, Guyanese should speak up for themselves and force change among the so-called leaders and politicians.

Ram noted that many Guyanese these days have been cowed into inactivity, if not because they are fearful, but he stressed that that state of being should not continue.

“It is more than unfortunate and really sad that our country is so divided and polarized that an important and absolutely necessary constitutional matter we don’t seem to be able to get… both action and agreement on. It continues a pattern, and one would have hoped that we would have seen the last of it.”

Ram said the only outcome that could flow from this polarisation is that Guyana would continue to suffer, because no matter what resources a country has, governance, embracing the rule of law, respect for the constitution, and comity between the parliamentary parties are important ingredients that help a country to develop.

But while Ram feels a unilateral decision could be taken, given that the President and the Opposition Leader are at loggerheads on this matter, the Opposition has already made it clear that it will oppose any action taken in this regard. As a matter of fact, it said that any attempt to unilaterally appoint a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice will be vigorously challenged.

Former Attorney

Attorney and commentator Christopher Ram

General and Minister of Legal Affairs, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall, has said if there is any attempt to ignore the strict constitutional prescription relative to the substantive appointments of Chancellor and Chief Justice (CJ), his party “will leave no stone unturned in a relentless effort to ensure constitutional compliance.”

Hinting that his party would legally challenge any attempt at unilaterally appointing Justice Kenneth Benjamin as Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards as Chief Justice, the former AG said, “It is sincerely hoped that the two highly respected and experienced judicial officers identified by the President will not lend themselves to be used in this proposed constitutional heresy.”

Reform

Ram told this newspaper last Sunday he supports the idea that Constitutional Reform is required if this issue is to be fixed. “Of course we need Constitutional Reform, but we are not even observing — as Lincoln Lewis keeps making the point – clearly, our Constitution is clearly deficient,” he said.

Further, Ram said the judicial system itself is stuck in a quagmire as far as the appointments are concerned.

“But you’ve had the President saying of a decision made by the Chief Justice, that’s her opinion and he has his. That is extremely disrespectful. And the Executive must show the same kind of respect to the Judiciary as it expects the judiciary to pay to it. That’s how it works, but not here.”

The outspoken attor-

ney also highlighted that calls for Constitutional Reform made by coalition parties, including the Alliance for Change (AFC), is just an act of hypocrisy and deception.

He said, “None of them want Constitutional Reform when they are in power. (Khemraj) Ramjattan knows we won’t get Constitutional Reform, so he is just playing a big game. The (Peoples Progressive Party) PPP didn’t either; nor does the (A Partnership for National Unity) APNU, We are really stuck among a lot of politicians that (are) almost counter-development, if not anti-development.”

Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) has called on President Granger and Opposition Leader Jagdeo to show maturity and utilize compromise to bring an end to the current impasse regarding top appointments to the Judiciary.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has also called for an end to this state of affairs. It said the delay would affect the quality of justice being offered.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has made it clear that President Granger would have to re-initiate the discourse. He noted that he was waiting on the President to get back to him on the mode of future discourse, and stated that the proverbial ball has always been in the President’s court.

But a few days prior to Jagdeo’s statement, President Granger had said there is nothing left to discuss on the matter.

The Head of State had said he had looked forward to a timely settlement of the appointment, which many deem critical to the effective functioning of the Judiciary, but that didn’t happen.

exual harassment in beauty pageants does not come under any category in the legislation. That was disclosed by Acting Chief Justice Roxane George as she responded to a question from a curious member of the audience at a recent forum where discussions were being held on the issue.

The Chief Justice said, “Sexual harassment in beauty pageants, it doesn’t fall under any of the categories that are in the legislation right now”.

She explained that in those cases, most times the pageant is just called off and the affected persons are encouraged to speak out about it. Persons contend that, in such cases, there is no justice for the contestants who are victims. The Guyana Times heard that it is more of a punishment to the contestants, since under those circumstances,

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George

the pageants are usually cancelled.

In April last, the most anticipated Miss Linden Beauty Pageant was cancelled two weeks before the signature event, after allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct perpetrated on a delegate by a popular Linden businessman while the delegate was seeking sponsorship.

The decision to quash the pageant was taken

by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC). LTW Project Coordinator Devin Sears told Guyana Times Entertainment that most councillors voted against the hosting of the pageant.

The incident allegedly took place at the businessman’s home on March 3, 2018. The incident was being investigated by the Police.

Former Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland called for the pageant to be cancelled following the revelation of sexual exploitation. Holland, who is no stranger to pageantry, is well aware of the consequences of such an allegation, and thought it fit to make representation to call off the pageant.

He described the incident as disturbing, and urged young women in pageantry to lift their heads high as they are ambassadors of the communities they represent.

Back at sea: Fishermen resume operations after deadly pirate attacks M ore than two weeks after the deadly pirate attacks in Surinamese waters, fishing vessels have resumed their operations.

Fishermen and fishing boat owners suspended their operations in light of the attacks, which left four dead and 11 still missing. Five men survived the attacks which occurred in the Wia Wia Bank area.

In the first incident, four boats were attacked; mere days later, another boat

At noon on Saturday, several fishing boats left Port Paramaribo on the first fishing expedition since the deadly attacks.

On Thursday last, the decomposed body of Gavin Outar was discovered at the Number 63 Beach, Corentyne.

Outar was one of the fishermen killed during the recent attacks.

He was reportedly working on the MV Shifanie, which is the same boat on which one of the four survivors,

suffered the same fate.

The green light was given for the trade to recommence as from last Saturday. The high seas fishing trade in Suriname is carried out by Guyanese natives who operate out of Paramaribo.

They have been promised protection by the Surinamese Coast Guard as well as the Guyanese lawmen.

Sherwin Lovell was working. Danesh Persaud, also called “Vicky”, the captain of the boat, was the first fisherman to be discovered dead on the Wai Wai Bank. The MV Shifanie is believed to have been the last boat attacked.

Outar was laid to rest on Sunday at the Stanleytown cemetery.

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Trump to nominate Arizona businessman as US ambassador to Jamaica

U

S President Donald Trump has announced his intention to nominate Donald Ray Tapia of Arizona as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Jamaica, the White House website has reported, describing the post as “a key position� in the administration.

Tapia, the website stated, served as chairman and CEO of Essco Group Management, the largest Hispanic-owned

Donald Ray Tapia

business in Arizona, for over three decades.

His philanthropic efforts include serving on the board of directors for the Sun Angel Foundation and Endowment at Arizona State University, the Tau Kappa Epsilon Educational Foundation Board of Indianapolis, Indiana, and as chairman of board and trustee at Saint Leo University.

Additionally, he served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club

of Metropolitan Phoenix, Teen LifeLine Phoenix, the Advisory Council of the Arizona Animal Welfare League, and the Advisory Board for the Foundation for Blind Children in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tapia is a US Army veteran and received his BA and MBA from Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida, where he was later awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

(Jamaica Observer)

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Security sector reform report before Cabinet – President

President David Granger speaking to the media on Wednesday

A

damant that there is nothing to hide, President David Granger has revealed that the Security Sector Reform report is currently before Cabinet, who are reviewing its findings and recommendations.

President Granger made this disclosure on Wednesday on the sidelines of an event, when asked about the United Kingdom-funded programme. The President admitted that his Government has faced challenges with its handling of the security sector.

“The report was made available to the Cabinet.

And the Cabinet has approved of its recommendations. It is before Cabinet now and once Cabinet has completed its deliberations, it’s nothing to hide.”

“As you know, there are some issues with security challenges. Piracy, in terms of reports being made and the prison service,” Granger listed, adding that “the sooner we implement those reforms the better.”

In March, it had been reported that Granger was studying the recommendations of the report.

The report was compiled

by British security expert Russell Combe. He first presented his final report in January.

There have been several training initiatives for locals where British specialists have been involved. Last year, local immigration officers underwent the Risk and Liaison Overseas Network (RALON) training conducted by the UK’s Immigration E n f o r c e m e n t International.

The training covered three fundamental issues: the overview of human trafficking, the enhancing of interview skills when dealing with arriving passengers and overall increased awareness of the latest trends

and concerns in the wider Caribbean.

The UK has done much of its security sector collaboration through the security reform project, which began in 2007.

Government believes that, once implemented, Guyana’s security sector will be significantly strengthened.

President David Granger has also said there is need for a stronger Police Force; one that is better equipped with all tools necessary to function adequately. He has therefore expressed hope that the reform programme will lead to a reduction in the number of illicit activities that take place.

But there have been a number of security breaches, including in the Camp Street Prison on July 9, 2017 when prisoners set that facility on fire, occasioning its complete destruction except for a newly built brick building which is still standing intact.

In the ensuing confusion, a number of prisoners managed to escape from lawful custody, including convicted murderers Mark Royden Durant, also called “Royden Williams”; Uree Varswyck; Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Cobena Stephens – all deemed armed and dangerous. That incident resulted in the death of Prison Officer Odinga Wickham, who lost his life after he was shot by prisoners during the breakout.

Following that jailbreak, over 1000 prisoners were displaced. While some were moved to the correctional facility at Mazaruni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) or granted early release or bail, others had remained at another correctional facility at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara under straightened circumstances.

It was then that another contingent escaped. Since these two jailbreaks, all but two prison escapees – Paul Goriah and Cobena Stephens have either been recaptured or killed.

It was only in March 2016 that another fire raged through the Camp Street Prison, claiming the lives of 17 prisoners. Afterwards, a Commission of Inquiry which cost the Treasury some G$13 million was ordered by President David Granger.

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feature 33

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“M

y grandson would’ve been five years old this December because he was four when he got the accident.

Presently, we miss him very much and because of that we won’t be celebrating Mother’s Day this year.” These were the sad words of Ms. Bibi Nazmoon, grandmother of Ramkaran Mohan, who was tragically killed in a car accident, last year, when he was just four years old.

The little boy’s life was snuffed out on the faithful morning of March 15, 2017 just a short distance away from his Lot 1088 Tushcen New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home.

On a day like any other, Ramkaran was reportedly playing joyfully with his brother and teenage uncle; the three were on their way to a shop obliquely opposite their home to purchase a ball when tragedy struck.

A woman, who according to witnesses, was known to be a reckless driver, was on that day speeding-as per normal.

The unsuspecting lad, who was standing in the corner of the road with his uncle, who was holding him and his brother's hands wait-

ing for the woman to pass, was hooked by the speeding vehicle, motorcar PVV5084, which reportedly swerved into the corner of the road. The child was then run over and dragged by the vehicle. After the horrific incident, the teenage uncle then ran behind the woman to signal her to stop. It was only then that she saw the little boy and realised what had happened. The injured child was then quickly picked up and rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ramkaran’s parents had no clue as to the tragedy which had befallen their family; it was only after the child was already on his way to the hospital, that were they informed.

Distraught and in disbelief, the family quickly rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital however, they were unaware that it was already too late. The boy had died.

The young lad was buried a week later following a heart rendering funeral service.

For the family, no amount of time will heal their wounds or fill the void left, as Ramkaran’s absence is felt every day. It is particularly difficult on holidays, and

The four-yearold victim’s classmates joined the call for justice after his tragic passing . (Samuel Maughn photo)

mother’s day is no exception.

The young lad’s grandmother explained just how difficult the last few months have been, she said, “Actually, we don’t celebrate no occasion anymore. Since we lost that child, we’re not celebrating any occasion. The family is in state of mourning because we’re not getting justice. He was a joyous child and the light of this house because he was a very loving, caring and joyful child to us. Since that child gone from us, we don’t know what life is because t h e house is dull.”

The t i m e has also d o n e nothing to assuage the family’s anger and desire for justice on behalf of little Mohan. According to Ms. Nazmoon, the wound in their hearts, especially his mother , only widens as they continue to wait for justice .

She explained, “Presently, nothing is coming out of the case. We’re just

back and forth trying to understand what is happening. We have tried many ways of getting justice.

I went to the police and they said that the case is before the court and that they have to wait on the judge to fix a date.

They said t h e y have t o get a

12 member jury to try the case in court.

We cannot wait anymore for the case to be finished.”

While the time passes, the love that the family has for little Ramkarran Mohan continues to endure. (Guyana

Times Sunday Magazine)

34 feature

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com The proud mother with all of her children

By Utamu Belle

W

hile the past few years have been especially challenging for 33- year- old Linden mother of 7, Ronella Jervis, she stunningly manages to beat the odds, overcoming daily challenges associated with caring for three of her children who are visually impaired. Jervis, who lives with her husband and children at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden first found out that her eldest son, now 16 had the disease Congenital toxoplasmosis, while he was just around 13 years old.

She would later find out the heartbreaking news, that another one of her sons, now aged 14 and her daughter, now 6 years -old also contracted the disease. "After getting my third son, I found out about the disease", Jervis related. Congenital toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite, toxoplasma gondii, which is transmitted from mother to fetus causing visual, hearing, motor, cognitive and other difficulties with the child. As Jervis would relate, it started off with a "jerking" movement of the eyes, then impaired vision.

"We already knew they had an eye problem, but we said probably glasses would rectify it. We thought they just had jumpy eyes, until the eldest one get blind in the left eye completely", she explained.

When the now 16-year-old complained to his teacher of not being able to see properly in his left eye, it prompted a hospital visit, followed by the diagnosis. She later learned that she had a strain of the disease which was transmitted to her children. "The doctor said it's likely the first, second and fourth children would be affected by the disease", Jervis said. However, according to Jervis her daughter's vision has not been as badly affected as her sons'. One has gone completely blind while the other is partially impaired, a situation, which she was told cannot be rectified.

"The doctor said it is active like when

you're around cats or if your meat ain't cook properly or if you been in the interior. I does still find it hard to understand where I got this disease from. And my second boy, he loves animals, so it's hard for him", she said.

Achievements and challenges

Despite this, the boys are high achievers, as Jervis is a firm believer that education is a must for her children, the youngest being 6 months old. Both, her 16 and 14 year old sons were awarded places at the leading

not attending MacKenzie High right now because it's pure hopes. With all the SBA's (School Based Assessments) and there we're much teachers at the Blind Unit at the time. The teachers weren't regular and he wasn't getting all the notes and so on", she indicated. On the other hand, Jervis said things are different for her other son who receives tremendous help from his school friends. Despite his condition, she said he manages to walk to and from school. "He does walk with faith. I does say what-

Jervis with 3 of her children ( the eldest son at right)

high school in Linden, the MacKenzie High school, after sitting the National Grade 6 Assessment Examinations.

She said too that her second son, who attended the Blind Society Unit based at the Wismar Hill Primary in Linden, received necessary assistance with writing his entry exams. Life at high school has been difficult for both boys. "When it comes to education, the Blind Society Unit, they really help out. The teachers are amazing. When they wrote the exams the Ministry sent a reader and a writer because their vision was very weak. But the secondary system, it is really really hard", Jervis said.

It became so hard that her 16-yearold son recently dropped out of school in Grade 10 (Form 4) since, as she explained he was not receiving the special attention he required in school. "He's

ever he do, he do it by faith. His vision is very poor. So it's really hard", the mother said. She explained that there are issues catching the boat from Wismar to MacKenzie, as he has difficulty boarding the boat, he would have to sit at the boat's bough. "Some people would tell him to get up because they don't understand his condition". "People would tell him to look where he's going,� the concerned mother added.

No Support

She is now contemplating sending her older son back to school with the help of the Welfare Department. "I would send him back, even if it's not at MacKenzie High because I want him to finish his secondary education. They now have a Special Needs Welfare so if they attach a teacher to him I have no problem, because they don't have any

teacher placed at the Secondary school that could help them", Jervis said, as she outlined that sending her son to the Blind Society in Georgetown will be too costly. "We ask long for a bus that could bring them and carry them because they get bullied a lot. People would beat them up a lot when they were small. And to say who did it, they can't say. People does take advantage of them a lot because of their condition", Jervis lamented.

She also pointed to the stigma attached to the situation as she noted that people would smirk at her for having blind children.

Despite this, she noted that she is proud of their achievements. Jervis is telling her story to spread awareness, with the hopes that other families in similar situations would be able to receive the necessary support.

She said she has made several appeals via the media but has not received much help, noting that she hopes more could be done for persons living with disabilities. Jervis said it has been challenging to acquire public assistance after being told by an official that she was not eligible.

"That is why I make a claim whereby I can get public assistance. Because they're condition is just like a disability.

People does got to do things for them", she noted. "My children are growing and I does assist them in any way. I'm asking on the part of the Government, to assist at least when it comes to education. I'm asking for the Government to look out for children with disabilities, whether they attend a normal school or the disability school, whereby they could get a normal education just like everybody else", a teary-eyed Jervis said.

Both of the affected boys dream of becoming musicians and even recorded a viral musical video which they prepared in the spirit of this year’s Linden Town Week event. (Guyana Times Sunday

Magazine)

Feature 35

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

G

od could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers...today as we celebrate.

Born to Jaso and Totaram Soorjie on the 7th of October 1942 in the humble village of Columbia on the Essequibo Coast was a darling baby daughter.

She was the fourth child and was so sweet that her Ajee (father’s mother) called her Rose and that was the name giv-

en to her. Rosy Soorgie had to leave school when she was only twelve years-old to join her parents in the rice fields to help maintain the family which quickly grew to sixteen persons, including her parents.

At age 17, on the 19th of March 1960, she was married in a matched wedding to Manoo Bissessar of plantation Hampton Court.

By her second Sunday she was back in the rice fields with her husband and in laws, but this time it was not easy for her because her in laws were cultivating over one hundred acres of rice land. She woke up at about three o’clock every morning to cook over sixty roti for breakfast and made lunch to take to the

back dam for the very big family of close to thirty; in those days everyone lived together and some had to sleep on the floor with mattresses made out of dried rice straw.

The men ploughed the land with bulls while the others, including the women and children in the family, helped to clear the land of weeds, planted the rice, dug drains, cut the ripe grains with grass knives, and helped to take the

straw to the thatched house where the men used the bulls to separate the grains from the straw. The paddy was then taken to the rice mill for sale.

Mrs Soorgie also remembers staying in the “back dams” sometimes for over three months to take care of the family plantation and while there, she would help to milk the cows and sell the milk. Life wasn't easy, she recalled, but that was the culture then and although it was very hard, she now views the experience as “good in a way to keep the body fit”. It also fostered a sense of closeness with the relatives sharing the

same home. After living with her in laws for twelve years, the couple bought a property at lot 72 Hampton Court from her husband’s grandmother for three hundred dollars; this is the same home where Rosy now lives with her son, Gopie and daughter-inlaw Baby.

After the death of her husband on the 17th of August 1992, the woman related that she continued to “work hard” to give her four sons and daughter the best of everything she could afford.

She remembers well, when the Sankars bought the Hampton Court Estate from the Mc Dooms and transformed the village into a modernised one, with a modern Rice Factory, Air strip, modern machinery for rice cultivation, a modernised drainage system and all weather farm roads, thereby creating jobs for hundreds . Eventually the entire rice industry was transformed; farmers had moved from cultivating from twenty bags to fifty bags per acre. “Thanks to the Sankars who eventually take us out of the mud,” she stated.

“To be a mother is a god given role and my only wish this mother’s day is that all mothers lived by example, for you is your child's first

teacher and role model.

Always remember what you put in, that will come out,” Rosy reminded. She also used the opportunity to remind all parents to be good examples for their children, so that every day will be mother's day.

New Arrivals: Loading for Venezuela; Rice Harvest; and Plantation life (Photo courtesy GeneralSecretary of RPA, late Mr. Pariag Sukhai)

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

36 feature

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

A passion to serve Guyanese nurse receives …Nurse recognised for 40 years of serving her community

award.

In accepting the award, Europe expressed gratitude to the RDC for the recognition, noting that it all started with a young woman whose aim was to pursue a professional nursing career.

She related that the many challenges she faced as a young nurse only served to motivate her further.

“I am a determined nurse who is very committed to this profession, as it’s a profession of care and love and that is what I live my life by each day, as I understand that if I do otherwise then I am not be serving my profession,” she said.

Europe, who first began her working career as a teacher, taught for five years before she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse.

Nurse Hazel Europe holding her award that She was enrolled as a nurse on was presented to her by the RDC October 1976 and has the distincazel Europe, a nurse attached tion of serving in every health centre to the Grove Health Centre on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). who has served the community Although she has met the age of for the past 40 years, was recognised retirement, she continues to provide by the Regional Democratic Council much-needed service to the communi(RDC) of Region Four (Demerara- ty owing to her passion for the profesMahaica) for her significant contribu- sion. As such, she is not sure when she tions. will “call it quits”, but what she is cerRegional Health Officer (RHO) tain about is that she does not foresee Quincy Jones in applauding Europe’s it being any time soon. impact explained that she has made “I love what I am doing, and I am a great contribution to the health sec- grateful for the opportunity to contintor and as such, the Region was indeed ue in the profession and I would like privileged to be at the receiving end of to urge my fellow nurses to serve with her service. dignity and pride while giving of their For her service, she was recognised best,” the distinguished woman relatby the Region and conferred with an ed.

honorary degree from US university M andy La Fleur will be the first resident nurse in Guyana to receive a Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Saint Joseph. She accepted the honorary degree on

in HIV/AIDS prevention among health-care workers, and her service as the United Nations Population Fund liaison for Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health in Guyana.

These, President

Nursing (management focus); and a Registered Nurse/Midwife diploma.

With over 30 cumulative years of knowledge, skills, and experience in health sector management and practice, and in planning, program-

H

Mandy La Fleur

Sunday in Connecticut, USA. According to an article published by the Department of Public Information (DPI), Nurse La Fleur was identified to receive the endowment after her résumé was reviewed in 2017

by University President Rhona Free and the Board of Trustees.

La Fleur was considered because of her commitment to improving the health and wellness of the people of Guyana and her efforts towards advancing the expertise of nurses globally, and locally. The University also reviewed her role

Free noted, “reflect the compassion and dedication to meeting society’s needs that the University encourages among their students”.

The final decision to allow the University to follow through with Nurse La Fleur’s selection was endorsed by the PAHO/ WHO Representative for the Guyana Country Office, Dr William Adu-Krow and Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence.

As a trained Nurse/ Midwife, La Fleur holds an MSc in Nursing (Education, Leadership & Management and Public Health); BSc

ming and implementing of health programmes, La Fleur is well poised with the knowledge and skills toward the successful accomplishment of the mission and goals of the Public Health Ministry – particularly in the division of Health Sciences Education.

Having earned a Master’s degree from the University of Saint Joseph, Nurse La Fleur was invited by the Board of Trustees to deliver the feature address at their undergraduate commencement ceremony on Sunday.

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

TRAVEL & TOURISM 37

T

he beautiful and fragrant Victoria Amazonia is the world’s largest water lily at over 18 inches across. A majestic yet delicate blossom Victoria will slowly unfold her paper thing petals at dusk before your eyes. The intoxicating fragrance once released attracts golden scarab beetles to the lilies warm core. For the beetles, it is a good opportunity to find a mate and a good meal all in exchange for supporting pollination.

“We weaved our way through the narrow tributaries, spotting black caiman along the way, until we arrived at Buffalo Pond. Here we would witness an amazing display of nature! As the sun began to set, a field of giant Victoria Regis water lilies began to bloom! I had seen this on the Science and National Geographic Channels but to witness it in real life was incredible! A beetle pollinates the plant which eventually changes color and sex after three nights of repeating the process of blooming and closing.

Definitely a highlight of this stay at Karanambu!”

-www.adventure-life.com Buffalo Pond, near Karanambo Ranch on the Rupununi River, is covered almost entirely with hundreds of Victoria amazonica lilies.

The air at the pond is filled with the light, sweet fragrance of the lilies.

Accessible through a tiny stream, this small, shallow oxbow pond can also be quite busy when several species of heron (Capped, Striated, Boat-billed, Black-crowned Night-) and egrets (Snowy, Great, Cocoi) visit. Wood Storks, Black-collared and Great Black Hawks lurk in the trees at the water's edge while a few Giant River Otters can also be seen popping their heads up beside distant lily pads.

Buffalo Pond offers adventures and an idyllic opportunity for birding and fishing enthusiasts to experience nature one-on-one. A spectacular view of the beautiful spread of Victoria Amazonica, the world’s largest water lily and Guyana’s national flower, is the highlight of a trip to Buffalo Pond. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Herons-at-Buffalo-Pond-near-Karanambo-ranch

Wading through hundreds of Victoria amazonica in the pond (Photo by Andrea and Salvador de Caires)

Buffalo Pond is a seasonally flooded pond and nesting ground for water birds and Arapaima near Karamanbu

Breathtaking sunset at the pond (Photo by iamfisheye on Flickr)

38 Feature

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

... an inspirational story W

hile a mother’s love is invaluable, there are many fathers the world over who have had to assume the role of both parents. As a single parent to three teenage boys, Richard Moshette’s story of raising his children can be a true inspiration to many.

43 The year-old, Region 2 resident has been the sole bread winner and care giver for his family ever since his wife of 13 years, left their home.

During an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine, Richard disclosed that he puts his responsibility to his children above all else. This he pointed out revolves around the role of mother and father.

Caregiver “Well I got to try with it. I never give up and as long as I live, is me will look after them to the last,” the father explained as he gave some insight to what his days are like.

While there are many other fathers who also struggle with multiple roles, Richard’s case is quite unique; not only is he a single parent but the hardworking care giver is also an amputee.

A few years ago, he made the difficult decision to amputate his

Crafting his toys

Kevin lovingly hugs his father

right leg, due to diabetes. This “difficult decision” was made to ensure he would live to care for his three sons.

According to the man, his troubles escalated from there as shortly after, his wife left.

“She left me with the three boys. She left them but I never gave up. How could a mother do that to she own children? Richard questioned.

Even with his physical challenges, the father of three does not have the luxury of dwelling on his circumstances; rather, he works tirelessly to ensure his boys can improve their chances in life.

He proudly explained that, although he has difficulty get-

t i n g a r o u n d with just one leg, he ensures his children are taken care of , most importantly, he ensures that they get the necessary education.

“The boys are now 18, 16 and 14- years old now; the big one is out of school and he working and would help out. The other two still in school .I doing what I can for them now, it is up to them when they grow big…” he continued.

Provider Toy making is now his primary source of income, and according to the father, it requires a lot of patience and determination. He said “From the time I open my eyes in the morning I make sure I get food on, then I wash and after I sit

Richard displays his handcrafted toys

and make the toys. I sit there until about three in the afternoon. It take patience too. Then I have to get dinner. It lil’ hard but when the boys get bigger it will get better.”

He jokingly explained that he wished the nights were longer, so that he could get a little more sleep.

“From the time I wake in the morning, I think about making an extra dollar for my children. Sometimes I sell one toy and that would be enough for the day. I will never give up as a father,” Richard added.

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 tractors 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. According to the toymaker, his craft is supported by the villagers, who continue to give him encouragement.

He said, “The families in Essequibo support the business.

The main challenge is getting the toys to Georgetown.” The toy maker also has high praises for his mother, Rosie Moshette, for giving him faith and support.

Richard recently participated in the Essequibo Expo and proudly explained that he did manage to sell a few pieces.

Counselor Despite the demands on his time and the great amount of energy it takes to complete the daily routine, the doting father still

finds the time to sit and talk to his sons; advising them and showing them the value of hard work and sacrifice.

“I sit and talk to them. They know the value of hard work and I also tell them about my life . Like before my leg was cut off, I have lots of friends coming by, after there was no one. They don’t follow friends and so,” he stated.

With no knowledge of what the future holds, the father of three affirmed that he will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that his boys are taken care of. “Me nah rest,” he declared.

He also expressed the hope that when his sons are older , they will live by his example. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

news 39

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Trini burger joint Two new housing schemes on the cards owner killed in suspected `hit’ …368 Guyanese to benefit from houselots

(Trinidad Guardian)

T

he murder of Navindra “Nari” Chatoor, owner of South’s popular burger joint Chatoor’s Burgers, has been described as a “hit” by police.

Chatoor was killed on Monday night while at his burger cart at Cross Crossing, San Fernando, shortly after 10 pm.

A man dressed in black and wearing a hat partially covering the face walked up to him and shot Chatoor twice in the head at point blank rage in front of other customers.

Chatoor is now the fifth member of his family to be killed and his murder came nine days before the threeyear anniversary of the death of his brother, Rishi. Chatoor leaves to mourn three brothers, who were said to be very distraught over his killing. Chatoor was also said to be expecting his first child with his common-law-wife in July.

A relative, who did not want to speak to the media, only described the incident as “very sad and shocking”.

On May 22, 2015, Rishi, 32, was killed during a shooting incident at a bar not too far from where he lived at St. John’s Village.

Another man, Ishmael Mohammed, 60, was also killed in the incident and five others wounded. That same year, Rishi was charged with possession of an illegal firearm. Rishi’s murder was also a “hit”, police said.

On May 4, 2008, Kimraj Chatoor, 41, of Pancham Street, Borde Narve Village, was asleep at his home when men entered and brutally chopped him to death. His wife and three children jumped through a window to escape the attack.

Kimraj’s brutal murder was also believed to be a hit.

Another brother, Balchan, was murdered by poisoning.

But according to police sources, the murders of the Chatoor brothers stemmed from the 2006 murder of their father, Harry.

Harry was killed during a robbery at their home at St John’s Village. His death was

G Navindra “Nari” Chatoor

also classified by then Homicide investigators as a murder, as it is believed robbery was not the real motive. On July 27, 2006, Marlon Hope appeared before a Princes Town magistrate charged jointly with another man for Harry’s murder. It is believed that possible motives for the killing of the relatives over the years may have been from revenge to reprisals.

Up to press time, Chatoor’s mother, Shirley, who was vacationing abroad, was due to return to T&T on the next available flight.

A close friend of the Chatoor family, who spoke to the T&T Guardian under strict anonymity, said Shirley has been inconsolable since she heard the news.

“This is such a tragedy for her, especially having to lose her husband to gunmen who robbed them, then seeing her sons being killed one after the next. It is too much for she and the family to bear. The three brothers are now left are very broken and not talking much,” the friend said.

Asked if all the murders seemed to have a connection, the friend said: “Shirley doesn’t believe so. People in the village saying otherwise though. People have terrible things to say for whatever reason.”

Chatoor was described as a “cool guy” by one of his close friends, who also wished not to be identified.

“He was a kind person, always jolly and was very giving. He was always helping someone out and if you don’t have money and went to him he would have given a free meal with a smile. But when he was angry about something or someone he was a different person…I guess like most of us are.”

Head of the Southern Division, Snr Supt Zamsheed Mohammed, said investigating officers were yet to determine a motive for the killing up to last evening.

Investigations are continuing.

CEO of CH&PA, Lelon Saul (centre) and Projects Director, Omar Narine (right) with the contractors standing with their contracts in hand

overnment through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will be fasttracking the development of two new housing schemes on the East Bank of Demerara, following the signing of several contracts on Tuesday at the agency’s Brickdam, Georgetown office.

Seven firms were awarded with contracts to complete roads, drains, culverts and other infrastructure works at the Peter’s Hall – Phase 2 – and Providence – Phase 4 – housing schemes. The contractors for the project are Chung’s Global Enterprise, Guy-America Construction, Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works, Colin Talbot Contracting Services, H Nauth and Sons, KB and B Contractors and Romell Jagroop General Construction.

Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lelon Saul said on completion of the works, 368 persons will be issued with house lots in these new schemes in November. The investment for this critical housing project is G$545.8 million.

Saul noted that these contractors were selected through a fair and open tender process. “Those who would have satisfied the requirements were evaluated and were deemed suitable to execute the work. The process was overseen by the National Procurement and Tender Board,” he said.

The CH&PA CEO also urged the contractors to ensure the works are completed in a timely manner. “I trust

that you will adhere to the terms and conditions of the contract which you signed. If you fail to do so, as an agency, we will be forced to take appropriate actions,” Saul said to the contractors on Tuesday.

Director of Projects at the CH&PA, Omar Narine, said he was confident that the projects will be completed on time as some of the contractors have done work for the agency previously.

He also revealed that works will begin in June and are expected to be completed within next five months. According to him, there will be construction of 5.4km of crusher-run roads, construction of 10.4 earthen drains, construction of 47 concrete culverts, and insulation of 5.4km pure water distribution network.

In January, G$1 billion was put towards general infrastructure works at Peter’s Hall and Providence on the East Bank Demerara (ECD) and Cummings Lodge in Greater Georgetown. These works also included construction of roads, drainage, land preparation and the installation of electrical distribution networks.

Meanwhile, the development of two lots at the Perseverance Phase III housing scheme, which began in 2017, is expected to be completed this year. In 2017, works were completed in Section B and D Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, Farm Phase II East Bank Demerara, and Zeelugt Phase III East Bank Essequibo.

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180th Arrival Centenary: Indian connections I

By Ravi Dev

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t is, of course, widely known today that Indian immigration continued until the SS Ganges docked on 18th April 1917. It disgorged 437 persons: 268 men, 130 women, 22 boys and 17 girls, who went to plantations in all three counties.

Since one-third of them was picked up from Madras and the remainder from North India, it was quite a representative bunch.

Twenty-five came to my

village of Uitvlugt, and, like the others, brought with them direct knowledge of life in India.

The constant influx of new immigrants during the 79 years of Indentureship thus had the unintended consequence of keeping the connection with Indian culture alive – especially in the plantation setting. But there were also more direct interventions during the 20th century, even before the end of immigration. In

1905, Bhai Parmanand, a Punjabi from the reformist Arya Samaj movement, visited in South Africa Gandhi, who had been sending dispatches to Gopal Krishna Gokhale in India about the travails of the Indian community – including the merchants and Indentureds.

Parmanand then came to Guyana, where he spent a year.

Gokhale had moved a resolution in the Legislative Council on 25 February,

1910 for the prohibition on indenture recruitment.

Two organisations, the Arya Samaj and the Marwari community of Calcutta actively took up took the campaign against indenture.

By 1905 the Arya Samaj had already established a mission in South Africa

by Bhai Parmamand who then planted the seeds of the Arya Samaj here when he arrived in 1910.

He then moved to the US where he became part of the Ghadar (Revolutionary ) Party that pushed for the violent overthrow of the British in India. He was later tried along with many Gaddharists in India and sentenced to jail.

The journalist, Chandra Paul Persaud popularly known as Paul O’Hara once told me that the Ghaddar newspaper was smuggled into then British Guiana, and must have influenced the budding Arya Samajists.

O’Hara’s elder brother was Pandit Sama Persaud of the Arya Samaj who was a Senator in the 1953 PPP government.

More organised work took off in 1929 under the tutelage of a Vedic missionary – Mehta Jaimini – who also visited Trinidad.

This work was carried to its zenith under the sustained efforts of another youthful and vigorous missionary, Professor Bhaskaranand, MA, LLB, between 1936 and 1945. Bhaskaranand

commuted between Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, and by the time he left (he was to return periodically in the fifties), the Arya Samaj was firmly established in each of those countries.

Most importantly, the reformist movement precipitated a sustained debate in the wider Hindu society about the fundamentals of its religious and social practices, and engendered tremendous changes in those practices.

They pushed the notions that priests/pandits could be from any caste; murtis/ images were not to be worshipped; and that women should be educated and could become priests.

V.S. Naipaul has famously written about the agitation in the Hindu community in Trinidad during the thirties – when, among others, his father adopted the tenets of the Samaj.

In retrospect, the Samaj’s greatest contribution was to precipitate that great debate.

Today there would scarce be a Hindu in the Caribbean that would deny the Samaj’s central claims. The first generation of Samajists (including my father) was famously argumentative – some would say “dogmatic” — groomed as they were

by Bhaskaranand, who had been trained (as was Swami Dayanand) in the ancient Indian Nayya mode of argumentation that

enjoined “cavilling”.

The social and political awareness fostered by the Arya Samaj movement ensured that its members were in the forefront of the modern political struggle in Guyana, which was initiated in the late forties. The strongest early Arya groups were located on the East Coast of Demerara, and it is from this district that Dr. Cheddi Jagan was to secure some of his staunchest second tier of leadership – none of them “socialist”.

As mentioned, Pandit Sama Persaud from Buxton was made a PPP Senator in 1953 for his contributions and his leadership. Dr. Jagan also acknowledged the contributions of the youthful Balram Singh Rai towards his election to Parliament in 1947. Rai, of course, was to famously become Minister of Education and the first Minister of Home Affairs in the PPP governments of 1957-1964. There were numerous other Samajists in the PPP, such as Pt Ramlall who was imprisoned at Sibley Hall in the ‘60s, and Pt Budhram Mahadeo who headed the RPA between 1964 and 1992.

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Alleged domestic Four-lane section of ECD road project slated for violence victim completion by August commits suicide A

22-year old woman of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD), took her own life on Monday morning after reportedly being the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her partner.

Dead is Tinesha (only name given), whose lifeless body was discovered hanging from the ceiling with her one-year-old child standing nearby.

A neighbour, who lives on the upper flat of the two-storey building, related that hours prior to the incident, a heated argument had ensued between the woman and her partner.

This resulted in several attempts by the Landlord to resolve the quarrels, the neighbour stated.

“I know Sunday morning they were rowing bad before I go to church. The Chinese lady in front come and talk to them and then

I heard that she come again because they had a bigger argument,” the neighbour said.

However, she recalled that upon returning home in the evening, the woman and her partner, known only as “Kumar,” were at home.

“Me ain’t really hear anything when I come home Sunday night.

My daughter work and then she come home like around 12:30h. I didn’t hear anything, but you would usually see that light on and know that they’re there. Just after that though, we heard crying like about one o’clock Monday morning.”

She noted that subsequently, cries were heard emanating from the house. However, according the neighbour on Monday, Kumar, shouted out for neighbours, claiming that he heard the child crying and when

he went to check on the child, he saw his reputed wife handing from the ceiling. The neighbour said the couple moved into the house only six weeks ago. According to the neighbour, Kumar then called Tinesha’s family, who did not believe that she was dead.

“He called her parents and they didn’t believe him, so he take a picture of her and send it to them and then they come with the Police.”

This publication was told by a neighbour that Kumar was an employee of a nearby welding shop and was very abusive to his partner.

Another neighbour said that the woman faced daily abuse and they have since related this to the Police.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted today.

Kumar is currently in Police custody.

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Widening of the road at Beterverwagting

s the multi-billion East Coast Demerara Road Widening and Improvement Project progresses, efforts have intensified to complete the widening of the four-lane section from Better Hope to Annandale by August of this year.

Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI), the Technical Services Manager at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Nigel Erskine said approximately thirty per cent of the project has been completed.

Within the four-lane section, nearly 80 percent of concrete drains have been constructed, and a significant amount of sub-base work (placement of white sand and loom) has been completed. Work on the aggregate base has started.

“The construction of concrete drains is one of the main activities in the project. The contractor is currently working on two of the constructions of the bridges; they started works on the retaining

tant are working on a traffic management plan to divert drivers as the work continues.

While the upgraded four-lane section will be completed by August 2018, the entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

The contract for this project was awarded to China Railway International.

The project entails a four-lane extension from Better Hope to Annandale, and twolane upgrade from Annandale to Belfield with a total length of 16,998 kilometres of roads and 33,996 kilometres of drains to be built.

Apart from the road expansion, the residents are also going to benefit from the project, which included improved drainage since the East Coast is usually susceptible to flooding.

Initially, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had tried to finance the road expansion project, but the funding was not readily avail-

Ongoing sand filling works

structures; three of which have been constructed along the roadway”, Erskine explained.

When completed the four-lane section, will have a median in the centre equipped with street lights, sidewalks will be built along populated villages, seven bridges and twelve culverts will be widened and 11 traffic signals will be installed at busy intersections along the roadway.

The approximately 8-inch finished surface will be comprised of asphaltic concrete and have road safety features including warning signs, road markings and pedestrian crossings.

According to Erskine, just three issues could affect the overall completion of the project. He explained, “The first issue is the relocation of vendors who occupy the tarmac area at Mon Repos and Lusignan Markets. The tarmac area would become part of the four-lane section so those vendors have to be relocated. Secondly, the rate of the removal of utilities and a large section of fences and shops beyond the four-lane between Annandale to Belfield.”

In the interim the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the consul-

able; hence, the Administration decided to use local funds for preliminary works and use the funds from the Chinese to complete the works.

The preliminary works for the fourlane upgrade were completed at the end of 2014. This included the widening of the roads and installation of drainage facilities. The project was divided into seven lots which were awarded to different contractors.

With the China Eximbank putting up most of the finances for the road expansion, Guyana had awarded the contract to China Railway First Group for some US$42.7 million. The Chinese construction company reportedly put in the lowest bid of US$46.994 million. The PPP/C Administration had stated that it was saving some G$2.8 billion by giving the contract to China Railway First Group.

In 2016, the incumbent Government and the People’s Republic of China signed a US$45.5M concessional loan for the completion of the widening of the road between Better Hope and Belfield.

According to the DPI Guyana has contributed G$2.7B towards the project.

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Most beautiful English word is “mother”

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By Ashley Anthony

ccording to a survey by the British Council among English speakers, about forty thousand people agree, the most beautiful English word is “mother”. Last Sunday was Mother’s Day; the day where we honour the influential women in our lives.

The idea of honouring mothers is certainly not a new one. Since the time of the Greeks, women were celebrated with the festival of Rhea, the mother of the Gods. The Romans too, had a mother of all Gods, Magna Mater, and every March, people would bring gifts to her temple to appease her. The modern idea of mother’s day, however, (flowers, family time and gifts), more closely resembles that of “Mothering Sunday” which originated in Europe in the 16th century. Mothering Sunday was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Affluent people returned to their “mother” church bearing presents (often flowers), as offerings to their mothers. For the poorer,

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the day served as an opportunity to meet. Many servants lived far away from their families and on Mothering Sunday, were given time to go home. Often, it was one of the only days a year that the entire family could spend time together. As time passed, this day largely faded into oblivion, with the traditions being absorbed into today’s secular celebration of mother’s day.

However, not many of us may know that the worldwide celebration of Mother’s day that we have today is in large part, a tip of the hat to one woman in particular, Mrs. Ann Jarvis. Jarvis lived in West Virginia in the 1850’s and was responsible for organizing several “Mother’s Day work clubs”, and through these clubs, she worked to combat the poor sanitation that contributed to the high child mortality rate. They nursed the sick, and provided medicine to the poor, and proper treatment to those with infectious diseases.

During the Civil war, Mrs. Jarvis rallied four of her clubs to pledge

to treat injured men from both sides of the war. After the war, she attempted to reunite families whose familiar bonds had been threated by polarized views during the war. In keeping with this goal, she organized a “Mother’s Friendship Day”, explaining that if friends and family were to be reconnected, it would be accomplished most easily by appealing to the love and respect everyone had for their mother.

The event was well planned and executed, and reportedly ended with numerous in tearful embrace of each other.

Following this success, several other “Mother’s friendship days” were held.

After Mrs. Jarvis passed, her Daughter Anna remembered something her mother had always said, “I hope that someone, sometime, will found a Memorial Mother’s Day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life.

She is entitled to it.”

It was then that Ann decided a day must be established in her mother’s memory, promising “The

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Plodding on… time and place is here and the someone is your daughter, and by the grace of God, you shall have that Mother’s Day.” After writing tirelessly to ministers, business people and politicians, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it official: Mother’s Day would be a national holiday held each year on the second Sunday in May. Although Anna had been successful, she was distraught with how commercialized Mother’s day evolved to become.

She remained steadfast that the day was about sentiment and not profit, and once admitted she regretted starting the holiday because of what it became.

In some way, I agree with Anna.

Showing love and appreciation shouldn’t have to come at a cost. Most times it’s not about the amount of money something cost, but rather the amount of thought given to something.

To the victors…

atiricus was a bit worried. He wasn’t getting clear signals from his leaders in the KFC on the party’s position in dealing with the big enchilada in the coalition – the Pee an’ See. Here it was that Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat were singing “Solidarity Forever”, but Trot Man was threatening to have the KFC fly solo in the local elections. As he swayed in his hammock reading the newspaper, Satiricus fell into a not-so-blissful slumber. And had this dream.

“A wha’ raas yuh mek trouble fa, Trottie?” whined Nagga Man. “Yuh na know w’en yuh haan in tigah mout’ yuh gat fuh rub ‘e head?”

“That’s the problem I have with you, Nagga Man,” said Trot Man sharply. “Half the time I don’t know what the arse you talking, with all yor parables.”

“What he mean, Trottie, is you will p*ss aff de Pee an’ See?” explained Rum Jhaat in his town voice. “They might tell you to haul yuh ass!”

“ME p*ss off Pee an’ See?!” exclaimed Trot Man, swirling his rum in his glass like his idol Burnt Ham. “I AM Pee an’ See!!”

“See, Rum Jhaat?!!” shrieked Nagga Man. “Same t’ing me tell yuh. Yuh cyaan trus’ dem red people. Dem a cut all-two side like razablade!”

“What’s he babbling about?” Trot Man asked Rum Jhaat.

“He says you are playing both sides – the Pee an’ See and KFC,” explained Rum Jhaat in his town voice.

“You mean I had to spell it out for you?” asked Trotman of Nagga Man, as he sipped his rum daintily. “What you think ‘Nassau’ is?”

“Me t’ink you and Grain Ja bin pan vacation,” said Nagga Man weakly, as he eyed Trot Man’s rum. “Wha’ da?”

“Explain ‘Nassau’ to him,” said Rum Jhaat before Trot Man could ask him anything.

“Na! Me na kay ‘bout da,” interjected Nagga Man. “Wha’ da Trot Man a drink?”

“Give him some rum to drink,” said Rum Jhaat to Trotman. “And you might as well give me some too.”

“Haul yuh ass!” said Trot Man. “Go pat Grain Ja head!”

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…with the Ming Swing

ven with all the criticisms of the illegal, solesourced design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) – for both procedural and substantive reasons – the PNC-led Government, as usual, are plunging straight ahead. And, if their attitude’s anything to go by, the Devil should take the hindmost – which includes, obviously, those Guyanese who’ve expressed doubts about the project design!

The bids from the 11 mostly Chinese bidders will now be evaluated by this month-end, and three will be shortlisted. Even this procedure is highly suspect… since the criteria for the culling of 11 companies to 3 hasn’t been spelled out. This refusal to have all 11 companies submit bids stinks. It screams to high heavens that something rotten is in the making. It’s a crock to say it’s easier to pick from three bids than from 11!!!!

Then, with so many Chinese companies involved, why would the Chinese Ambassador – a diplomat, mind you!! — say the design is so last century they wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole!! Imagine, China was the poster boy for backwardness and poverty back in the sixties, when we were flying high – and can now talk to us about backwardness!!

That’s because those who make decisions about our development are not concerned about our development!

Why was the ambassador so scathing? For the same reason any Guyanese who even cursorily considers the approved design would be. Guyanese know of the frustration caused to Demerara commuters over the last forty years, when the present DHB had to retract a span to allow ships to proceed upriver!! Now with us building a new bridge in the 21st century, you’d think any sane administration would build a fixed-span bridge, wouldn’t you?? The PPP thought so!!

After all, Suriname built TWO, decades ago!! But no…rather than having a span RETRACT like the old DHB, this Government boasts about having a span LIFTED as if it’s technological leap forward!! The bottom line is that traffic would still be halted when the bridge is “open”!! This Government would like us to go along with spending all those hundreds of millions of US dollars for the “lifting” structure, rather than the present floating pontoons, because VEHICLES WOULD NOW BE ABLE TO PARK ON THE BRIDGE, RATHER THAN ON THE ROAD!!

So what gives, since your Eyewitness doesn’t believe Minister Patterson can pass the McNaughton test to qualify for an “insanity plea”?!! The sudden swing of the Bridge as it approaches the western bank of the river offers a clue: it ends at land owned

by PNC financier Stanley.

We’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to figure out the reason for the “Ming Swing”!! …with antique aircraft Well, now your Eyewitness has heard it all!!

Prodded by the PPP as to why they’re spending G$484 million on four planes — manufactured forty years ago — for the GDF, the Government said the planes were like “Rolls Royses” – and age doesn’t matter!! Really?!! So we wonder why airlines aren’t flying those old Constellations from the WWII era!!

Those were real beauts, weren’t they??

But even if we’re to buy the argument about equating 1970s Skyvans and Islanders with Rolls… do these people know why Rolls become “vintage” and “antiques”? They aren’t used to fetch cargo all year round. With all the maintenance in the world, if these planes are used by the army as planned, they’ll be scrap in a few years. Just like those old Bell helicopters Burnham’d bought while he was around.

The Skyvan – known as “the Flying Shoebox” – is pretty much extinct, with only 40 left as of 2009. And the GDF really believe they’ll be able to get spares??

Your Eyewitness has the Brooklyn Bridge to sell!! …with GWI hanky-panky Last June, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green was appointed to Chair GWI’s Board…to deal with procurement “irregularities”.

Minister Bulkan’s now miffed GWI’s still sole sourcing. Wasn’t appointing Chase-Green tantamount to putting the cat to guard the milk??

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana, WB working to establish 5-year strategic partnership

Earning…

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…AFC’s keep

he leaders of the AFC have moved from the risible to the ridiculous. Khemraj Ramjattan wants “constitutional” change – as promised since he hitched up with Trotman – AND he wants to give a statutory imprimatur to the common law criminal charge of “seditious libel”??!! God help us all on this benighted speck of real estate on South America!! Has the fellow ever heard of “incommensurable paradigms”?? That’s what “constitutionalism” and “seditious libel” constitute.

The latter arises from the days of the absolute Monarchy, when the rule was: “let no dog bark” when the King passes. The King’s word was literally the gospel. After all, he was appointed by Divinity, and seditious libel was analogous to blasphemy against God! If you blasphemed, then having your tongue pulled out was an act of mercy!!

In England, a Star Chamber was established by the seventeenth century to deal with Seditious Libel – which was the “notion of inciting by words or writings disaffection towards the state or constituted authority”.

Let us just say the Star Chamber was modelled on the Spanish Inquisition, and valiantly tried to outdo that abomination in practising and refining the fine art of torture. The entire history of “constitutionalism”, on the other hand, has been an attempt by the people to curb that arbitrary power of the absolute King. Founded on the notion of the “rule of law”, this proposed that all and sundry should be equal before the law – enshrined in a constitution. And when it came to criminal charges, if the gravamen of the seditious libel is to move to launch an insurrection against the state, there are enough laws of the books TO HANDLE THEM. Notice your Eyewitness said, “On the books” – that is, they’ve already been given statutory basis.

So one can only surmise that people like Ramjattan want to drag us back to the Middle Ages, when we would all have to genuflect when the rulers – himself included, of course – pass by. After that genuflection, of course, it’s just another step to lopping off the extended and bent neck of someone who supposedly insulted the rulers. Who knows, it might just be for looking at them cross-eyed?!!

Some question why Ramjattan insists he can still get his party’s proposals on Constitutional change passed before 2020. No problem!! It’ll just be like the way Burnham, who insisted on being an oxymoronic “constitutional absolute monarch, held the 1978 referendum, permitting him NOT to have a referendum on his new constitution by rigging it to deliver a 97% majority!!

Of course Burnham was caught – as Ramjattan will be, and like all smart flies — on the backsides of his own artifices. …the people’s trust?

Your Eyewitness is pleased that at long last — 7 years waiting? – the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is up and running again. Early on, Cheddi Jagan had insisted on keeping his word that a Race Relations Board be established to address the ethnoracial divisions that had kept Guyana spinning its wheels — progress wise — for half a century.

The PNC protested the Chair being Bishop Randolph George of the Anglican Church, and didn’t cooperate. That took care of that initiative!! After the 2000 constitutional changes, the ERC was launched, with its membership given greater legitimacy from the wide array of bodies nominating members.

The PNC didn’t cooperate because the Chair was Bishop Juan Edgehill. Did they have a “thing” against Bishops?

The PNC Leader challenged the bona fides of the ERC in 2011, and it went into hibernation. Now with them back in the saddle, and with the PNC-friendly John Smith of the Assemblies of God– almost a Bishop – chairing the ERC, we can expect them to cooperate.

But will they ease ethnic tensions? Let’s see. …cultural cash After its Big Bash for the Jubilee Independence Celebrations, the Government passed the baton to a private group to run the “Independence Carnival”.

-President Granger invited to address WB on 'Green' State Development Strategy

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resident David Granger, on Wednesday, met with Ms. Tasheen Khan, Country Director for Caribbean Countries, World Bank Group at State House, where they both committed to establishing a stronger, longterm relationship after a period of short-term arrangements, initiated under the former administration, as a result of disagreements over some projects.

Due to the disagreements, the strategic plans between Guyana and the Bank were only for the duration of two years. However, the two sides are now looking to resort to the normal process, which will see five year strategic plans being developed. The Bank is looking to promote strengthened cooperation and collaboration with Guyana in a number of areas including climate change, education and the oil and gas sector and has invited the Head of State to address the organisation on Guyana’s ‘Green’ State Development Strategy (GSDS).

According to the Ministry of the Presidency, during the meeting, the Director also extended praise to the current administration for the strides it has made over the past three years as she noted that efforts made to bring Guyana into compliance with the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) are com-

President David Granger [third from left] and Tasheen Khan, Country Director for Caribbean Countries [fourth from left] and other executives from the World Bank Group. Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan was also present at the meeting. [Ministry of the Presidency photo]

mendable. “I want to express my congratulations to you and how during your tenure you have moved the country forward in several areas and the steps you took to get Guyana out of the CFATF’s list is very positive. We acknowledge and congratulate you on the progress in these areas,” she said.

President Granger was invited by Ms. Khan to visit the World Bank to make a presentation on Guyana’s ‘green’ agenda. In an invited comment, the Director said that it is her belief that the Bank as well as the rest of the world has a lot to learn from Guyana and its pursuit of a ‘green’ state.

During a brief interview following the meeting, Country Director said, “[President Granger] explained his vision and his aspirations for where he wants Guyana to move forward, taking full advantage as well as protecting your beautiful environment and resources and when

I was listening to him, I realised that there is a lot that the World Bank and my colleagues in Washington can learn from what Guyana is aspiring to do, especially in a unique situation where on one hand you have this green agenda and on the other, you have this extractive oil industry coming up. So balancing both together, I felt that bringing the President to the World Bank Headquarters for a presentation on the aspirations of Guyana will be beneficial for both parties, for the World Bank and other stakeholders.”

Ms. Khan briefed the Head of State and Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan on projects, which the Bank is looking to expand on and initiate in Guyana. In education sector, she noted that currently, funding to the tune of US$25million has been made available to Guyana for several projects, including the construction of two new Secondary schools in Yarrowkabra and Hope,

Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four).

The Bank will also be working with the Ministry of Education to explore the possibility of the use of technology to improve access to education across the country.

President Granger welcomed this announcement noting that education remains a top priority for his administration and it will continue to do whatever is possible to ensure that every children is able to attend and stay in school.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Pierre Nadji, Senior Country Officer, Guyana, Suriname and Belize, Latin America and Caribbean Region, Ms. Galina Sotirova, Country Manager, Jamaica and Guyana, Ms. Abha Prasad, Program Leader, Caribbean Countries, Latin America and the Caribbean and Mr. Christopher Sheldon, Practice Manager, Energy and Extractive, World Bank, the MotP reported.

Probe launched of `feast’ in T&T maximum security jail (Trinidad Guardian)

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video of prisoners feasting, chanting, cavorting and recording their activities comfortably on banned cellular phones at the Maximum Security Prison is now the subject of an investigation.

The video begins with a bareback man sitting on a bed, eyes downcast with earphones on. The narrator identifies someone in a white teeshirt as “the Sabbath teacher” before showing off a layout of about 20 bowls of food with rice, fish, plantain and cucumbers.

In the video, the narrator seems proud of the feast saying, “All soldiers… after the Saturday sabbath, rice and fish to feed all (of) you. I am sharing . Hail Selassie, Rasta living. We take a bathe. Its Kings of Kings.”

Someone is then seen dishing out the food. The prisoners then begin a rhythmic chant to the beat of bongo drums and the rattle of chac chacs as they dance around.

The video ends with one man taking a Rastafarian rag and placing it on top of the head of another man. A depiction of Bob Marley emblazoned with the word Legend was seen in the video. Other prisoners were seen in other cells looking on.

The video, shared more than 22,000 times on Facebook, drew praise and condemnation from the public.

Deli Cadogan wrote, ” BWDMA!!!! I guess jail ain’t so bad like people portrayed it to be then.”

Kevin Marcano wrote, “With the exception of having a phone I don’t see an issue. The video hasn’t promoted no badness of gangsterism. Most the time family brings food when they visit so they’re having a meal. Actually is kinda a pleasant change to see fellas not behaving like goons.”

Damien Kissoondath wrote, ”The food they eating is a nun issue what’s the big issues is the phone and internet service that is

the real problem.”

But Pauline Cruickshank added, “Steupzz everyone have something negative to say. So you know no one in jail? You didn’t know they have phones and don’t get me started with the food. Some people have family who cook and bring them stuff and as u can see they are sharing. Me eh saying it right they having phones but they done have it. So what you gonna do bout it. The whole of Trinidad corrupted. Them in jail already the extra crime they doing is having a phone u think they gonna care??

Really???”

But a source at Prison said the Prison authorities were aware of the video and were doing investigations. Efforts to contact Prisons Commissioner Gerard Wilson and president of the Prisons Officers Association Ceron Richards proved futile as Richards did not answer his cellular phone.

Wilson’s secretary said he was engaged in a meeting and could not be disturbed.

48 Bollywood

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Aishwarya Rai Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi making the Bachchan: I ended most out of their ‘work trip’ to the US up doing my own N thing and not following patterns

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n hindsight, actor and former beauty queen Aishwarya Rai Bachchan feels she has been “school girlish” in her choices and feels she should have been more fierce about taking up projects.

“I think I was very school girlish in my choices… I was very good at keeping with schedules, and because of that I kind of walked away from some very great films and opportunities… because I would be sincere to schedules. Now when I think back, I should have maybe been more fierce and aggressive with wanting the films and allowed the schedules to figure themselves out as I have seen a lot of colleagues have worked over the years,” Aishwarya told a group of media in a video interaction from Cannes.

She, however, has no regrets. “There are so many stories to be told, look at the population of the world. There are enough films and enough work to do,” said Aishwarya, 44, who was in the French Riviera to attend the 71st Cannes Film Festival as the L’Oreal brand ambassador.

Having made her film debut with Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar, Aishwarya has worked with some of India’s most well-known filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Guzaarish), Ashutosh Gowariker (Jodhaa Akbar), Rituparno Ghosh (Chokher Bali and Raincoat).

She took a five-year break when she had daughter Aaradhya with husband Abhishek Bachchan, making a comeback with Jazbaa in 2015.

“Recently, there was a colleague who asked me, ‘Was Jazbaa the comeback vehicle you wanted?’

I was like, ‘Guys, it was a script, I liked the idea and I went with it’. I don’t want to play into how one

has to go about things,” Aishwarya said as she explained how her choices have always been about following her heart, and not the herd.

“I came in from Miss World, so because I experienced blast of stardom so early, I, from the very beginning — from Mani Ratnam to date — made choices from my heart, and tried being myself… I ended up doing my own thing and not following patterns that existed before, after or what is the natural trajectory of a leading lady in our industry.

“I think that’s why people think I end up breaking preconceived norms…

And that wonderfully continues.”

The actor keeps getting asked when will she be seen on-screen next, but she says she keeps dilly-dallying it.

“When I took a break with Aaradhya and even now, I get asked, ‘Why don’t we see more of you?’ Yes, I want to do more films. I have been a little easy on my time planning… I have happily played mummy to Aaradhya and thrown work around here and there. Even now when I am offered a good script, I feel like doing but then I think, ‘Let me take one more holiday this month.

I will do the next one’. I think this attitude needs to change,” she said with a laugh.

At the Cannes gala, Aishwarya made a style statement in elaborate gowns. She says she is fine with people “commenting, critiquing or criticising” because “that’s part of being a celebrity, being a public figure and being in the public domain”.

“That is fine. That goes with the turf… I am very easy with it and everyone has seen it over the years.

I don’t disrespect it.”

However, she feels women need to stop judging each other in day-to-day lives. (Indian Express)

ewlyweds Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi flew to the US a day after their hush-hush wedding on May 10. As they made an appearance at the airport, many speculations about their honeymoon destination started doing the rounds. Also, as the duo posted lovely pictures first time as man and wife, their many followers thought they are honeymooning in the US. But Neha had a different story to tell.

Clarifying that she is out for work and not for the honeymoon, Neha posted a photo with the caption, “Never not working… dressed in @ shantanunikhil By @ tanghavri N @namdeepak … Thank you @ prathamusa for having me at your #Houston sector … glad we raised

a great amount for a good cause … #education first … everything else can wait! #notonhoneymoon.” However, next morning, the Tumhari Sulu actor was seen enjoying the summer in Texas as she posted another click with husband Angad Bedi on her Instagram story.

Angad, last seen in

Tiger Zinda Hai, also shared a photo with wife and best friend Neha as they prepared to leave from Texas. Along with the photo, he wrote, “#skylight n #oasis … #Austin … once again, thank you @prathamusa … until we meet again …”

On the work front, Angad will be next seen

as Bikramjeet Singh in Soorma which also stars Diljit Dosanjh and Taapsee Pannu. His character poster from the sports biopic was shared by the makers on Wednesday. Neha and Angad surprised all as they tied the knot in a private ceremony in New Delhi. It was only after the two actors posted photos from their wedding on social media that the news of their nuptials came out. “Best decision of my life.. today, I married my best friend.

Hello there, husband! @ angadbedi,” wrote Neha along with the photo.

Their friends and colleagues from the film industry too were left stunned with the news and showered the couple with congratulatory messages as the news broke out. (Indian Express)

John Abraham collaborating with Nikkhil Advani for ‘Batla House’

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ilmmaker Nikkhil Advani, who is collaborating with actor John Abraham for the upcoming film Batla House, says it is a story he has been working on for over three years.

Advani on Wednesday tweeted: “An association that began way back in 2005. I am so thrilled to be collaborating with

Ritesh Shah

once again after D-Day (and) Airlift. We have worked for three years on this story and are so happy to have John Abraham help us tell it. Batla House.”

A post from the official Twitter page of Emmay Entertainment read: “We are thrilled to announce Nikkhil Advani’s next directorial venture starring John Abraham in story of one of the most talkedabout police operation in recent times, the encounter at L-18 Batla house. This one’s going to be big!”

John Abraham too tweeted about the same and wrote, “Someone who believes in me and I believe in him. Thank you @nikkhiladvani. We will make a fantastic film together!!”

Other details related to the film are still under wraps.

The real-life incident took place on September 19, 2008, against Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists in Batla House in Delhi. Two suspected terrorists, Atif Ameen and Mohammad Sajid, were killed while two other suspects Mohammad Saif and Zeeshan were arrested, and one accused Ariz Khan managed to escape.

Mohan Chand Sharma, who led the police action, was killed in the incident. (Indian Express)

Salman Khan on ‘Race 3’: Never done a film high on action, music where you clap and whistle

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ince his resurrection in Bollywood with the remake of Telugu action entertainer, Wanted in 2009, Salman Khan has become a synonym with raw star power and films which are one-man shows.

The likes of Dabangg franchise, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger, rely little on story or content and much more on big-scale action, music and Salman’s undeniable star presence.

And the best part is, no one complains, not his fans at least, for they only care about Salman, looking every bit the macho that he is and gunning down opposition. They cheer, clap, whistle, which the brand of Salman Khan cinema thrives upon.

The actor, however, does not believe his films fall into the category of an entertainer, contradicting the very defence that his fans

and followers often use in front of the critics.

At the trailer launch of his upcoming film, Race 3, which he called his first ever “musical, action bonanza,” Salman said, “Earlier, we used to have a ‘musical action bonanza’ which hasn’t come in a while, the kind of films Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan), Dharam ji (Dharmendra) used to do. A film with big scale music, emotion, action, which you watch, whistle in the end, clap and go back

home happy – this (Race 3) is one of those films, which I’ve never done at all.”

On Tuesday evening, Salman was, like a lot of times, an epitome of contradiction and amusement.

When a scribe mentioned the failure of his 2016 drama film, Tubelight, Salman, in a sarcasmlaced reply, said, “Yeah, Tubelight did very badly, but it still did much better than rest of the films, which I am really happy about. Even though we returned a lot of money (referring to the return of payment to the distributors), we had a lot of money to make Race 3.

“So, if that you consider a disaster then I am really honoured and privileged to be in that position that my 100 core plus films are considered disasters,” he said.

(Indian Express)

Hollywood 49

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

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here are roles that are tailormade for some actors. Emma Watson and Hermione Granger, Viggo Mortensen and Aragorn, Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds – a perfect match. In fact, we knew Reynolds would eventually play the role when in the comic book series Cable & Deadpool (2004) the antihero describes his scarred face as “Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar-Pei.” Deadpool and Reynolds use cuss words generously, and they both have that sarcastic sense of humour that makes you want to laugh out loud and hit them on the head simultaneously (like a soft tap). Reynolds’ Instagram account’s bio reads “I can’t feel your legs.” That humour, oh. And remember all that marketing that had happened prior to the release of Deadpool? The movie was being sold as a rom-com, and there were some pretty epic posters declaring the arrival of the Merc with the Mouth.

Deadpool 2 has followed a similar marketing strategy it seems.

And yes, they are both Canadians, Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds. So, it was fate. Reynolds is reportedly a big fan of the Marvel character, and he has made this obvious on several occasions. In fact, he was one of the first few people who pushed for a standalone Deadpool movie. The movie had been

Marvel to make film on female Muslim superhero Ms Marvel

in making for eleven long years. And yes, Reynolds was among those who had believed in the project and had pushed Fox to finance the flick. And obviously, the horrendous version of Deadpool that first appeared on the

big screen in 2009 in the X men film titled X Men Origins: Woleverine (2009) didn’t help the case at all.

Reynolds had previously said that Deadpool had come to fruition because a leaked footage of the movie reached the public and the fans’ overwhelming reaction helped Fox finalise their decision of making a movie on the motormouth character. Now anyone who has that sense of passion for a project deserves the chance to see his baby take flight.

The wit, sarcasm and charisma of Deadpool the comic character cleanly couples with the dynamic personality of Ryan Reynolds the movie star. And we would really have it no other way.

(Indian Express)

Margot Kidder, known for playing Lois Lane, dies at 69

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argot Kidder, the Canadian actress who starred as a salty and cynical Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve in the Superman film franchise of the 1970s and 1980s, has died. She was 69.

Kidder’s manager Camilla Fluxman Pines said she died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday. Police in Livingston, Montana, said in a statement that officers were called to Kidder’s home, where they found her dead. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause, but no foul play is suspected.

Superman, directed by Richard Donner and released in 1978, was a superhero blockbuster two decades before comic book movies became the norm at the top of the box office. Makers of today’s Marvel and D.C. films cite Superman as an essential inspiration.

Kidder, as ace reporter Lane, was a salty, sexually savvy adult who played off of the boyish, farmraised charm of Reeve’s Clark Kent, though her dogged journalism constantly got her into dangerous scrapes that required old-fashioned rescues.

Kidder had many of the movies’ most memorable lines, including “You’ve got me?!

Who’s got you?!” when she first encoun-

tered the costumed hero as she and a helicopter plunged from the top of a Metropolis building.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige called the moment “the best cinematic superhero save in the history of film” at an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences event honoring Donner last year.

Kidder and Reeve were relative unknowns when they got their leading parts in the first of the films in 1978, which also included big names Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando.

Kidder and Reeve went on to star in three more Superman movies, the fourth and last in 1987.

She said she and Reeve, who was paralyzed in 1995 by a horsing accident, were like brother and sister, both in their affection and animosity for each other.

“We quarreled all the time,” Kidder said May 9 in an interview on radio station WWJ in Detroit, where she had been scheduled to appear at Motor City Comic Con later this month. “The crew would be embarrassed.

They would look away.

Then we’d play chess or something because we were also really good friends.”

Both would remain known almost entirely for their Superman roles and struggled to find other major parts.

Reeve died in 2004.

Kidder also had a small part in

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arvel has said that a Ms Marvel movie is in the works. It would be the studio’s second female-led superhero film after Captain Marvel that will release next year. Although many characters in Marvel Comics have adopted the mantle of Ms Marvel, president Kevin Feige made it clear that the movie will be based on Kamala Khan’s version of Ms Marvel. Brie Larson will play the role of Danvers in the Captain Marvel film.

Kevin Feige told the BBC, “Ms. Marvel… is definitely sort of in the works.” He went on to clarify that it is Kamala Khan’s version that will be adapted. Marvel’s recent Avengers: Infinity War is currently in theatres and has broken multiple box office records in India and around the world.

After a lot of criticism for casting mainly white, male characters in major roles, Marvel is trying to diversify its film slate by including characters of colour and female superheroes. This

year’s Black Panther with its predominantly black cast was a humongous success for the studio and many believe that after the Thanos and Infinity Stones storyline is finished, the major characters would be the younger superheroes instead of Iron Man, Captain America and so on. There are also rumours of a Black Widow movie and an all-female superhero movie.

When Kamala Khan’s Ms Marvel was introduced, it received enthusiastic response from comic-book readers around the world who praised her char-

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acterisation. Many said she was the perspective of Pakistani-Americans and asked the comicbook and film industries to follow Marvel’s example.

Fans on Twitter are asking for casting Priyanka Chopra to don the role. But others say she would not be a great choice, since Kamala Khan is a PakistaniAmerican and a teenager. Priyanka’s Quantico was recently cancelled after three seasons but she has a couple of Hollywood projects this year in the pipeline.

(Indian Express)

eryl Streep has joined the cast of Steven Soderbergh’s directorial on the Panama Papers, The Laundromat. Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas are also in talks to star in the film. Even though no studio is so far confirmed to distribute the film, the sources told The Hollywood Reporter that streaming giant Netflix is eyeing it. Scott Z Burns, the screenwriter who has collaborated with Soderbergh on The Informant!, Contagion and Side Effects, has written the script.

The film is based on the book Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite by Jake Bernstein. Michael Sugar, Lawrence Grey, Gregory Jacobs, Soderbergh and Scott Z Burns are producing the film.

Panama Papers were millions of leaked

documents that gave the information of more than 2 lakh offshore entities.

There were cases of fraud, tax evasion and other crimes. The investigation was done by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The Indian Express is also a member of this organisation.

Meryl Streep last appeared in Steven Spielberg’s The Post in which she starred alongside Tom Hanks.

She earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in the film.

The Post was based on Pentagon Papers and she played the role of Katharine Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post in the 1970s. Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Carrie Coon and Matthew Rhys also starred in The Post. (Indian Express)

1975’s The Great Waldo Pepper with Robert Redford, and starred as conjoined twins in Brian De Palma’s 1973 Sisters, and as the mother of a terrorized family opposite James Brolin in 1979’s The Amityville Horror.

Kidder had a debilitating car accident in 1990 that left her badly in debt, confined her to a wheelchair for most of two years and worsened the mental illness she had struggled with for much of her life.

That struggle became public in 1996 when she was found dazed and filthy in a yard not far from the studio where she once filmed parts of Superman.

She fought through her illness and continued working, however, appearing in small films and television shows and amassing credits until 2017, most notably R.L. Stine’s the Haunting Hour, which earned her a Daytime

Emmy Award as outstanding performer in a kids’ series in 2015.

“I don’t act much anymore unless I’m broke, and then I’ll take a job,” she told the Detroit radio station with a laugh.

She spent the last decades of her life living in Montana and engaging in political activism, including protesting the U.S. military action in Iraq.

Kidder was born in Yellowknife, Canada, and graduated from a Toronto boarding school before pursuing acting.

She dated then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in the 1980s, calling him the “love of my life, my true love” in her radio interview last week.

Kidder was married and divorced three times, including a brief marriage to actor John Heard, and is survived by a daughter, Maggie McGuane. (Indian Express)

50 sport

WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Guyana’s Edghill lands Rupununi Football Association on the rise Portugal training stint

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he Rupununi Football Association (RFA) was recently honoured for being the most improved association within the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

The award has come at an appropriate time, since the association has been striving to improve the level of football within the region.

“Football is changing in the Rupununi,” executive member of the RFA, Rayan Farias, declared.

The three-year-old RFA started out with a small total of five male clubs and four female clubs. Tasked with popularizing and streamlining football within the Rupununi, the RFA had initially found its task difficult, its lone support system being the GFF. The association began to host leagues, which ran for 4-5 months (usually from February to June). Those leagues eventually gained popularity in their respective communities, and attracted much crowd support and sponsorship from various business entities.

As such, football grew within the area to the point where the RFA needed to implement short tournaments to keep its male and female senior players occupied.

The association now has 17 male clubs and 16 female clubs.

Speaking on the operation of the association, Ferias disclosed that the authorities have been strict with the Rayan Farias use of drugs and

alcohol, and that has had a ripple effect on the society outside of football.

“Regarding the use of drugs, alcohol and the abuse of these things, what we found is we hardly have footballers now indulging in these things, because that’s one of the areas we got serious with. They’re thinking more football,” he stated.

As testimony of their improvement, not only are they the most improved association, but one of their players, Orville Daniels, was hailed as the Junior Male Footballer of the Year. Farias is optimistic that the association would continue to develop. He says, “I think we’re heading in the right direction.

Individually and as clubs they’re improving as well.”

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uyana’s female table star Chelsea Edghill has another chance to add to her blossoming career since landed in Portugal on Monday for a training and Internship at Club Ponta Do Pargo Madeira.

The talented racquet wilder who is a scholarship student at the Lindenwood in Missouri, plays on the intercollegiate circuit in the United States.

As part of her quest to explore, the internship will last for 6- 7 weeks where she will play and train with high level players and coaches, work with junior players and play in competition and matches representing the club.

She will take a break to represent Guyana at the 2018 South America games in Cochabamba, Bolivia May 28 – June 8 along with her team mates Natalie Cummings and Trenace Lowe

Her stint will extend from the South America Games where she would travel back to Portugal to continue training and internships duties until July 2nd 2018 where she will depart club in preparation for participation at the Central America and Caribbean Games Barranquilla Colombia.

She was invited by Celeste Araujo, Director of Sports at Club Ponta Do Pargo Madeira Portugal who also serve as trainer and Gilberto Garrido, Club Manager, who saw her play in the nationals of the inter collegiate championships and were very impressed with her level of talent.

Club Ponta Do Cargo Madeira Portugal are the 2018 division two league championships winner in Portugal. Portugal has highly competitive leagues with very skilled players

Power-lifters excel at Intermediate/Masters Championships Colin ‘Mr Clean’ Chesney flexing his muscles during Sunday’s Powerlifting Championships

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n impressive display of exceptional strength was recorded this past Sunday when the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) hosted its Masters and Intermediate Championships at the St. Stanislaus College on Sunday.

Among those who starred in their performances were Noel Cummings, Nadina Taharally, Colin Chesney, and others who set new benchmarks in the realm of powerlifting. Cummings, of Buddy’s Gym, set a new record competing in the masters 66kg division, pressing some 120kg and deadlifting 160kg.

Taharally bench-pressed 70kg, squatted 135kg, and deadlifted 165kg to rack up a total of 370 Wilkes points and set her new record. Runita White, also from Buddy’s Gym, managed to deadlift 195lbs in the 84+ kg class, thus setting a new junior record. She starred in the 84+kg class, squatting 165kg, bench pressing 67.5kg and deadlifting 195.0 kg. Sunday’s championships saw other notable feats of strength being displayed by the likes of Martin Webster, Bjorn Williams, Tineisha Toney, Vijai Rahim and others. (Clifton Ross)

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018| guyanatimeSinternational.com

Brilliant Bumrah, Pollard 50 keep Mumbai’s IPL defence alive

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asprit Bumrah was the hero as Mumbai Indians kept their Indian Premier League hopes alive with a dramatic three-run win over Kings XI Punjab, for whom another brilliant KL Rahul innings proved in vain.

Needing a win in their penultimate group game to retain a chance of making the top four, Mumbai were indebted to the brilliance of Bumrah as they just about defended a total of 186-8.

The India seamer returned 3-15 from four brilliant overs and crucially dismissed international team-mate Rahul in the penultimate over of the chase, after the Kings XI batsman compiled a superb 94.

Rahul and Aaron Finch (46) looked to have laid the foundations for a Kings XI win with four overs remaining, but Bumrah removed both set batsmen and Marcus Stoinis while also keeping runs to a minimum in a wonderful display of death bowling.

Earlier, Kieron Pollard justified his recall to Mumbai’s XI with 50 from 23 balls, while

Jasprit Bumrah

the hosts’ also received useful contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (27 off 15), Ishan Kishan (20 off 12) and Krunal Pandya (32 off 23) in a stop-start innings.

Like Rahul, Andrew Tye could feel hard done by after ending up on the losing side. The canny Australia bowler took 4-16 from four overs, his third four-wicket haul in four matches.

In Rahul and Tye, the Kings XI boast the competition’s leading runscorer and wicket-taker respectively, but they are nevertheless staring at a likely group-stage exit.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings are already assured of qualification, but the battle to join them remains tough to

call.

Kolkata Knight Riders have 14 points with one game left to play, while Mumbai and the Kings XI are two of three teams – along with Rajasthan Royals – two points further back.

Crucially, Mumbai’s net run rate is far superior.

Royal Challengers Bangalore are not out of it either. They are on 10 points with two games to play and could yet sneak through with wins in their last two matches.

Mumbai’s innings was a curious one – featuring two stints of rapid scoring and two periods where runs proved much harder to come by.

Fifty-seven runs came from the first five overs, but the hosts only mustered another 22 in the next five as Tye excelled in claiming 3-5 from 12 balls.

After a delay brought about by floodlight failure, Pollard and Pandya reignited the innings with a flurry of boundaries, lifting Mumbai to 151-5 from 15 overs.

The pace slowed again following Pollard’s exit, but a total of 186 proved just enough for Mumbai. (SportsMax)

Lady Jags name 26 for CONCACAF qualifiers

By Jemima Holmes

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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Tuesday announced a 26-member team that will seek to keep Guyana’s FIFA World Cup 2019 dreams alive.

The team will come up against four other Caribbean countries in their group for the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Caribbean Women’s qualifiers, slated for May 23-25 at the Leonora Stadium on the West Coast of Demerara.

The Guyanese team, featuring talents from clubs in Guyana, Canada, USA, England and Singapore, are listed in Group E, along with Barbados, Bermuda and neighbouring Suriname.

Although admitting that their opponents will be tough to beat, Lady Jags Technical Director Ian Greenwood expressed confidence in the team.

“We also have to stress that these players are in our merit, as opposed to being tokens that are coming along for the ride. We have players who can start in international fixtures; they’ve proved that. We’re very confident in terms of what we’re putting together,” Greenwood stated.

The Guyana squad consists of: Taylor White (G), Natalie Nedd (G), Aneesa O’Brien (G), Sasha James, Odessa Romeo, Nikita Persaud, Sydney Cummings, Brianne DeSouza, Alicia Zaban, Allison Heydron, Collette Hope, Brittany Persaud, Miriam ElMasri, Tiandi Smith, Jade Vyphuis, Ghilene Joseph, Lakeisha Pearson, Horicia Adams, Brianna Desa, Hannah Baptiste, Calaigh Copland, Ashlee Savona, Annalisa Vincent, Cameo Hazelwood, Jalade Trim and Otesha

Charles.

Meanwhile, to add a little spice to the qualifiers, the GFF have announced that they have entered into a partnership with the Hits and Jams Entertainment that would see the event becoming a part of the Guyana Carnival’s roster of activities.

Director of Guyana Carnival, Kerwin Bollers, shared the reasoning behind the initiative. He said, “When we heard about what the GFF was doing, we thought that it was a perfect opportunity to partner with them, especially based on the fact that they have teams that will be coming in from across the Caribbean to participate.”

Describing the occasion as an opportunity to expose the other players to Guyana’s culture, Bollers disclosed that a special package would be available to them, should they want to participate in the Guyana Carnival.

“We had some conversation with Mr. [Wayne] Forde and his team, and one of the things that we came up with is to offer some discount packages to those persons who will be coming to Guyana for the football,” he said. The qualifying action will kick-off on May 23 with Guyana coming up against Bermuda. Guyana will face Suriname on May 25, and Barbados on May 27.

Should Guyana end at the top of their group, the team would join the other first place winners in a battle to see which three teams will travel to the USA. That competition will run from August 25 to September 2.

Those top three teams will travel to Edinburgh and to Frisco in Texas to participate in the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championships which will qualify three teams for the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

Windies, Bangladesh to face off in Florida T20s

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T JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC) — West Indies will face Bangladesh in two Twenty20 Internationals on US soil during the home series in July,

petitive Bangladesh side.”

West Indies have won three of the four T20Is at the venue, with the other one ending in a no-result following rain.

“Through this initiative, it will support our strategic objectives to increase the number of people who watch and follow Windies cricket, and help unlock the full

Cricket West Indies confirmed Tuesday.

The first T20 International is carded for Warner Park in St Kitts on July 31 before back-to-back matches are played at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Florida on August 4 and 5.

News of the US fixtures had come via media reports last weekend.

“We are delighted to include the matches at Fort Lauderdale on the schedule for the Bangladesh tour,” said CWI chief executive officer, Johnny Grave.

“Both matches are scheduled for the weekend and will be played under the lights, so it's a great opportunity for Windies fans in North America to see the team play against a very com-

They swept New Zealand 2-0 back in 2012 before beating India 1-0 when the Asian side toured the Caribbean two years ago.

Grave said the continued thrust of staging international cricket in the US was part of CWI's strategic plan.

“This is one of the initiatives outlined in our new Strategic Plan for the period 2018 to 2023,” the Englishman said.

“Our intention is to work with ICC Americas members, USA Cricket & Cricket Canada in partnership to establish cricket as a popular sport from North to South America, create opportunities for West Indian fans to watch the team live, and build support for the Windies.”

He continued:

potential of the Windies outside of the Caribbean.

“We look forward to having West Indians, Bangladeshis and fans of the game from all around the United States coming to join us at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium for the two matches.”

Bangladesh tour of the Caribbean starts July 4 and will see them clash with West Indies in two Tests – at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua and Sabina Park in Jamaica.

The National Stadium in Guyana will then play hosts to the first two One-Day Internationals of the three-match series with the final match set for Warner Park.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 20, 2018 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

GABF shortlists teams for CBC Championships

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n preparation for the Caribbean B a s k e t b a l l Confederation (CBC) Championships, set for Suriname from June 1530, 2018, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has shortlisted female and male players for participation in the flagship basketball event for the Caribbean Region.

On the female side, the Federation is focusing on the development of young players and using their participation in the Basketball Championships as an opportunity for exposure to basketball competition at the highest level in the Region.

The women’s squad has one overseas-based player – Mariam McKenzie and the following Guyanabased players, namely: Kennesha Leacock, Tandika Bouyea, Annalisa Barclay, Jade Mohan, Saffiya Greene, Jenelle Belle, Lydya Roberts, Kelian Sauers, Roshelle Campbell, Makeida Rogers, Caron Bobb-Semple, Jahrier Young, Nia Wilson, Sonia Rodney, Ginelle Ifill, Cliffanna Hunter, Aypdele Roache, Jamacia Blair, Ashley Khan, Ruth Sanmogan, Demelza Nicholas, Kesann Charles, Shania Sears, Tamara Hunter and Annaliza Barker.

The Guyanese men squad will include a number of overseas-based players, led by Gordon James: Shawn James, Delroy James, Anthony Moe, Ray Victor, Kevin Mickle, Kevon Wiggins, Richard Mohandatt, Nikon McGregor and Juon Nicholson. The Guyana-based basketball stars being called for trials are: Shaine Webster, Timothy Thompson, Shelroy Thomas, Stanton Rose, Harold Adams, Orlando Glasgow, Terron Welch, Chris Williams, Travis Burnett, Dominique Vincente, Nathan Saul, Dave Causeway, Travis Belgrave, Akeem

Point Guard Mariam McKenzie (22) playing for the Loyola University female Basketball team

Crandon, Nikkoloi Smith, Domair Gladstone and Curt English. Other overseas-based players are under consideration.

Daily practice sessions for the women squad commence on Sunday, June 20, 2018 from 19:00h and for the men squad, daily training starts on Sunday, June 27, 2018 from 20:00h; all training sessions will be held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Departure date for the women’s team is June 15, with game dates June 17-21, and return date June 22. For the men, departure date is June 22, with game dates June 24-30, and return date July 1.

The Guyanese women are in Group B, with Suriname, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic. While Group A includes: The Bahamas, Cuba, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Guyanese men are in Group A, with Suriname, St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines; while Group B comprises Barbados, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti and Montserrat.

Guyana is investing heavily in the CBC Championship, with the expectation that the Guyana Men Team will win the Male Championship for the first time; and the GABF is confident that we will succeed in this venture.

The Guyanese women won the CBC in Trinidad in 1996.

The coaching and management panel for the women team includes Lugard Mohan, Ann Gordon and Troy Greene; while the coaching and management panel for the men will comprise Willon Cameron, Junior Hercules, Kenny Avent and Jim Carr, Assistant Coach at the University of Rhode Island. Jonas Anastal is the Physical Conditioner and Physiotherapist for both teams.

‘It’s a dream come true’ …Garrett succeeds at intense D.C United audition

By Akeem Greene

J

eremy Garrett’s dream of becoming a professional footballer has landed on the doorsteps of reality, because he has proverbially struck ‘gold’ and will now join the Washington-based professional club D.C United for a two-month training programme with its Under-23 squad.

The season, running from May 14 to July 27, includes five to eight matches along training sessions three times per week.

Firstly giving praise to the Almighty, then to family members, close friends and coaches, the 18-year-old excitedly expressed himself by stating, “It’s a dream come true!”

“It’s a great feeling for me to be selected by DC United to be a part of their U-23 team. I must say it’s almost a dream come alive for me to have such a splendid opportunity. The hard work and dedication I’ve been putting in both on and off the field is finally paying off, and now I am happy for such opportunity on my side”, the national player told Guyana Times Sport on Sunday.

Garrett said the audition was intense, but it was not anything he was not able to comprehend, since he kept his composure, given he had had similar opportunities at the said club in 2017, and with Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon in 2016.

Leading the Way! Young Jeremy Garrett was successful at his audition for a spot on the under-23 team at Major League Soccer D.C United

The club competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top level of professional American soccer; and based on reports, is in talks with the great Wayne Rooney of England to form an alliance. Garrett hopes to interact with such outstanding personalities in order to absorb a wealth of knowledge.

“Interacting with Rooney, should he sign for the club, could help build my character. A part of the programme stated (that) U-23 players may be selected to train with the first team, depending on performance over the season. If I can keep my performance up and get a chance to train with such great players, it would be a great accomplishment,” he disclosed.

Paving the way

Garrett could be following in

the footsteps of Fruta Conquerors’ team mate Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson — the first Guyanese player to sign a contract with an MLS team, when he joined Colorado Rapids in 2009. While the youngster’s accomplishment is in no way yet commensurate with what Richardson did in that era, he knows it can spark greater interest among youngsters.

“If I can do well here, I think that (many) more doors and opportunities may be opening for Guyana on the whole. I think that once I can remain focused and (am) guided correctly, I can reach even to the MLS senior division; and by doing that, I can possibly (pave the) way for all those young talents coming out of Guyana,” the former Chase Academic Foundation student expressed.

Cricket Canada's inaugural T20 league to begin in June

G

Canada squad stands for the playing of 'O Canada' (Peter Della Penna)

lobal T20 Canada, the new six-team franchise league organized by Cricket Canada and Mercuri Group based out of Chennai, will take place between June 28 and July 15.

Each team will play six games in the league phase: an initial round-robin followed by a singlematch second round in which the teams will play one other opponent. The top four teams after the league phase advance to the playoffs beginning on July 12.

Similar to the IPL, the top two teams will play in the first playoff, with the winner going into the tournament final while the loser gets a second chance by playing the winner of the first elimination playoff between the third and fourth-placed teams. The final will take place on July 15 at 2pm local time, the same day as the FIFA World Cup Final in Moscow.

Though Cricket Canada president Ranjit Saini told ESPNcricinfo in February that

the tournament would be spread across three venues in the greater Toronto area, the schedule unveiled this week lists all games to be held at Maple Leaf Cricket Club, 25 miles north of downtown Toronto in King City.

Saini had indicated that there may be difficulty getting permits for access to certain venues such as the centrally-located Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club, which hosted the Sahara Cup ODI series between India and Pakistan in the late 1990s.

While no permanent infrastructure exists at Maple Leaf CC beyond a small clubhouse, the venue has installed temporary seating in the past to accommodate fans for a quadrangular series in 2008 between Canada, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The Global T20 Canada website lists the seating capacity for the tournament matches at Maple Leaf CC as 7,000, meaning temporary bleachers are expected to be

brought in once more for the tournament.

Though the entire tournament will take place at Maple Leaf CC, Global T20 Canada's franchise names represent five cities across Canada as well as one team called "Caribbean AllStars". The other five teams are the Toronto Nationals, Montreal Tigers, Ottawa Royals, Vancouver Knights and Winnipeg Hawks.

The tournament is scheduled to have a player draft on May 26 to fill out team rosters. However, no information has been provided

by Cricket Canada or tournament organizers regarding any foreign players in the draft pool or regarding fixed salaries tied to a player's draft slot akin to the Caribbean Premier League. Saini had told ESPNcricinfo in February that only a minimum of four Canada players would be required in each 15-man squad, with no mandate that any Canada players be in a starting XI. (ESPNCricinfo)

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